Rank: Specialist 5
Unit: L Troop, 3rd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 63C – General Vehicle Repairman
Awards: Bronze Star Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Unit awards: Valorous Unit Award, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Enlisted by: Regular
Date of birth: 18-Jun-1951
Hometown: Jackson, Michigan
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 6-Aug-1968
Start of tour: 4-Jan-1970
Incident date: 30-Aug-1970
Date of casualty: 1-Sep-1970
Age at death: 19
Cause of Death: Non-hostile, died of illness/injury. Accident. Accidental homicide. Other Accident.
Billy Ray Hunter was test firing a 45 cal pistol. Another individual’s 45 misfired. Hunter was helping to fix it and was accidentally shot. Admitted to 24th Evacuation Hospital, Long Binh, on 30 Aug 1970 at 1930 hrs, placed on Very Serious Injured (VSI) list on 31 Aug 1970 at 0145 hrs and later expired. Incident occurred on 30 Aug 1970 at 1845 hrs.
Location of fatality: Binh Duong, South Vietnam, XT 944 304
Place of interment: Spears Cemetery, Belcher, Kentucky, USA
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