Robert James Lazaro

SECOND LIEUTENANT ROBERT J. LAZARO was born March 29, 1947. He lived in the Glendora section of Gloucester Township NJ.

After graduating officers candidate school he was sent to Vietnam, and assigned, with fellow OCS graduate William R. Bray, to A Company, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry regiment, 4th Infantry Division. Seciond Liutenant Lazaro was given command of the Heavy Weapons Platoon, while Second Lieutenat Bray was placed in charge of the First Platoon.

Lieutenant Lazaro was killed with ten others during an assault on North Vietnams Army positions northwest of Landing Zone Mary Lou, Quang Tin Province, Vietnam, on October 9, 1967. During this action he heroically, saving the lives of several of his fellow soldiers before being mortally wounded by small arms fire. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart. The other men lost in this action were as follows:

• A Company, 1/35th Infantry
  • 2LT William R. Bray, Burlington, NC
  • 2LT Robert J. Lazaro, Glendora, NJ
  • PFC Edward J. Blotzer, Pittsburgh, PA
  • PFC Willis W. Emerton, Dallas, TX
  • PFC Jimmy R. Hohstadt, Clovis, NM
  • PFC Richard R. Irwin, Arcadia, CA
  • PFC Bernard J. Meirndorf, Williamston, MI
  • PFC Joel C. Roper, Marietta, GA
  • PFC Stephen J. Smith, Mount Vernon, IL
    
• HHC, 1/35th Infantry
  • SP4 David L. Farley, Brunswick, ME, medic with A/1/35
  • PFC Ronald S. Sandel, Thorp, WI, medic with A/1/35

For an extensive account of the battle in which Second Lieutenant Lazaro gave his life for his country and fellow soldiers, please visit the Alpha Company 1st Battalion 35th Infantry Regiment - OCTOBER 9, 1967 web page.

Second Lieutenant Lazaro was brought home and buried at Beverly National Cemetery in Beverly NJ on October 20, 1967. He was survived by his mother Marian, sisters Mary and Marian, and brother David Lazaro. His mother was active with the Auxiliary Unit of American Legion Stetser-Lamartine Post 281 in Glendora until her passing in 2001. 

SILVER STAR
COMMENDATION

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HEADQUARTERS
4TH INFANTRY DIVISION
APO San Francisco 96262

GENERAL ORDERS                                                                                  24 October 1967
3519                                                                                                                    

AWARD OF THE SILVER STAR

1 TC 320.   The following Award is announced posthumously:

LAZARO, ROBERT J O5338301 SECOND LIEUTENANT United States Army
Co A, 1st Bn, 35th Inf. 4th Inf Div, APO 96355

Awarded: Silver Star
Date action: 9 October 1967
Theater: Republic of Vietnam 

Reason: For gallantry in action while engaged in military operations against an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. On 9 October 1967 Second Lieutenant Lazaro distinguished himself while serving as a Platoon Leader in Company A., 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry, conducting a search and destroy operation near Phuoc Son. When Company A made contact with a force of the North Vietnamese Army, an intense fire fight began, and several men in his platoon were wounded in the initial burst of fire. Second Lieutenant Lazaro attempted to maneuver part of the point squad to the flank of the enemy but the heavy hostile fire forced him to withdraw. Immediately, he moved back to the main area of contact and then moved forward until he was in front of the wounded personnel. Second Lieutenant Lazaro stood up and began delivering intense and accurate fire at the enemy positions to his front. His effective fire kept the enemy pinned down long enough for the wounded and the dead to be evacuated. Firing constantly for a prolonged period he expended his ammunition and could no longer deliver fire for his own pro­tection. Still under enemy fire, he moved back to secure more ammunition and again moved forward. Second Lieutenant Lazaro crawled to one of the wounded and dragged him back to a safe position, stopping only to fire back at the enemy. He was in the process of moving to assist and rally a group of his men when he was mortally wounded my enemy gunfire. Second Lieutenant Lazaro's exceptional gallantry is in keeping with the highest tradition of the military service and reflects great credit on himself, his unit and the United States Army.

Authority: By direction of the President under the provisions of the Act of Congress approved 9 July 1918.

GO 3519 

ROBERT JAMES LAZARO
is honored on Panel 27E, Row 82 of
the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Thanks to Bob Koneful for his helpo in creating this page