Age 26 - From New York, New York
Killed in action on May 28, 1968 - Gia Dinh, South Viet Nam

INFORMATION FOUND AT VIETNAM VETERANS

MEMORIAL FUND WEBSITE (www.vvmf.org)

JOHN HERMAN WILKENS
is honored on Panel 63W, Row 1 of
the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Full Name: JOHN HERMAN WILKENS
Wall Name: JOHN H WILKENS
Date of Birth: 4/21/1942
Date of Casualty: 5/28/1968
Home of Record: NEW YORK
State: NY
Branch of Service: ARMY
Rank: SSGT
Casualty Country: SOUTH VIETNAM
Casualty Province: GIA DINH



FROM "720th MILITARY POLICE
BATTALION VIET NAM PROJECT"
(http://www.720mpvietnamproject.org/honor_roll_720th/casualties_battalion/wilkens_john_h/wilkens_john_h.html)

On Tuesday, 28 May 1968, SP/4 Dennis Rae Mason, age 20, of Argyle, Wisconsin, was driving an escort gun jeep involved in Operation Overtake on Highway 1A. PFC Roy William Neal, age 21, of Blountville, Tennessee, was the M-60 machine gunner and his passenger was SSG John Herman Wilkens, age 26, the escort NCOIC.

The escort was proceeding towards Saigon on Highway 1-A when at 2250 hours (10:50 PM) it was ambushed in an area nicknamed “Rocket Alley”, located between the Thu Duc Water Plant and the Newport Bridge.

The Viet Cong fired two Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG’s) and small arms fire at the MP gun jeep. One RPG round struck PFC Neal, the other the jeep, causing it to flip over and burst into flame.

All three men died in the attack. It was later determined that SSG Wilkens had managed to empty one magazine from his M-16 rifle at the attackers before succumbing to his wounds.

 On Memorial Day, 30 May 1968, at 0800 hours memorial services were held at the 89th MP Group Chapel for SSG Wilkens, SP/4 Mason, PFC Neal and PFC Flynn, C Company, who was killed in action 25 May.

--- General / Personal ---
Last name: WILKENS
First name: JOHN HERMAN
Home of Record (official): NEW YORK
State (official): NY
Date of Birth: Tuesday, April 21, 1942
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Married

--- Military ---
Branch: Army
Rank: SSG
Serial Number: 12670001
Component: Regular
Posthumous promotion as indicated
Pay grade: E5
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 95B40

--- Action ---
Start of Tour: Sunday, August 27, 1967
Date of Casualty: Tuesday, May 28, 1968
Age at time of loss: 26
Casualty type: (A1) Hostile, died
Reason: Burns (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Gia Dinh
The Wall: Panel 63W - Row 001

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