lest we forget

CAMPOS, LARRY PAUL

Rank / Branch:

  • SPECIALIST 4, U. S. ARMY

Date Of Birth:

  • 1947-01-28

Country Of Loss:

  • SOUTH VIETNAM

Status:

  • HOSTILE, SMALL ARMS

Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:​

  • GROUND

Other:

  • SINGLE

Unit:

  • 4TH DIVISION

Date Of Loss:

  • 1966-12-03

Loss Coordinates:

  • UNKNOWN

Catagory:

  • BODY RETURNED

Awards & Decorations:

  • SEE BIO

VETERAN HAGI0GRAPHY

  • CAMPOS, LARRY PAUL, SPECIALIST FOUR, U.S. ARMY, ODESSA, ECTOR COUNTY, TEXAS

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

  • PARACHUTE WINGS, BRONZE STAR, PURPLE HEART, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM MILITARY MERIT MEDAL, VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY WITH PALM, VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL

BIOGRAPHY

  • Larry was born in Roswell, New Mexico to Mr and Mrs. Jose Campos. He was the youngest of three children born to this marriage. He has a older sister, Jennie and an older brother, Tito. His parents divorced and he was raised by his mother. His father moved to Odessa and remarried and the children would visit him during summers and holidays in Odessa from time to time.
  • Larry had a 30 day leave in July, 1966 and spent part of it with his father and step mother in Odessa and the remainder with his older brother in Roswell. His mother had remarried and was living in Okinawa, Japan. He joined his unit in California and the 12th Infantry Regiment was reassigned to the 4th Division and the unit mobilized to Vietnam in August 1966. Combat engineers supported infantry units and would go out on patrols and provide a combat support to locate and disarm mines and booby traps.
  • The current military records do not give an exact location, but S.L.A. Marshall's book West to Cambodian indicates the 1/12th on December 2, 1966 was operating in the Central Highlands near the Cambodian border. Larry was operating with B Company, 1st Battalion performing engineering duties. While on that operation and in an engagement with enemy forces, Larry was shot twice in the chest by small arms fire. He was medevaced from the field by a medevac helicopter and he died from his wounds on December 3, 1966 at the 18th Medevac Hospital. His father received three telegrams over the course of the two days; the first telling him that his son had been shot and was not in immenient danger, but was in serious condition; a second telegram along with a visit from a representative of the U.S. Army informing him that his son had died from his wounds and finally a telegram informing him that his son's body was being shipped to the nearest funeral home of the family's choice.
  • Larry was buried with full military honors in the South Park Cemetery in Roswell, New Mexico. He was survived by his father, Jose Campos and step mother, of Odessa and his mother, Mrs. Eleanor C. Young of Okinawa, Japan and his older brother Tito and his younger sister Jennie of Roswell.
  • His father lived in Odessa until 2010 and then moved to Roswell to be near his surviving family until his death in 2012. His mother is now living in Roswell, New Mexico and his sister, Jennie Ortega and his brother, Tito also reside in Roswell.
  • ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO 1958
  • FORT LEONARD WOOD, MO-1965 GILBERT HERRERA, LARRY CAMPOS, MODESTO GUTIERREZ
  • SOUTH PARK CEMETERY, ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO