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Dwight Oneal Gilstrap
Private First Class
B CO, 1ST BN, 28TH INFANTRY, 1ST INF DIV, USARV Army of the United States Pickens, South Carolina February 11, 1947 to April 28, 1967 DWIGHT O GILSTRAP is on the Wall at Panel 18E, Line 108 |
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Dwight O'Neal Gilstrap (knicknamed Buddy) was the 4th child born to the marriage of Alline Stansell Gilstrap and Hovey O'Neal Gilstrap in Pickens, South Carolina. His siblings were Malinda Sue, Bobby Jo and David Roger Gilstrap. The only 2 men killed from the unit in the incident were:
Coincidentally, both Private First Class Gilstrap and Specialist Four Goff began their tours in South Vietnam on March 5, 1967. Both were were killed on April 28, 1967 when hit from metal fragments from a mine explosion while out on ambush patrol. Both men were awarded a Bronze Star for heroism, and a Purple Heart Medal for the wounds received in that ambush patrol action. Buddy Gilstrap was survived by his mother, Alline and his 3 siblings. His father, preceded him in death on 14 Jun 1963. They are both buried in Hill Crest Memorial Park, Pickens, South Carolina. On January 31, 2007, the South Carolina Legislature approved Bill 3311, introduced by State House Representative Hiott, a concurrent resolution, which reads as follows:
Whereas, Private First Class Dwight O'Neal 'Buddy' Gilstrap, the son of the late Mr. Hovey O'Neal Gilstrap and Mrs. Alline Stansell Gilstrap was born on February 11, 1947, and tragically lost his life as a result of wounds he received from an exploding mine in Vietnam on April 28, 1967; and Whereas, the United States Army awarded him the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart for his courage and bravery; and Whereas, prior to joining the United States Army, he was an employee of Mohasco Mills of Liberty, South Carolina, and attended Holly Springs Baptist Church; and Whereas, it is fitting and proper for the members of the General Assembly to honor the memory of this brave son of South Carolina for making the ultimate sacrifice by having a bridge in his native Pickens County named in his behalf. Now, therefore, Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring: That the members of the General Assembly, by this resolution, request that the Department of Transportation name bridge number 394001100200 located along South Carolina Highway 11 in Pickens County the "Dwight O'Neal 'Buddy' Gilstrap Bridge" and erect appropriate markers or signs at this bridge that contain the words "Dwight O'Neal 'Buddy' Gilstrap Bridge". Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Department of Transportation. - - - The Virtual Wall, April 8, 2014. |
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