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Photo courtesy of  Tom Frame 

SP4 - E4 - Army - Selective Service 
25th Infantry Division 
23 year old Single, Caucasian, Male 
Born on Feb 17, 1945 
From COSTA MESA, CALIFORNIA 
Length of service 1 year. 
His tour of duty began on Nov 16, 1967 
Casualty was on Aug 21, 1968 
in TAY NINH, SOUTH VIETNAM 
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY 
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE 
Body was recovered 
Religion 
PRESBYTERIAN
Panel 47W - - Line 20

More information on August 21, 1968

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Photo courtesy of Russ Taylor 

High School photos courtesy of Billy Brown 

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DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY Headquarters, United States Army Vietnam APO San Francisco  96375 GENERAL ORDERS NUMBER          5006            29 October 1968  AWARD OF THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS 1.   TC    320.  The following AWARD is announced posthumously. MANGAN, MICHAEL R  US56703895, SPECIALIST FOUR United States Army, Company C, 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 5th Infantry, 2d Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, APO 96225   Awarded: Distinguished Service Cross Date of Action:  21 August 1968 Theater: Republic of Viet Nam Reason:  For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations  involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam:  Specialist Four Mangan distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 21 August 1968 while serving with a mechanized infantry company combating a large enemy force in the Ben Cui rubber plantation.  The communists began a human wave assault.  Specialist Mangan maneuvered his armored personnel carrier into a position from which it could deliver the most effective firepower and began firing his light anti-tank weapon into the charging enemy.  Constantly exposed to the intense hostile fusillade, he continued firing until ordered to withdraw.  As he maneuvered his assault vehicle into a defensive position, it was struck by an enemy rocket, which caused it to burst into flames.  Specialist Mangan again exposed himself to the communists’ barrage to extinguish the fire and was wounded in the arm.  The vehicle was then struck by a mortar round.  Finding the carrier inoperative, he ran to another assault vehicle to assist its machine gunner in delivering suppressive fire on the enemy.  When the gunner had expended his ammunition,Specialist Mangan ran through a hail of bullets to obtain a resupply from his demobilized track.  As he climbed into the vehicle it was struck by a rocket, knocking him to the ground.  Struggling to his feet, he picked up the vital ammunition and returned it to the machine gunner’s position.  While handing the resupply to his comrade, he was mortally wounded.  Specialist Four Mangan’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty, at the cost of his life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and  reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.  Authority: By direction of the President, under the provisions of the Act of  Congress, approved 25 July 1963.

Document courtesy of Bruce Swander

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