Rank: Specialist 4
Unit: L Troop, 3rd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11B – Infantryman
Awards: Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badges: Combat Infantryman Badge
Unit awards: Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Enlisted by: Selected Service
Date of birth: 26-Feb-1943
Hometown: Memphis, Tennessee
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 29-Nov-1967
Start of tour: 10-May-1968
Incident date: 20-Mar-1969
Date of casualty: 20-Mar-1969
Age at death: 26
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Small Arms Fire. Gun or small arms fire.
Clarence Elvin Smith was killed while commander of a military vehicle on combat operation when a hostile force was encountered. / Track commander on Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle (ACAV) on reconnaissance in force mission when engaged hostile force in firefight.
Two Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
SGT Frank De Paul Saracino Jr
SP4 Clarence Elvin Smith
Location of fatality: Binh Long, South Vietnam, XT 575 592
Place of interment: Memphis National Cemetery, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
View this soldier‘s Find a Grave page (opens in a new window)