Rank: Specialist 4
Unit: L Troop, 3rd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11D – Armor Reconnaissance Specialist
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: Valorous Unit Award, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Enlisted by: Regular
Date of birth: 6-May-1950
Hometown: Springfield, Oregon
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 29-Aug-1969
Start of tour: 29-Jan-1970
Incident date: 25-Oct-1970
Date of casualty: 25-Oct-1970
Age at death: 20
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Explosive Device. Other explosive device.
Timothy Robert Ownbey was killed while at a night defensive position when a booby trap detonated. / At night defensive position (NDP). Detonated hostile booby trap. / On reconnaissance patrol with two other members of his unit. One of the men stepped on a trip wire which detonated an anti-personnel mine set by the Viet Cong.
Three Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
PFC Dennis Charles Cannan
SP4 Timothy Robert Ownbey
SP4 Kim William Widmer
Location of fatality: Binh Duong, South Vietnam, XT 972 391
Place of interment: Springfield Memorial Gardens, Springfield, Oregon, USA
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BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE AND OAK LEAF CLUSTER
POSTHUMOUS
SPECIALIST FOUR TIMOTHY ROBERT OWNBEY
24 AUGUST 1970
L TROOP, 3rd SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Specialist Four Ownbey distinguished himself by heroism in connection with ground operations against a hostile force on 24 August 1970 while serving as a Tank Commander with Troop L, 3d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date Specialist Ownbey was leading a patrol in search of a downed aircraft in a heavily wooded area known to contain the enemy. In spite of the inherent danger, Specialist Ownbey swiftly and professionally spotted numerous enemy antipersonnel mines and disarmed them. These actions undoubtedly saved many of the lives of his fellow patrol members. Specialist Four Ownbey’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. 4514 (22 December 1970)