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    Chaboneau

Leroy Charboneau

B BTRY, 4th BN, 42nd Artillery - attached to 1/12th Infantry

Cheboygan, Michigan

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PERSONAL
 Last Name: Charboneau
 First Name: Leroy
 Middle Name: Harland
 Home of Record (official): Cheboygan
 State (official): MI
 Date of Birth: 14 March 1947
 Sex: Male
 Race: Caucasian
 Marital Status: Single

 

 

  

MILITARY
 Branch: Army  
 Rank: Corporal  
 Serial Number: 55895329  
 Component: Regualr Army  
 Pay grade: E-3  
 MOS: 13A10 (Field Artillery Basic)  
 Awards: Silver Star, PH  
 Unit: B BTRY, 4th BN, 42nd Artillery - attached to 1/12th infantry

 

 

  

ACTION
 Start of Tour: 04 April 1967  
 Date of Casualty: 07 July 1967  
 Age at time of loss: 20  
 Casualty type: Non Hostile, died of other causes - Accidental homicide
 Reason: Ground casualty
 Country: South Vietnam  
 Province: Pleiku  
 Location: La Drang Valley  
 The Wall: Panel 23E- Row 056  
     
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A Note from The Virtual Wall

On 12 July 1967, the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry, was engaged in the Ia Drang Valley by a battalion or larger force from the 66th NVA Regiment. When engaged, the 1/12's three rifle companies were physically separated, allowing the enemy force to attack the companies individually - B Company and C Company were isolated and taken under attack. Although C Company suffered only minor losses (5 wounded and none killed), B Company took heavy losses.
1st Lt Bragg had been with 1/12 Infantry for some months as the leader of an artillery Forward Observer team. When Captain Brian W Rushton, the B Company Commander, was killed, Bragg was directed to take command of the company. He did, and fought it with courage until he also was killed - one of 33 men who died that day. Leroy Chaboygan was Lt Braggs radio operator and was his side untilthe unit was overrun.