The Wall › Panel 1W › Michigan › Tommy Joe Becker
TOMMY JOE BECKER
Private First Class · U.S. Army
September 14, 1953 – April 18, 1972
Service recordTommy Joe Becker, of Madison Heights, Michigan, served as a Private First Class in the U.S. Army. He died on April 18, 1972, in Phu Yen Province, South Vietnam, at age 18. His name is inscribed on Panel 1W, Line 2 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
On the Wall
Panel 1W · Line 2
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
- Private First Class (PFC)
- Service
- Regular
- Occupation
- Utility Helicopter Repairer (67N)
- Unit (as recorded)
- 1 AVN BDE
- Born
- September 14, 1953
- Home of record
- Madison Heights, Michigan (Oakland County)
Casualty
- Date of death
- April 18, 1972
- Age
- 18
- Province
- Phu Yen
- Country
- South Vietnam
- Casualty type
- Non-hostile
- Category
- Accident
- Circumstance
- Helicopter Crash — crew
Context · from the records
What was happening
Four names on the Wall carry the date April 18, 1972; three of them were lost in Phu Yen Province. In April 1972, 106 Americans whose names are on the Wall died in the war.
The 1st Aviation Brigade, his unit in the record, lost 17 of its members that month.
He died in Phu Yen Province while the Easter Offensive was under way. On 30 March 1972, North Vietnam launched its largest offensive since 1968, attacking across the DMZ, toward An Lộc and into the Central Highlands. By then few U.S. ground troops remained; American advisers and air power fought alongside the South Vietnamese.
Also on Panel 1W, Line 2
- LEONARD RAY DAVISSeaman · April 17, 1972
- GREGORY WILLIAM HERMANNChief Warrant Officer 2 · April 18, 1972
- DAVID DONALD STOVERSpecialist Four · April 18, 1972
- RONALD HOWARD WIGGINSChief Warrant Officer 2 · April 18, 1972
Same unit, same day
- GREGORY WILLIAM HERMANNChief Warrant Officer 2 · Panel 1W, Line 2
- DAVID DONALD STOVERSpecialist Four · Panel 1W, Line 2
- RONALD HOWARD WIGGINSChief Warrant Officer 2 · Panel 1W, Line 2
From Madison Heights
- WILLIAM A SAWYERSpecialist Four · February 6, 1968
- LAWRENCE DAVID KUTCHEYCorporal · November 25, 1968
- GEORGE HARRELL STAMPSSpecialist Four · December 2, 1968
- DONALD LEE KENNEDYLance Corporal · September 17, 1969
- GLENN FREDERICK AUSTINCorporal · March 7, 1970
- RONALD LESTER HUXTABLESpecialist Four · September 17, 1970
- MICHAEL THOMAS LINVILLEPrivate First Class · September 20, 1970
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.