4/10/1968
SGM Donald Eugene Calhoon was killed on 10 April 1968. SGM Calhoon was assigned to the 25th Ordnance Detachment (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), 6th Ordnance Battalion, 45th General Support Group, Army Support Command Qui Nhon, 1st Logistical Command, An Khe, Binh Dinh (today called Gia Lai Province), Republic of Vietnam. SGM Calhoon and SP4 Garry L. Dick responded to a controlled mine found on Highway 19, 13 kilometers west of An Khe. The mine consisted of a U.S. 105mm projectile. SGM Calhoon was carrying the 105mm projectile off the road so that it could be destroyed, when he and SP4 Dick were fired upon by enemy troop lying in ambush. The enemy fired three command-detonated mines and opened fire with automatic weapons. Small arms fire and shrapnel from the mines hit SGM Calhoon immediately. SP4 Dick ran to the aid of SGM Calhoon and after opening fire he was hit in the jaw, right arm, and legs by small arms fire. The Military Policemen who were at the incident site rescued SGM Calhoon and SP4 Dick, and they called for a medical evacuation helicopter. The Military Police security force consisted of an armor plated ¼-ton jeep with an M60 7.62mm machinegun and a M706 Cadillac Gage Commando V-100 amphibious armored car with twin .30 caliber machineguns mounted in the top turret. The security force held off the North Vietnamese Army force (officially called the Vietnam People’s Army -Vietnamese: Quân Đội Nhân Dân Việt Nam), until help arrived, which consisted of a unit of the 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry (Mechanized) with a tank and armored personnel carriers. SGM Calhoon died from his wounds before the helicopter arrived. SGM Calhoon posthumously promoted to Sergeant Major, and received the Purple Heart and Silver Star Medal.
*This bio was researched and authored by SGM Mike R.Vining, USA (Retired). Please send any additional information and/or corrections to the author of this bio by email: sgmmvining@gmail.com. The EOD Warrior Foundation is not responsible for the accuracy of the information in bio.