Ronald “Ron” Richard King
4th Infantry Division, 12th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, C Company
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, Panel 23E – Line 60
Hostile, died while missing, Gun or small arms fire, Ground casualty
The Tomahawk, 20 December 1967
The Silver Star has been awarded posthumously to Pfc. Ronald R. King for gallanty in action on the day he was killed in Vietnam. Pfc. King’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul E. King, RD 1, West Grove, received the award at special ceremonies at the Valley Forge Army Hospital. The order presented with the medal award reads: “For gallantry in action while engaged in military operations against an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. On 12 July 1967 Private First Class King distinguished himself while serving as a Machine Gunner in Company B, 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry, operating near Duc Co. As his platoon crossed a small hill it began receiving heavy mortar and automatic weapons fire from a large North Vietnamese Army force and was forced to stop. Private First Class King immediately began to return the enemy fire with such effectiveness that several enemy attacks were stopped before they could reach the platoons lines. When the platoon began to displace to a more advantageous position, he and his machine gun crew remained behind to cover the movement, undaunted by enemy fire so thick it kicked up rocks at their faces. Though the full basic load of ammunition had been fired from the weapon, the attacks continued. Private First Class King and his assistant machine gunner began moving about under extremely heavy rocket, mortar and individual weapons fire in an attempt to gather more ammunition. The assistant gunner was mortally wounded, but he returned to the machine gun, loaded it and began firing again. The enemy approached to within 15 meters and his cover became inadequate. When his gun jammed, there was not time to fix it, but, unwilling to admit defeat, he began throwing hand grenades at them. As the enemy closed on his position, he was fatally wounded. Private First Class King’s extraordinary courage and exceptional gallantry under fire are in keeping with the highest tradition of the military service and reflect great credit on himself, his unit and the United States Army.”
King was a 1965 graduate of Avon Grove High School and was employed by NVF Corp., Kennett Square, before entering the army. He was a member of Kelton Church of Christ. He is the nephew of Hazel K. Snyder of Mountain City.
Picture from the Avon Grove High School Yearbook 1965
- Rank: Private First Class
- Date of birth: 12 July 1945
- Date of death: 12 July 1967
- County: Johnson
- Service Branch: Army
- Division/Assignment: 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division
- Conflict: Vietnam
- Awards: Purple Heart, Silver Star
- Burial/Memorial Location: Mountain View Cemetery, Mountain City, Johnson County, TN
- Location In Memorial: Pillar XXIII, Top Panel
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