lest we forget

SNELL, ROBERT MICHEAL

Rank / Branch:

CAPTAIN, U.S. ARMY

Date Of Birth:

1944-02-14

Country Of Loss:

SOUTH VIETNAM

Status:

HOSTILE-MULTIPLE FRAGMENT WOUNDS

Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:

GROUND

Other:

NOT MARRIED

Unit:

101ST AIRBORNE

Date Of Loss:

1969-06-14

Loss Coordinates:

THUA THIEN

Catagory:

BODY RETURNED

Awards & Decorations:

SEE BIO

VETERAN HAGI0GRAPHY

SNELL, ROBERT MICHAEL, CAPTAIN, U.S. ARMY, LAMESA, DAWSON COUNTY, TEXAS

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

DISTINGUISED SERVICE CROSS, BRONZE STAR WITH V DEVICE AND 2 OAK LEAF CLUSTERS (3 AWARDS, PURPLE HEART, ARMY COMMENDATIONS MEDAL, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY WITH PALM, VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL, VIETNAM MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL

BIOGRAPHY

Mike was born in Fort Worth, Texas on Valentine's Day, 1944, the son of Grace Carson Guard and Robert Bruce Snell. "Mike Snell was a very unusual young man. As red-blooded American as they come, he often reminded me of the early pioneers who came to found a great nation," his hometown newspaper, The Lamesa Press-Reporter, editorialized following his death, "The Mike Snell I knew was as plain as apple pie. A skinny youngster who wanted desperately to be a quarterback, but who lacked the native talent to be the star, he nevertheless became a reserve with more fortitude per pound than ever graced the turf at Lamesa High…the kind of boy every family dream of raisin…Mike was a professional soldier who died at the pinnacle of his profession. He packed more love of country and more dedication to its preservation into a few short years than most of us will in a lifetime."
Mike Snell grew up in Lamesa, graduated from Lamesa High School with honors. While in high school, he was a well-rounded student. At Lamesa High, he was President of his Junior and Senior Class, he was a two-year letterman in football. President of the Slide Rule Club, and member of the National Honor Society for his three years in high school. He received a Congressional Appointment to the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY as a plebe in the fall of 1962 and in May 1966, he graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant, Artillery. He served two tours in Vietnam. Snell's first tour in Vietnam was December 1967-December 1968. His second tour began April 1969. It was during his second tour that on June 14, 1968, while serving as an Artillery Battery Commander, he was killed in action.
His action early that morning earned him the Distinguished Service Cross, posthumously. Serving as artillery liaison officer to the 327th Infantry, Fire Support Base Berchtesgaden was attacked by an intense mortar assault, followed by intense ground assault. Snell moved 50 meters through intense enemy fire to assist the wounded. He carried one wounded soldier back to safety and was going out the bunker door to retrieve another man when a round impacted at his feet and mortally wounded him. His unselfish dedication saved the life of the man he carried to safety.
In a letter to his parents on September 1, 1968, during his first tour of Vietnam, he wrote "You know it probably is stupid. Why should I feel compelled to endure the worst of Vietnam. I could lose the game. I just don't want to die at 75 years and look back on nothing. This is very strong in me. I inherit it from you. I guess a feeling of independence is one of the greatest things I've got. That and broad mindedness. No doubt where that came from, Old Man. I guess I just want to live a little unusual. I'm satisfied so far. But from here on come The Golden Years."
Distinguished Service Cross Citation: (The Distinguished Service Cross, is the second highest award for valor)
CITATION: For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. Captain Snell distinguished himself on 14 June 1969 while serving as an artillery liaison officer to the 327th Infantry. In the early morning hours, an intense mortar attack followed by a ground assault was launched against Fire Support Base Berchtesgaden. When the first enemy rounds hit, several personnel were injured and in need of immediate medical attention. Captain Snell, with complete disregard for his own safety, moved fifty meters from his protected bunker through the heavy volume of enemy mortar fire to assist the wounded. He carried one wounded soldier back to the safety of the bunker and was going out the bunker door to retrieve another man when a round impacted at his feet and mortally wounded him. Captain Snell's unselfish dedication to his fellow soldiers was directly responsible for saving the life of the man he had carried to safety. Captain Snell's extraordinary heroism and dedication to duty, at the cost of his life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
Captain Robert Snell was buried with full military honors at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York. He was survived by his parents of Lamesa and his brother, Tim and sister Cynthia of the home and sister Patricia Bloom. His sister, Patricia's husband Second Lieutenant Ronald Bloom acted as a body escort for Captain Robert Snell from Vietnam. The 1966 USMA Class had 30 of its 579 graduates die in Vietnam. Ninety five percent of the class served in Vietnam after graduation. in 1984, author Rick Atcheson chronicled the class in his book, "The Long Gray Line, The American Journey of the West Point Class of 1966."