Thomas Howard Welsh was born in Harrison, New Jersey on January 17, 1930,to Andrew and Emma Welsh. Thomas was raised in Kearny, which was his official hometown of record.
SFC Welsh’s Army career began January 12, 1948, with basic training at Fort Dix, NJ. SFC Welsh spent much of his distinguished Army career in the Airborne and his military deployments spanned Fort Bragg, Fort Campbell, Fort Benning, Venezuela and Panama, among other assignments. SFC Welsh was a Green Beret, a member of the US Army’s elite special forces soldiers. Among his combat skills, he carried both parachute and master parachute badges, and was rated as expert with the M-1 rifle, expert with the portable flame thrower, and a marksman with the pistol.
SFC Welsh deployed to Vietnam as a member of Detachment A-228 (VINHTHANH), 5th Special Forces Group, 5th Special Forces, USARV on March 7,1966. Vinh Thanh valley is located in Vietnam’s Central Highlands. SFC Welsh served as a Special Forces Qualified Infantry Operations & Intelligence Specialist.
SFC Welsh was killed in action on May 16, 1966, during Operation Crazy Horse from fragmentation effects. The objective of that operation was to destroy the Viet Cong’s 2nd Regiment (approximately 2,000 men) thought to be in the area and thereby proactively prevent an attack on Camp Vinh Thanh. Per the After-Action Report, besides the death of SFC Welsh, 1st Cavalry Division units suffered 39 soldiers killed in the same operation. SFC Welsh was awarded a(posthumous) Bronze Star for his contributions to the operation.
SFC Welsh was the husband of Patricia Welsh and the father of SGT Thomas H. Welsh, USA. He was buried at the Fort Liberty (Fort Bragg) Post cemetery.
SFC Welsh’s decorations and awards include the following: Bronze Star Medal; The Army Green Beret; The Combat Infantryman’s Badge (CIB); The Paratrooper Jump Wings Insignia; Purple Heart Medal; The Vietnam Service Medal; The Republic of Vietnam Campaign Service Medal; National Defense Service Medal; and The Good Conduct Medal.
Source: NJVVMF and Ron Woods.
4/4/2025
