Rank: Platoon Sergeant
Unit: H Company, 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11E – Armor Crewman
Awards: Bronze Star with Valor Device, Purple Heart Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, World War II Victory 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
Note: 3rd platoon, Tank H-33
Enlisted by: Regular
Date of birth: 23-Jun-2029
Hometown: Red Bud, Illinois
Marital status: Married to Emilie Nicholson, five sons, three daughters
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Start of tour: 16-Jul-1967
Incident date: 5-May-1968
Date of casualty: 5-May-1968
Age at death: 38
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Grenade. Multiple fragmentation wounds.
Glenn Edward Nicholson died from wound received while on combat operation when engaged hostile force in firefight. / (Individual transported to 7th Surgical Hospital, Blackhorse base camp, Long Giao.)
Four Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
SGT Peter Brum
PFC Freddie Joe Cigar
SP4 Garland Gene Haley
PSGT Glenn Edward Nicholson
Location of fatality: Gia Dinh, South Vietnam
Place of interment: Memorial Park Cemetery, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
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BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
PLATOON SERGEANT GLENN EDWARD NICHOLSON
17 JANUARY 1968
H COMPANY, 2nd SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Platoon Sergeant Nicholson distinguished himself by heroism in connection with military operations against a hostile force on 17 January 1968 while serving as Platoon Sergeant with Company H, 2d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date, his platoon was leading a reconnaissance in force operation southwest of the city of Loc Ninh when it was attacked by a large, well-armed insurgent force. During the initial battle, the lead vehicle was hit and disabled by an enemy antitank rocket. In order to assess the damage done to the friendly vehicle, Sergeant Nicholson tried repeatedly to contact the tank by radio, but all attempts were futile. Turning the command of his tank over to a gunner, he dashed through intense enemy fire without regard for his personal safety in order to reach his wounded comrades trapped in the beleaguered tank. Upon finding the tank commander mortally wounded and the loader in a state of shock, he returned to his vehicle to report his findings to the company commander and to personally direct a platoon of armored cavalry assault vehicles in an assault on the enemy force. His professional skill and determination were significant factors in the decisive victory at Loc Ninh. Platoon Sergeant Nicholson’s outstanding courage was in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
Headquarters, II Field Force Vietnam General Orders No. 885 (8 August 1968)