Rank: Sergeant
Unit: Air Cavalry Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 45J – Aircraft Armament Repairman
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Air Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badges: Army Aircrew Badge
Unit awards: Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Note: UH-1C, Tail # 66-00525, CREW MEMBER
Enlisted by: Regular
Date of birth: 26-Nov-1946
Hometown: Massillon, Ohio
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 19-Sep-1966
Start of tour: 11-Sep-1968
Incident date: 18-Jun-1969
Date of casualty: 18-Jun-1969
Age at death: 22
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Helicopter Crash — Crew (MC). Aircraft loss, crash not at sea.
Robert Louis Mingle was killed while door gunner on a military aircraft on a military mission when the aircraft was fired upon by a hostile force. / Door gunner of UH-1C aircraft on visual reconnaissance mission. Aircraft received hostile ground fire and crashed and burned.
Three Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
SP4 Enrique Thomas Enrico
SGT Hollis Gregory Miller
SGT Robert Louis Mingle
Location of fatality: Binh Long, South Vietnam, XT 701 856
Place of interment: Rose Hill Memorial Park Cemetery, Massillon, Ohio, USA
View this soldier‘s Find a Grave page (opens in a new window)
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS
POSTHUMOUS
SPECIALIST FOUR ROBERT LOUIS MINGLE
18 JUNE 1969
AIR CAVALRY TROOP
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Specialist Four Mingle distinguished himself by heroism while participating in aerial flight evidenced by voluntary actions above and beyond the call of duty on 18 June 1969 while serving as a helicopter door gunner with the Air Cavalry Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date while Specialist Mingle was participating in an aerial reconnaissance operation, nine enemy soldiers were spotted moving below. As it circled the area, the aircraft came under intense hostile automatic weapons fire. Disregarding the enemy fusillade, Specialist Mingle leaned out the door of the helicopter and began placing accurate suppressive fire on the hostile positions. As the enemy resistance increased, the aircraft was suddenly hit by a burst of hostile automatic weapons fire and crashed, fatally injuring Specialist Mingle. Specialist Four Mingle’s outstanding courage and dedication 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, II Field Force Vietnam General Orders No. 1777 (19 July 1969)