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: Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Enlisted by: Selected Service
Date of birth: 9-Feb-1949
Hometown: Inman, South Carolina
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 26-Feb-1969
Start of tour: 16-Jan-1970
Incident date: 12-Mar-1970
Date of casualty: 12-Mar-1970
Age at death: 21
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Grenade. Multiple fragmentation wounds.
Jack William Messer was killed while at a night defensive position when the area came under attack by a hostile force. / At night defensive position (NDP). Engaged hostile force in firefight.
Three Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
SP4 Garlin Jeris Henderson Jr
SGT Jack William Messer
SP4 William Curtis Moorhouse
Location of fatality: Tay Ninh, South Vietnam, XT 415 857
Place of interment: Roselawn Memorial Gardens, Inman, South Carolina, USA
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BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS
SERGEANT JACK WILLIAM MESSER
12 MARCH 1970
C TROOP, 1st SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Sergeant Messer distinguished himself by heroism in connection with ground operations against a hostile force on 12 March 1970 while serving as a vehicle commander with Troop C, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date Sergeant Messer’s vehicle came under intense fire from a large, well-armed enemy force. Ignoring the intense enemy fire, Sergeant Messer pulled his vehicle on line and placed accurate suppressive fire on the enemy positions. Exposing himself to the enemy fire in order to better direct the fire power of his crew, Sergeant Messer was able to silence a well concealed enemy position. Moving his vehicle into the line of enemy fire, Sergeant Messer discovered an enemy bunker directly to his front. Without regard for his own safety, Sergeant Messer moved his vehicle forward of the friendly positions in order to attack the enemy bunker. While assaulting the enemy position, Sergeant Messer’s vehicle was hit by an enemy rocket-propelled grenade, mortally wounding him. Sergeant Messer’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. 1772 (8 May 1970)