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
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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)