Rank: Captain
Unit: K Troop, 3rd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 1204 – Armored Reconnaissance Unit Commander
Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device and Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badges: Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge, Ranger Tab
Unit awards: Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Note: OH-6A, Passenger
Enlisted by: Regular
Commission Source: United States Military Academy Class of 1964
Date of birth: 24-Sep-1941
Hometown: Hammonton, New Jersey
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Start of tour: 4-Aug-1968
Entered service: 3-Jun-1964
Incident date: 19-Apr-1969
Date of casualty: 19-Apr-1969
Age at death: 27
Cause of death: Hostile, died of wounds. Helicopter Crash — Passenger (MC). Aircraft loss, crash not at sea.
Gerard Vincent Palma died as a result of wound received while a passenger on a military aircraft on a military mission when the aircraft received small arms fire from a hostile force. The aircraft did not crash. He was admitted to a military medial facility and expired shortly thereafter. / Passenger on light observation helicopter (LOH) on command and control mission when aircraft hit by hostile small arms fire. Aircraft did not crash or burn. Admitted to 2d Surgical Hospital, Lai Khe, 19 Apr 1969 at 1050 hrs and later expired. Incident occurred 19 Apr 1969 at 1045 hrs.
Location of fatality: Bien Hoa, South Vietnam, XT 987 282
Place of interment: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, USA
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