Lt. Raymond J. Enners was an officer in the United States military and champion high school lacrosse player. He attended and played for the West Point Military Academy before serving in the army during the Vietnam War

Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...

 where he was killed in action. He received several posthumous awards for his service and several lacrosse awards are given out yearly in his honor.

Early life

Ray Enners was born into an athletic family. His father, also named Raymond, played football for a semi-pro team in Farmingdale, NY. Ray Enners attended Half Hollows High School in Dix Hills, New York. During his time at Half Hollows, he served as captain of the football, basketball and lacrosse teams. He excelled in lacrosse, fondly nicknamed "The Machine" by his teammates. During his senior year, he was an All-County, All Long Island and Honorable Mention All-American. He played varsity lacrosse for five-years and played in the first five Suffolk County championships. Enners continued to play lacrosse while he attended the United States Military Academy, from which he graduated in 1967. He was the 1967 NCAA/USILA Honorable Mention All-American.

Vietnam War and death

Enners served as a first lieutenant for the United States Army in the Republic of Vietnam. On September 18, 1968 he was serving as platoon leader with Company A, 1st Battalion, 20th and 11th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division in a combat sweep near the village of Ha Thanh. His platoon was outflanked and ambushed by a camouflaged North Vietnamese Army squad amongst the hills while they crossed a small valley. A leader of Enner's squad was severely wounded and fell within twenty meters of the North Vietnamese. The squad leader called for help, and Lieutenant Enners attempted to rescue him despite strong enemy fire.

Lieutenant Enners advanced his position from one hundred meters back to a dike that sheltered his forward squad twenty meters shy of the wounded squad leader. He dispersed his men to provide cover fire at the hostiles. He and another squad leader then made it to within ten meters of the wounded squad leader. The North Vietnamese lobbed grenades at them and forced them back to the dike. Enners continued to maneuver his men closer to the enemy so they could provide better cover. He then ran into the crossfire to reach the wounded squad leader. After reaching him, he applied first aid and picked him up to bring him to the medics. When Enners was within fifteen meters of the enemy, a North Vietnamese machine gun barrage killed him.

Military Awards Received

Enners received the Distinguished Service Cross, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Purple Heart posthumously for his service in South Vietnam. His name is listed on the Vietnam War Memorial and one of the athletic hallways at West Point is named after him.

Lacrosse Awards named after Lt. Enners

• The Lt. Raymond Enners Award
  Lt. Raymond Enners Award
  The Lt. Raymond Enners Award is an award given annually to the NCAA's most outstanding player in men's college lacrosse. The award is presented by the USILA and is named after Raymond Enners, who attended the United States Military Academy, class of 1967, and served in the U.S. Army during the...
  
   is presented by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association
  United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association
  The United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association is an association of institutions with varsity college lacrosse programs in all three NCAA divisions, founded in 1885.-Awards:...
  
   to the NCAA National Player of the Year in men's lacrosse.
• The Lt. Ray Enners Award
  Lt. Ray Enners Award
  The Lt. Ray Enners Award is an annual award given to the outstanding high school lacrosse player in Suffolk County, New York. It is presented by the Suffolk County Boys Lacrosse Coaches Association to the player who best exemplifies courage, teamwork, skill and leadership...
  
  is given by the Suffolk County Coaches Association to the top boys high school player in Suffolk County, Long Island each year.
• The Lt. Enners-Chris Pettit Award is given to the Army Offensive MVP each season