This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Cale Elkins-Family
to remember
Elkins, Bruce Clinton, SGT.
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Casualty Info
Home Town Swannanoa , NC
Last Address Swannanoa , NC
Casualty Date Nov 14, 1970
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Other Explosive Device
Location Binh Duong (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Mountain View Memorial Park - Black Mountain, North Carolina
Wall/Plot Coordinates 06W 059/ Section S Grave 172
Danny Watkins DEW_19Dlrrp@yahoo.com
In M co together
357 Bill Hasty Blvd.Apt.1204 Jasper Ga. 30143 USA
Still miss ya Bruce.
Gone a lot of years but never forgotten.
May 20, 2013
MY HERO
My name is Carroll Hipps.Bruce and I both grew up in the small town of Swannanoa,N.C. Bruce was almost 3 years older than me but we hung out with most of the same people so we knew each other pretty well. Bruce went into the Army before me because I had to wait until I was 17 before I could talk my Dad into signing for me to enlist. Before I enlisted Bruce came home on leave from Germany before going to Nam.Needless to say he was my hero and if he was going to fight for our country then so was I. I went to basic training in Jan.of 1969.I wouldnt be 18 until July 29 so I had to wait until I was almost through tank school before I could put in a 1049 for Nam.I had a week or so to go in the school when I finally got my orders to go to Nam. I had a 15 day leave and on Sept. 4th I was in the Pearl of the Orient assigned to the 11th Armored Cavalry. I didnt know it but Bruce had been with the Blackhorse since he got there in 68.I was in the 2nd Squadron and later heard that Bruce was in the 3rd. To make a long story short I finally got up with him and got my "young ass" chewed in a big way for being over there. We saw each other a few more times before he was killed in Nov. of 70. I stayed until Jan. of 71 when I was made to go home. It took me 25 years to make myself go to his grave.I got there and it was in such foul shape that I to spend some time getting his and his Dads grave cleaned up. I have since learned that his kin had moved to S.C. in the early 70s and there is nobody to teke care of the graves which are side by side. Since that first visit I have went to see Bruce and his Dad every Memorial Day and Veterans Day. I put flags and flowers there and I will do it until I can no longer get to the cemetery. ALLONS,Bruce,you were a Brother and you will always be my HERO!
Posted by: William Carroll Hipps Email: nofly@webtv.net Relationship: Friend Monday, January 17, 2000
Comments/Citation:
POSTED ON 12.11.2018
POSTED BY: Gne Lickteig
Automatic ambush
I remember Sgt Elkins as a gung ho trooper. I went out with him several times to set up claymores be fore I figured I was getting to SHORT to be doing that anymore. It was all voluntary. I left Nam about a week or two before his death. ALLONs brother.
