lest we forget

CRIM, CHARLES RAY

Rank / Branch:

  • STAFF SERGEANT (POSTHUMOUS), U.S. ARMY

Date Of Birth:

  • 1938-12-30

Country Of Loss:

  • SOUTH VIETNAM

Status:

  • HOSTILE, ROCKET

Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:​

  • GROUND

Other:

  • MARRIED

Unit:

  • 25TH INFANTRY DIVISION

Date Of Loss:

  • 1968-08-03

Loss Coordinates:

  • BINH DUONG

Catagory:

  • BODY RETURNED

Awards & Decorations:

  • SEE BIO

VETERAN HAGI0GRAPHY

  • CRIM, CHARLES RAY, STAFF SERGEANT, U. S. ARMY, SAN ANGELO, TOM GREEN COUNTY, TEXAS

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

  • COMBAT INFANTRYMANS BADGE, BRONZE STAR WITH V DEVICE, PURPLE HEART, ARMY COMMENDATIONS MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL WITH 2 BRONZE KNOTS, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY WITH PALM VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL

BIOGRAPHY

  • Charles was born in San Angelo, the fourth child and first male child of six born to Charles R. Crim and Lula Thunderburk. He had three older sisters and a younger sister and brother. He attended rural San Angelo schools and last attended San Angelo Lakeview High School. He dropped out of high school during his junior year and joined the U.S. Army in 1957. He completed basic training at Fort Bliss, Texas and infantry training at Fort Carson, Colorado. He completed tours of duty in Germany, Korea and several stateside posts. He was married to the former Sharon Vandervort of San Angelo and this marriage produced three children. He and Sharon had divorced and he married Joye Carlile Davis of San Angelo, there were no children from this marriage.
  • Charles began his tour in Vietnam on August 10th, 1967 and was assigned as an squad leader with B Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Mechanized Infantry (Bobcats), 25th Infantry Division. On August 3, 1968, Charles was due to complete his tour in a week and was on his final operation. Company B was conducting a sweep in the eastern portion of the Michelin Rubber Plantation about 15 miles north of Saigon. Contact was made and the VC took shelter in a village. A sister company, Company A was dispatched to reinforce Company B. At 0915 hours, the village was evacuated with the help of a loud speaker helicopter. One of the villagers stated that there were still 100 VC in the village. CS was dropped on the village and a LFT was called in. At 0958 hours, a dust-off was requested. One of the LFT helicopters had fired a rocket that exploded on Company B soldiers. Charles was killed and five were wounded. Also wounded by the rocket blast were one engineer and one Vietnamese civilian.
  • He was buried with full military honors in the Lawn Haven Cemetery in San Angelo. He was survived by his wife Joye, his former wife Sharon, his three children, Cathy, Charles Jr. and David, his parents, his sisters; Dorothy Williams, Janie McWilliams, Lucille Porter and Judy Crim and his brother Steve C. Crim who was serving in the Army at the time. He was also survived by his stepchildren Mike, Shannon and Mark Davis.
  • Both of his former wives remarried. Joye passed away in San Angelo in April 2, 1986; his former wife Sharon Silvey passed away in December 2005. His parents have also passed away, his mother in 1970 and his father in 1981 and they are buried next to him. His children, Cathy and husband James Hasard live in Keller, Texas. His son, Charles Jr. lives in Fort Worth, Texas and his son, David lives in Azle, Texas. His sisters, Dorothy and Judy Lawler are now deceased, Dorothy in 2002 and Judy in 2005. His sister, Janie McWilliams and brother Steve continue to live in San Angelo and sister, Lucille Porter lives in Bronte, Texas.
  • ON LEAVE IN SAN ANGELO BEFORE DEPARTING FOR VIETNAM 1967
  • LAWN HAVEN CEMETERY, SAN ANGELO