Rank: Captain
Unit: M Company, 3rd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 1204 – Armored Reconnaissance Unit Commander
Awards: Silver Star, Purple Heart Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Unit awards: Presidential Unit Citation, Valorous Unit Award, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Enlisted by: Reserve
Date of birth: 11-Aug-1936
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Marital status: Married to Carole L. Wilson, one son, three daughters
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 19-Sep-1960
Start of tour: 11-Aug-1967
Incident date: 6-May-1968
Date of casualty: 6-May-1968
Age at death: 31
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Small Arms Fire. Gun or small arms fire.
Robert Allyn Wilson died from gunshot wounds received while on combat operation when engaged hostile force in firefight.
Location of fatality: Hua Nghia, South Vietnam
Place of interment: Chartiers Cemetery, Carnegie, Pennsylvania, USA
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SILVER STAR
POSTHUMOUS
CAPTAIN ROBERT ALLYN WILSON, ARMOR
6 MAY 1968
M COMPANY, 3rd SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Captain Wilson distinguished himself by gallantry in action involving close combat against an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. Captain Wilson distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous action son 6 May 1968 while serving as Commanding Officer of Company M, 3d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, on a reconnaissance in force mission in the vicinity of Cu Chi, Vietnam. While proceeding down a narrow roadway the armored column was suddenly engaged by an enemy force of unknown size armed with antitank weapons, automatic weapons and small arms. Realizing that the vehicles were highly vulnerable position and unable to maneuver effectively, Captain Wilson immediately assumed an exposed position and directed his vehicle up and down the roadway, skillfully placing accurate fire on the insurgent positions. At one point, Captain Wilson remained in fully exposed position as his tank penetrated 20 meters of dense jungle to destroy an antitank position that was endangering the column. As he was rejoining other elements of his company an automatic weapons position to his flank began directing intense fire against his tank. While Captain Wilson was in the process of moving his main tank gun upon the enemy position, he was suddenly wounded by a burst of hostile fire. Captain Wilson’s extraordinary heroism in close combat against a Viet Cong force was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
Headquarters, 9th Infantry Division General Orders No. 4580 (13 June 1968)