VIETNAM - HALLEY, RUSSELL LOUIS

Halley, Russell Louis

VIETNAM - HALLEY, RUSSELL LOUIS
HALLEY, RUSSELL LOUIS

Rank: Private First Class

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

Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, Purple Heart Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Unit awards: Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device

Enlisted by: Selected Service

Date of birth: 11-Sep-1946

Hometown: Waterloo, Iowa

Marital status: Married to Marilyn L. Halley

Campaign: Vietnam Conflict

Entered service: 4-Nov-1965

Start of tour: 20-Aug-1966

Incident date: 21-Nov-1966

Date of casualty: 21-Nov-1966

Age at death: 20

Cause of death: Hostile, died of wounds. Grenade. Multiple fragmentation wounds.
Russell Louis Halley died on 21 Nov 1966 in Vietnam as the result of metal fragment wounds received in hostile ground action.

Five Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
PFC Russell Louis Halley
SP4 Ray Ellsworth Johnson
SP4 Wallace James Malone
PFC Harry Lee Powers
SP4 Jimmy Linwood Rhodes

Location of fatality: South Vietnam

Place of interment: Garden Of Memories, Waterloo, Iowa, USA

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

Vietnam Veterans Memorial panel and row: 12E 100 (view Vietnam Veterans Memorial link in a new window)

 

BRONZE STAR MEDAL

BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS RUSSELL LOUIS HALLEY
21 NOVEMBR 1966
C TROOP, 1st SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT

Private First Class Halley distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 21 November 1966 while serving as machine gunner on an armored cavalry assault vehicle during a mission of protective escort to a convoy. When the convoy made violent contact with a very large Viet Cong force, Private First Class Halley’s vehicle moved between the convoy and the hostile force. Disregarding the intense fire around him, he held his position and returned a heavy volume of fire into the oncoming Viet Cong until he was mortally wounded by Viet Cong fire. His courage prevented the Viet Cong from doing extensive damage to the convoy. Private First Class Halley’s personal bravery 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, United States Army Vietnam General Orders No. 104 (9 January 1967)