Rank: Specialist 5
Unit: D Company, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11E – Armor Crewman
Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, Purple Heart Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Valor Device, 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: Selected Service
Date of birth: 3-Oct-1945
Hometown: International Falls, Minnesota
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: Nov-1965
Start of tour: 20-Aug-1966
Incident date: 27-Apr-1967
Date of casualty: 27-Apr-1967
Age at death: 21
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Grenade. Multiple fragmentation wounds.
Antone Franklin Proszek Jr was on combat operation when hit by fragments from a hostile mine.
Location of fatality: Binh Duong, South Vietnam
Place of interment: Forest Hill Cemetery, International Falls, Minnesota, USA
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BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS
SPECIALIST FIVE ANTONE FRANKLIN PROSZEK JR
SEPTEMBER 1966 TO APRIL 1967
D COMPANY, 1st SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Specialist Five Proszek distinguished himself by heroism in connection with military operations against a hostile force during the period 7 September 1966 to 27 April 1967 while assigned to Company D, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in the Republic of Vietnam. Serving as a tank commander and gunner, Specialist Proszek was involved in numerous operations against the enemy. Working long and arduous hours, he insured that his vehicle was constantly maintained in a high state of combat readiness and ready to move with minimum notice. On 21 November 1966, a regimental convoy encountered a well-armed enemy force on a highway between Long Binh and Xuan Loc. Participating in the reaction force dispatched to relieve the beleaguered convoy, Specialist Proszek’s platoon was instrumental in defeating and inflicting severe losses on the Viet Cong force. On another occasion, he was again a member of a reaction force with the mission of relieving a convoy which was engaged with the enemy. In this operation, Specialist Proszek served with distinction; his unit sustained few casualties and accounted for more than one hundred enemy dead. Consistently displaying aggressive leadership, devotion to duty and professional competence, he earned the respect and admiration of both his subordinates and superiors. During Operation JUNCTION CITY, Specialist Proszek’s unit was engaged in numerous encounters with the Viet Cong in Tay Ninh Province, always emerging victorious. Specialist Proszek was mortally wounded by fragments from an exploding enemy land mine on 27 April 1967 while participating in a search and destroy mission. His leadership ability, professional competence and determination to accomplish his mission significantly enhanced the counterinsurgency effort in Vietnam. Specialist Proszek’s courage and dedicated performance of 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. 1092 (10 July 1967)