VIETNAM - RILEY, DON ROBERT

Riley, Don Robert

VIETNAM - RILEY, DON ROBERT
RILEY, DON ROBERT

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

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

Vietnam Veterans Memorial panel and row: 13W 107 (view Vietnam Veterans Memorial link in a new window)

 

BRONZE STAR MEDAL

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)