Rank: Private First Class
Unit: C Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, Purple Heart Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Unit awards: Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Enlisted by: Selected Service
Date of birth: 19-Sep-1946
Hometown: El Dorado Springs, Missouri
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 9-Nov-1965
Start of tour: 24-Sep-1966
Incident date: 21-Nov-1966
Date of casualty: 21-Nov-1966
Age at death: 20
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Artillery/Mortar/Rocket. Artillery, rocket, or mortar.
Harry Lee Powers died on 21 Nov 1966 in Vietnam as the result of metal fragment wounds received while a passenger in an Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) which was hit by hostile mortar and recoilless rifle fire.
Five Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
PFC Russell Louis Halley
SP4 Ray Ellsworth Johnson
SP4 Wallace James Malone
PFC Harry Lee Powers
SP4 Jimmy Linwood Rhodes
Location of fatality: South Vietnam
Place of interment: Mound-Mann Cemetery, Filley, Missouri, USA
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BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS
SPECIALIST FOUR HARRY LEE POWERS
21 NOVEMBER 1966
C TROOP, 1st SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Specialist Four Powers distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 21 November 1966 while serving as machine gunner on an armored cavalry assault vehicle serving a mission of protective escort to a wheeled convoy. Specialist Four Powers’ armored vehicle had passed through the fighting area before contact was made with a large Viet Cong force. When the vehicle turned back to protect the unarmed vehicles in the convoy, a small force of Viet Cong approached the armored vehicle. To prevent them from damaging the convoy with grenades, Specialist Four Powers exposed himself to hostile fire. While firing his machine gun, he was mortally wounded by small arms fire. His courage prevented the Viet Cong from doing extensive damage to the convoy. Specialist Four Powers’ personal bravery and devotion 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, United States Army Vietnam General Orders No. 6782 (12 December 1966)