VIETNAM - GARRETT, RICHARD BRUCE

Garrett, Richard Bruce

VIETNAM - GARRETT, RICHARD BRUCE
GARRETT, RICHARD BRUCE

Rank: Sergeant First Class

Unit: K Troop, 3rd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment

MOS: 11D – Armor Reconnaissance Specialist

Awards: Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal, 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: 22-Apr-1939

Hometown: Des Moines, Iowa

Marital status: Married to Carolyn D. Garrett

Campaign: Vietnam Conflict

Entered service: Jan-1959

Start of tour: 14-Sep-1968

Incident date: 7-Feb-1969

Date of casualty: 7-Feb-1969

Age at death: 29

Cause of death: Hostile, died. Explosive Device. Other explosive device.
Richard Bruce Garrett died from wounds received while on combat operation when hostile grenade detonated.

Three Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
SP4 Gerald Reid Carr
SFC Richard Bruce Garrett
SGT Donald Kent McLean

Location of fatality: Binh Duong, South Vietnam

Place of interment: Laurel Hill Cemetery, Des Moines, Iowa, USA

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

Vietnam Veterans Memorial panel and row: 33W 078 (view Vietnam Veterans Memorial link in a new window)

 

SILVER STAR

SILVER STAR
POSTHUMOUS

SERGEANT FIRST CLASS RICHARD BRUCE GARRETT
7 FEBRUARY 1969
K TROOP, 3d SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT

Sergeant First Class Garret distinguished himself by gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force on 7 February 1969 while serving as the platoon leader of the 2d Platoon, Troop K, 3d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date, while he was leading a dismounted reconnaissance patrol through an area of dense vegetation, the element suddenly came upon a well-concealed enemy bunker. Immediately assuming the point man’s position, Sergeant Garrett approached the enemy fortification in order to search it. Suddenly several enemy soldiers hidden in the bunker threw two grenades at the friendly troops, wounding Sergeant Garrett. Refusing medical attention, he directed his men in an assault upon the hostile position, resulting in two enemy soldiers killed and one captured. Despite his wounds, he continued his mission with the patrol and discovered another hostile position. Rather than risk the lives of the men with him, Sergeant Garrett, with two volunteers, assaulted the enemy fortification. Before they could overrun the position, another fragmentation grenade wounded all three men. While he was calling for medical aid for his two comrades, Sergeant Garrett was mortally wounded by a second detonation. Sergeant First Class Garrett’s extraordinary courage, inspiring leadership and dedication 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. 667 (March 18, 1969)