VIETNAM - NAPPER, CHARLES CRAWFORD

Napper, Charles C

VIETNAM - NAPPER, CHARLES CRAWFORD
NAPPER, CHARLES CRAWFORD

Rank: Specialist 4

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

MOS: 17K – Ground Surveillance Radar Crewman

Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, Purple Heart Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Unit awards: Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device

Enlisted by: Selected Service

Date of birth: 16-Sep-1948

Hometown: Shelbyville, Tennessee

Marital status: Never Married

Campaign: Vietnam Conflict

Entered service: 5-Sep-1968

Start of tour: 13-Feb-1969

Incident date: 7-Nov-1969

Date of casualty: 7-Nov-1969

Age at death: 21

Cause of death: Hostile, died. Artillery/Mortar/Rocket. Artillery, rocket, or mortar.
Charles Crawford Napper was killed while in base camp when the area came under rocket attack by a hostile force. / At base camp.  Came under hostile rocket attack.

Location of fatality: Binh Long, South Vietnam, XT 816 904

Place of interment: Willow Mount Cemetery, Shelbyville, Tennessee, USA

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

Vietnam Veterans Memorial panel and row: 16W 043 (view Vietnam Veterans Memorial link in a new window)

 

BRONZE STAR MEDAL

BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS CHARLES CRAWFORD NAPPER
24 MAY 1969
A TROOP, 1st SQUADRON

11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT

Private First Class Napper distinguished himself by heroism in connection with ground operations against a hostile force on 24 May 1969 while serving as a machine gunner with Troop A, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date while conducting a reconnaissance operation, the troop suddenly came under intense automatic weapons, heavy machine gun and rocket-propelled grenade fire from an enemy bunker complex. In the initial contact one of the armored vehicles received a direct rocket-propelled grenade hit, wounding three members of the crew and setting the vehicle on fire. Unhesitatingly, Private Napper ran through the hostile fusillade to aid his wounded comrades. He quickly helped extract the casualties from the burning vehicle. After ensuring that all the wounded were receiving proper medical attention, Private Napper returned to the vehicle and helped extinguish the fire, thus preventing the ammunition inside from exploding. Private First Class Napper’s courage, devotion to duty and concern for the welfare of his fellow soldiers 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. 2127 (24 August 1969)