Harry A. 'Buck' Winkler III
Specialist, U.S. Army

Harry A. 'Buck' Winkler III was born on 12 March 1974 in Jacksonville, FL.

At 28, Harry decided to join the U.S. Army. His younger brother, David, graduated from Air Force Basic Training in 2001; months before the 9/11 attacks. Harry decided to do something to change his life and joined the U.S. Army. However, before he could report for Basic Training in 2002, he had to lose 50 pounds from his 6 foot 2 inch frame. After his first enlistment ended, Harry tried civilian life for a while but he recognized that he liked being in the Army.

Harry re-enlisted in the Army in November 2005 and was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, NC. His unit deployed to Samarra, Iraq on 10 August 2006 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and it was Buck's second tour in Iraq.

On 12 November 2006 in Samarra, Iraq, 'Buck' Winkler was the Humvee gunner for 1LT Michael Cerrone [Honoree Record ID 6498] during a combat operation. Cerrone got out of his Humvee to check out a suspicious car and, as he approached, one of the car's occupants got out, approached the Humvee and detonated a bomb strapped to his body. The injuries sustained from the explosion killed both Winkler and Cerrone.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Bronze Star Medal
Purple Heart
Army Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star
Iraq Campaign Medal with Bronze Star
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Army Service Ribbon
Army Overseas Service Ribbon with Numeral 2
Combat Infantryman Badge
Parachutist Badge

Burial

Specialist Harry A. Winkler III is buried at Kentucky Veterans Cemetery West in Hopkinsville, KY, in Section 06, Site 0091.