Rank: Specialist 4
Unit: F Troop, 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11D – Armor Reconnaissance Specialist
Awards: Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badges: Combat Infantryman Badge
Unit awards: Valorous Unit Award, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Enlisted by: Selected Service
Date of birth: 18-Nov-1948
Hometown: Casa Grande, Arizona
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Start of tour: 5-Jan-1968
Incident date: 19-Aug-1968
Date of casualty: 19-Aug-1968
Age at death: 19
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Small Arms Fire. Gun or small arms fire.
Salvadore Joe Mendez died from wounds received while gunner on military vehicle on combat operation when engaged hostile force in firefight.
Five Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
SSG Gale Edward Deering
SSG Aldon Cecil Jones
PFC Edward Austin McKenzie
SP4 Salvador Joe Mendez
SP4 William Leonard Sandersen
Location of fatality: Binh Long, South Vietnam, XU 732 078*
Place of interment: Mountain View Cemetery, Casa Grande, Arizona, USA
View this soldier‘s Find a Grave page (opens in a new window)