This Military Service Page was created/owned by
SP6 Gary McJimsey
to remember
Flynn, William Patrick, PFC.
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Casualty Info
Home Town East Hampton
Last Address East Hampton, New York
Casualty Date May 28, 1968
Cause KIA-Killed in Action
Reason Misadventure
Location Gia Dinh (Vietnam)
Conflict Vietnam War
Location of Interment Cedar Lawn Cemetery - East Hampton, New York
Date of Birth March 2, 1948
Caucasian
Roman Catholic
Single (Never Married)
Father: William J. Flynn
Mother: Margaret R. Flynn
Selective Service - Drafted
MOS 11B1P Infantryman Airborne Qualified
Vietnam Tour of Duty Started March 19, 1968
PFC William Flynn died from wounds received while on a combat operation and his unit engaged in a fire fight with a hostile force near their Night Defensive Perimeter (NDP) about eight kilometers east-southeast of Duc Hoa City in Gia Dinh Province, U.S. Military Region 3, Republic of South Vietnam. The above information is taken from The Coffelt Database of Vietnam Casualties. The National Archive records web site (NARA-ADA) indicates the location of death to be at Xom Binh Dong, approximately eight Kilometers southwest of Cu Chi City, also in U.S. Military Region 3. Cu Chi City vicinity was the area of the 25th Infantry Division Headquarters.
Age at Death 20
Soldiers Who Died Together:
Gone But Always Remembered From the 4/23 Web Site KIA List For A Company on May 28, 1968:
PFC Paul Alfred Gonzales
SP4 Richard Joseph J. Jones
CPL Robert James Plourde
PFC Robert Michael Sopko
PFC William Edward Bricker
PFC William Patrick Flynn
Army Unit Awards For 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division – Vietnam:
Valorous Unit Award
Army Presidential Unit Citation
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Cu Chi - Tay Ninh are the bases and Areas of Operation of the Battalion / Regiment noted in Vietnam Order of Battle by Stanton, page 146, during the time of death.
Probability of Death:
Written by Cliff Neilson, Mohawk 6, May 26-28, 1968 Battle 28 May, 1968 - Policed battlefield with A, B, C Companies with a 3/4 Cav. Found additional 27 BC [body count,] 40-50-RPG rounds, mortar rounds, ammo, documents, 1 POW. Completed 1600 hours. A Co. had accident with 5 killed, 2 wounded, box of claymore mines exploded. The A Company accident was determined to have occurred most likely because the crew had stored detonators in close proximity to the Claymores. Something set off the highly sensitive detonators which in turn set off the Claymores. The 5 killed were in the APC; the 2 wounded were in an adjacent APC and were hit by debris. Because of the uncertain nature of what caused the explosion, the 5 dead (killed) were listed as KIA. [Six soldiers actually died in this accident].
The 4th Battalion / 23rd Infantry Regiment "Tomahawks" Association [25th Infantry Division] website indicates and lists sex soldiers killed in this incident as noted above.
Comments/Citation:
From The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund Website:
Pat,
You were my first love. I will never forget you.
"The Wall that Heals" is in the town where I am living now.
I found your name & shed my tears after all these years.
Thank you for your ultimate sacrifice.
Love & Light.
Marva
Pat,
I remember you very well. We sat next to each other in
history class. I was in Vietnam the same time as you and read
about your death in the hometown paper. Every time I go to the
wall I look you up. We all miss you buddy!
