SP/4 Leon Jerry Shrum
148th MP Platoon, 188th MP Company, 92nd MP Battalion
89th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade

Killed In Action ~ 31 January 1968 ~ Vietnam

   SP/4 Leon J. Shrum, age 21, from Bowling Green, KY is killed in action during the Tet Offensive in My Tho.

   SP/4 Shrum and SGT Joseph G. Picucci, the My Tho Detachment NCOIC, went out on a reconnaissance patrol in My Tho’s streets to assess the extent of the Viet Cong strength within the area of their billet. The small MP detachment was concerned about being caught within their building by the growing number of enemy forces and wanted to make a move to the MACV Armor House Compound to consolidate their firepower.

   As their patrol crossed one of the main streets it was hit by heavy enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire and forced to find cover. Ahead of them a jeep containing four members of the Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) Team #75 advisors were also pinned down by the heavy enemy fire.

   SP/4 Shrum left the safety of the cover of his jeep with the M60 machine gun and headed towards the MACV team to support them. While running towards their position he was struck by small arms fire in the chest knocking him to the ground. Disregarding his wounds he got back up and continued on through enemy fire with the machine gun. He made it to the MACV team before succumbing to the wounds. The machine gun allowed the MACV team to suppress the enemy fire. When SGT Picucci called for assistance on the radio the other detachment members formed a reaction force to go out and assist the patrol but were to late, SP/4 Shrum died at the scene. They returned to the compound with his body.

   For his bravery while under fire SP/4 Shrum was posthumously awarded the Silver Star Medal for valor, Bronze Star Medal for Meritorious Service and the Purple Heart Medal. In  addition SP/4 Shrum also earned the National Defense Service Medal.   Vietnam Service Medal with one Campaign Star,   Vietnam Campaign Medal, and Vietnam Cross of Gallantry Ribbon with Palm (Unit Citation).

SP/4 Shrum left behind a wife, and a new baby daughter that he had never seen.

--- General / Personal ---
Last name: SHRUM
First name: LEON JERRY
Home of Record (official): BOWLING GREEN
State (official): KY
Date of Birth: Thursday, August 8, 1946
Sex: Male
Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Married

--- Military ---
Branch: Army
Rank: SP4
Serial Number: 53421496
Component: Selective Service
Pay grade: E4
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 95B20
Major Organization: Advisors

--- Action ---
Start of Tour: Friday, May 5, 1967
Date of Casualty: Wednesday, January 31, 1968
Age at time of loss: 21
Casualty type: (A1) Hostile, died
Reason: Gun, small arms fire (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Dinh Tuong
The Wall: Panel 36E - Row 035