lest we forget

DOYLE, REX WAYNE

Rank / Branch:

SPECIALIST FOUR, U.S. ARMY

Date Of Birth:

1948-03-20

Country Of Loss:

SOUTH VIETNAM

Status:

NON HOSTILE-ACCIDENTAL PISTOL DISCHARGE

Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:

GROUND

Other:

NOT MARRRIED

Unit:

5TH SPECIAL FORCES

Date Of Loss:

1968-05-17

Loss Coordinates:

KIEN HOA

Catagory:

BODY RETURNED

Awards & Decorations:

SEE BIO

VETERAN HAGI0GRAPHY

DOYLE, REX WAYNE, SPECIALIST FOUR, U. S. ARMY, SAN ANGELO, TOM GREEN, TEXAS

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

PARACHUTE WINGS, BRONZE STAR, AIR MEDAL, ARMY COMMENDATIONS MEDAL WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTER, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANGRY WITH PALM, VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL

BIOGRAPHY

Rex was born in San Angelo to Edith Diane Owens and Vernon Rex Doyle. He had an older half-sister, Sandra Lynn Cannada from his mother's previous marriage. He attended San Angelo Schools. He dropped out at the beginning of his senior year on September15, 1965 at age 17. He completed his GED while in the service.
He completed his basic training at Fort Polk, Louisiana and AIT at Fort Sill, Oklahoma for artillery training. He then completed parachute training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He then completed quarter master training at Fort Lee, Virginia to include Parachute Rigging, Parachute Maintenance and Air Dropping and was selected to train with the Special Forces in that capacity.
He began his tour in Vietnam on December 5, 1966. He completed one tour and had extended to take advantage of an early out. He was assigned to Company D, 5th Special Forces and worked in a support capacity. Much of his work in Vietnam was loading and rigging loads for 5th Special Forces operations. He also worked as a cargo master with Air Force aircraft. He flew many missions. During his second tour, he was accidentally shot to death with a 45 during a scuffle with an inebriated soldier on May 17, 1968. Rex was attempting to disarm him when the weapon discharged, He was 41 days from completing his tour. There were no charges filed against the other soldier.
He was buried with full military honors at the Lawnhaven Memorial Garden's Cemetery in his hometown of San Angelo. He was survived by his parents and his older sister. His parents are now deceased, his father died from injuries suffered in an automobile accident a year after Rex's death, June 15, 1969. His mother passed away in 1997 and both are buried next to Rex.