lest we forget

BLALOCK, WALTER ROGERS

Rank / Branch:

  • SERGEANT, U.S. ARMY

Date Of Birth:

  • 1944-12-28

Country Of Loss:

  • SOUTH VIETNAM

Status:

  • HOSTILE-EXPLOSIVE DEVICE

Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:​

  • ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIER

Other:

  • MARRIED

Unit:

  • 25TH INFANTRY DIVISION

Date Of Loss:

  • 1967-03-06

Loss Coordinates:

  • HUA NGHIA

Catagory:

  • BODY RETURNED

Awards & Decorations:

  • SEE BIO

VETERAN HAGI0GRAPHY

  • BLALOCK, WALTER ROGERS, SERGEANT, U.S. ARMY, BIG SPRING, HOWARD COLLEGE, TEXAS

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

  • COMBAT INFANTRYMAN'S BADGE, BRONZE STAR, PURPLE HEART, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM MILITARY MERIT MEDAL, VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY WITH PALM, VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL

BIOGRAPHY

  • Walter Rogers Blalock was born in Tucson, Arizona. He was the fourth of five children born to La Vern Rebecca Rogers and Ulmont U. Blalock. His oldest sister, Johnnie Sue was born August 23, 1938, in Uvalde, Texas; brother Monte was born June 1, 1940, in Rocksprings, Texas; sister Carolyn Rebecca was born January 23, 1942, in Rocksprings, Texas and his youngest sister, Rosalind Gayle was born July 14, 1945, in Del Rio, Texas. His father worked civil service and he worked mostly for the Army Air Corp and for the Air Force and the family moved with his duties.
  • The family had lived in Del Rio and Mr. Blalock worked at Laughlin Army Airfield until the base was closed. Mr. Blalock then returned to ranching in Barksdale, Texas. In 1950, the family moved to Uvalde and Mr. Blalock worked civil service in Hondo, Texas until 1952, when Laughlin Air Force Base was reactivated, and the family returned to Del Rio. Walter attended Del Rio Schools up through junior high school. According to his sister, Walter was raised primarily on a ranch at Barksdale, Texas. All of the kids enjoyed fishing and climbing the hills (they thought they were mountains). She indicated they swam the creek and went fishing a lot. They rode horses and his sister indicated they could not have had a better childhood.
  • Mr. Blalock was transferred to Edwards Air Force Base in California and Walter attended high school at Boron High School near Edwards AFB. Mr. Blalock then transferred to Webb Air Force Base in Big Spring, Texas and Walter attended Big Spring High School. According to his sister Sue, Walter dropped out of high school his senior year due to the divorce of their parents. He enlisted in the Army as a result in 1962.
  • After basic training, he served three years in Germany, returning to the states in early 1966 after re-enlisting. He visited his sister in Michigan and then was assigned to Fort Ord, California. He married his high school sweetheart, Catherine Ann Long of Boron, California on May 8, 1966. He began his tour in Vietnam on December 27, 1966. He turned 23 years of age on December 28, 1966.
  • He was assigned as a squad leader for A Troop, 3rd Battalion, 4th Cavalry, 25th Infantry Division. He was killed on March 6, 1967, when the Armored Personnel Carrier, he was commanding was operating in a convoy and the APC struck a land mine and turned over and burned.
  • A memorial service was held at Edwards Air Force, Base California. Sgt. Walter Rogers Blalock was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. Mrs. Blalock, sister Rosalind and her husband, Johnnie Sue and her husband, as well as his wife, Catherine and her family were in attendance. In April 1967, Walter's wife, Catherine was presented a posthumous Bronze Star and Purple Heart and there was an additional parade and memorial service held at Fort Irwin, California.
  • He was survived by his wife, Katherine, his parents and his brothers and sisters. His father took retirement due to glaucoma and passed away in 2004 and is buried in Barksdale, Texas. His mother is currently in a nursing home in Kerrville, Texas. His sister, Johnnie Sue Blalock Russell lives in Tucson, Arizona; his brother Monte lives in Utopia, Texas. His sister Carolyn Rebecca Blalock passed away April 6, 2003 in Kerrville, Texas and is buried in Barksdale, Texas. His younger sister, Rosalind Gayle Blalock Sullivan lives in Butler, Pennyslvania. .
  • Walter Rogers Blalock was a wonderful human being, had a great sense of humor and a love of life. His family misses him very much and know that he is an Angel watching over them.
  • BASIC TRAINING 1962
  • OBITUARY
  • ARLINGTON NATONAL CEMTERY, ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA