Kenneth Allen Buys

The database page for Kenneth Allen Buys

02 Sep 2001 KENNETH A BUYS SERGEANT UNITED STATES ARMY Died 3 March 1968 in the Republic of Vietnam while protecting his men. DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY HEADQUARTERS 173D AIRBORNE BRIGADE (SEPARATE) APO San Francisco 96250 27 March 1968 GENERAL ORDERS NUMBER 753 AWARD OF THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL FOR HEROISM 1. TC 320. The following AWARD is announced posthumously. BUYS, KENNETH A. RA19853088 SERGEANT E5 UNITED STATES ARMY, Company D (Provisional) 1st Battalion (Airborne) 503d Infantry   Awarded: Bronze Star Medal with "V" Device   Date Action: 3 March 1968   Theater: Republic of Vietnam   Reason: For heroism in connection with military operations against a hostile force. Sergeant Buys distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 3 March 1968 in the Republic of Vietnam. On this day, the 1st platoon was the lead platoon for Company D and Sergeant Buys' squad was the lead squad. Sergeant Buys was the lead man when he discovered three enemy bunkers well concealed a few meters to his front and flanks. Knowing his entire element was in the line of fire of the bunkers, he knew the only action to take was to surprise the enemy and give his men the few precious seconds needed to seek cover. With this in mind, he initiated contact with a savage one man attack, catching the enemy totally off guard and allowing his men to get out of the line of fire. With no cover for him to hide behind, he held his ground putting out a devastating volume of aggressive fire until an enemy machinegun burst mortally wounded him. Sergeant Buys' outstanding display of aggressiveness, devotion to duty, and personal bravery were in keeping with the highest military traditions and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.   Authority: By direction of the President under the provisions of Executive Order 11046, 24 August 1962, and USARV Message 16695, AVA-S, 1 July 1966. FOR THE COMMANDER: OFFICIAL: KEITH B WOLFF Captain, AGC Assistant Adjutant General JOHN M. BYRNE Major, AGC Adjutant General "It is better to have lived one day as a lion than one thousand days as a sheep." Our medic, PFC Don Lattman, was killed when he tried to go to Kenny's aid. Larry Speed gmldspeed@peoplepc.com

A Note from The Virtual Wall On 03 March 1968 the 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry, lost eight men in a bitter fight in Kontum Province: C Company: PFC Harold Holmes, Jersey City, NJ PFC Lawrence E. Jones, Denver, CO PFC Domingo Ortiz, New York, NY D Company: SSG Ronald D. Ducker, Spartanburg, SC SGT Kenneth A. Buys, Anaheim, CA PFC Donald W. Lattman, St Paul, MN (medic, HHC with D/1/503) PFC Donald A. Nahodil, Shamokin, PA PVT Frank L. Brown, Youngstown, OH

The point-of-contact for this memorial is one who remembers, Larry Speed gmldspeed@peoplepc.com

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With all respect
Jim Schueckler, former CW2, US Army
Ken Davis, Commander, United States Navy (Ret)
Memorial first published on 02 Sep 2001
Last updated 07/11/2006