VIETNAM - SYKES, DON RICHARD

Sykes, Don Richard

VIETNAM - SYKES, DON RICHARD
SYKES, DON RICHARD

Rank: Sergeant

Unit: E Troop, 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment

MOS: 11D – Armor Reconnaissance Specialist

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: Regular

Date of birth: 31-May-1947

Hometown: Durham, North Carolina

Marital status: Married to Lorraine S. Sykes

Campaign: Vietnam Conflict

Entered service: 8-Nov-1965

Start of tour: 19-Jun-1969

Incident date: 12-Aug-1969

Date of casualty: 12-Aug-1969

Age at death: 22

Cause of death: Hostile, died. Small Arms Fire. Gun or small arms fire.
Don Richard Sykes was killed while commander of a military vehicle on a combat operation when a hostile force was encountered. / Track commander of Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle (ACAV) on combat operation.  Engaged hostile force in firefight.

Three Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
SSG Gene Raymond Koski
PFC Samuel Alexander Papin Jr
SGT Don Richard Sykes

Location of fatality: Binh Long, South Vietnam, XT 710 830

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: 19W 025 (view Vietnam Veterans Memorial link in a new window)