lest we forget

HENSON, GEORGE RICHARD

Rank / Branch:

  • STAFF SERGEANT, U.S. ARMY

Date Of Birth:

  • 1944-08-28

Country Of Loss:

  • SOUTH VIETNAM

Status:

  • NON HOSTILE-ACCIDENTAL SELF DESTRUCTION

Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:​

  • GROUND

Other:

  • NOT MARRIED

Unit:

  • FIRST LOGISTIC COMMAND

Date Of Loss:

  • 1972-06-23

Loss Coordinates:

  • PLEIKU

Catagory:

  • BODY RETURNED

Awards & Decorations:

  • SEE BIO

VETERAN HAGI0GRAPHY

  • Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Commendation Medal and 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

  • COMBAT INFANTRYMANS BADGE, BRONZE STAR WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTER AND V DEVICE, ARMY COMMENDATIONS MEDAL WITH 3 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM MILITARY MERIT MEDAL,VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTY WITH STAR AND 2 OAK LEAF CUSTERS, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL

BIOGRAPHY

  • George was born in Hastings, Adams County, Nebraska. His father was stationed at the Naval Ammunitions Facility there during World War II. After the war, the family returned to the Newberg community, south of Comanche, Texas and then moved into Comanche. The family moved to San Angelo in 1950, as his father bought a neighborhood grocery store and George spent most of his youth attending San Angelo schools. He last attended San Angelo Central High School through his junior year in 1962. His father passed away in 1961 and this contributed heavily to George's decision to join the Army.
  • He enlisted in the Army in 1962 and had re-enlisted in 1965 and then again in 1972. After basic training at Fort Bliss, Texas, he was assigned to attend the Basic Medic Course at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He was first assigned as a medic in Korea where he served 18 months. He was assigned as a medic at the Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma and he became fascinated with artillery and applied for training as an artilleryman. He completed the training at Fort Sill. He then completed two separate tours in the Panama Canal Zone, first at Fort Gulick and then at Fort Knoppe, serving one tour as a medic and the next tour with an artillery unit. He returned to Fort Sill, where he served as an instructor at the Artillery School and then was assigned as an artilleryman with the 12th Artillery Group in Vietnam. He extended his tour and was assigned as a gun chief, with a 105-artillery battery with the 33rd Artillery Group under the First Division. He returned to Fort Sill and then volunteered to return to Vietnam. He then assigned as an infantry light arms instructor with the 1st Division and then as an advisor with MAC-V and earned his Combat Infantryman's Badge.
  • He volunteered yet for a third tour and was assigned as a gun chief with the 320th Artillery serving with the 101st Airborne Division. He extended his tour and was assigned as a platoon sergeant with Company D, 17th Infantry Regiment, 12th Aviation Group under the operational control of the 1st Log Command. His unit was providing security for the First Log facilities at Pleiku. The main company was stationed at Cam Rahn Bay.
  • He and another soldier were killed June 23, 1972 in an incident involving a hand grenade. The next day, another soldier died form injuries sustained in the incident. The dead were: * SSG George R. Henson, San Angelo, TX * SGT Corner M. Davis, Anderson, SC * SP4 Robert D. McLaren, Wichita, KS (DoI 06/24/1972)
  • He was buried with full military honors in the Newburg Community Cemetery near Comanches, Texas. He was awarded his third Bronze Star for Meritorious Service posthumously. At the time of his death, he had served 49 months in Vietnam. He was survived by his mother of San Angelo.
  • SAN ANGELO CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, 1962
  • IN VIETNAM 1972
  • NEWBURG CEMETERY, COMANCE COUNTY, TEXAS