VIETNAM - MESSER, JACK WILLIAM

Messer, Jack William

VIETNAM - MESSER, JACK WILLIAM
MESSER, JACK WILLIAM

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

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

Vietnam Veterans Memorial panel and row: 13W 119 (view Vietnam Veterans Memorial link in a new window)

 

BRONZE STAR MEDAL

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)