Tony-Ward


TONY ROBERT WARD (2018 SGA Recipient)

SSGT - E5 - Army - Selective Service - 101st Airborne Division - East Point, GA. His tour began on May 2, 1970. Casualty was on May 20, 1970 in THUA THIEN, SOUTH VIETNAM. NON-HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY, OTHER ACCIDENT. Body was recovered.
Panel 10W - Line 73.

SGA

The recipient of our 2018 SGA Award is SSGT Tony Robert Ward. Guy Rudawski made the SGA presentation... see here. A YouTube video can be seen here.

More from Tony's brother Wayne: Their Mom is living, 89 yrs. Dad has passed and was WWII vet. Oldest brother, Joe, retired Air Force. A middle brother Donnie has passed away and served in the AF. Shirley is second youngest then Wayne who served in the AF. Tony was married. He raced a 55 Chevy at the local drag strip on weekends. He owned a 1969 Road Runner and Honda CB 160, he raced both around the back roads of Albany, Georgia. He was an All American teen in the 60's.

Ed Mitchell (Bgdr. Gen Retired) made the presentation to Tony's brother and sister. A YouTube video can be seen here.

Ed Mitchell (CO of Alpha Co. at the time) notes: CPL Carter and SSG Ward were lost when a grenade detonated between them as they lay side by side in a night position on the 20th. We (A Company) had been placed under operational control of the 1-502 Inf on the 18th and had air assaulted into an overwatch position southwest of Phu Bai while the rest of the battalion moved onto Fire Base Brick.

Read Guy Rudawski's account (in collaboration with Ed Mitchell) here.


FRIENDS AND FAMILY NOTES
Tony's brother Wayne Ward posted the following on our Facebook Group Page after the 2018 reunion: We thoroughly enjoyed the reunion with all of Tony's Alpha Avenger Brothers. Guy Rudawski did an awesome job of detailing the events of that night. We met and made many new friends in Gettysburg. Thank you all so much to everyone that make this happen every 2 years. Quite an accomplishment. The book given to us by General Ed Mitchell is very informative and fact filled about his command in VietNam. Thank you General! Thanks to everyone for making us feel welcome. Thank you Millard Sims for ensuring all our needs were met and we were very comfortable! Tony was very proud to be part of 101st Airborne during his short time there. We received letters from Tony after his death and he said to our mother, After seeing the people and kids working in the villages and how they live, I understand why we are here. These people need help. So he gave All! Welcome home Avengers!
On May 19, 2021, Ed Mitchell posted the following on Facebook. Fifty-one years ago tomorrow (20 May 1970)…WE REMEMBER: IN MEMORIAM: SGT Tony Robert Ward, 11B40 (Infantryman); Third Platoon, A Company, 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry (Airmobile), 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile); died outright in the early morning hours on 20 May 1970 from non-hostile accidental cause(s) at age 20. SGT Ward, whose home of record is East Point, Georgia, began his tour of duty in Vietnam on 2 May 1970. His final resting place is Floral Memory Gardens, Albany, Georgia. PFC Roy Lynn Carter, 11D10 (Armor Reconnaissance Specialist); Third Platoon, A Company, 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry (Airmobile), 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile); died outright in the early morning hours on 20 May 1970 from non-hostile accidental cause(s) at age 23. PFC Carter, whose home of record is Circleville, Ohio, began his tour of duty in Vietnam on 30 April 1970. His final resting place is Springbank Cemetery, Yellowbud, Ross County, Ohio. MAY THESE TWO “BROTHERS-IN-ARMS FOREVER BE REMEMBERED AND MAY THEY ETERNALLY REST IN PEACE.