John Stanborough Cartwright

Private First Class John Stanborough Cartwright was born on June 19, 1947 and lived in Pine Hill, NJ. He was the youngest of six children and was raised by his mother. He had a love for motorcycles, racing cars and working on all kinds of cars. He shared this love with his older brothers and this created a great bond between them. He had a girlfriend prior to his service in Vietnam. He would have married her if he had returned home.

John S. Cartwright was inducted into the United States Army and attained the rank of Private First Class. He began his tour of duty on January 13, 1967. He was a member of the 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 5th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division, “Bobcats.” He was trained to drive an M113 Armored Personnel Carrier.

Cartwright was killed in action on May 4, 1967, when his truck ran over a land mine in the Ho Bo Woods in Tay Ninh Province, Vietnam.

Cartwright was buried on May 15, 1967, in Beverly National Cemetery, Beverly, NJ — Section W, Plot 1075. He is also memorialized at Erial Cemetery in Erial, New Jersey.

Cartwright was honored after his death. The Rotary Club of Pine Hill gave him a citizen’s award. He received two Bronze Stars: one for valor and heroism, the other for meritorious service and for his efforts and professional ability. He was awarded a Purple Heart for his mortal wounds.

One of his Bronze Star citations reads:

For heroism in connection with military operations against a hostile force: Private First Class Cartwright distinguished himself by heroic actions of 3 February 1967, in the Republic of Vietnam. While on a battalion search and destroy operation near Tay Ninh Province, the rear elements of the battalion were taken under extremely intense and accurate automatic weapons and recoilless rifle fire from an enemy force of undetermined size in a well concealed bunker complex. The small element immediately began to return fire, but a .50 caliber machine gun and several small arms weapons malfunctioned. Private Cartwright, with complete disregard for his personal safety, exposed himself to the intense enemy fire in order to place suppressive fire on the Viet Cong positions. He remained in this exposed position until support arrived, forcing the enemy to disperse. His aggressiveness and personal courage were instrumental in preventing the enemy force from overrunning his unit. Private Cartwright’s actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, the 25th Infantry Division, and the United States Army.

John S. Cartwright is honored on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on Panel 19E, Row 35.

I am a Cartwright from another country and I was just a little boy during the Vietnam War. When I was about 10 years old, a young Vietnam soldier came to my country for a vacation and I met him by a swimming pool. To me, he looked like a hero as he told me a little bit about the war, most of which I did not understand. As I am older now I can appreciate the sacrifice that PFC John Cartwright and others like him gave to not only his country, but other countries like mine (the Bahamas). Thank God for the United States of America for keeping most countries of this world free!!

— Anthony Cartwright — December 27, 2007

Fellow Bobcat 1/5 Mech.

— Denis McDonough — August 29, 2004

I served with John in Vietnam. We were in the same platoon. He was a great guy and friend.

— Robert Jones — October 2, 2007

He was our baby brother.

— Alice Lockwood, Sister, Winston-Salem, North Carolina — June 27, 1999

I grew up with John in Pine Hill; he was a great kid and a great friend. We were both in Vietnam at the same time but with different units.

“He which hath no stomach to this fight, let him depart. But we in it shall be remembered — we few, we happy few, we band of brothers. For he today that sheds his blood with me shall always be my brother.” — Shakespeare

Rest in peace, John.

— William Roach, Childhood Friend, Fellow Vietnam Veteran, Glendale, Arizona — October 10, 2002