Rank: Specialist 5
Unit: 919th Engineer Company, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11B – Infantryman
Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device and Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badges: Combat Infantryman Badge
Unit awards: Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Enlisted by: Regular
Date of birth: 24-Dec-1947
Hometown: Silver Creek, New York
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 25-Nov-1966
Start of tour: 17-May-1969
Incident date: 9-Jul-1969
Date of casualty: 9-Jul-1969
Age at death: 21
Cause of death: Hostile, Died. Small Arms Fire. Gun or small arms fire.
John Bruce Cornwell was killed while gunner on a military vehicle on a combat operation when hostile force was encountered. / Left gunner on armored personnel carrier (APC) on combat operation. Engaged hostile force in firefight.
Five Blackhorse troopers died as a result of this incident:
SGT Thomas Jackson Barnes Jr
SP4 Earl Lloyd Cook
SP5 John Bruce Cornwell
SGT Jimmie Charles Scrogum
1LT Carl Douglas Shirley
Location of fatality: Binh Long, South Vietnam, XT 738 930
Place of interment: Glenwood Cemetery, Silver Creek, New York, USA
View this soldier‘s Find a Grave page (opens in a new window)
BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE AND OAK LEAF CLUSTER
POSTHUMOUS
SPECIALIST FIVE JOHN BRUCE CORNWELL
9 JULY 1969
919TH ENGINEER COMPANY (ARMORED)
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Specialist Five Cornwell distinguished himself by heroism in connection with military operations against a hostile force on 9 July 1969 while serving as a gunner with the 919th Engineer Company (Armored), 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On. this date while acting as rear security for a convoy, his platoon came under intense automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenade fire from a large, well-concealed enemy force. Disregarding the hostile fusillade to which he was exposed, Specialist Cornwell immediately began placing accurate suppressive fire on the enemy. As he continued raking the hostile positions with devastating fire, he was mortally wounded by an exploding rocket-propelled grenade. Specialist Five Cornwell’s courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
Headquarters, II Field Force Vietnam General Orders No. 1930 (7 August 1969)