Keith Allen Campbell

Keith Allen Campbell was born on March 3, 1946. He became a member of the Army while in Arlington, Virginia and attained the rank of Specialist 5.

Keith had already done a successful nearly three year tour of duty in the Army, part of that time as a member of the 11th Special Forces (Green Berets), where he was recommended for the Bronze Star for bravery in the Dominican Republic. 

He re-enlisted, taking a downgrade in rank, to go to Vietnam as a combat medic. On February 8, 1967, at the age of 20, Keith Allen Campbell knowingly and willingly gave his life, to save others, while in the service of our country in South Vietnam, Bien Hoa Province.

His death exemplified the bravery, heroism and other fellow first mantra he lived his life by. He was a medic with the 503rd Parachute Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade (Sep) and he observed a wounded soldier lying in an exposed position without any protection. Disregarding the hail of enemy fire, he ran to the soldier's position where he provided life saving medical treatment. He then dragged him to shelter behind a tree. As he fearlessly protected the man from further fire, Specialist Campbell was mortally wounded.

Today, Specialist Campbell lies at rest in Arlington National Cemetery, not far from where he lived and attended school as a youth. Each Christmas his younger sister, Judy, places a small fir tree on his grave. It is decorated with a very special chain which Judy and her brother had started to make before he left for service in Vietnam and which she has kept ever since.

For his service, Specialist Keith Campbell was awarded: The Distinguished Service Cross, Bronze Star with Valor, Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Combat Medic Badge w/Star, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal.

The KEITH A CAMPBELL MEMORIAL LIBRARY, located at Joint Base San Antonio / Fort Sam Houston was rededicated in his memory on November 14, 2006.

He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, next to his childhood friends, Philip Newman Malone, Paul Malone and Stephen Gavin. His name appears on the Vietnam Memorial Wall on Panel 15E, Row 8.