AUXIER, JERRY EDWARD

Name: Jerry Edward Auxier
Rank/Branch: E6/US Army
Unit: Company C; 1st Battalion; 46th Infantry; 198th Infantry Brigade
Date of Birth: 19 January 1944 (Gauley Ridge WV)
Home City of Record: Dixie WV
Date of Loss: 29 July 1968
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 153642N 1082124E (BT167088)
Status (in 1973): Killed/Body Not Recovered
Category: 3
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: Ground
Refno: 1240
Other Personnel In Incident: (none missing)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 June 1990 from one or more of
the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence
with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W.
NETWORK. 2024

REMARKS:

SYNOPSIS: SSGT Jerry E. Auxier was a rifleman in C Company, 1st Battalion,
46th Infantry, 198th Infantry Division. On July 29, 1968, he and his company
moved into a night defensive position a few miles northwest of the city of
Tam Ky in Quang Tin Province, South Vietnam. The company commander directed
that a search be made of the area for booby traps before the men dug into
their positions. No traps were found.

Later that day, Auxier's portion of the company was notified that a
helicopter was inbound to their location. As the chopper was about to land
and was about a foot off the ground, a tremendous explosion occurred. All
witnesses stated that just prior to the blast, Auxier was seen in the blast
area. He was wearing only his fatigues and belt. His weapon, gear and steel
pot were left in a rear position. However, not until all dead and wounded
were evacuated was Auxier discovered to be missing. The unit immediately
began a search of the entire area and down into the thick vegetation as far
from the site as they could. The blast area and fox holes that had been
covered over by the blast were probed, but not a trace of Auxier was found.

Witnesses to the explosion believed it had been caused by a command
detonated 250 or 500-pound bomb. Although no wires leading to the blast area
were found, the timing of the explosion to the landing of the helicopter was
suspect. The blast left a crater 12-14 feet in diameter and 7 feet deep. All
things considered, Auxier, if he was within the blast area, had no chance of
survival, and would not be found.

According to witnesses, Auxier is almost certainly dead. Tragically, his
family has no grave holding his body to visit. His remains are in enemy
soil, and not buried in his homeland. Even more tragically, evidence mounts
that hundreds of Americans are still alive, held captive in Southeast Asia.
What must they be thinking of us? What would Jerry Auxier think of us?

 

 
Editor's Note: Michael Cunningham, a Norwood resident, recently returned to Viet Nam with a team from the Department of Defense on a POW/MIA ...
 
https://www.dotnews.com/2024/my-search-sgt-auxier-norwood-veteran-tells-his-trip-vietnam-49-years

... MIA pal and located the foxhole that had kept him safe that day. ... James Cloninger, an archivist and historian with the department's POW/MIA ...

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01/2020

https://dpaa.secure.force.com/dpaaProfile?id=a0Jt0000000KZsSEAW

SSG JERRY EDWARD AUXIER

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Staff Sergeant Jerry Edward Auxier entered the U.S. Army from West Virginia and served in Company C, 1st Battalion, 46th Infantry Regiment, 198th Light Infantry Brigade, the Americal Division. On July 29, 1968, his unit was in a night defensive position in Quang Tin Province, South Vietnam. Soon after setting up their position, a helicopter approached to resupply the unit. SSG Auxier and other members of the unit proceeded up the hill to the landing zone to unload the aircraft. Unknown to anyone, North Vietnamese forces had planted an estimated 500-pound explosive at the landing zone, and when the helicopter was landing, the bomb was detonated, destroying the helicopter and killing and wounding several men. All of the wounded and dead were recovered and accounted for with the exception of SSG Auxier. Extensive search efforts were conducted by his unit but they failed to locate him. He is still unaccounted-for. Today, Staff Sergeant Auxier is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Based on all information available, DPAA assessed the individual's case to be in the analytical category of Active Pursuit.

If you are a family member of this serviceman, DPAA can provide you with additional information and analysis of your case. Please contact your casualty office representative.

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