Rank: Staff Sergeant
Unit: A Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11D – Armor Reconnaissance Specialist
Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device and Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, United Nations Service Medal for Korea
Badges: Combat Infantryman Badge
Unit awards: Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Enlisted by: Regular
Date of birth: 28-Dec-1931
Hometown: Wooster, Ohio
Marital status: Married to Genevia Thompson, one son, three daughters
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Start of tour: 20-Aug-1966
Incident date: 8-May-1967
Date of casualty: 14-May-1967
Age at death: 35
Cause of death: Hostile, died of wounds. Grenade. Multiple fragmentation wounds.
Jennings Milroy Thompson was a passenger in a military vehicle on combat operation, when vehicle was hit by hostile anti-tank weapon.
Location of fatality: Binh Duong, South Vietnam
Place of interment: Fort Benning Post Cemetery, Fort Benning, Georgia, USA
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BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE AND OAK LEAF CLUSTER
POSTHUMOUS
STAFF SERGEANT JENNING MILROY THOMPSON
7 SEPTEMBER 1966 TO 14 MAY 1967
A TROOP, 1st SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Staff Sergeant Thompson distinguished himself by heroism while engaged in military operations against a hostile force during the period 7 September 1966 to 14 May 1967 while serving as a scout with Troop A, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Immediately upon deployment to the Republic of Vietnam, Sergeant Thompson exhibited outstanding leadership and organizational ability by expertly molding his section into a highly efficient and effective unit. His phenomenal success in enhancing the morale and esprit de corps of his men is attested to by the precise teamwork and aggressiveness displayed in numerous encounters with the enemy. On 15 November 1966 he was participating in a mission in support of Operation ATTLEBORO. During a tactical road march, the lead vehicle struck a Viet Cong mine and began to burn. Sergeant Thompson immediately ran to the front of the column and dragged three of the wounded men away from the exploding ammunition and intense flames. On 21 November 1966, a convoy being escorted by a platoon from the squadron was attacked by a large force of well-concealed insurgents, some of whom were stationed within three feet of the road. After arriving at the battle scene, Sergeant Thompson and his crew aggressively pursued the enemy, personally identifying a hostile mortar emplacement, Sergeant Thompson concentrated his crew’s fire on the emplacement until it was silenced. He then dispatched his crew to prepare wounded men for evacuation and to reorganize the convoy. While part of a reaction force on 2 December 1966, he was in the lead vehicle proceeding through the battle area when the squadron was engaged by two Viet Cong battalions near Gia Ray. After engaging the enemy throughout the night and following day, Sergeant Thompson’s crew personally accounted for two Viet Cong killed and captured a Viet Cong rocket launcher. During the period 8 December 1966 to 30 December 1966, Sergeant Thompson’s platoon participated in Operation DONG TAM 81, a joint operation with Republic of Vietnam forces, with the objective of disrupting Viet Cong operations in the Vo Dat Rice Bowl area. Sergeant Thompson was credited with the discovery of several rice caches. On 12 January 1967, the troop was engaged in a reconnaissance mission near Xuan Loc. The first vehicle in the column struck a powerful mine, overturned, and exploded. Immediately upon seeing the explosion, Sergeant Thompson dismounted his vehicle and ran to the flaming vehicle to search for survivors. Despite intense flames and exploding ammunition, Sergeant Thompson succeeded in freeing the vehicle commander and dragged him away from the destroyed vehicle. As the explosions became more prevalent and intense, Sergeant Thompson shielded the wounded man with his own body until he was evacuated. In Tay Ninh Province, from 21 February 1967 to 15 March 1967, the squadron was participating in a mission in support of Operation JUNCTION CITY. During this mission, Sergeant Thompson came in continual contact with the enemy and exposed himself to constantly heavy enemy fire. He continued his outstanding record of service until 14 May 1967 when the armored personnel carrier in which he was riding was struck by an enemy antitank weapon, mortally wounding Sergeant Thompson. His inspiring leadership, professional dedication, and tremendous courage served as an excellent model for all with whom he served. His professional and dedicated performance of duty was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army
Headquarters, II Field Force Vietnam General Orders No. 973 (10 June 1967)
BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
STAFF SERGEANT JENNING MILROY THOMPSON
12 JANUARY 1967
A TROOP, 1st SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Staff Sergeant Thompson distinguished himself by heroism in connection with military operations against an armed hostile force on 12 January 1967 while assigned to Troop A, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date near Xuan Loc, Sergeant Thompson demonstrated personal courage of the highest degree when and armored cavalry assault vehicle of his platoon detonated a Viet Cong land mine, overturned and exploded. Upon seeing the explosion, Sergeant Thompson dismounted his own vehicle and ran to the burning track to search for survivors. He found the vehicle commander seriously wounded and pinned beneath the commander’s cupola which had been blown from the track. Despite intense flames and exploding ammunition, Sergeant Thompson assisted in freeing the wounded man and dragging him away from the destroyed vehicle. As the explosion became more intense, Sergeant Thompson shielded the wounded man with his own body. After the vehicle commander had been evacuated, Sergeant Thompson returned to the burning track to search for other crew members but was driven back by the flames and exploding ammunition. Staff Sergeant Thompson’s heroic actions and selfless devotion to duty are 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. 592 (14 April 1967)