VIETNAM - MCRAY, WAYNE DABNEY

McRay, Wayne Dabney

VIETNAM - MCRAY, WAYNE DABNEY
McRAY, WAYNE DABNEY

Rank: Specialist 4

Unit: C Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment

MOS: 11B – Infantryman

Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device and Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart Medal, Army Commendation 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: 3-Jun-1948

Hometown: Charlottesville, Virginia

Marital status: Never Married

Campaign: Vietnam Conflict

Entered service: 4-Dec-1968

Start of tour: 1-Jun-1969

Incident date: 14-Feb-1970

Date of casualty: 14-Feb-1970

Age at death: 21

Cause of death: Hostile, died. Burns/Smoke Inhalation. Burns.
Wayne Dabney McRay was killed while a gunner on a military vehicle on a military mission when a hostile force was encountered. / Gunner on Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle (ACAV) on reconnaissance mission.  Engaged hostile for in firefight. / Vehicle received a direct hit from an enemy rocket propelled grenade (RPG).

Three Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
SP5 Samuel Joseph Jorgensen
SP4 Wayne Dabney McRay
SFC Clarence C. Young

Location of fatality: Tay Ninh, South Vietnam, XT 256 693

Place of interment: Holly Memorial Gardens, Hollymead, Virginia, USA

View this soldier‘s Find a Grave page (opens in a new window)

Vietnam Veterans Memorial panel and row: 13W 011 (view Vietnam Veterans Memorial link in a new window)

 

BRONZE STAR MEDAL

BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE AND OAK LEAF CLUSTER
POSTHUMOUS

SPECIALIST FOUR WAYNE DABNEY McRAY
14 FEBRUARY 1970
C TROOP, 1st
SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT

Specialist Four McRay distinguished himself by heroism in connection with ground operations against a hostile force on 14 February 1970 while serving as a gunner with Troop C, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date his troop was engaged with a large North Vietnamese Army force. Specialist McRay provided a heavy barrage of suppressive fire for the infantry unit attached to his troop. Exposing himself to hostile fire, he continued to engage the enemy, giving the troop the only rear security available. He exposed himself again and again to search for enemy positions and to direct his tank commander to positions from which he could effectively engage the enemy. Specialist McRay’s devotion to duty prevented the enemy from gaining any advantage by an attack upon the rear of the troop. Specialist Four McRay’s 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. 1213 (28 March 1970)