Clifton Winningham
Platoon Sergeant
1ST PLT, C CO, 2ND BN, 28TH INFANTRY, 1ST INF DIV, USARV
Army of the United States
Junction City, Kansas
November 22, 1930 to March 05, 1966
CLIFTON WINNINGHAM is on the Wall at Panel 5E, Line 126

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Clifton Winningham
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22 Oct 2007

Platoon Sergeant Winningham was killed the morning of 5 Mar 66 while defending a portion of the perimeter at Lo Ke. He earned the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions that day. That same morning, 2Lt Hibbs of 2/28 was earning a Medal Of Honor at the other side of the base. It must have been one heck of a fight. God bless PSgt Winningham, and all the vets.

Kevin Barry
www.kvnbrrypp@aol.com


 

A Note from The Virtual Wall

The contact by 2LT Hibbs's ambush patrol developed into what is now known as the "Battle of the Lo Ke Rubber Plantation" - but regretably it's far from the only fight that took place at or near Lo Ke.

On this occasion 14 American soldiers died - six of them when a resupply helicopter was shot down. They were

  • A Co, 2nd Bn, 28th Infantry
    • SP4 Roy F. Harbison, Vancouver, WA

  • B Co, 2nd Bn, 28th Infantry
    • 2LT Robert J. Hibbs, Cedar Falls, IA (Medal of Honor)
    • SP4 James H. Page, Eagle River, WI
    • PFC Dennis M. Lyden, Warren, MI
    • PFC Dennis R. Ortwine, Detroit, MI

  • C Co, 2nd Bn, 28th Infantry
    • PSGT Clifton Winningham, Junction City, KS (Dist Svc Cross)
    • PFC Henry D. Lankford, Union, SC
    • PFC Richard E. Nutt, Champaign, IL

  • UH-1D tail number 63-12995:
      Aircrew, all B Co, 1st Avn Bn:
    • MAJ Lewis D. Bell, Fort Worth, TX, pilot (Dist Svc Cross)
    • CPT Robert M. Caliboso, Honolulu, HI, copilot (Dist Svc Cross)
    • SP5 Ray M. Barnwell, Newport, AR, gunner
    • SP5 Danny A. Neth, Richland, WA, crew chief
      Passengers, both HHC, 2nd Bn, 28th Infantry
    • CPT Richard N. Gereau, Muskegon, MI
    • SFC Gary W. Emmett, Lawton, OK
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
Washington, DC

1 December 1966

GENERAL ORDERS
NUMBER 45

AWARD OF THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS

1. TC 320. The following AWARD is announced posthumously.

Clifton Winningham, Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army
Company C, 2d Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment

Awarded: Distinguished Service Cross
Date action: 5 March 1966
Theater: Republic of Vietnam
Reason: The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to Clifton Winningham, Sergeant First Class, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism on 5 March 1966 while serving as a member of the 1st Platoon, Company C, 2d Battalion, 28th Infantry and engaged in military operations in the Republic of Vietnam. During a vicious assault by the Viet Cong, Platoon Sergeant Winningham displayed indomitable courage. When informed that a man stationed at a listening post was wounded and unable to return to the friendly lines, Platoon Sergeant Winningham attempted to reach the wounded man by crawling out of the perimeter but was stopped by hostile gun fire. He then rallied four men to follow behind him to cover his movement to the listening post. After they reached this position and found their comrade dead, he unhesitatingly volunteered to remain alone at the listening post to cover the return of the men with their deceased comrade. With complete disregard for his own safety, he remained at the post until the men reentered the friendly lines before proceeding behind them. As the hostile action intensified, he continued to encourage the men and to demonstrate his gallant efforts until felled by hostile gun fire. Platoon Sergeant Winningham's extraordinary heroism on the battlefield reflects great credit upon himself, the United States Army, and the armed forces of his country.
Authority: By direction of the President under the provisions of the Act of Congress, approved 9 July 1918.


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