Rank: Specialist 4
Unit: L Troop, 3rd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11D – Armor Reconnaissance Specialist
Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, Purple Heart 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: Selected Service
Date of birth: 18-Nov-1947
Hometown: Eau Gallie, Florida
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 4-Apr-1969
Start of tour: 31-Oct-1969
Incident date: 10-Mar-1970
Date of casualty: 10-Mar-1970
Age at death: 22
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Small Arms Fire. Gun or small arms fire.
Don Robert Riley was killed while a gunner on a military vehicle on a military mission when a hostile force was encountered. / Gunner on Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle (ACAV) on reconnaissance mission. Engaged hostile force in firefight.
Four Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
SGT John Patrick Henry
SP4 Don Robert Riley
PFC George Thomas Scarborough
PFC Kenneth Edwin Wedlow
Location of fatality: Binh Long, South Vietnam, XU 625 075
Place of interment: Florida Memorial Gardens, Rockledge, Florida, USA
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BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
SPECIALIST FOUR DON ROBERT RILEY
10 MARCH 1970
L TROOP, 3rd SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Specialist Four Riley distinguished himself by heroism in connection with ground operations against a hostile force on 10 March 1970 while serving a senior scout observer with Troop L, 3d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date while on a reconnaissance mission his troop encountered a force of North Vietnamese Army soldiers in dense jungle. Specialist Riley immediately enraged the enemy with his machine gun, directing suppressive fire upon the enemy positions. After his vehicle was struck by three rocket-propelled grenades, he dismounted and proceeded to assault the hostile bunker. Despite the intense barrage of fire directed toward him, he continued his attack but was fatally wounded in his attempt. His actions greatly helped repel the brunt of the enemy attack. Specialist Four Riley’s actions 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. 1418 (5 April 1970)