CPL Jimmy Lynn Henry, Kingsport, TN on www.VirtualWall.org The Virtual Wall® Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall

On 1 March 1969, the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry (1-502) began OPERATION MASSACHUSETTS STRIKER. During the period 1-4 Mar the battalion operated with 1 company in the field in the vicinity of Quan Dien District, one company providing security for FSB T-Bone, one company OPCON to 1-501 and one company OPCON 2-501. On 4 Mar the OPCON companies were returned to Battalion control and on 5 Mar security of FSB T-Bone was assumed by elements of the 3d Bde. The entire battalion moved to LZ Sally to marshall and begin preparations to deploy into another area of operations, vicinity of the A Shau Valley. During this period the battalion was marshalled at LZ Sally, where elements provided the 2d Bde reaction force and conducted night ambushes in the vicinity of LZ Sally. Due to inclement weather, the air assault of the battalion was delayed and on 8 Mar the battalion assumed an Area of Operations (AO) south of LZ Sally and conducted Reconnisance In-Force (RIF) operations.

From March into May 1969, the battalion conducted RIF operations near landing Zones (LZ) and Fire Support Bases (FSB) known as LZ Sally, FSB Birmingham, FSB Veghel, FSB Bastogne, area of Dong A Tay, FSB Zon, FSB Lash, Camp Eagle (Eagle Beach) Hue, rotating the companies in base defense, encountering the enemy, conducting combat assaults, and discovering, recovering and/or destroying enemy cache sites, and marshalling to deploy to another area of operations.

On 8 May, OPERATION MASSACHUSETTS STRIKER closed. On 9 May 1969, A CO (-) provided security for FSB Lash and B Co remained OPCON to 3d Bde. At 1233 at YC661615 C Co received fire from an unknown enemy sized force. C Co, 1st and 2d Platoons maneuvered against the enemy force. The enemy broke contact during a heavy thunderstorm. The results were 2 US KIA and 7 US WIA with negative enemy assessment.They were:

At the time, both men were listed as missing in action (MIA) and Henry was recovered on 13 May while Dick was recovered on 14 May. The battalion continued their operations until 15 May - At 0055 hours the 1-502d Inf received a warning order to be prepared to extract all units and combat trains to Camp Eagle and move by air to Tam Ky to become OPCON to the Americal Division. The new mission was to reinforce US forces in the vicinity of Tam Ky. The entire battalion closed Eagle by 2000 hours. On 16 May, the unit had closed on Tam Ky to began operations in that AO.

Jimmy Lynn Henry was survived by His mother Verna Naomi (Christian) Henry (1916-1995), father Gaither Anderson Henry (1909-1992), siblings Madelyn Beatrice (Henry) Morelock (1933-2014), Donald Otis Henry (1935-2003), Gaither Anderson Jr., (1938- ), Shirley Jean (Henry) Anderson (1940-1974), Barbara Ann (Henry) Williams (1944-2020), Sharon Adel (1947- ), and Randall Keith (After 1950- ).

Jimmy was buried in Oak Hill Memorial Park, Kingsport, Sullivan County, Tennessee as was his sister Shirley Anderson. Rest of family elsewhere.

- - The Virtual Wall, 13 December 2023