JOHN S. CARTWRIGHT
Home Of Record:
PINE HILL
County:
Camden
Status:
Killed In Action
Rank:
PFC
Branch Of Service:
Army
Country Of Incident:
SVN
Date of Casualty:
May 04, 1967
Date of Birth:
June 19, 1947
 

PFC - E3 - Army - Selective Service 25th Infantry Division Length of service 0 years His tour began on Jan 13, 1967 Casualty was on May 4, 1967 In HUA NGHIA, SOUTH VIETNAM HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY OTHER EXPLOSIVE DEVICE Body was recovered Panel 19E - Line 35

 
Birth: Jun. 19, 1947
Death: May 4, 1967
Burial::
Beverly National Cemetery
Beverly
Burlington County
New Jersey, USA
Plot: Section W Site 1075


The Coffelt Database - Records with Unit Information on Military Personnel Who Died During the Vietnam War - Click here to view File

John S. Cartwright was born on June 19, 1947, and lived in Pine Hill, NJ. He was the youngest of six children and was raised by his mother. He had a love for motorcycles, racing cars and working on all kinds of cars. He shared this love with his older brothers and this created a great bond between them. He had a girlfriend prior to his service in Vietnam. He would have married her if he had returned home.

Cartwright served in the US Army and attained the rank of Private First Class (PFC). He began his tour of duty on January 13, 1967. He was a member of the 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 5th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division, “Bobcats”. He was a truck driver, also known as an Armored Personnel Carrier (APC).

Cartwright was killed in action on May 4, 1967, when his truck ran over a land mine in the Ho Bo Woods in Tay Ninh Province, Vietnam.

Cartwright was buried on May 15, 1967, in Beverly National Cemetery, Beverly, NJ.

Cartwright was honored after his death. The Rotary Club of Pine Hill gave him a citizen’s award. He received two Bronze Stars: one for valor and heroism, the other for meritorious service and for his efforts and professional ability. He was awarded a Purple Heart for his mortal wounds.

One of his Bronze Star citations reads:
For heroism in connection with military operations against a hostile force: Private First Class Cartwright distinguished himself by heroic actions of 3 February 1967, in the Republic of Vietnam. While on a battalion search and destroy operation near Tay Ninh Province, the rear elements of the battalion were taken under extremely intense and accurate automatic weapons and recoilless rifle fire from an enemy force of undetermined size in a well concealed bunker complex. The small element immediately began to return fire, but a .50 caliber machine gun and several small arms weapons malfunctioned. Private Cartwright, with complete disregard for his personal safety, exposed himself to the intense enemy fire in order to place suppressive fire on the Viet Cong positions. He remained in this exposed position until support arrived, forcing the enemy to disperse. His aggressiveness and personal courage were instrumental in preventing the enemy force from overrunning his unit. Private Cartwright’s actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, the 25th Infantry Division, and the United States Army.

Information provided by Joan Lockwood (sister), thewall-usa.com, websites, newspaper clippings and NJVVMF.

 

MESSAGES LEFT ON THEWALL-USA (as of 2/28/09)

** Note that some of these messages are from years ago and there contact information may not be good anymore **

Anthony Cartwright
aacservant@hotmail.com
none
I am a Cartwright from another country and I was just a little boy during the Veitnam war. When I was about 10yrs old, a young Veitnam soldier came to my country for a vacation and I met him by a swimming pool. To me, he looked like a hero as he told me a little bit about the war, most of which I did not understand. As I am older now I can appreciate the sacrifice that PFC John Cartwright and others like him gave to not only his country, but other countries like mine (the Bahamas).
Thank GOD for the United States Of America for keeping most countries of this world free!!
Dec 27, 2007

Denis McDonough
Denis1146@aol.com
Fellow Bobcat 1/5 Mech.
The photo of John is courtesy of his sister Joan Lockwood
Sunday, August 29, 2004

Robert Jones
rcjones1946@yahoo.com
I served with John in Vietnam. We were in the same platoon. He was a great guy and friend.
Oct 2, 2007

Alice Lockwood
joandave@bellsouth.net
Sister
2626 Merry Oaks Trail
Winston-Salem,NC 27103 Usa
Can you fix his name? He was John Stanborough Cartwright. the last two letters are left off his middle name. He was our baby brother .
Sunday, June 27, 1999

William Roach
wroach1007@aol.com
Childhood Friend, Fellow Viet.Vet.
10831 N. 57th.Dr.
Glendale, AZ 85304 USA
I grew up with John in Pine Hill, he was a great kid and a great friend. We were both in Vietnam at the same time but with different units. Shakespear "he which hath no stomach to this figth, let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered we few, we happy few, we band of Brothers For he today that sheds his blood with me shall always be my Brother" Rest in peace John.
Thursday, October 10, 2002

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