Rank: Specialist 4
Unit: K Troop, 3rd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11D – Armor Reconnaissance Specialist
Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, Purple Heart Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badges: Combat Infantryman Badge
Unit awards: Meritorious Unit Citation, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Note: M-113A1, ACAV, K-17
Enlisted by: Selected Service
Date of birth: 8-Oct-1945
Hometown: Livonia, Michigan
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 8-Nov-1965
Start of tour: 14-Aug-1966
Incident date: 21-May-1967
Date of casualty: 21-May-1967
Age at death: 21
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Grenade. Multiple fragmentation wounds.
Dwight Elmer Timberlake was on a convoy escort mission when engaged in a firefight with hostile force.
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 564 054
Place of interment: Glen Eden Memorial Park, Livonia, Michigan, USA
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BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS
SPECIALIST FOUR DWIGHT ELMER TIMBERLAKE
21 MAY 1967
K TROOP, 3rd SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Specialist Four Timberlake distinguished himself by valorous actions on 21 May 1967, while serving as driver aboard an Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle in a convoy as it was traversing an area near Soui Cat, Republic of Vietnam. Suddenly, the convoy came under heavy attack from an estimated Viet Cong battalion which was firing recoilless rifles, mortars, automatic weapons, and small arms. Alertly observing the insurgent positions, Specialist Timberlake began to take evasive actions. As Specialist Timberlake maneuvered through deadly enemy fire, he was hit and critically wounded by an antitank round that struck his vehicle. Ignoring both personal safety and his painful injuries, Specialist Timberlake continued to take evasive actions, providing an extremely difficult target for the Viet Cong. So effective was his driving that nearly all of the hostile rounds missed his vehicle completely. Specialist Timberlake’s actions were instrumental in eventually routing the numerically superior enemy force. Specialist Four Timberlake’s courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
Headquarters, 9th Infantry Division General Orders No. 1916 (27 June 1967)