lest we forget

HARTMAN, HENRY WILBURN

Rank / Branch:

  • SPECIALIST FIFTH CLASS, U.S. ARMY

Date Of Birth:

  • 1929-04-14

Country Of Loss:

  • SOUTH VIETNAM

Status:

  • HOSTILE, MULIPLE FRAGMENT WOUNDS/BURNS

Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:​

  • GROUND

Other:

  • NOT MARRIED

Unit:

  • 4TH DIVISION

Date Of Loss:

  • 1968-01-31

Loss Coordinates:

  • KONTUM

Catagory:

  • BODY RETURNED

Awards & Decorations:

  • SEE BIO

VETERAN HAGI0GRAPHY

  • HARTMAN, HENRY WILBURN, SPECIALIST FIFTH CLASS, U.S. ARMY, SAN ANGELO, TOM GREEN COUNTY, TEXAS

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

  • BRONZE STAR MEDAL WITH V DEVICE, PURPLE HEART, COMMENDATIONS MEDAL, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL WITH STAR, KOREA SERVICE MEDAL, UNITED NATIONS EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL (KOREA), ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL, WORLD WAR 2 OCCUPATION MEDAL (GERMANY), VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM MILITARY MERIT MEDAL, VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY WITH PALM, VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL

BIOGRAPHY

  • Henry was born in San Antonio, Texas. He was the youngest of four sons born to Louise Zeischang and Henry Hartman. His father was a farmer in the Thrall community, east of Taylor, Texas. His mother passed away when he was eleven years old. He attended schools in Lee County near Giddings, Thrall, Taylor and then in Big Spring. He last attended school in Big Spring and dropped out of school after the 10th grade and went to work.
  • He enlisted in the Army in 1949 at age 19 and served during the Korean War and served in that theatre. He had a short break in service after the Korean War, but re-enlisted in 1961 using San Angelo, Texas where his brother was living. He loved the Army, but did not push for advancement, being satisfied to be a a middle rank soldier. He served in Germany and at Fort Knox, Kentucky and at Fort Hood, Texas. His fellow soldiers gave him the name of "Sergeant Pappy."
  • He began his tour in Vietnam on August 20, 1966, and completed his original tour in August 1967, but he extended his tour by six-month increments. This was the only way that a soldier could stay in Vietnam, after the one-year tour. After a 30 day leave home, he returned in September 1967 and was assigned as an Armored Crewman with B Company, 1st Battalion, 69th Armor, 4th Division.
  • On 30 January 1968 the VC's TET Offensive began, in some places prematurely. The 4th Infantry Division was then stationed in Kontum and Pleiku Provinces in the Central Highlands. The Division lost ten men as a result of the first day's fighting. Specialist Hartman was the only combat fatality of his company, another soldier was wounded. He was one of three from his battalion. He was wounded while riding as a passenger on a tank during a search and destroy mission. The tank was hit by mortar and rocket fire on January 31, 1968. He was medevac'd with severe burns and wounds to the 71st medevac hospital. When he arrived, he was in a coma and was suffering from burns and wounds over 80% of his body. He did not have an ID card and his dog tags were missing. He never regained consciousness and died from pulmonary edema secondary to his wounds three hours after arrival. It took over two weeks to get a positive identification of his remains due to the situation and confusion in Vietnam. His family was not notified until 18 days after his death.
  • He was buried with full military honors in the Taylor City Cemetery in Taylor, Texas a month after his death. He was survived by his three older brothers and their families. The brothers were Bennie G. of Georgetown, Roy A. of San Angelo and Paul of Austin.
  • TAYLOR CITY CEMETERY, TAYLOR, TEXAS