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First Name: Alfred

Last Name: Pickard

Birthplace: USA

Gender: Male

Branch: Army (1784 - present)



Home of Record: Houston, TX




Date of Birth: 02 July 1948

Date of Death: 02 December 1969

Rank: Private First Class

Years Served: 1968 - 1969
Alfred Pickard

   
Engagements:
•  Vietnam War (1960 - 1973)

Biography:

Alfred Pickard
Private First Class, U.S. Army

On 2 December 1969, Private First Class Alfred Pickard was serving with Company B, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), in South Vietnam.

On that day, PFC Pickard was serving as a machine gunner with a reconnaissance patrol during operations in Phuoc Long Province. The squad-size patrol walked into an enemy bunker complex and was caught in a crossfire of rocket and machine gun fire. Five members of the patrol fell wounded in the initial barrage of enemy fire. Although wounded twice in the 1st fusillade, PFC Pickard took command of the trapped patrol. He secured an M-60 machine gun and placed suppressive fire on the enemy fortifications while the rest of the patrol began pulling back to positions of cover. While covering the withdrawal of his comrades, PFC Pickard was again hit by a burst of enemy fire and his machine gun rendered inoperative. Despite the heavy volume of fire now focused on him, PFC Pickard held his position and continued covering the withdrawal of his comrades with M-16 rifle fire. It was then that he was hit a 4th time and mortally wounded by enemy fire. PFC Pickard's extraordinary heroism, at the cost of his life, earned him the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Purple Heart
Army Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge

Distinguished Service Cross Citation

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Private First Class Alfred Pickard, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Company B, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Private First Class Pickard distinguished himself while serving as a machine gunner with a reconnaissance patrol during operations in Phuoc Long Province. The squad-size patrol walked into an enemy bunker complex and was caught in a crossfire of rocket and machine gun fire. Five members of the patrol fell wounded in the initial barrage of enemy fire. Although twice wounded in the first hostile fusillade, Private Pickard unhesitatingly took command of the trapped patrol. He secured an M-60 machine gun and placed suppressive fire on the enemy fortifications while the rest of the patrol began pulling back to positions of cover. While thus covering the withdrawal of his comrades, Private Pickard was again hit by a burst of enemy fire and his machine gun rendered inoperative. Despite the heavy volume of fire now focused on him, Private Pickard held his position and continued covering the withdrawal of his comrades with M-16 rifle fire. It was then that he was again hit and mortally wounded by enemy fire. Private First Class Pickard's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty, at the cost of his life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 1044 (May 4, 1970)

Honors

The name Alfred Pickard is located on Panel 15W Line 19 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

Burial

Private First Class Alfred Pickard is buried at Houston National Cemetery in Houston, Harris County, TX, in Plot: D, 881.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=3119688



Honoree ID: 270559   Created by: MHOH

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