Rank: Platoon Sergeant
Unit: A Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11D – Armor Reconnaissance Specialist
Awards: Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal with Valor, 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: 2-Apr-1935
Hometown: Cambra, Pennsylvania
Marital status: Married to Johanna K. McCullough, three sons, two daughters
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Start of tour: 6-Aug-1967
Incident date: 6-Jun-1968
Date of casualty: 6-Jun-1968
Age at death: 33
Cause of death: Hostile, died of wounds. Small Arms Fire. Gun or small arms fire.
Alfred McCullough died from wound received while on combat operation when engaged hostile force in firefight. Individual admitted to24th Evacuation Hospital, Long Binh, placed on Very Serious Injury (VSI) list and later expired.
Location of fatality: Binh Thuy, South Vietnam
Place of interment: Fort Riley Post Cemetery, Fort Riley, Kansas, USA
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SILVER STAR
POSTHUMOUS
PLATOON SERGEANT ALFRED McCULLOUGH
13 MAY 1968
A TROOP, 1st SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Platoon Sergeant McCullough distinguished himself by gallantry in action involving conflict with an armed hostile force on 13 May 1968 while serving as Acting Platoon Leader of the 1st Platoon, Troop A, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date, Sergeant McCullough was participating in a reconnaissance in force mission when the squadron suddenly came under an intense barrage of small arms, automatic weapons and antitank rocket fire from a heavily fortified enemy position. Immediately, Sergeant McCullough moved his platoon into an assault formation in order to protect the exposed flank of the troop and then launched an intense counterattack against the concrete bunkers in which the enemy was entrenched. Upon gaining fire superiority, he led his platoon in an assault against enemy rocket teams. Disregarding the rocket fire directed at his vehicle, Sergeant McCullough completely overran the enemy positions, destroying two of the enemy’s teams and scattering the others. Upon receiving a report of heavy machine gun fire in the immediate area, Sergeant McCullough maneuvered his vehicle into a suitable position to deliver highly accurate bursts of .50 caliber machine gun fire into the hostile position, destroying the bunker and killing the occupants. Again receiving a heavy volume of rocket fire from another rocket fire team only 50 meters from his vehicle, Sergeant McCullough directed a devastating volume of fire on the enemy position and accomplished the destruction of another enemy fire team. Although wounded in the course of the intense firefight, Sergeant McCullough, disregarding his painful wounds and his personal safety, destroyed six one-man defensive positions using fragmentation grenades. Platoon Sergeant McCullough’s outstanding leadership and heroic 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. 740 (23 July1968)
BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS
PLATOON SERGEANT ALFRED McCULLOUGH
3 FEBRUARY 1968
A TROOP, 1st SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Platoon Sergeant McCullough distinguished himself by valorous actions on the afternoon of 3 February 1968, while serving as a Platoon Sergeant with Troop A, at Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, on a reconnaissance in force mission north of Thu Duc, Vietnam. The lead tank of the column received several direct rocket hits and became disabled. With complete disregard for his own safety, Sergeant McCullough immediately moved his armored cavalry assault vehicle forward and provided suppressive .50 caliber machine gun fire for the recovery of the damaged tank and of an armored cavalry assault vehicle which had also become disabled. Platoon Sergeant McCullough’s personal bravery 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, 9th Infantry Division General Orders No. 4933 (22 June 1968)