US Navy Seaman(GMG2)Billy Stanley Armstrong, Vietnam Veteran and native of West Helena, Arkansas,
Gunner's Mate (Construction Battalion) Second Class Billy Stanley Armstrong was a casualty of the Vietnam War. As a member of the Navy, GMG2 Armstrong served our country until June 16th, 1968 in North Vietnam. He was 29 years old and was not married. It was reported that Billy died from artillery fire. His body was recovered. Billy was born on May 28th, 1939 in West Helena, Arkansas. GMG2 Armstrong is on panel 57W, line 034 of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. He served our country for 10 years.
Gunners Mate 2nd Class Billy S. Armstrong of West Helena, Arkansas is honored on Panel 57W, Row 34 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. On the night of 16 June 1968, PCF-19 was cruising on a routine patrol offshore northern South Vietnam. A sudden explosion rocked, then sunk, the small ship. Four of its crewmen were lost that night. QM2 Frank Bowman, Walterboro SC; body not recovered, BM2 Anthony G. Chandler, Warner Robbins GA; body not recovered, EN2 Edward C. Cruz, Inarajan Guam, GMC2 Billy S. Armstrong, West Helena AR; Lieutenant (junior grade) John Davis, who commanded PCF-19, and crewman John Anderegg were the only two survivors. Anderegg had kept Bowman's head above water until he determined that Bowman was dead; he then turned his attention to the badly wounded Davis. There was no certainty about how it happened, some said the PCF was attacked by North Vietnamese helicopters while others believed that a friendly aircraft had attacked the boat by accident. Eventually the US Air Force concluded that one of its aircraft had attacked the swift boat, believing it to be a North Vietnamese PT boat - a "friendly fire" incident. What was certain was that four men had died, and that two had not been recovered. On 6 October 1993, an arm bone fragment was recovered from a grave ashore; a Vietnamese fisherman stated that he had recovered the bone and buried it. It was almost 8 years before the fragment could be positively identified through DNA testing, but once done there was another certainty: Tony Chandler had come home. All that remained of Petty Officer Chandler was buried in the Centerville (Georgia) City Cemetery on 16 June 2001 - a sailor finally home from the sea.
He served as a Gunners Mate 2nd Class with PCF-19, Coastal Division 12, Task Force 115, United States Naval Forces, United States Navy.
He was awarded The Purple Heart Medal for his combat wounds, The Navy Good Conduct Medal, The National Defense Service Medal, The Vietnam Service Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal.
Gunner's Mate (Construction Battalion) Second Class Billy Stanley Armstrong was a casualty of the Vietnam War. As a member of the Navy, GMG2 Armstrong served our country until June 16th, 1968 in North Vietnam. He was 29 years old and was not married. It was reported that Billy died from artillery fire. His body was recovered. Billy was born on May 28th, 1939 in West Helena, Arkansas. GMG2 Armstrong is on panel 57W, line 034 of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. He served our country for 10 years.
Gunners Mate 2nd Class Billy S. Armstrong of West Helena, Arkansas is honored on Panel 57W, Row 34 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. On the night of 16 June 1968, PCF-19 was cruising on a routine patrol offshore northern South Vietnam. A sudden explosion rocked, then sunk, the small ship. Four of its crewmen were lost that night. QM2 Frank Bowman, Walterboro SC; body not recovered, BM2 Anthony G. Chandler, Warner Robbins GA; body not recovered, EN2 Edward C. Cruz, Inarajan Guam, GMC2 Billy S. Armstrong, West Helena AR; Lieutenant (junior grade) John Davis, who commanded PCF-19, and crewman John Anderegg were the only two survivors. Anderegg had kept Bowman's head above water until he determined that Bowman was dead; he then turned his attention to the badly wounded Davis. There was no certainty about how it happened, some said the PCF was attacked by North Vietnamese helicopters while others believed that a friendly aircraft had attacked the boat by accident. Eventually the US Air Force concluded that one of its aircraft had attacked the swift boat, believing it to be a North Vietnamese PT boat - a "friendly fire" incident. What was certain was that four men had died, and that two had not been recovered. On 6 October 1993, an arm bone fragment was recovered from a grave ashore; a Vietnamese fisherman stated that he had recovered the bone and buried it. It was almost 8 years before the fragment could be positively identified through DNA testing, but once done there was another certainty: Tony Chandler had come home. All that remained of Petty Officer Chandler was buried in the Centerville (Georgia) City Cemetery on 16 June 2001 - a sailor finally home from the sea.
He served as a Gunners Mate 2nd Class with PCF-19, Coastal Division 12, Task Force 115, United States Naval Forces, United States Navy.
He was awarded The Purple Heart Medal for his combat wounds, The Navy Good Conduct Medal, The National Defense Service Medal, The Vietnam Service Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal.
US Navy Seaman(GMG2)Billy Stanley Armstrong, Vietnam Veteran and native of West Helena, Arkansas,
Gunner's Mate (Construction Battalion) Second Class Billy Stanley Armstrong was a casualty of the Vietnam War. As a member of the Navy, GMG2 Armstrong served our country until June 16th, 1968 in North Vietnam. He was 29 years old and was not married. It was reported that Billy died from artillery fire. His body was recovered. Billy was born on May 28th, 1939 in West Helena, Arkansas. GMG2 Armstrong is on panel 57W, line 034 of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. He served our country for 10 years.
Gunners Mate 2nd Class Billy S. Armstrong of West Helena, Arkansas is honored on Panel 57W, Row 34 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. On the night of 16 June 1968, PCF-19 was cruising on a routine patrol offshore northern South Vietnam. A sudden explosion rocked, then sunk, the small ship. Four of its crewmen were lost that night. QM2 Frank Bowman, Walterboro SC; body not recovered, BM2 Anthony G. Chandler, Warner Robbins GA; body not recovered, EN2 Edward C. Cruz, Inarajan Guam, GMC2 Billy S. Armstrong, West Helena AR; Lieutenant (junior grade) John Davis, who commanded PCF-19, and crewman John Anderegg were the only two survivors. Anderegg had kept Bowman's head above water until he determined that Bowman was dead; he then turned his attention to the badly wounded Davis. There was no certainty about how it happened, some said the PCF was attacked by North Vietnamese helicopters while others believed that a friendly aircraft had attacked the boat by accident. Eventually the US Air Force concluded that one of its aircraft had attacked the swift boat, believing it to be a North Vietnamese PT boat - a "friendly fire" incident. What was certain was that four men had died, and that two had not been recovered. On 6 October 1993, an arm bone fragment was recovered from a grave ashore; a Vietnamese fisherman stated that he had recovered the bone and buried it. It was almost 8 years before the fragment could be positively identified through DNA testing, but once done there was another certainty: Tony Chandler had come home. All that remained of Petty Officer Chandler was buried in the Centerville (Georgia) City Cemetery on 16 June 2001 - a sailor finally home from the sea.
He served as a Gunners Mate 2nd Class with PCF-19, Coastal Division 12, Task Force 115, United States Naval Forces, United States Navy.
He was awarded The Purple Heart Medal for his combat wounds, The Navy Good Conduct Medal, The National Defense Service Medal, The Vietnam Service Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal.
Gunner's Mate (Construction Battalion) Second Class Billy Stanley Armstrong was a casualty of the Vietnam War. As a member of the Navy, GMG2 Armstrong served our country until June 16th, 1968 in North Vietnam. He was 29 years old and was not married. It was reported that Billy died from artillery fire. His body was recovered. Billy was born on May 28th, 1939 in West Helena, Arkansas. GMG2 Armstrong is on panel 57W, line 034 of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. He served our country for 10 years.
Gunners Mate 2nd Class Billy S. Armstrong of West Helena, Arkansas is honored on Panel 57W, Row 34 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. On the night of 16 June 1968, PCF-19 was cruising on a routine patrol offshore northern South Vietnam. A sudden explosion rocked, then sunk, the small ship. Four of its crewmen were lost that night. QM2 Frank Bowman, Walterboro SC; body not recovered, BM2 Anthony G. Chandler, Warner Robbins GA; body not recovered, EN2 Edward C. Cruz, Inarajan Guam, GMC2 Billy S. Armstrong, West Helena AR; Lieutenant (junior grade) John Davis, who commanded PCF-19, and crewman John Anderegg were the only two survivors. Anderegg had kept Bowman's head above water until he determined that Bowman was dead; he then turned his attention to the badly wounded Davis. There was no certainty about how it happened, some said the PCF was attacked by North Vietnamese helicopters while others believed that a friendly aircraft had attacked the boat by accident. Eventually the US Air Force concluded that one of its aircraft had attacked the swift boat, believing it to be a North Vietnamese PT boat - a "friendly fire" incident. What was certain was that four men had died, and that two had not been recovered. On 6 October 1993, an arm bone fragment was recovered from a grave ashore; a Vietnamese fisherman stated that he had recovered the bone and buried it. It was almost 8 years before the fragment could be positively identified through DNA testing, but once done there was another certainty: Tony Chandler had come home. All that remained of Petty Officer Chandler was buried in the Centerville (Georgia) City Cemetery on 16 June 2001 - a sailor finally home from the sea.
He served as a Gunners Mate 2nd Class with PCF-19, Coastal Division 12, Task Force 115, United States Naval Forces, United States Navy.
He was awarded The Purple Heart Medal for his combat wounds, The Navy Good Conduct Medal, The National Defense Service Medal, The Vietnam Service Medal and the Vietnam Campaign Medal.
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