Danny Joe Wilson
Private First Class
D CO, 1ST BN, 5TH CAVALRY, 1ST CAV DIV, USARV
Army of the United States
Florence, Alabama
July 08, 1944 to November 16, 2012
(Incident Date August 16, 1966)
DANNY JOE WILSON is on the Wall at Panel 18E, Line 109

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Danny J Wilson
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During the Vietnam War there was no overriding reason to keep close track of names of the men and women who died as a result of military service in the war zone. A decade after the withdrawal of US forces, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was approved for construction. The service branches went back through their records to identify our dead by name.

Inevitably some men who should have been named on the "Wall" were not. Over the years additional names have been inscribed on the Wall - some were men who died after the war as a result of wounds received in the war, and others were men whose names were overlooked in earlier years.

The Department of Defense approved having his name etched on the Wall during May 2014, along with 13 other names.


PFC Danny Joe Wilson

Danny Joe Wilson was born July 8, 1944, in Blytheville Arkansas to the late Evans Jackson and Imogene Woodard Wilson. He graduated from Mars Hill Bible School in 1962, where he was well known for playing basketball and baseball. After graduation, he was employed as a machinist at Flagg Utica until entering the U.S. Army in 1965.

Danny Joe Wilson entered the US Army on 5 August 1965 at the US Army Reception Station, Fort Jackson, South Carolina. He was assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 1st Brigade, in order to complete his Basic Training. He went to Fort Ord California to complete his Advanced Individual Training with E Company, 1st Battaion, 2nd Training Brigade. He completed his training, was fully qualified as Infantryman, with the Military Occupational Specialty (MS) of 11B10, and proceeded to Vietnam arriving 19 December 1965.

Upon arrival and inprocessing in Vietnam, he was assigned as an Ammo Bearer with Company D, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division as of December 28, 1965. He served with honor with D Company until 18 August 1966 when he received an artillery shrapnel wound to his right thigh and elbow . He had received a Purple Heart earlier in his tour, and this incident resulted in the second award of a Purple Heart.

He was evacuated from the field and initially treated for his wounds at the 18th Surgical Hospital at PleiKu, South Vietnam. On 23 August 1966, he was taken back into surgery and then evacuated to Clark Air Force Base. By the 28th of August, he had arrived at the US Army Hospital, Fort Gordon, Georgia for more treatment.

From then until 8 December 1967, he received treatment for his wounds at which time he was sent home to await his retirement orders from The Adjutant General's office at Headquarters, Department of the Army.

He was medically retired by 2 October 1967. He continued with his life after Vietnam. He loved spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren, who called him "Diddly." He loved fishing and baseball, both playing and coaching. He peacefully passed away, surrounded by family and friends, Friday, November 16, 2012. He was a member and deacon at Jackson Heights Church of Christ.

He was survived by his wife of 45 years, Beth Summers Wilson and his daughter, Leigh Ann Jasper. Burial was at Tri-Cities Memorial Gardens (Some information from Florence Times Daily on November 18, 2012).



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