Rank: Specialist 4
Unit: L Troop, 3rd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11B – Infantryman
Awards: Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Valor Device and Two Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badges: Combat Infantryman Badge
Unit awards: Valorous Unit Award, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Enlisted by: Regular
Date of birth: 11-Sep-1950
Hometown: Spokane, Washington
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 19-Aug-1969
Start of tour: 20-Jan-1970
Incident date: 25-Oct-1970
Date of casualty: 25-Oct-1970
Age at death: 20
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Explosive Device. Other explosive device.
Kim William Widmer was killed while on a combat operation when a booby trap detonated. / On reconnaissance patrol with two other members of his unit. One of the men stepped on a trip wire which detonated an anti-personnel mine set by the Viet Cong.
Three Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
PFC Dennis Charles Cannan
SP4 Timothy Robert Ownbey
SP4 Kim William Widmer
Location of fatality: Binh Duong, South Vietnam, XT 972 391
Place of interment: Holy Cross Cemetery, Spokane, Washington, USA
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ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE AND OAK LEAF CLUSTER
POSTHUMOUS
SPECIALIST FOUR KIM WILLIAM WIDMER
25 OCTOBER 1970
L TROOP, 3rd SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Specialist Four Widmer distinguished himself by heroism in connection with military operations against a hostile force on 25 October 1970 while serving as a vehicle commander with Troop L, 3d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date, Specialist Widmer twice took the point position to investigate Troop L’s anti-personnel mine devices with which the enemy had been suspected of tampering. Confirming this at the first site, he approached the second location fully realizing the danger involved and detonated the device the enemy had reset. His supreme sacrifice represented the ultimate in courage and dedication to service. Specialist Four Widmer’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. 4518 (23 December 1970)