Rank: Specialist 4
Unit: G Troop, 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11D – Armor Reconnaissance Specialist
Awards: Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device and Oak leaf Cluster, 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: Selected Service
Date of birth: 23-Jul-1948
Hometown: Newark, New Jersey
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 4-Apr-1968
Start of tour: 31-Aug-1968
Incident date: 7-Jun-1969
Date of casualty: 7-Jun-1969
Age at death: 20
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Grenade. Multiple fragmentation wounds.
Dennis Anthony Iasello was killed while gunner on a military vehicle on a combat operation when a hostile force was encountered. / Gunner on armored personnel carrier (APC) on combat operation. Engaged hostile force in firefight.
Three Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
PFC David Joe Bredenkamp
SP4 Dennis Anthony Iasello
SP4 Thomas Paul Landman
Location of fatality: Binh Long, South Vietnam, XT 712 835
Place of interment: Beverly National Cemetery, Beverly, New Jersey, USA
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SILVER STAR
POSTHUMOUS
SPECIALIST FOUR DENNIS ANTHONY IASELLO
7 JUNE 1969
G TROOP, 2nd SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Specialist Four Iasello distinguished himself by gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force on 7 June 1969 while serving as a machine gunner with Troop G, 2d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date Specialist Iasello volunteered to accompany a dismounted security force for an engineer sweep team. As the team cleared a narrow culvert and proceeded up a hill toward a village, Specialist Iasello spotted several North Vietnamese Army soldiers attempting to hide in a nearby rubber plantation. He immediately shouted an alert and was about to assault the enemy positions when the entire wood line erupted in a hail of machine gun and small arms fire. Specialist Iasello hurriedly scrambled to a ditch beside the road and engaged the estimated battalion size enemy force with his personal weapon until an armored vehicle moved along side. He then mounted the track and began laying down accurate suppressive fire with his machine gun until it malfunctioned and could not be fired. Seeing several members of the troop pinned down by enemy fire, he stood on the back of the armored vehicle exposing himself to the hostile fusillade and fired his personal weapon which helped to relieve the pressure on the trapped men. While in this extremely vulnerable position, a rocket propelled grenade slammed into the vehicle mortally wounding him with shrapnel. Specialist Isabelle’s alertness and courage forced the North Vietnamese to initiate an ambush prematurely and prevented heavy casualties to the friendly force. Specialist Four Iasello’s unwavering devotion to duty and gallant 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. 2813 (17 October 1969)
BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE AND OAK LEAF CLUSTER
POSTHUMOUS
SPECIALIST FOUR DENNIS ANTHONY IASELLO
3 JUNE 1969
G TROOP, 2nd SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Specialist Four Iasello distinguished himself by heroism in connection with military operations against a hostile force on 3 June 1969 while serving as a machine gunner with Troop G, 2d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date while the troop and an attached tank platoon were conducting a reconnaissance operation, the friendly elements suddenly came under small arms, automatic weapons, and rocket-propelled grenade fire from a concealed, entrenched enemy force. After withdrawing and regrouping into an assault formation, the armored elements assaulted the hostile positions. As he engaged the enemy from his vehicle, Specialist Iasello observed two hostile troops firing from a nearby bunker. Disregarding his own safety, he dismounted his vehicle and singlehandedly assaulted the enemy emplacement. When he had approached to within a few meters of the position, he killed its occupants with two hand grenades. Then he gathered their equipment and returned to his vehicle to continue placing suppressive fire on the hostile force. Specialist Four lasello’s courage, determination 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, II Field Force Vietnam General Orders No. 1928 (6 August 1969)