The Wall › Panel 29E › New York › Robert Francis Stryker
ROBERT FRANCIS STRYKER
Specialist Four · U.S. Army
November 9, 1944 – November 7, 1967
Medal of Honor StoryPortrait: U.S. armed forces, via Wikimedia Commons.
Robert Francis Stryker, of Auburn, New York, served as a Specialist Four in the U.S. Army. He died on November 7, 1967, in Binh Long Province, South Vietnam, at age 22. His name is inscribed on Panel 29E, Line 45 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Medal of Honor · awarded posthumously
For conspicuous gallantry
Robert Francis Stryker received the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest award for valor, for his actions on November 7, 1967. The official citation reads:
Rank and organization: Specialist Four, U.S. Army, Company C, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Loc Ninh, Republic of Vietnam, November 7, 1967. Entered service at: Throop, New York. Born: November 9, 1944, Auburn, New York.
Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Specialist Stryker, U.S. Army, distinguished himself while serving with Company C. Spec. Stryker was serving as a grenadier in a multicompany reconnaissance in force near Loc Ninh. As his unit moved through the dense underbrush, it was suddenly met with a hail of rocket, automatic weapons and small arms fire from enemy forces concealed in fortified bunkers and in the surrounding trees. Reacting quickly, Spec. Stryker fired into the enemy positions with his grenade launcher. During the devastating exchange of fire, Spec. Stryker detected enemy elements attempting to encircle his company and isolate it from the main body of the friendly force. Undaunted by the enemy machinegun and small-arms fire, Spec. Stryker repeatedly fired grenades into the trees, killing enemy snipers and enabling his comrades to sever the attempted encirclement. As the battle continued, Spec. Stryker observed several wounded members of his squad in the killing zone of an enemy claymore mine. With complete disregard for his safety, he threw himself upon the mine as it was detonated. He was mortally wounded as his body absorbed the blast and shielded his comrades from the explosion. His unselfish actions were responsible for saving the lives of at least 6 of his fellow soldiers. Spec. Stryker's great personal bravery was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
^ "Robert F. Stryker, Medal of Honor recipient". Vietnam War. United States Army Center of Military History. June 8, 2009. Archived from the original on 2008-04-24. Retrieved 2007-11-29.
Citation text as reproduced in Wikipedia’s article on Robert Francis Stryker; Medal of Honor citations are official U.S. government records. See also the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and all Medal of Honor recipients on the Wall.
On the Wall
Panel 29E · Line 45
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
- Specialist Four (SP4)
- Service
- Regular
- Occupation
- Infantryman (11B)
- Unit (as recorded)
- 1 INF DIV
- Born
- November 9, 1944
- Home of record
- Auburn, New York (Cayuga County)
Casualty
- Date of death
- November 7, 1967
- Age
- 22
- Province
- Binh Long
- Country
- South Vietnam
- Casualty type
- Hostile
- Category
- Killed in Action
- Circumstance
- Grenade
Context · from the records
What was happening
45 names on the Wall carry the date November 7, 1967; 18 of them were lost in Binh Long Province. In November 1967, 1,133 Americans whose names are on the Wall died in the war.
The 1st Infantry Division, his unit in the record, lost 54 of its members that month.
Also on Panel 29E, Line 45
- RONALD GILBERT STOLTENOWPrivate First Class · November 7, 1967
- ESTEBAN WALLACE TADENAStaff Sergeant · November 7, 1967
- JAMES OLIVER THOMASSpecialist Four · November 7, 1967
- GAIL WARD THOMSENPrivate First Class · November 7, 1967
Same unit, same day
- LARRY CLAYTON BANKSPrivate First Class · Panel 29E, Line 37
- LAWRENCE WILLIAM BARKLEYSpecialist Four · Panel 29E, Line 37
- BILLIE JOE BARNETT JRSpecialist Four · Panel 29E, Line 38
- JAMES RONALD BROWNSpecialist Four · Panel 29E, Line 38
- WALTER CLIFFORD BUNYEA JRPrivate First Class · Panel 29E, Line 38
- GEORGE DONALD CLAYTONPlatoon Sergeant · Panel 29E, Line 39
- MICHAEL DALE COCHRANCaptain · Panel 29E, Line 39
- JOSEPH MCLEMOREPrivate First Class · Panel 29E, Line 39
- JOHN ROBERT ENSELLSpecialist Four · Panel 29E, Line 40
- TERRY ALAN HENDRICKSFirst Lieutenant · Panel 29E, Line 40
- CHARLES EDWARD LONGSergeant · Panel 29E, Line 41
- RONALD HARRY PAYNESergeant · Panel 29E, Line 43
- PASCAL CLEATUS POOLAW SRFirst Sergeant · Panel 29E, Line 43
- CLARENCE LEE SHAWSpecialist Four · Panel 29E, Line 44
- ARTHUR DONALD STIGALLColonel · Panel 29E, Line 44
- LARRY EUGENE TURNERSpecialist Four · Panel 29E, Line 44
- RONALD GILBERT STOLTENOWPrivate First Class · Panel 29E, Line 45
- JOHN E YOUNGSpecialist Four · Panel 29E, Line 46
From Auburn
- JOSEPH MICHAEL DONOVANLance Corporal · March 5, 1967
- CLAUDE ARTHUR HODGEPetty Officer Second Class · May 17, 1967
- DONALD JAMES RYANCorporal · October 10, 1967
- JOHN JOSEPH RHODESLance Corporal · October 22, 1967
- FERDINAND W GLESSING JRLance Corporal · January 3, 1968
- THOMAS YORK REYNOLDSPrivate First Class · March 23, 1968
- JOSEPH A PURYEARSpecialist Four · April 10, 1968
- JOHNSTON DUNLOPStaff Sergeant · April 16, 1968
- FRANK THEODORE NEVIDOMSKYPrivate First Class · May 27, 1968
- GARY ALAN BARNESSpecialist Four · August 19, 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. The Medal of Honor citation above is the official account of his actions. See something wrong? Report a correction.