- SURNAME
Baxter
- FORENAME
Bruce Raymond
- UNIT
5 SF Group (MACV- SOG - CCC) (RT Massachusetts) (FOB-1)
- RANK
Master Sergeant
- NUMBER
011262880
- DATE OF DEATH
9th November 1967
- AGE
36
- GRAVESITE
National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii Courts of the Missing
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
from Lowell, Massachusetts
born 28.9.1931 Lowell, Massachusetts
son of Raymond George and Helen Marie (nee Carlson) Baxter
single
entered service 1950
10 SF Group 1955-57
awards D.S.C., Bronze Star with 2 oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with 5 oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
KIA in helicopter crash Laos
body not recovered
Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia Memorial Section G
Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C. Panel 29E Line 47
DATE OF DEATH:
09-Nov-1967AWARD:
https://www.specialforcesroh.com/index.php?threads/baxter-bruce-raymond.40719/CITATION:
Distinguished Service Cross : The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Master Sergeant Bruce Raymond Baxter (ASN: RA-21289734), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Command and Control Detachment, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. Master Sergeant Baxter distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 8 November 1967 while serving as Special Forces advisor to a Vietnamese reconnaissance team on combat operations deep in hostile territory. While moving through dense jungle shortly before nightfall, his team detected an enemy ambush to the front. Sergeant Baxter quickly directed the fire of his men on the hostile forces, disrupting the planned attack. He was seriously wounded by a barrage of enemy grenades during the firefight that followed, but he refused aid and directed his men to a landing zone for extraction. Savage fire raked the helicopters as they made their landing. Sergeant Baxter refused to be immediately evacuated, and directed half of his team to board the first aircraft while he remained on the ground. The second aircraft was downed after being driven off by the ravaging barrage, and he completely disregarded his own safety in an attempt to reach the crash site under a hail of bullets. The withering fire drove him back, and he requested a hoist extraction for the rest of his men. When the aircraft came in, he placed three of his men aboard before the ship was forced to take off under intense ground fire. A fourth helicopter elected to land despite the heavy barrage, and Sergeant Baxter climbed in only after he was sure that the rest of his team were aboard. He was mortally wounded when the helicopter was shot down in an attempt to fly out of the area. His gallant leadership and devotion to the safety of his men at great risk to his own welfare were responsible for saving several lives in the face of grave danger. Master Sergeant Baxter's extraordinary heroism and devotion 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.
WEB LINKS:
https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/5268
Last edited by a moderator:
