Rank: Private First Class
Unit: E Troop, 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11B – Infantryman
Awards: Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Army Good Conduct 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
Enlisted by: Regular
Date of birth: 26-Jan-1951
Hometown: Elmira, California
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 1-Aug-1968
Start of tour: 31-Jan-1969
Incident date: 12-Aug-1969
Date of casualty: 12-Aug-1969
Age at death: 18
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Small Arms Fire. Gun or small arms fire.
Samuel Alexander Papin Jr was killed while crew member on a military vehicle on a combat operation when a hostile force was encountered. / Crew member of Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle (ACAV) on combat operation when engaged hostile force in firefight.
Three Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
SSG Gene Raymond Koski
PFC Samuel Alexander Papin Jr
SGT Don Richard Sykes
Location of fatality: Binh Long, South Vietnam, XT 710 830
Place of interment: Vacaville-Elmira Cemetery, Vacaville, California, USA
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