Rank: Specialist 4
Unit: Headquarters & Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11D – Armor Reconnaissance Specialist
Awards: Bronze Star Medal, 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
Note: Flame thrower track
Enlisted by: Regular
Date of birth: 28-Jan-1948
Hometown: La Crosse, Wisconsin
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 1-Mar-1968
Start of tour: 27-Nov-1968
Incident date: 18-Apr-1969
Date of casualty: 26-Apr-1969
Age at death: 21
Cause of death: Hostile, died of wounds. Grenade. Multiple fragmentation wounds.
Donald William Noel died as a result of wounds received while a passenger on a military vehicle on a combat operation when engaged a hostile force. He was admitted to a military medical facility, placed on the Very Serious Injury (VSI) list and later expired. / Passenger on Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) on combat operation when engaged hostile force in firefight. Individual admitted to 24th Evacuation Hospital, Long Binh, on 18 Apr 1969 at 1545 hrs and placed on Very Serious Injury (VSI) list on 18 Apr 1969 at 1545 hrs and later expired. Incident occurred on 18 Apr 1969 at 1300 hrs.
Nine Blackhorse troopers died as a result of this incident:
SP4 James Alexander Baka
SP4 Thomas M. Fitzpatrick
2LT Daniel Michael Leahy
SP5 Roy Francis Maas
SGT Don Jay McAtee
SP4 Robert Leroy Morgan Jr
SP4 Joseph Edward Morrow Jr
SP4 Donald William Noel
SP4 Ronald Eugene Pongratz
Location of fatality: Tay Ninh, South Vietnam, XT 430 600
Place of interment: Woodlawn Cemetery, La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA
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