Rank: Specialist 5
Unit: Headquarters & Headquarters Troop, 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 67N – Utility Helicopter Repairer
Awards: Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with Valor Device, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Unit awards: Valorous Unit Award, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Note: UH-1C, Tail # 66-00523, Crew Chief
Enlisted by: Regular
Date of birth: 12-May-1947
Hometown: Thistle, Utah
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Start of tour: 1-Aug-1967
Incident date: 29-Sep-1968
Date of casualty: 29-Sep-1968
Age at death: 21
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Helicopter Crash — Crew (MC). Aircraft loss, crash not at sea.
Blaine Joseph Shepherd died from wounds received while crew chief on military aircraft on reconnaissance mission when aircraft received hostile ground fire, crashed but did not burn.
Four Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
WO Jerry Lee Harris
SP4 John James Matuska
WO William Paul Rollins
SP5 Blaine Joseph Shepherd
Location of fatality: Long Khanh, South Vietnam
Place of interment: Evergreen Cemetery, Springville, Utah, USA
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AIR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
SPECIALIST FOUR BLAINE JOSEPH SHEPHERD
24 JANUARY 1968
AIR CAVALRY TROOP
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Specialist Four Shepherd distinguished himself on the evening of 24 January 1968, while serving as a Helicopter Door Gunner with a light fire team of the Air Cavalry Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, on a combat mission in search of a previously sighted hostile force in the vicinity of Loc Ninh, Vietnam. Observing several enemy soldiers, Specialist Shepherd immediately directed accurate machine gun fire on them and succeeded in killing five. Despite a wound suffered during the ensuing conflict, Specialist Shepherd continued to provide devastating fire on the enemy positions, destroying much equipment and contributing significantly to the team’s total of ten enemy killed and numerous others wounded. Specialist Four Shepherd’s heroic actions are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
Headquarters, 9th Infantry Division General Orders No. 4712 (14 June 1968)