Lennis “Clyde” Gentry was Killed in Action in Tay Ninh. He was in Co C, 1st Bn, 28th BN, 1st Infantry Division., out of Fort Riley, Kansas.

Son of Robert Clyde and Gladys Omeka Gentry. Sister Lucille and Brother Gary. Powell High School Graduate.

I witnessed his demise. I was his company commander when he was killed in action 10-20 feet from me on January 22, 1970. He was assigned to company, Co C, 1st Bn, 28th BN, 1st Infantry Division. He was a good man, respected in the unit, and a good soldier who did his duty to the end. His family should be proud of him.
–Submitted by William Roberts

The Knoxville News-Sentinel, May 14, 1970
A Powell soldier, who was killed in Vietnam in January while going for ammunition for two pinned down buddies, has been awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action. The award was presented posthumously to Mr. and Mrs. Robert C. Gentry, Copeland Rd., parents of Sp/4 Lennis C. Gentry, 20, who died Jan. 22. The award was one of six presented by Lt. Col George S. Lokken, director of instruction in the ROTC Department at UT, to Sp. Gentry’s parents. The Silver Star citation said that Sp. Gentry, an assistant machine gunner on a three-man machine gun team, was in the lead element during a counter insurgency operation. The team was pinned down in the jungle by enemy crossfire. When the machine gun was empty, Sp. Gentry made several trips through heavy fire to a back position to get more ammunition. On one of these trips he was shot and killed. Sp. Gentry was in C Company, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. He was a 1967 graduate of Powell High School. The other medals presented to his parents were the Bronze Star, Air Medal, Army Commendation medal, Purple Heart and Good Conduct Medal.

  • Rank: Specialist 4th Class
  • Date of birth:
    • 27 May 1949
  • Date of death: 22 January 1970
  • County: Knox
  • Hometown: Powell
  • Service Branch: Army
  • Division/Assignment: 12th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division
  • Conflict: Vietnam
  • Awards: Bronze Star, Air Medal, Army Commendation medal, Purple Heart and Good Conduct Medal
  • Burial/Memorial Location: Bells Campground Cemetery, Powell, Knox County, TN
  • Location In Memorial: Pillar XXIII, Middle Panel
  • Sponsored by: Patrick McCabe

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