Rank: Specialist 4
Unit: B Troop, 1st 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: Presidential Unit Citation, Valorous Unit Award, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Enlisted by: Selected Service
Date of birth: 3-Jan-1947
Hometown: Sacramento, California
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Start of tour: 23-Nov-1967
Incident date: 1-Jul-1968
Date of casualty: 1-Jul-1968
Age at death: 21
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Explosive Device. Other explosive device.
Tony Trombetta died from wounds received while on combat operation when hit by fragments from hostile mine.
Location of fatality: Binh Duong, South Vietnam
Place of interment: Saint Mary‘s Catholic Cemetery and Mausoleum, Sacramento, California, USA
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BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS
SPECIALIST FOUR TONY TROMBETTA
1 JULY 1968
B TROOP, 1st SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Specialist Four Trombetta distinguished himself by heroism in connection with military operations against a hostile force on 1 July 1968 while serving with Troop B, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On that date in the vicinity of Dau Tieng, Specialist Trombetta was participating in a reconnaissance in force mission. When his troop entered a clearing suspected of being mined by a Viet Cong force, Specialist Trombetta, totally disregarding his own personal safety, volunteered to dismount his vehicle and assist in the clearing of the forward area of enemy mines and possible hostile troops. While advancing in front of the armored column performing the vital task for which he had volunteered, an enemy command-detonated mine exploded, mortally wounding him. As a result of his personal heroism, many of Specialist Trombetta’s fellow soldiers escaped death and injury. Specialist Four Trombetta’s personal bravery and unwavering 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, II Field Force Vietnam General Orders No. 842 (4 August 1968)