VIETNAM - POWELL, WAVEL WAYNE

Powell, Wavel Wayne

VIETNAM - POWELL, WAVEL WAYNE
POWELL, WAVEL WAYNE

Rank: Private First Class

Unit: Headquarters & Headquarters Troop, 3rd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment

MOS: 67N – Utility Helicopter Repairer

Awards: Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Air Medal with Valor Device and Two Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Unit awards: Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device

Note: OH-6A, Tail # 67-16201, Crew Chief

Enlisted by: Selected Service

Date of birth: 17-Nov-1948

Hometown: Kopperston, West Virginia

Marital status: Never Married

Campaign: Vietnam Conflict

Entered service: 17-Sep-1968

Start of tour: 31-Mar-1969

Incident date: 2-May-1969

Date of casualty: 2-May-1969

Age at death: 20

Cause of death: Hostile, died. Helicopter Crash — Crew (MC). Aircraft loss, crash not at sea. Wavel Wayne Powell was killed while crew chief on a military aircraft on a combat operation when the aircraft was hit by ground fire from a hostile force, crashed and burned. / Crew chief of OH-6A aircraft on visual reconnaissance mission when aircraft received hostile ground fire.  Aircraft crashed and burned

Two Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
PFC Wavel Wayne Powell
1LT Edward Claus Powers

Location of fatality: Binh Duong, South Vietnam, XT 860 323

Place of interment: Kopperston Community Cemetery, Kopperston, West Virginia, USA

View this soldier‘s Find a Grave page (opens in a new window)

Vietnam Veterans Memorial panel and row: 26W 102 (view Vietnam Veterans Memorial link in a new window)

 

AIR MEDAL

AIR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE AND SECOND OAK LEAF CLUSTER
POSTHUMOUS

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS WAVEL WAYNE POWELL
27 APRIL 1969
HEADQUARTERS AND HEADQUARTERS TROOP, 3rd SQUADRON

11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT

Private First Class Powell distinguished himself by heroism while participating in aerial flight on 27 April 1969 while serving as a helicopter crew chief and gunner with the 3d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the. Republic of Vietnam. On this date while Private Powell’s helicopter was conducting a routine reconnaissance mission over an enemy Infested area, the pilot observed what appeared to be an enemy base camp. As the pilot made low level passes over the hostile positions, Private Powell observed an enemy-soldier attempting to evade detection and quickly took him under fire. In spite of enemy ground fire which disabled the squadron commander’s aircraft and forced it to leave the area, Private Powell continued to cover the area with suppressive fire until friendly reinforcements arrived. Private First Class Powell’s courage and dedication to duty 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. 1488 (14 June 1969)