Rank: Staff Sergeant
Unit: K Troop, 3rd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11D – Armor Reconnaissance Specialist
Awards: Purple Heart Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badges: Combat Infantryman Badge
Unit awards: Presidential Unit Citation, Valorous Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Citation, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Note: M-113A1, ACAV, K-18
Enlisted by: Regular
Date of birth: 21-Aug-1941
Hometown: Trenton, New Jersey
Marital status: Married to Raechel A. Simpson, one son
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Start of tour: 23-Aug-1966
Incident date: 21-May-1967
Date of casualty: 22-May-1968
Age at death: 26
Cause of death: Hostile, died while missing. Unknown. Unknown or not reported.
Walter S. Simpson was the track commander of K Troop, 3rd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. He was on a convoy escort mission when his unit was ambushed by Viet Cong forces about 10 miles southeast of Xuan Loc in Khanh Province, South Vietnam.
Simpson’s vehicle was at the rear of the column when it came under enemy fire. It sustained several hits from recoilless rifles and was totally destroyed and completely gutted by fire.
A thorough search of the ambush area was made on 21 May 1967 and 22 May 1967, but although three other remains were recovered from the track vehicle, Simpson was never found. He was listed Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered.
Presumptive finding of death made effective 22 May 1968 under provisions of Missing Persons Act (MPA). Walter Stephen Simpson became missing 21 May 1967 while on a convoy escort mission when hostile forces were engaged. Marital status advised on 17 Apr 1968 that review of case required MPA on first anniversary and informed Marital status of the possible actions. CG, USARV concurred in the issuance of a finding of death.
Seventeen Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
SP5 William Phillip Centers Jr
SGT Eugene Harold Dickinson
PVT Jerry Lee Houser
SP4 Toler Lee Hutchins Jr
SP4 Phillip Earl Ireland
SSG James Albert Jackson
SGT Alfred Lee
PFC Patrick Michael Loisel
SP4 Henry David McInnis
SP4 James David McWhorter
SP4 Anthony Wilfred Roybal
PFC Rodolfo Andres Saenz
SSG Walter Stephen Simpson
PFC William Charles Stanley
SP4 James Thomas Steighner
SP4 Dwight Elmer Timberlake
SP4 Larry Allen Williamson
Location of fatality: Long Khanh, South Vietnam, YT 560 063
Place of interment: Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
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