Criteria The Bronze Star Medal may be awarded to individuals who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forces of the United States in a combat theater, distinguish themselves by heroism, outstanding ac... The Bronze Star Medal may be awarded to individuals who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forces of the United States in a combat theater, distinguish themselves by heroism, outstanding achievement, or by meritorious service not involving aerial flight. MoreHide
Criteria The Purple Heart may be awarded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the Armed Forces, has been wounded, kill... The Purple Heart may be awarded to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with one of the Armed Forces, has been wounded, killed, or who has died or may die of wounds received in armed combat or as a result of an act of international terrorism. MoreHide
Comments
Source derived from Coffelt Database.
ENGAGEMENT IN IA DRANG RIVER VALLEY, 15 KM SOUTH OF DUC CO AIRFIELD.
Criteria Awarded to any current New York State citizen or person who was a New York State citizen while serving on federal active duty; whose entire service was honorable subsequent to the time of receipt of t... Awarded to any current New York State citizen or person who was a New York State citizen while serving on federal active duty; whose entire service was honorable subsequent to the time of receipt of the citation while serving in the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard or in the Army female nurse corps, and who has received a personal decoration issued by a brigade or equivalent higher headquarters. MoreHide
Criteria The Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross Colors) was authorized to be worn by units individually cited for service in military operations in support of the government of Sout... The Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross Colors) was authorized to be worn by units individually cited for service in military operations in support of the government of South Vietnam. The actions cited are for the same services that would have resulted in the award of a Valorous Unit Citation by the Army or a Navy Unit Citation. MoreHide
Description
Jan 66-1 Aug 67, DAGO 48, 71; Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1966-1967
20 Jul 65-28 Mar 73, DAGO 8, 74; Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1965-1973 (USARV & Subordinate Units)
Description At 10:30 on 24 June the 1/35th Infantry's reconnaissance platoon came under fire near the Cambodian border, the platoon called in air and artillery support which forced the PAVN to withdraw. As the AmAt 10:30 on 24 June the 1/35th Infantry's reconnaissance platoon came under fire near the Cambodian border, the platoon called in air and artillery support which forced the PAVN to withdraw. As the Americans advanced they ran into well-entrenched PAVN positions and despite reinforcement by a further two companies and an armored cavalry troop the Americans were unable to penetrate the PAVN positions by nightfall when the PAVN slipped across the border.
There was a serious battle fought along the Cambodian border About 800 meters inside Vietnam and 300 meters north of the Ia Drang River on June 24, 1966. Recon platoon, operating independently, spotted two or more NVA strolling along a wood line at the far side of a large grassy field. As the 4.2-inch mortar FO, I called in a series of high explosive salvos which stirred up a great deal of activity among the many NVA hidden within the woods. Recon was ordered to circumvent the grassy field to the west and reconnoiter the impact area. Before Recon reached the area they became engaged with several NVA catching 1st Squad led by Sgt. Warren Knepper in the open and, in a deadly crossfire of automatic weapons fire which resulted in the loss (KIA) of Sgt Knepper and his entire squad, ten men in all.
The remaining two squads, not abandoning the 1st squad whose fate was at that time unknown, engaged the attackers in an attempt to recover as many of the first squad as might become possible. The NVA position became rapidly reinforced by enemy troops and Recon became aware that they were greatly outnumbered. A fourth squad that had been dispatched earlier that morning on an ambush mission to the Northwest was recalled to reinforce the nearly overwhelmed two squads of recon engaged with the enemy. Between myself and the FAC pilot who was on station above in his light fixed-wing propeller-driven plane, extraordinary artillery fires were placed to our front which relieved the pressure from the still massing enemy troops which, by now were accumulating into a force of several companies. The returning squad of Recon reported enemy troops to our rear along with snipers in our rear but managed to join the rest of recon platoon which bolstered our number to about 24 or 25.
Now cut off from retreat and coming to the realization that the 1st squad was dead and nothing more could be done to save or retrieve them. It was now just a bloody battle to survive until ammunition ran out and take as many NVA with us until it did. As the pressure mounted from our front and left flank several Huey “Hog” gunships arrived and after attacking the enemy positions as best they could, the pressure was once again taken off somewhat. Meanwhile, a platoon of the 3/4 Armored Cavalry was dispatched to relieve the beleaguered Recon platoon. They, too, encountered a large force of NVA and were ordered back under protest after suffering casualties and depletion of ammunition.
The young Infantry Lieutenant who led that platoon wanted to keep fighting. In his career, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and commanded the 75th Ranger Battalion, two Infantry Battalions in Germany and taught at the Army War College. To his dying day, he asserted that Recon had been put unnecessarily into a bad position on June 24 and that he could have made it to us. Meanwhile, back at Recon, there were more and more automatic weapons joining the enemy positions. Together with the FAC plane, I asked for and received an airstrike by A1E propeller-driven fighter bombers who dropped their ordnance lethally close to Recon but, being aware of the air attack we kept our heads down. Again, the enemy seemed to lighten up for a while. For the next hour or so every time the NVA would fortify their positions and pore deadly automatic weapons fire we called in an airstrike from Navy F-4s to whatever the Air Force was flying that day. There might even have been a flight of Marine jets coming in hot strafing and dropping napalm danger close. Two platoons of A company 1/35 were choppered into a nearby LZ and fought their way to Recon’s position and were pinned down by the same fire Recon was pinned down on.
A Company commander Captain Hal Mann was wounded almost immediately on arrival and ended up a paraplegic for life. Nearly all of the Recon personnel had been wounded either slightly or seriously by the time A Company arrived. A Company brought much-needed ammunition and water. We had already run out of the water and were on the verge of running out of ammunition. We continued to fight for several hours after A company’s two platoons arrived amid continuing artillery, mortar fire, and airstrikes until we withdrew under the cover of massed artillery fires, running and carrying our wounded in ponchos. This battle was fought by several elements of the 35th Infantry’s 1st Battalion as well as elements of the 3/4 Cav and has never gotten the attention it deserves. The only mention I have ever seen of this desperate and gallant fight was in the book “Battles in the Monsoon” where the author says something like “ and intense fighting broke out along the Cambodian border in late June 1966” He does not even bother to mention the units involved or any of the actions taken. ... More
Description This campaign was from 25 December 1965 to 30 June 1966. United States operations after 1 July 1966 were a continuation of the earlier counteroffensive campaign. Recognizing the interdependence of polThis campaign was from 25 December 1965 to 30 June 1966. United States operations after 1 July 1966 were a continuation of the earlier counteroffensive campaign. Recognizing the interdependence of political, economic, sociological, and military factors, the Joint Chiefs of Staff declared that American military objectives should be to cause North Vietnam to cease its control and support of the insurgency in South Vietnam and Laos, to assist South Vietnam in defeating Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces in South Vietnam, and to assist South Vietnam in pacification extending governmental control over its territory.
North Vietnam continued to build its own forces inside South Vietnam. At first this was done by continued infiltration by sea and along the Ho Chi Minh trail and then, in early 1966, through the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). U.S. air elements received permission to conduct reconnaissance bombing raids, and tactical air strikes into North Vietnam just north of the DMZ, but ground forces were denied authority to conduct reconnaissance patrols in the northern portion of the DMZ and inside North Vietnam. Confined to South Vietnamese territory U.S. ground forces fought a war of attrition against the enemy, relying for a time on body counts as one standard indicator for measuring successful progress for winning the war.
During 1966 there were eighteen major operations, the most successful of these being Operation WHITE WING (MASHER). During this operation, the 1st Cavalry Division, Korean units, and ARVN forces cleared the northern half of Binh Dinh Province on the central coast. In the process they decimated a division, later designated the North Vietnamese 3d Division. The U.S. 3d Marine Division was moved into the area of the two northern provinces and in concert with South Vietnamese Army and other Marine Corps units, conducted Operation HASTINGS against enemy infiltrators across the DMZ.
The largest sweep of 1966 took place northwest of Saigon in Operation ATTLEBORO, involving 22,000 American and South Vietnamese troops pitted against the VC 9th Division and a NVA regiment. The Allies defeated the enemy and, in what became a frequent occurrence, forced him back to his havens in Cambodia or Laos.
By 31 December 1966, U.S. military personnel in South Vietnam numbered 385,300. Enemy forces also increased substantially, so that for the same period, total enemy strength was in excess of 282,000 in addition to an estimated 80,000 political cadres. By 30 June 1967, total U.S. forces in SVN had risen to 448,800, but enemy strength had increased as well.
On 8 January U.S. and South Vietnamese troops launched separate drives against two major VC strongholds in South Vietnam-in the so-called "Iron Triangle" about 25 miles northwest of Saigon. For years this area had been under development as a VC logistics base and headquarters to control enemy activity in and around Saigon. The Allies captured huge caches of rice and other foodstuffs, destroyed a mammoth system of tunnels, and seized documents of considerable intelligence value.
In February, the same U.S. forces that had cleared the "Iron Triangle", were committed with other units in the largest allied operation of the war to date, JUNCTION CITY. Over 22 U.S. and four ARVN battalions engaged the enemy, killing 2,728. After clearing this area, the Allies constructed three airfields; erected a bridge and fortified two camps in which CIDG garrisons remained as the other allied forces withdrew.... More
Criteria The National Defense Service Medal is awarded for honorable active service as a member of the Armed Forces during the Korean War, Vietnam War, the war against Iraq in the Persian Gulf, and for service... The National Defense Service Medal is awarded for honorable active service as a member of the Armed Forces during the Korean War, Vietnam War, the war against Iraq in the Persian Gulf, and for service during the current War on Terrorism. In addition, all members of the National Guard and Reserve who were part of the Selected Reserve in good standing between August 2, 1990, to November 30, 1995, are eligible for the National Defense Service Medal. In the case of Navy personnel, Midshipment attending the Naval Academy during the qualifying periods are eligible for this award, and Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) Midshipmen ae only eligible if they participated in a summer cruise that was in an area which qualified for a campaign medal. MoreHide
Criteria The Vietnam Service Medal was awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who served at any time between July 4, 1965, and March 28, 1973, in Vietnam or its contiguous waters or airspa... The Vietnam Service Medal was awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who served at any time between July 4, 1965, and March 28, 1973, in Vietnam or its contiguous waters or airspace; or, for any period of service during the same time period in Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia or the air spaces thereover and in direct support of operations in Vietnam. MoreHide
Criteria This medal is awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who: 1. Served for 6 months in South Vietnam during the period 1 Mar 61 and 28 Mar 73; or 2. Served outside the geographical l... This medal is awarded to members of the Armed Forces of the United States who: 1. Served for 6 months in South Vietnam during the period 1 Mar 61 and 28 Mar 73; or 2. Served outside the geographical limits of South Vietnam and contributed direct combat support to the RVN Armed Forces for an aggregate of six months. Only members of the Armed Forces of the United States who meet the criteria established for the AFEM (Vietnam) or Vietnam Service Medal during the period of service required are considered to have contributed direct combat support to the RVN Armed Forces; or 3. Did not complete the length of service required in item (1) or (2) above, but who, during wartime, were: a. Wounded by the enemy (in a military action); b. Captured by the enemy during action or in the line of duty, but later rescued or released; or c. Killed in action or in the line of duty; or 4. Were assigned in Vietnam on 28 Jan 73, and who served a minimum of 60 calendar days in Vietnam during the period 29 Jan 73 to 28 Mar 73. MoreHide