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
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