VIETNAM - WHALEN, MICHAEL JAMES

Whalen, Michael James

VIETNAM - WHALEN, MICHAEL JAMES
WHALEN, MICHAEL JAMES

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

View this soldier‘s Find a Grave page (opens in a new window)

Vietnam Veterans Memorial panel and row: 04W 130 (view Vietnam Veterans Memorial link in a new window)