Rank: Specialist 4
Unit: E Troop, 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11D – Armor Reconnaissance Specialist
Awards: Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Good Conduct 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: Selected Service
Date of birth: 18-Oct-1950
Hometown: Aurora, Colorado
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 20-Feb-1970
Start of tour: 18-Jul-1970
Incident date: 16-Apr-1971
Date of casualty: 16-Apr-1971
Age at death: 20
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Explosive Device. Other explosive device.
Michael James Whalen was killed while he was setting up a night defensive position when a booby trap detonated. / Individual setting up night defensive position (NDP), detonated hostile booby trap.
Two Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
PFC Michael Lynn Wemhoff
SP4 Michael James Whalen
Location of fatality: Tay Ninh, South Vietnam, XT 532 281
Place of interment: Fort Logan National Cemetery, Denver, Colorado, USA
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