Rank: Warrant Officer
Unit: Headquarters & Headquarters Troop, 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 062B – Helicopter Pilot, Utility And Light Cargo Single Rotor
Awards: Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Unit awards: Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Start of tour: 31-Aug-1968
Note: UH-1C, Tail # 66-00523, Co-pilot
Flight class: 68-11/68-17, Fort Wolters, Texas
Enlisted by: Reserve
Date of birth: 24-Apr-1941
Hometown: Mobile, Alabama
Marital status: Married to Christina C. Harris, one daughter
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Incident date: 29-Sep-1968
Date of casualty: 29-Sep-1968
Age at death: 27
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Helicopter Crash — Crew (MC). Aircraft loss, crash not at sea. Individual died from wounds received while co-pilot of military aircraft on reconnaissance mission when aircraft received hostile ground fire, crashed but did not burn.
Four Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
WO Jerry Lee Harris
SP4 John James Matuska
WO William Paul Rollins
SP5 Blaine Joseph Shepherd
Location of fatality: Long Khanh, South Vietnam
Place of interment: Mobile Memorial Gardens, Tillmans Corner, Alabama, USA
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