FRED GARLAND BRAGG

Battery B 4/42 Artillery

4th Infantry Division

KIA 07/12/1967

Age: 25
Race: Caucasian
Sex: Male
Date of Birth Apr 24, 1942
From: ETNA, OH
Religion: LATTER DAY SAINTS, MORMON
Marital Status: Single

1LT - O2 - Army - Reserve
MOS: 1193 Field Artillery Unit Commander
Length of service 3 years
His tour began on Jul 23, 1966
Casualty was on Jul 12, 1967
In PLEIKU, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
Body was recovered

Panel 23E - Line 55

Fred Bragg was killed in action while on Operation Francis Marion, with B 1/12 Infantry, in an engagement
with hostile forces, at grid reference YA850131, in the Ia Pnon River Valley, approximately
12 kilometers south of Duc Co airfield.

LT Fred G. Bragg's decorations

The Distinguished Service Cross

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963),
takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant (Field Artillery) Fred Garland Bragg, Jr.
(ASN: 0-5), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action in connection with military operations involving conflict
with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Battery B, 4th Battalion, 42d Artillery, 4th Infantry Division.

First Lieutenant Bragg distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 12 July 1967 while serving as artillery forward observer
with an infantry company on a search and destroy mission near the Cambodian border in the Central Highlands. When his company was
surrounded and the company commander was killed, Lieutenant Bragg immediately took command and directed extremely deadly artillery fire
on the insurgent forces. He bravely moved among his men giving encouragement and regrouping them into a more secure defense
although he was fully exposed to intense mortar and automatic weapons fire. Seriously wounded, he continued to direct air strikes
on the advancing enemy until a mortar round destroyed his only remaining radio.

Staying in the open, he poured round after round of deadly fire into the advancing enemy force. He gave his life while bravely leading his men
in the face of overwhelming odds. First Lieutenant Bragg'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.

General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 4664 (September 14, 1967)

Action Date: 12-Jul-67

Service: Army

Rank: First Lieutenant

Company: Battery B

Battalion: 4th Battalion

Regiment: 42d Artillery

Division: 4th Infantry Division

Fred G. Bragg, Jr., attended BYU during his sophomore year of college, 1960-1961, and he had also applied to return in the fall of 1967.
First Lieutenant Bragg died while serving as an artillery forward observer for B Btry, 4th Bn, 42nd Arty Rgt, on July 12, 1967.
On that day the enemy forces had managed to pin down his company with small arms and mortar fire. When the company commander
was killed Lt. Bragg took charge and was able to regroup them into a more secure and defendable position. Moving bravely among his men,
he boosted their moral by giving them the needed encouragement. Lt. Bragg was injured in this effort but continued to direct deadly fire
on the insurgent forces. He continued to do this until a mortar round took out his last existing radio. When the enemy forces began to advance
on Lt. Bragg and his men, Lt. Bragg stayed in the open to defend his troops and poured round after round of deadly fire into the advancing
enemy force. Due to his actions on that day First Lieutenant Fred Bragg was awarded posthumously the nation's second highest medal,
the Distinguished Service Cross.

Fred G. Bragg served his country for three years and was due to return home from his tour of duty soon after he was killed.
Lt. Bragg also earned several other medals, not least of which was the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. One newspaper article
cited a commendation as having said that he had received the awards for "masterful precision" in directing supporting artillery fire
into enemy positions. Lt. Bragg was a true credit to his family, his faith, the U.S. Army and the United States of America.

Contact Information:

Mr. & Mrs. Bragg
1777 Jones RR
Granville, OH 43023

Burial:
Cedar Hill Cemetery
Newark
Licking County
Ohio, USA
Plot: Licking County Veterans Section Lot #63

Grave marker for Fred Bragg

Photo by Shirley Myers Braunbeck from the Find A Grave website

For a tribute to Fred Garland Bragg clcik on the following link:

The Virtual Wall

For another tribute to Fred Garland Bragg, including detailed accounts of the battle in which he was killed,
Click on the following link:

Together We Served

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