Rank: Sergeant
Unit: 919th Engineer Company, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 12B – Combat Engineer
Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device and Oak Leaf Cluster, 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: Regular
Date of birth: 21-Nov-1946
Hometown: Okmulgee, Oklahoma
Marital status: Married to Vicki L. Scrogum
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 24-May-1966
Start of tour: 16-Jun-1969
Incident date: 9-Jul-1969
Date of casualty: 9-Jul-1969
Age at death: 22
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Small Arms Fire. Gun or small arms fire.
Jimmie Charles Scrogum was killed while commander of a military vehicle on a combat operation when a hostile force was encountered. / Track commander on Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) on combat operation. Engaged hostile force in firefight.
Five Blackhorse troopers died as a result of this incident:
SGT Thomas Jackson Barnes Jr
SP4 Earl Lloyd Cook
SP5 John Bruce Cornwell
SGT Jimmie Charles Scrogum
1LT Carl Douglas Shirley
Location of fatality: Binh Long, South Vietnam, XT 738 930
Place of interment: Monticello City Cemetery, Monticello, Utah, USA
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BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE AND OAK LEAF CLUSTER
POSTHUMOUS
SERGEANT JIMMIE CHARLES SCROGUM
9 JULY 1969
919TH ENGINEER COMPANY (ARMORED)
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Sergeant Scrogum distinguished himself by heroism in connection with military operations against a hostile force on 9 July 1969 while serving as a vehicle commander with the 919th Engineer Company (Armored), 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date while acting as rear security for a convoy, his platoon came under intense automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenade fire from a large, well-concealed enemy force. Reacting instantly, Sergeant Scrogum moved his vehicle into an exposed Position from which his gunners could effectively engage the enemy. While directing his men in placing suppressive fire on the hostile positions, he was mortally wounded by an exploding rocket-propelled grenade. Sergeant Scrogum’s courageous and inspiring leadership 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, II Field Force Vietnam General Orders No. 1929 (7 August 1969)