Rank: Sergeant First Class
Unit: E Troop, 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11E – Armor Crewman
Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, Purple Heart Medal, Army Good Conduct 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: 20-Nov-1931
Hometown: Bonifay, Florida
Marital status: Married to Jeanette W. Hinson, one son, two daughters
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Start of tour: 7-Sep-1966
Incident date: 22-Jun-1967
Date of casualty: 3-Jul-1967
Age at death: 35
Cause of death: Hostile, died of wounds. Burns/Smoke Inhalation. Burns.
James Harvey Hinson died in Brooke General Hospital, Fort Sam Houston, Texas as the result of burns received in Vietnam on 22 Jun 1967. He was a passenger in an armored personnel carrier on combat operation when the vehicle hit a hostile mine, exploded and burned.
Two Blackhorse troopers died as a result of this incident:
SFC James Harvey Hinson
SP4 Edmond Ceasar Sutton
Location of fatality: Quang Ngai, South Vietnam
Place of interment: Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, Texas, USA
View this soldier‘s Find a Grave page (opens in a new window)
BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
PLATOON SERGEANT JAMES HARVEY HINSON
29 JANUARY 1967
G TROOP, 2nd SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Platoon Sergeant Hinson distinguished himself by heroism in connection with military operations against an armed hostile force on 29 January 1967 while serving as Platoon Sergeant in Troop G, 2d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date, Sergeant Hinson and his platoon were conducting a search and destroy mission of a Viet Cong base camp. Sergeant Hinson displayed a high degree of professionalism and personal courage as he assumed the task of leading the pursuit of approximately twenty-five Viet Cong routed from their camp. Fearlessly leading his platoon through the mine laden enemy base camp, Sergeant Hinson continually exposed himself to the intense hostile fire as he moved among his men providing encouragement and inspiration. The success of the mission was due, in large part, to the actions of Sergeant Hinson. His outstanding professionalism, rare courage, and unwavering aggressiveness is 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. 389 (16 March 1967)