SP4 LEON JERRY SHRUM
148th Military Police Platoon
95th Military Police Battalion
89th Military Police Group
18th Military Police Brigade
Age
21 - From Bowling Green, Kentucky
Killed in action
during the 1968 Tet Offensive in Saigon (Gia Dinh Province, South Viet
Nam) on January 31, 1968
INFORMATION FROM VIETNAM VETERANS
MEMORIAL FUND (www.vvmf.org)
LEON JERRY SHRUM
is honored on Panel 36E, Row 35 of
the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Full Name: LEON JERRY SHRUM
Wall Name: LEON J SHRUM
Date of Birth: 8/8/1946
Date of Casualty: 1/31/1968
Home of Record: BOWLING GREEN
State: KY
Branch of Service: ARMY
Rank: SP4
Casualty Country: SOUTH VIETNAM
Casualty Province: DINH TUONG
FROM "720th MILITARY POLICE BATTALION
VIET NAM PROJECT"
(http://www.720mpvietnamproject.org/148th/honor%20roll/shrum_leon_j/shrum_leon_j.html)
SP/4 Leon J.
Shrum, age 21, from Bowling Green, KY is killed in action during the
Tet Offensive in My Tho.
SP/4 Shrum and SGT Joseph G. Picucci, the detachment NCOIC, went out on a reconnaissance patrol in My Tho’s streets to assess the extent of the Viet Cong strength within the area of their billet at the Armor House. The small MP detachment was concerned about being caught within their building by the growing number of enemy forces and wanted to make a move to the nearby MACV Compound.
As their patrol crossed one of the main streets it was hit by heavy enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire and forced to find cover. Ahead of them a jeep containing four members of the MACV Team #75 advisors was also pinned down by heavy enemy fire. SP/4 Shrum left the safety of the cover of his jeep with the M60 machine gun and headed towards the MACV team to help them. While running towards their position he was struck by small arms fire in the chest knocking him to the ground. Disregarding his wounds he got back up and continued on through enemy fire with the machine gun. He made it to the MACV team before succumbing to the wounds. The machine gun allowed the MACV team to suppress then enemy fire.
When SGT Picucci called for assistance on the radio the other detachment members formed a reaction force to go out and assist the patrol but were to late, SP/4 Shrum died at the scene. They returned to the compound with his body.
The detachment eventually made the move to the nearby Tactical Operations Center. For his bravery while under fire SP/4 Shrum was posthumously awarded the Silver Star Medal for valor, Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service and the Purple Heart Medal.
SP/4 Shrum left behind a wife and a new baby daughter that he had never seen.
SP/4 Shrum and SGT Joseph G. Picucci, the detachment NCOIC, went out on a reconnaissance patrol in My Tho’s streets to assess the extent of the Viet Cong strength within the area of their billet at the Armor House. The small MP detachment was concerned about being caught within their building by the growing number of enemy forces and wanted to make a move to the nearby MACV Compound.
As their patrol crossed one of the main streets it was hit by heavy enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire and forced to find cover. Ahead of them a jeep containing four members of the MACV Team #75 advisors was also pinned down by heavy enemy fire. SP/4 Shrum left the safety of the cover of his jeep with the M60 machine gun and headed towards the MACV team to help them. While running towards their position he was struck by small arms fire in the chest knocking him to the ground. Disregarding his wounds he got back up and continued on through enemy fire with the machine gun. He made it to the MACV team before succumbing to the wounds. The machine gun allowed the MACV team to suppress then enemy fire.
When SGT Picucci called for assistance on the radio the other detachment members formed a reaction force to go out and assist the patrol but were to late, SP/4 Shrum died at the scene. They returned to the compound with his body.
The detachment eventually made the move to the nearby Tactical Operations Center. For his bravery while under fire SP/4 Shrum was posthumously awarded the Silver Star Medal for valor, Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service and the Purple Heart Medal.
SP/4 Shrum left behind a wife and a new baby daughter that he had never seen.
--- General /
Personal ---
Last name: SHRUM
First name: LEON JERRY
Home of Record (official): BOWLING GREEN
State (official): KY
Date of Birth: Thursday, August 8, 1946
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Married
--- Military ---
Branch: Army
Rank: SP4
Serial Number: 53421496
Component: Selective Service
Pay grade: E4
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 95B20
Major Organization: Advisors
--- Action ---
Start of Tour: Friday, May 5, 1967
Date of Casualty: Wednesday, January 31, 1968
Age at time of loss: 21
Casualty type: (A1) Hostile, died
Reason: Gun, small arms fire (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Dinh Tuong
The Wall: Panel 36E - Row 035
Last name: SHRUM
First name: LEON JERRY
Home of Record (official): BOWLING GREEN
State (official): KY
Date of Birth: Thursday, August 8, 1946
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Married
--- Military ---
Branch: Army
Rank: SP4
Serial Number: 53421496
Component: Selective Service
Pay grade: E4
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 95B20
Major Organization: Advisors
--- Action ---
Start of Tour: Friday, May 5, 1967
Date of Casualty: Wednesday, January 31, 1968
Age at time of loss: 21
Casualty type: (A1) Hostile, died
Reason: Gun, small arms fire (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Dinh Tuong
The Wall: Panel 36E - Row 035
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