Veterans Roll of Honor: JACK BLAINE BEERS

Branch of Service: United States Army

Rank: Master Sergeant

Service history: A native of Allentown, Pennsylvania, SFC Beers served in B Company, 3rd Battalion, 503RD Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam. He was killed in action on 07 April 1969 in Lam Dong Province, South Vietnam. At the time of his death, Sergeant Beers had been selected for promotion to Master Sergeant but for unknown reasons, was not posthumously promoted. In August 2018, the Army Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) posthumously promoted Sergeant Beers to the rank of Master Sergeant, retroactive to 07 April 1969.

Awards and Decorations:
Distinguished Service Cross
Bronze Star Medal w/ 1 oakleaf
Purple Heart Medal
Army Good Conduct Medal w/ 5 bronze loops
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Vietnam Service Medal w/ 2 stars
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Republic of Vietnam Military Merit Medal
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross
National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 oakleaf
United Nations Service Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge
Parachutist Badge (Senior)
Expert Marksman Badge with Auto Rifle bar

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 Sergeant First Class Jack Blaine Beers (ASN: RA-23877112), 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, 3d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade. Platoon Sergeant Beers distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on the evening of 7 April 1969 during an attack by an estimated reinforced Viet Cong company on his platoon's night location near the town of Bao Loc, Lam Dong Province. Sergeant Beers moved through the initial barrage of rocket, automatic weapons and small arms fire to reach a section of the perimeter under heavy ground attack, and was painfully wounded by shrapnel from an incoming rocket when he arrived at a machine gun bunker. Despite his injury, he directed that position's fire against the aggressors and momentarily halted their assault. After hearing a rocket hit in the platoon's command post and a cry for help from his radio telephone operator, he started toward the stricken post, but was seriously wounded in the legs and stomach by shrapnel from enemy grenades and rockets as the communists began attacking from all sides. Disregarding his safety, he encouraged his men to hold their positions and crawled to a radio to call for artillery support. Although he was in an exposed location, he continued to adjust artillery strikes until he was mortally wounded by hostile small arms fire. Platoon Sergeant Beers' 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.