VIETNAM - DETRICK, ROBERT LLOYD

Detrick, Robert Lloyd

VIETNAM - DETRICK, ROBERT LLOYD
DETRICK, ROBERT LLOYD

Rank: Specialist 4

Unit: Headquarters & Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment

MOS: 11D – Armor Reconnaissance Specialist

Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, 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: Selected Service

Date of birth: 14-Mar-1948

Hometown: Montara, California

Marital status: Never Married

Campaign: Vietnam Conflict

Entered service: 17-Aug-1967

Start of tour: 14-Jun-1968

Incident date: 20-Nov-1968

Date of casualty: 20-Nov-1968

Age at death: 20

Cause of death: Hostile, Died. Artillery/Mortar/Rocket. Artillery, rocket, or mortar.
Robert Lloyd Detrick died from wound received while at night defensive position when area came under hostile mortar attack. (Individual was transported to 93rd Evacuation Hospital, Long Binh, when he later expired.)

Two Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
SP4 Robert Lloyd Detrick
SP4 James Michael Martin

Location of fatality: Binh Duong, South Vietnam

Place of interment: Skylawn Memorial Park, San Mateo, California, USA

View this soldier‘s Find a Grave page (opens in a new window)

Vietnam Veterans Memorial panel and row: 38W 014 (view Vietnam Veterans Memorial link in a new window)

 

BRONZE STAR MEDAL

BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS

SPECIALIST FOUR ROBERT LLOYD DETRICK
20 NOVEMBER 1968
HEADQUARTERS AND HEADQUARTERS TROOP, 1st SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT

Specialist Four Detrick distinguished himself by heroism in connection with military operations against a hostile force on 20 November 1968 while serving as a machine gunner with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date, in the vicinity of Binh My, Specialist Detrick’s troop was deployed in a night defensive position in an open field, when suddenly the troop came under an intense barrage of enemy small arms, automatic weapons, mortar and antitank rocket fire from two North Vietnamese Army companies concealed in the dense jungle terrain outside the perimeter. Specialist Detrick, completely disregarding his on safety, immediately ran from the fortified bunker by which he was standing, mounted his armored cavalry assault vehicle and manned his M60 machine gun.  Even in the face of the concentrated and highly accurate enemy fire, Specialist Detrick remained in his exposed position directing highly accurate suppressive fire onto the communist positions until he was mortally wounded. Specialist Four Detrick’s unwavering devotion to duty and courage 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. 1879 (11 December 1968)