Rank: Private First Class
Unit: L 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: Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Enlisted by: Regular
Date of birth: 29-Jul-1950
Hometown: Compton, California
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 17-Jun-1969
Start of tour: 27-Nov-1969
Incident date: 10-Mar-1970
Date of casualty: 10-Mar-1970
Age at death: 19
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Small Arms Fire. Gun or small arms fire.
Kenneth Edwin Wedlow was killed while a gunner on a military vehicle on a military mission when a hostile force was encountered.
Four Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
SGT John Patrick Henry
SP4 Don Robert Riley
PFC George Thomas Scarborough
PFC Kenneth Edwin Wedlow
Location of fatality: Binh Long, South Vietnam, XU 625 075
Place of interment: Paradise Memorial Park, Santa Fe Springs, California, USA
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BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS KENNETH EDWIN WEDLOW
10 MARCH 1970
L TROOP, 3rd SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Private First Class Wedlow distinguished himself by heroism in connection with ground operations against a hostile force on 10 March 1970 while serving as a gunner with Troop L, 3d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date his platoon came under intense enemy fire from a force of North Vietnamese soldiers. He immediately commenced fire with his machine gun, directing suppressive volleys toward the enemy positions. Despite the deadly hail of fire, he continued to assault the entrenched insurgents witn accurate suppressive fire until he was mortally wounded. Private First Class Wedlow’s actions 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. 1417 (5 April 1970)