The Wall › Panel 5W › Michigan › Bruce Allan Vandam
BRUCE ALLAN VANDAM
Staff Sergeant · U.S. Army
October 14, 1949 – February 7, 1971
Service recordBruce Allan Vandam, of Holland, Michigan, served as a Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army. He died on February 7, 1971, in Long Khanh Province, South Vietnam, at age 21. His name is inscribed on Panel 5W, Line 85 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
On the Wall
Panel 5W · Line 85
Names are inscribed in the order of loss, starting at Panel 1E at the apex and ending at Panel 1W. At the Memorial, find the panel number at the base and count down from the top line.
Remember
Did you know him? Family members and friends are invited to share a photograph or a memory. Nothing is posted until it has been reviewed.
Service
- Branch
- U.S. Army
- Rank
- Staff Sergeant (SSG)
- Service
- Drafted (Selective Service)
- Occupation
- Infantryman (11B)
- Unit (as recorded)
- 1 CAV DIV AIRMOBILE
- Born
- October 14, 1949
- Home of record
- Holland, Michigan (Multiple County)
Casualty
- Date of death
- February 7, 1971
- Age
- 21
- Province
- Long Khanh
- Country
- South Vietnam
- Casualty type
- Hostile
- Category
- Killed in Action
- Circumstance
- Small Arms Fire
Context · from the records
What was happening
17 names on the Wall carry the date February 7, 1971; six of them were lost in Long Khanh Province. In February 1971, 387 Americans whose names are on the Wall died in the war.
The 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), his unit in the record, lost 31 of its members that month.
Also on Panel 5W, Line 85
- ROLAND DEAN TROYANOPrivate First Class · February 7, 1971
- CHARLES E WITHERSPOONSergeant · February 7, 1971
- HARRY WOLFENDENSpecialist Four · February 7, 1971
- LEWIS RICKEY YATESSergeant · February 7, 1971
Same unit, same day
- THEODORE RAYMOND MASONCorporal · Panel 5W, Line 82
- BRIAN ROBERT FOLEYStaff Sergeant · Panel 5W, Line 83
- THOMAS PICKETT BYRD KINGFirst Lieutenant · Panel 5W, Line 83
- RICHARD STANLEY KULWICKISergeant · Panel 5W, Line 83
- CHARLES E WITHERSPOONSergeant · Panel 5W, Line 85
- LEWIS RICKEY YATESSergeant · Panel 5W, Line 85
From Holland
- JAMES WESLEY HINTZSpecialist Four · April 10, 1967
- MELVIN ELMER HOFFMANPrivate First Class · May 24, 1967
- JACK ELENBAASPrivate First Class · June 8, 1967
- GORDON DOUGLAS YNTEMASergeant · January 18, 1968
- DAVID BUURSMAFirst Lieutenant · February 9, 1968
- SPENCER SCOTT FREESTONESpecialist Four · February 15, 1968
- DANIEL MICHAEL ARIZMENDEZCorporal · May 29, 1968
- ROBERT JAY WESTRATESergeant · June 7, 1968
- TERRY ROBERT MEYERSergeant · August 13, 1968
- ROBERT EDWIN KNOLLStaff Sergeant · September 27, 1968
Source. U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Casualty Analysis System, Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File (as of April 29, 2008), Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Record Group 330, National Archives (NAID 2240992). Panel and line as recorded in that file. This page presents the official record and its historical context; no biography has been written for him yet. See something wrong? Report a correction.