- SURNAME
Piacentino
- FORENAME
Michael Allen
- UNIT
5 SF Group (MACV-SOG-CCN)
- RANK
Staff Sergeant
- NUMBER
219400970
- DATE OF DEATH
28th September 1969
- AGE
26
- GRAVESITE
Golden Gate National Cemetery,San Bruno,San Mateo County,California Section B Site 291-B
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
from Baltimore,Maryland
born 29.5.1943 Baltimore County,Maryland
son of Sylvan Michael and Charlotte Piacentino
father (1910-88) served in US Army in WW2 (service number 33736066)
husband of Kazuko Piacentino (2 children Terri and Lisa)
entered service 1961
1 SF Group 1962
5 SF Group 1964-69
awards Silver Star,Bronze Star,Army Commendation Medal
DOW received in Laos (5th tour of duty with 5th Special Forces)
Vietnam Veterans Memorial,Washington,D.C. Panel 17W Line 19
DATE OF DEATH:
28-Sep-1969AWARD:
https://www.specialforcesroh.com/index.php?threads/piacentino-michael-allen.49712/CITATION:
Silver Star : For gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile in the Republic of Vietnam: Staff Sergeant Piacentino distinguished himself on 27 and 28 September 1969 while serving as an assistant leader of a long-range reconnaissance team during a mis-sion deep in ene-my territory. Although the helicopter transporting the team received heavy machine-gun fire upon entering the area of operations, the team was successfully inserted on high ground. Bad weather closed in around the team after insertion and prevented them from maintaining radio communications with supporting units. When darkness had settled over the area, the enemy could be heard moving up the hill and trying to locate the team's position. Enemy elements advanced within a few meters of the team and began tossing stones inside their perimeter in an effort to provoke return fire which would expose the team's number and position. Sergeant Piacentino cleverly began throwing stones back at the enemy, thereby confusing them and causing them to withdraw. When day broke, the enemy launched an intense machine gun and mortar attack on the team. Moving about the perimeter under heavy enemy fire, Sergeant Piacentino directed his men in placing return fire on the adversary. When he had finally succeeded in establishing radio contact with the Forward Air Controller, Sergeant Piacen-tino moved to an exposed position from which he could more effectively direct air strikes on the enemy. While in this vulnerable position, Sergeant Piacentino was mortally wounded when an enemy mortar round impacted just meters from him. Staff Sergeant Piacentino’s gallantry in action at the cost of his life, was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself his unit, and the United States Army.
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