VIETNAM - SHIRLEY, CARL DOUGLAS

Shirley, Carl Douglas

VIETNAM - SHIRLEY, CARL DOUGLAS
SHIRLEY, CARL DOUGLAS

Rank: First Lieutenant

Unit: 919th Engineer Company, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment

MOS: 1331 – Combat Engineer Unit Commander

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: Reserve

Date of birth: 15-Mar-1944

Hometown: High Point, North Carolina

Marital status: Never Married

Campaign: Vietnam Conflict

Start of tour: 12-Jun-1969

Incident date: 9-Jul-1969

Date of casualty: 22-Jul-1969

Age at death: 25

Cause of death: Hostile, died of wounds. Artillery/Mortar/Rocket. Artillery, rocket, or mortar.
Carl Douglas Shirley died from wounds received while a passenger on a military vehicle on a combat operation when a hostile force was encountered. He was admitted to a military medical facility, placed on the Very Serious Injury (VSI) list, and later expired. / Passenger on Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) on combat operation.  Engaged hostile force in firefight.  Individual admitted to 24th Evacuation Hospital, Long Binh, on 9 Jul 1969 at 1155 hrs, placed on Very Serious Injury (VSI) on 9 Jul 1969 at 1745 hrs and later expired.  Incident occurred on 9 Jul 1969 at 1015 hrs.

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: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, USA

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

Vietnam Veterans Memorial panel and row: 20W 034 (view Vietnam Veterans Memorial link in a new window)

 

BRONZE STAR MEDAL

BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS

FIRST LIEUTENANT CARL DOUGLAS SHIRLEY, CORPS OF ENGINEERS
9 JULY 1969
919TH ENGINEER COMPANY (ARMORED)

11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT

First Lieutenant Shirley distinguished himself by heroism in connection with ground operations against a hostile force on 9 July 1969 while serving as a platoon leader with the 919th Engineer Company (Armored), 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date while his platoon was providing rear security for a convoy, the friendly vehicles came under intense automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenade fire from a large, well-concealed enemy force. Disregarding his own safety, Lieutenant Shirley quickly moved his assault vehicle into an exposed position in order to effectively engage the enemy gunners. As a result of his skillful and decisive leadership, his men succeeded in delivering prompt and accurate retaliatory fire, thus minimizing friendly casualties. While he was placing suppressive fire on the hostile positions and directing his platoon’s defense, he was mortally wounded by an exploding rocket-propelled grenade. First Lieutenant Shirley’s courage 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. 2068 (18 August 1969)