The Wall › Panel 10W › Illinois › Michael Dale Dawson
MICHAEL DALE DAWSON
Specialist Four · U.S. Army
February 3, 1950 – May 16, 1970
Service recordMichael Dale Dawson, of Fairfield, Illinois, served as a Specialist Four in the U.S. Army. He died on May 16, 1970, in Cambodia, at age 20. His name is inscribed on Panel 10W, Line 52 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
On the Wall
Panel 10W · Line 52
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
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Service
- Branch
- U.S. Army
- Rank
- Specialist Four (SP4)
- Service
- Drafted (Selective Service)
- Occupation
- Indirect Fire Infantryman (11C)
- Unit (as recorded)
- 1 CAV DIV AIRMOBILE
- Born
- February 3, 1950
- Home of record
- Fairfield, Illinois (Wayne County)
Casualty
- Date of death
- May 16, 1970
- Age
- 20
- Country
- Cambodia
- Casualty type
- Hostile
- Category
- Killed in Action
- Circumstance
- Grenade
Context · from the records
What was happening
36 names on the Wall carry the date May 16, 1970. In May 1970, 917 Americans whose names are on the Wall died in the war.
The 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), his unit in the record, lost 127 of its members that month.
He died in Cambodia while the Cambodian incursion was under way. From 29 April to 30 June 1970, U.S. and South Vietnamese forces crossed into Cambodia to attack North Vietnamese base areas and supply caches; the announcement set off campus protests, including at Kent State.
Also on Panel 10W, Line 52
- CLYDE WESLEY LAWRENCE JRStaff Sergeant · May 16, 1970
- DAVID BYRON MAGRUDERSergeant · May 16, 1970
- JOHN ROY MARIANICorporal · May 16, 1970
- WILLIAM DAVID MENSCERSergeant · May 16, 1970
Same unit, same day
- RAYMOND FRANK CONTINOPrivate · Panel 10W, Line 49
- JERRY LEE COZADSpecialist Four · Panel 10W, Line 49
- JAMES EDWARD CUMMINGSSpecialist Four · Panel 10W, Line 49
- WILLIAM HENRY FILLIONSergeant · Panel 10W, Line 50
- CHARLES HENRY HAMILTONSergeant First Class · Panel 10W, Line 50
- WALTER LEE HUFFMANCorporal · Panel 10W, Line 51
- MATEO RUELASSpecialist Four · Panel 10W, Line 54
- EMILIO CABRERA SUPNET JRSpecialist Four · Panel 10W, Line 54
From Fairfield
- JAMES VERDELL SOLOMONSpecialist Four · April 18, 1968
- DAVID MARK MAYMONCorporal · July 22, 1968
- GAYLAND OMER SCOTTCaptain · October 21, 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.