Keith Allen Campbell was born on March 3, 1946. He became a member of the Army while in Arlington, Virginia and obtained the rank of Specialist 5.
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.
Keith was 20 years old and had been in the Army for nearly three years, part of that time as a member of the 11th Special Forces (Green Berets). Before his service in Vietnam, he had been recommended for the Bronze Star for bravery in the Dominican Republic.
His death was typical of the man. He was a medic with the 503rd Parachute Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade (Sep) and he observed a wounded soldier in an exposed position without any protection. Disregarding the hail of enemy fire, he ran through a hail of grenades and bullets to the soldier’s position where he provided life saving medical treatment. He then dragged his patient to a nearby tree to shield him. As Campbell fearlessly protected the man from further fire, Specialist Campbell was mortally wounded.
For his service, Sp/4 Keith Allen 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 him are buried his childhood friends, Philip Newman Malone, Paul Malone and Stephen Gavin. Each of whom are memorialized on the Delaware Hershel “Woody” Williams Gold Star Families Memorial.
Sp/4 KEITH Allen Campbell’s name appears on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall on Panel 15E, Row 8.
