Specialist 4 George Arthur “Art” Foster III, US Army

Bronze Star

George Arthur Foster III was born on February 23, 1947 in El Paso TX to George and Maggie Foster.  He was raised in Carlsbad NM and graduated from Carlsbad HS in 1965.  He entered NMSU the next fall, departing after completion of the first semester.  In February 1966 he joined the US Army, receiving his basic training at Fort Bliss TX.  He was then assigned to Hamburg Germany for two years before Vietnam.  He arrived in country on September 6, 1968 and was assigned to Company C, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry, 4th ID.  At that time the unit was located in Pleiku Province II Corps (Central Highlands).  The role of the 4th ID was interdiction of movement out of Cambodia from the Ho Ci Minh Trail.  Shortly after arriving in country, Spec 4 Foster took part in a NCO course at Pleiku.  There was a general lull in action and there were few losses in C Company in the fall 1968.  However, on November 29, 1968 Spec 4 George Arthur Foster III was killed in action by automatic weapons fire during an engagement with hostile forces at grid reference ZA943221, approximately 8 kilometers southwest of Oasis Airfield ( Thanh An).  His body was recovered and today he lies buried in Sunset Gardens Cemetery in Carlsbad NM.  Spec 4 George Arthur Foster III was 21 years of age at the time of his death in service to his nation.