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SGT Allen R. Lloyd
February 21, 1948 - February 18, 1971 Just three days before his 22nd birthday Allen Richard Lloyd lost his life in the Vietnam War. Allen was one of the missing men of RT Intruder, a team that performed highly classified, strategic reconnaissance and interdiction missions along the Ho Chi Min Trail. These missions were most often performed in Laos, well beyond radio range and artillery support. In early 1971, RT Intruder SOA CCN MACV-SOG was manned by three American Special Forces troopers. The team leader was CPT. Ronald L. Watson. The second in command was SGT. Lloyd, with Raymond L. Robinson third in command. On February 18th 1971 the command team with around ten others pulled their final mission together. The mission proved to be extremely hazardous, and with heavy enemy movement all around them they called for STABO extraction. The rescue choppers struggled in the thin mountain air with the first one almost crashing. The second chopper made it out, however the last chopper, extracting the team on strings from the side of hill 1528 on the Laotian border, crashed. SGT. Lloyd along with CPT. Watson and the 4 member crew all perished. Rescue teams under intense enemy fire were not able to recover all the remains. SGT. Lloyd’s body was never recovered despite many brave attempts. (Cliff Newman, who was on the Brightlight team to recover RT intruder bodies, has been honored for his many efforts to bring the remains home.) SGT. Allen Lloyd is listed as MIA. He is named with honor among the missing because his remains could not be buried with honor at home. In April of 2016 the Rochester Military Order of the Purple Heart was named the Lloyd-Swenson Chapter 7110 MOPH, honoring SGT. Allen Lloyd and CPL. Curtis Swenson who lost his life in Afghanistan. It was my honor to paint Allen’s portrait. This young soldier bravely gave his life for his country. May those who served in Vietnam (and all other wars in which our nation is involved) always be properly honored! Portrait sponsored by: |