Today our walk was dedicated in honor of:
Army SPC4 Lonnie A Floyd, Age 19 of Chattanooga, TN.
KIA Jan 14, 1967 Vietnam
Specialist Four Lonnie Allen Floyd, Served with Company C, 4th Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, United States Army Vietnam.
Lonnie Allen Floyd was born on 29 July 1947 in Chattanooga, TN, the son of Joseph Landon and Ruth A. Floyd. He was the fourth of five children and had two sisters, Brenda and Joan; and two brothers, Richard and Thomas. Lonnie was an outstanding player on the football team at Chattanooga City High School until he broke his shoulder in the first game of his senior year. After the injury, Lonnie lost interest in school and decided that the Army would be a good fit for him.
After enlisting in the U.S. Army in August 1965, he then attended Basic Training, Advanced Individual Training, Finance Training, and Army Airborne Training. He was then assigned to 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC. Lonnie was deployed to Vietnam in August 1966. Initially assigned to a rear echelon finance unit, he joined the 173rd Airborne Brigade shortly after arrival in South Vietnam. According to his family, Lonnie had already decided that he would reenlist at the end of his current enlistment.
On 14 January 1967, Specialist Four Lonnie Allen Floyd was serving with C Company, 4th Battalion, 503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade, in Binh Duong Province, South Vietnam.
SPC4 Floyd died that day after he sustained multiple fragmentation wounds from a grenade in a hostile (combat) action.
Medals, Awards and Badges
Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device
Purple Heart
Army Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Parachutist Badge
Lonnie is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall on Panel 14E, Line 27
We had a great 11.25 Mile walk. We walked up town to the War Memorial Park and then walked out to the I-40 – 127 overpass and then we stopped in and visited two of our Fallen Brothers in the Frost Cemetery. I want to thank everyone who honked, waved, and saluted in helping me honor this hero. We had 201 honks. It was amazing. Thank you !
Army SPC4 Lonnie A Floyd will not be forgotten !
