Rank: Private First Class
Unit: L Troop, 3rd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11B – Infantryman
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: Valorous Unit Award, Meritorious Unit Citation, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Note: 3rd platoon, L-30
Enlisted by: Selected Service
Date of birth: 16-Sep-1947
Hometown: Augusta, Georgia
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Start of tour: 4-Apr-1967
Incident date: 21-Jul-1967
Date of casualty: 21-Jul-1967
Age at death: 19
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Small Arms Fire. Gun or small arms fire.
James Lemar Whitfield was passenger in a military vehicle on convoy when he engaged hostile force in firefight.
Fourteen Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
CPT William Forman Abernethy
PFC James Francis Bean
PFC John Joseph Campa
PFC Roosevelt C. Curley
SP4 Lawrence Michael Dawson
PFC George Arthur Foster
PVT Thomas Francis Ganion
PFC Douglas Wayne Hill
PFC Frank Daniel Leal
PFC Gary Alfred McLennan
PFC Billy Gene Rodgers
SP4 Richard James Schutz
1LT Ponder Ray Sims
PFC James Lemar Whitfield
Location of fatality: Long Khanh, South Vietnam, YT 430 308
Place of interment: Oak Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, Georgia, USA
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BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS JAMES LEMAR WHITFIELD
21 JULY 1967
L TROOP, 3rd SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Private First Class Whitfield distinguished himself by valorous actions on 21 July 1967, while serving as the right machine gunner on an armored vehicle participating in a road march when the column encountered an estimated reinforced battalion of Viet Cong on Highway 20. During the initial volley of fire, Private Whitfield’s vehicle sustained several direct hits by anti-tank weapons at extremely close range. Although wounded and in agonizing pain, Private Whitfield fearlessly remained at his machine gun and directed a devastating volume of highly accurate fire upon the enemy anti-tank position. Observing that the fanatical insurgents were assaulting his vehicle from both sides of the road, Private Whitfield quickly seized his personal weapon and, although in full view of the attackers, delivered an intense volley of fire into the midst of the onrushing Viet Cong. At that moment, an RPG-2 rocket round pierced the track and mortally wounded Private Whitfieid. His indomitable courage, spirited aggressiveness, and staunch persistence against insurmountable odd were instrumental in repelling the numerically superior enemy force. Private First Class Whitfield’s personal bravery and 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, 9th Infantry Division General Orders No. 3848 (4 August 1967)