Rank: Specialist 4
Unit: D Company, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11E – Armor Crewman
Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, Purple Heart Medal, Army Commendation 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: 19-Aug-1950
Hometown: Rialto, California
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 15-May-1968
Start of tour: 19-Apr-1969
Incident date: 12-Mar-1970
Date of casualty: 12-Mar-1970
Age at death: 19
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Grenade. Multiple fragmentation wounds.
Garlin Jeris Henderson Jr was killed while at a night defensive position when the area came under attack by a hostile force. / At night defensive position (NDP). Engaged hostile force in firefight.
Three Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
SP4 Garlin Jeris Henderson Jr
SGT Jack William Messer
SP4 William Curtis Moorhouse
Location of fatality: Tay Ninh, South Vietnam, XT 415 857
Place of interment: Green Acres Memorial Park and Mortuary, Bloomington, California, USA
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BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS
SPECIALIST FOUR GARLIN JERIS HENDERSON JR
10 MARCH 1970
D COMPANY, 1st SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Specialist Four Henderson distinguished himself by heroism in connection with ground operations against a hostile force on 10 March 1970 while serving as a driver with Company D, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date Specialist Henderson’s platoon was engaged in a firefight with his vehicle being among the lead vehicles. As the platoon began a flanking maneuver, he exposed himself to the deadly enemy fusillade coming from the bunker line to gain instructions from his tank commander and platoon leader, who was in an adjacent vehicle. He expertly maneuvered his vehicle in an assault upon the bunkers and during the ensuing moments they received intense machine gun fire that fatally wounded him. Specialist Four Henderson’s actions 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. 1720 (6 MAY 1970)