Years of service 1967-1968 Battles/wars Vietnam War † Unit 11th Infantry Brigade | Rank First Lieutenant Battles and wars Vietnam War Service/branch United States Army | |
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Born November 5, 1945 ( 1945-11-05 ) Allegiance United States of America Died 18 September 1968, South Vietnam Education United States Military Academy Awards Distinguished Service Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart | ||
Lt. Raymond J. Enners (November 5, 1945 – September 18, 1968) was an officer in the United States Army and champion high school lacrosse player. He attended and played for the United States Military Academy at West Point before serving in the army during the Vietnam War where he was killed in action. He received several posthumous awards for his service and several lacrosse awards are given out yearly in his honor.
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Early life
Ray Enners was born into an athletic family. His father, also named Raymond, played football for a semi-pro team in Farmingdale, NY. Ray Enners attended Half Hollows High School in Dix Hills, New York. During his time at Half Hollows, he served as captain of the football, basketball and lacrosse teams. He excelled in lacrosse, fondly nicknamed "The Machine" by his teammates. During his senior year, he was an All-County, All Long Island and Honorable Mention All-American. He played varsity lacrosse for five-years and played in the first five Suffolk County championships. Enners continued to play lacrosse while he attended the United States Military Academy, from which he graduated in 1967. He was the 1967 NCAA/USILA Honorable Mention All-American.
Vietnam War and death
On September 18, 1968 he was serving as platoon leader with Company A, 1st Battalion, 11th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division in a combat sweep near the village of Ha Thanh in South Vietnam. His platoon was outflanked and ambushed by a camouflaged People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) squad amongst the hills while they crossed a small valley. A leader of Enners' squad was severely wounded and fell within twenty meters of the PAVN. The squad leader called for help, and Lieutenant Enners attempted to rescue him despite strong enemy fire.
Lieutenant Enners advanced his position from one hundred meters back to a dike that sheltered his forward squad twenty meters shy of the wounded squad leader. He dispersed his men to provide cover fire at the hostiles. He and another squad leader then made it to within ten meters of the wounded squad leader. The PAVN lobbed grenades at them and forced them back to the dike. Enners continued to maneuver his men closer to the enemy so they could provide better cover. He then ran into the crossfire to reach the wounded squad leader. After reaching him, he applied first aid and picked him up to bring him to the medics. When Enners was within fifteen meters of the enemy, a PAVN machine gun barrage killed him.
Military Awards Received
Enners received the Distinguished Service Cross, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Purple Heart posthumously for his service in South Vietnam. His name is listed on the Vietnam War Memorial and one of the athletic hallways at West Point is named after him.