Rank: First Lieutenant
Unit: F Troop, 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 1204 – Armored Reconnaissance Unit Commander
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: Reserve
Date of birth: 25-Aug-1946
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 11-Oct-1968
Start of tour: 3-Nov-1969
Incident date: 15-Dec-1969
Date of casualty: 15-Dec-1969
Age at death: 23
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Small Arms Fire. Gun or small arms fire.
John Roche was killed while a passenger on a military vehicle on a combat operation when a hostile force was encountered. / Passenger on Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle (ACAV) on reconnaissance mission. Engaged hostile force in firefight.
Five Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
PFC Ronald Charles Collins
CPL Farrish Combs
SP4 Daniel Millard Dawson
PFC James Patrick Nugent
1LT John Roche
Location of fatality: Phuoc Long, South Vietnam, XU 955 265
Place of interment: Saint Anastasia Cemetery, Harriman, New York, USA
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BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE AND OAK LEAF CLUSTER
FIRST LIEUTENANT JOHN ROCHE, ARMOR
15 DECEMBER 1969
F TROOP, 2nd SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
First Lieutenant Roche distinguished himself by heroism in connection with ground operations against a hostile force on 15 December 1969 while serving as a platoon leader with F Troop, 2d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date while conducting a reconnaissance mission through dense jungle, F Troop suddenly came under an intense barrage of small arms, automatic weapons, mortar and rocket propelled grenade fire from an estimated two companies of North Vietnamese soldiers. Lieutenant Roche formed his platoon on-line and led the assault against the entrenched enemy force. In order to establish greater control over the platoon, he exposed himself by standing up in the cupola so that he could give hand and arm signals, at the same time directing highly accurate fire from his organic weapons. While in this exposed position, he was mortally wounded by a burst of enemy machinegun fire. First Lieutenant Roche’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. 1044 (23 March 1970)