Rank: Sergeant
Unit: C Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11B – Infantryman
Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, Purple Heart Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badges: Combat Infantryman Badge
Unit awards: Presidential Unit Citation, Valorous Unit Award, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Enlisted by: Regular
Date of birth: 25-Feb-1947
Hometown: Bowersville, Georgia
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 19-Jan-1966
Start of tour: 2-Oct-1967
Incident date: 13-May-1968
Date of casualty: 13-May-1968
Age at death: 21
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Small Arms Fire. Gun or small arms fire.
Bobby James died from wound received while on combat operation when engaged hostile force in firefight.
Five Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
SSG Ollis Brewster
SGT Ralph Raymond Collins Jr
SGT Douglas George Factora
SGT Bobby James
CPL Frederick F. Walters
Location of fatality: Hua Nghia, South Vietnam
Place of interment: Nancy Hart Memorial Park, Hartwell, Georgia, USA
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BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS
SPECIALIST FOUR BOBBY JAMES
13 MAY 1968
C TROOP, 1st SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Specialist James distinguished himself by valorous actions on 13 May 1968, while serving with an armored cavalry regiment on a combat mission near Cu Chi, Vietnam. Enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire hit and disabled his .50 caliber machine gun. Disregarding the loss of this vital weapon, Sergeant James continued to press the attack, assuming a completely exposed position in order to engage the enemy with the M-16 rifle. In the process, he was suddenly struck and mortally wounded by enemy small arms fire. Sergeant James’ personal bravery and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
Headquarters, 9th Infantry Division General Orders No. 4931 (22 June 1968)