Rank: Sergeant
Unit: L Troop, 3rd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11D – Armor Reconnaissance Specialist
Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, Purple Heart Medal, Army Good Conduct 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: 16-Jan-1947
Hometown: Bellevue, Ohio
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Start of tour: 29-Aug-1967
Incident date: 20-Mar-1968
Date of casualty: 20-Mar-1968
Age at death: 21
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Grenade. Multiple fragmentation wounds.
William Joseph Weidinger died as the result of metal fragment wound received when he encountered hostile force while on combat operation.
Location of fatality: Hua Nghia, South Vietnam
Place of interment: Immaculate Conception Cemetery, Bellevue, Ohio, USA
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BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS
SERGEANT WILLIAM JOSEPH WEIDINGER
20 MARCH 1968
L TROOP, 3rd SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Sergeant Weidinger distinguished himself by valorous actions on 20 March 1968, while serving as a Track Commander with Troop L, 3d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, on a reconnaissance in force mission near Duc Hoa, Vietnam. When the armored column came under sudden intense enemy fire from a well-entrenched Viet Cong force, Sergeant Weidinger immediately returned fire with his .50 caliber machine gun. With complete disregard for his own personal safety, he remained exposed to enemy fire in order to provide protection for the other armored cavalry assault vehicles as they maneuvered to face and attack the enemy. Sergeant Weidinger placed his vehicle at the head of his platoon during the assault in the face of heavy antitank, automatic and semiautomatic weapons fire. As his vehicle neared the enemy bunkers, Sergeant Weidinger was fatally wounded by enemy shrapnel. Sergeant Weidinger’s personal bravery and 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, 9th Infantry Division General Orders No. 2740 (25 April 1968)