24 October 1983 - 2 November 1983. We hereby congratulate you on the receipt of your unit awards and other medals and ribbons you so richly deserve. Upon request (unit personnel officer) any such individual may be awarded the VSM instead of the AFEM. <> HM = Humanitarian Service Medal. We had the pilots take the helos, and theyd put it into a bank and then jump out and the helo would crash in the water and then our boats would go pick em up.. You can rest assured that you have a lot of brothers and sisters in this association who recognize and respect your contributions and thank you for a job well done! The deteriorating situation at the Defense Attach location required the Embassy to become a major site. 17) Vietnam Ceasefire Campaign 30 March 1972 28 January 1973 Note: (5) Named Campaigns are denoted by a 3/16 silver service star. Be sure to include your full name, a mailing address, phone numbers, your service number and your social security number in your letter in the event it gets separated from your Form 180 and Form DD214. It wasnt until about five years ago when Miller started putting together a memorabilia collection for his dad that included his World War II ribbons that Miller began wondering about his own service decorations. The decoration is awarded to officers and men for service aboard merchant vessels flying the American flag in Vietnam waters between July 4, 1965 and August 15, 1973. *Vietnam Evacuation (Operation Frequent Wind) 29 to 30 April 1975: Decommissioned, 5 October 2002 Laid up at the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, Pearl Harbor Vietnam and contiguous waters, as used herein, is defined as an area which includes Vietnam and the water adjacent thereto within the following specified limits: from a point on the East Coast of Vietnam at the juncture of Vietnam with China southeastward to 21 degrees north latitude, 108 degrees, 15 minutes longitude; then southward to 18 degrees, north latitude, 108 degrees, 15 minutes east longitude; then southeastward to 17 degrees, 30 minutes north latitude, 111 degrees east longitude; then southward to 11 degrees north latitude, 111 degrees east longitude; then southwestward to 7 degrees north latitude, 105 degrees east longitude; then westward to 7 degrees north latitude, 103 degrees east longitude; then northward to 9 degrees, 30 minutes north latitude, 103 degrees east longitude; then northeastward to 10 degrees, 15 minutes north latitude, 104 degrees, 27 minutes east longitude; then northward to a point on the West Coast of Vietnam at the juncture of Vietnam with Cambodia. The MRFA does not endorse any particular supplier. Servicemembers must be bona fide members of a unit participating in or be engaged in the direct support of the operation for 30 consecutive days in the area of operations (or for the full period when an operation is less than 30 days duration) or for 60 nonconsecutive days provided this support involved entering the area of operations or and meets one or more of the following criteria: (1) Be engaged in actual combat, or duty, which is equally as hazardous as combat duty, during the operation with armed opposition, regardless of time in the area. SECNAVINST 1650.1F, Dated 8 August 1991. The Medal of Freedom for meritorious achievements or meritorious service to the United States on or after December 7, 1941, in the war against an enemy outside the continental limits of the United States. Operation FREQUENT WIND (Evacuation of Saigon), 29 and 30 April 1975, (Note: Other Operations do not pertain to the Vietnam Era), Common questions about the number of campaign stars for the Vietnam Service Medal: I seemed to have gotten myself very confused reading everything new regarding the new rules for Blue Water Veterans claim. (3) U.S. operations of assistance for friendly foreign nations. 9=(;sH3rbv\rfU ,E;^ Your loved ones and friends will appreciate your efforts in a new found way. From Albert's Peach Cobbler to an Irish Chicken Dinner, we have them all! Upon submission of evidence to their commanding officer, personnel who earned the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) or Combat Medical Badge (CMB) while a member of the US Army may be authorized to wear the CAR. We welcome content contributions! (No ships qualified), Operation FREQUENT WIND. The Military Departments. Personnel in clandestine or special operations such as reconnaissance and SEAL teams are eligible when the risk of enemy fire was great and was expected to be encountered. 2) Click on Unit Awards in the tool menu (1) Participate, or have participated, as members of the U.S. military units in a U.S. military operation in which Servicemembers of any military department participate, in the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, in significant numbers. Command Chronologies Reports Index This series of records was created between April 1962 and June 1987, it contains documents that describe events that occurred as early as April 1952. . We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. POWs will not be accorded credit for the time. I had like five ribbons, and I go, Man, Ive only got one, hes got five. So I thought, I know I earned more I found this website, Navy.mil and you put in what unit you were in, what ship you were on it tells you, if you were on (the ship) these dates, they owe you these ribbons.' Commissioned 15 April 1944. 0 4. All personnel who participated in Operation Frequent Wind (the. With his revised DD-214 in hand, he was able to finally, formally join the local Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter, something he had tried to do years ago. Personnel aboard a ship are eligible when the safety of the ship and the crew were endangered by enemy attack, such as a ship hit by a mine or a ship engaged by shore, surface, air or subsurface elements. There is also a Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60s Deviceissued by the former South Vietnamese government. It is also possible for the veteran to apply at the same time for copies of medals and ribbons which are listed on his form DD214N. !I4H:g,-?;c$mXm_,3=|ZO9=:r 6bVNGp\ O'n7TS2HqCN3fu$dJJ~YoHQ! Elbert, CO 80106, Colonel William B. Davis, USMC (Retired) Bio, View by Tank Companies & Ontos Battalions, Randy Browning Memorial Awarded the Navy Cross, Authorization for wear: E.O. Personnel in clandestine or special operations such as reconnaissance and SEAL teams are eligible when the risk of enemy fire was great and was expected to be encountered. The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) is a military award of the United States military, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy. This award may also be conferred upon units of Armed Forces of friendly foreign nations serving with the Armed Forces of the United States for outstanding performance in action, provided that such units shall meet the standards established for the Armed Forces of the United States. OPERATION FREQUENT WIND, 29-30 APRIL 1975, WILL BE REFLECTED AS THE 18TH CAMPAIGN UNDER THE VIETNAM CAMPAIGN. Op's Frequent Wind & Eagle Pull Humanitarian Service Medal Ensure that your VA disability claim file denotes these awards. (4) Serve on TDY for 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days in Vietnam or contiguous areas, except that time limit may be waived for personnel participating in actual combat operations. Here are the items we suggest you include in your request: 1. Operation Frequent Wind The Palm denotes a unit award. Naval Special Warfare Group, Vietnam (3) Any Servicemember on active duty for the sole purpose of undergoing a physical examination. Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) - AUTHORIZED OPERATIONS The table below lists designated U.S. military operations that have been approved for award of the AFEM. Strike Assault Boats (STABS) I remember I was in the armory that night and they called us to general quarters and they also called the flight crew. 4) Type in the first 4 characters of your Ship/Unit Forces Vietnam and all subordinate units. 2 Per reference (b) above, paragraph 14 (Page 2-20) of said reference states: (1). -Servicemembers who earned the AFEM for Operation FREQUENT WIND between 29 and 30 April 1975, may elect to receive the VSM instead of the AFEM. Upon application, any such member may be awarded the VSM in lieu of the AFEM for such service. I knew that we had also received the PUC, MUC and the AFEM. Operation Frequent Wind and Vietnam Service Medal All personnel who participated in Operation Frequent Wind (the evacuation of Saigon) are now automatically authorized the Vietnam Service Medal and Vietnam Cross of Gallantry. A couple of words of caution: The Navy wears all unit ribbons on the left breast in a main ribbon cluster. Strike Assault Boat (STAB) Vietnam Vet receives medals 35 years after service, Combat Action Ribbon-Operation Frequent Wind, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with one Bronze star- Operations Eagle Pull and Frequent Wind, Vietnam Service Medal with one Bronze star- Operation Frequent Wind, Humanitarian Service Medal with one Bronze star- Operations Frequent Wind and New Arrival, 1 man hospitalized after shooting in Clifton, per CPD. Box 27, Tomball, TX 77375, (281) 255-2161 ;D"I" P>t@'d;E`"&)Lc&m?MG!W f9A@3-7oj~D3'G[x{dX *!lY/S@66+3< Afl8Tb=wP u rz\c4wMjQOBT7xb[6J7l'!)rVT%iXUBW^H~QywM Due to the delayed timing of the order, the capability for rapid response to such an order was imperative. FAIRFIELD, OH (FOX19) - Kenneth Ford of Fairfield served in the United States Marine Corps for 3 years in the 1970s, deployed to both Vietnam and Cambodia. 104 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<49CD2B7C29C7524A8FCC1BE38599EB2A><2FA13E92B31F054A98CFBE5AB6B263FE>]/Index[97 16]/Info 96 0 R/Length 56/Prev 894540/Root 98 0 R/Size 113/Type/XRef/W[1 2 1]>>stream HMM-263 lost a great Marine Bert McCauley. Special Warfare Craft (SWCL) N. OPERATION FREQUENT WIND (29 APR 75 - 30 APR 75) O. MAYAQUEZ OPERATION (15 MAY 75) EM D. IRAN/INDIAN OCEAN (21 NOV 79 - 20 OCT 81) F. LIBYA (20 JAN 86 - 27 JUN 86 Also, sometimes the devices to be attached to the ribbons or medals are thrown loosely into your package. Box 605, Springfield, VA 22150, (703) 569-6663 sCbE@DK%Dx `3C-vAl' wIG;KkUAP~P'j_ZZu$=./K%ZK A._%}~__.1_UZW]Wuk/UWZ?_TuBu j0A:,vbfVop(28`( c}f!WT'UA`(jIR5* See the unit awards below for links to pages which contain text for the citations. We dont have lists of specific units for theRepublic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation, Civil Actions Medal, First Class Color, with Palm. Vietnam (Evacuation Operation Frequent Wind) [lower-alpha 2] 29 April 1975 30 April 1975 Mayagez Operation 15 May 1975 Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury) 23 October 1983 Cadets of the U.S. Military Academy are eligible for the NDSM, during any of the inclusive periods listed above, upon completion of the swearing-in ceremonies as a cadet. (b) ELIGIBLE VIETNAM EVACUATION VETERAN- For purposes of this section, the term `eligible Vietnam evacuation veteran' means a member or former member of the Armed Forces who was awarded the Armed . Any such award shall be made in lieu of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal awarded the individual for participation in Operation Frequent Wind. Only one appurtenance will be worn on each badge. With the imminent loss of Saigon, the Navy prepared ships for the final evacuation of. (c). PUC = Presidential Unit Citation (2) With Gold Star To a unit which is cited before a Corps. It was presented to employees of the U.S. State Department, USAID and USIA assigned to diplomatic and consular facilities in Vietnam, or other civilian service in the airspace or territorial waters of Vietnam, greater than a year. 12 OClock High Inc., 265 N.E. "You would think if a guy served, just give him his medals, right? Miller recalled the beginning of what was known as"Operation Frequent Wind. A 3/16 inch bronze star is authorized for wear on the suspension ribbon and ribbon bar of the VSM for each of the following campaigns:, 1) Vietnam Advisory Campaign 15 March 1962 7 March 1965 Awarded For Service During the Operation Period. Operation Frequent Wind - A South Vietnamese helicopter pilot and his family, safely aboard the USS Hancock, are escorted by a Marine Security Guard to the refugee area during an evacuation, Saigon, Viet Nam, April 29, 1975. Box 3133, Naples, FL 33939, (941) 775-2100 Meritorious Unit Citation (MUC) Ribbon Synopsis: Awarded by the Secretary of the Navy to any unit of the Navy or Marine Corps which has distinguished itself, under combat or non-combat conditions, by either valorous or meritorious achievement which renders the unit outstanding compared to other units performing similar service, but not sufficient to justify the award of the Navy Unit Commendation. Members of this unit, who were assigned during either of these two periods, are eligible for only one award. Click on unit logos above for eligibility. After more than four years of trying to acquire the medals on his own through the U.S. Navy and the Department of Defense, Miller turned to Congressman Raul Ruizs office for help. Notwithstanding these limitations, any member of the USCG or the USAR or ARNG Forces of the Armed Forces who, between 1 January 1961 and 14 August 1974, became eligible for award of either the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal or the Vietnam Service Medal; To signify receipt of a second or subsequent award of the NDSM, a bronze service star will be worn on the Service ribbon by U.S. Army personnel so qualified. Surface Effect Craft (AGEH, LCAC, PCH, PGH, SES) To justify this award, the service performed as a unit must be of a character comparable to that which would merit the award of the Bronze Star Medal, or achievement of like caliber in a non-combat situation, to an individual. %PDF-1.6 % The evacuation of 7,806 US citizens and foreign nationals from these two places by the US Air Force and Marine Corps helicopters was supported by a major air effort by the Air Force and Navy. Personnel in Riverine and coastal operations, assaults, patrols, sweeps, ambushes, convoys, amphibious landings, and similar activities who have participated in fire fights are eligible. Personnel assigned to areas subjected to sustained mortar, missile, and artillery attacks actively participate in retaliatory or offensive actions are eligible. Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Lebanon, Dominican Republic, Panama, Haiti, Somalia, Bosnia, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, Copyright 1997-2021 - USMC Combat Helicopter & Tiltrotor Association, USMC Combat Helicopter & Tiltrotor Association. In general, the process is fairly straight forward, although sometimes lengthy. Click most pictures to enlarge. The carrier was destined for the Pacific Fleet. Theyve got all the flight crew lined up in the back like theyre going to stop these guys who had machine guns., We had a lot of TV stations on the ship we found out they were South Vietnamese fleeing the country, and then for the next, at least two days, maybe three, it was unbelievable. Notes pertinent to the display of certain medals and ribbons, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, Searching for Your Personal Navy Unit Awards, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60s Device, Mobile Riverine Force Navy Unit Awards List, Sources for Purchasing Medals and Ribbons. (No ships qualified), COMNAVSPECWAR Task Unit Tango - 22 Sep 1987, USS SAMUEL B. ROBERTS (FFG 58) - 14 Apr 1988, USS ELMER MONTGOMERY (FF 1082) AND USS VINCENNES (CG 49) -3 Jul 1988. Awarded for active participation in ground or air combat during specifically listed military operations. Operations. Click on the units you served with to see eligibility for U.S. issued unit action awards It will be important in this letter to reconstruct your time in country. Awarded to members of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard in the grade of captain/colonel and junior thereto, who have actively participated in ground or surface combat. The principal eligibility criterion is that the individual must have participated in a bona fide ground or surface combat fire fight or action during which he or she was under enemy fire AND his/her performance while under fire was satisfactory. 14) Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase VII 1 July 1970 30 June 1971 Subsequent awards will be indicated by the use of a Gold Star on the ribbon: Southeast Asia (Vietnam) From 1 March 1961 to 15 August 1973. Merchant Marine Vietnam Service Medal, Defense 8 March 1965 to 24 December 1965, Counteroffensive 25 December 1965 to 30 June 1966, Counteroffensive-Phase II 1 July 1966 to 31 May 1967, Counteroffensive-Phase III 1 June 1967 to 29 January 1968, Tet Counteroffensive 30 January 1968 to 1 April 1968, Counteroffensive- Phase IV 2 April 1968 to 30 June 1968, Counteroffensive Phase V 1 July 1968 to 1 November 1968, Counteroffensive Phase VI 2 November 1968 to 22 February 1969, Tet 69/Counteroffensive 23 February 1969 to 8 June 1969, Summer-Fall 1969 9 June 1969 to 31 October 1969, Winter-Spring 1970 1 November 1969 to 30 April 1970, Sanctuary Counteroffensive 1 May 1970 to 30 June 1970, Counteroffensive Phase VII 1 July 1970 to 30 June 1971, Consolidation I 1 July 1971 to 30 November 1971, Consolidation II 1 December 1971 to 29 March 1972, Cease-Fire 30 March 1972 to 28 January 1973, Operation Frequent Wind 29 April to 30 April 1975 (USN, USMC, and USAF ONLY). (3) With Silver Star To a unit which is cited before a Division. When the last helicopter touched down on the deck of the USS Okinawa at 0825 on the morning of 30 April, the U.S. Marine Corps' involvement . (2) Is wounded or injured and requires medical evacuation from the AOE while participating in the operation, regardless of time. Commander, U.S. xY7 ;c]N` Yv}h[-AbD0Ra ib#HF Miller's biggest problem wasthat his DD-214 -- a document known as aCertificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty issued by the U.S. Department of Defense -- did not include his overseas service. Wed make the pilots ditch the helos. 112 0 obj <>stream Mike obtained sworn statements from others in his unit, and with the help of Speaker of the House John Boehner's Office, he was able to receive VA benefits and treatment. The RVN Gallantry Cross was awarded by the Vietnamese Government for valorous combat achievement in four degrees, as follows: (1) With Palm To a unit which is cited before the Armed Forces. OR go toTHIS website and do the same: To download this file to you hard drive: Open the file and click on FILE and then SAVE AS in your Browser toolbar. The mass of humanity flooding the decks made it impossible to land more than one helicopter at a time, and as they landed and were offloaded, they had to push the choppers over the side. Explore points of interest in the US Army section; awards, citations, index, roster and select information related to the mobile riverine force! They said that they could run the country from that ship with the technology they had, Miller said. To read a description of each Named Campaign visit THIS website. We merely provide this information for your convenience. Several aircrew members that I knew wore both awards 20 December 1989 - 31 January 1990. By the middle of May 1975, Guam harbored more than 50,000 Southeast Asian evacuees. Explore artwork by members, and read historical articles and books. f!v/R _Ij_AvHnEA=PR0Vv=)=$DM^/_{P. ACDDav~o^]{OO1l;:M&xA jBW~^=?NO0OO_z_Vt?'_OL ^~S}{"4J_:?A}z"_o7{W_#'oUVE_[tEWp*/VKv~}KuLIK~uM?nBA mtm+]~j miX[][WI}. Nobody was armed on the ship, so I grabbed a .45., Miller ran up to the deck where a helicopter had landed on the fantail and I knew they were Vietnamese, but I didnt know if they were north or south. Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation, Civil Actions Medal, First Class Color, Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation, Cross of Gallantry Medal Color, with Palm. When I checked the link above regarding the AFEM I noticed that it was also awarded for operation Eagle Pull. Eligible Units. If you served at least 1 day in any period it warrants campaign. No medal is authorized for this citation. However, no Servicemember may be issued both medals for service in Vietnam. COSRON ONE The (2) RVN awards below are Ribbon Only awards The Medal is issued when citing an individual. We were in shallow water and they couldnt keep pushing these helos over because we had nowhere to store them. - An individual act of valor or exceptional performance at the risk of personal safety. uGOU PlR;IL#[_Nx:@ `An\ XuP||JbOR xif`N?fb`pB2 B c1'=9r^// K It was also discovered that Mike qualified for the following service medals: Mike received these medals at Saturday's "Support the Troops"rally at Jungle Jim's International Market. USS Midway (CVB/CVA/CV-41) is an aircraft carrier, formerly of the United States Navy, the lead ship of her class.Commissioned 8 days after the end of World War II, Midway was the largest ship in the world until 1955, as well as the first U.S. aircraft carrier too big to transit the Panama Canal.She operated for 47 years, during which time she saw action in the Vietnam War and served as the . VietnamEvacuation:OperationFREQUENTWIND DanielL. Presidential Unit Citation (PUC) Ribbon Synopsis: Awarded in the name of the President of the United States to any unit of the Navy or Marine Corps for outstanding performance in action. hbbd``b` $t$w ># ^71@ ' Operation Frequent Wind concluded more than two decades of U.S. involvement in Vietnam. SECNAV Instruction 1650.1H Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual, c. Pull it out of the slot to see what you have been awarded. "About two months ago, I decided Im going to go down to (Ruiz's)new office in Palm Desert and I went down and met with Elena Kim and I brought all that stuff and she said, Yeah, I think I can help you Ill type up a letter, have the Congressman sign it and within three weeks, she sent me an email and she had my DD-214 revised and I had five medals more. (3) Was an evadee or escapee in the combat zone or recovered from a POW status in the combat, zone during the time limitations of the campaign. Note: A Bronze Star, 3/16 inch in diameter, is authorized to be worn on the suspension ribbon and ribbon bar of the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) for each of the following campaigns. "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers, For he today that sheds his blood with me, shall be my brother." Members qualified for the AFEM by reason of service between 01Jul1958 and 03Jul1965 (inclusive) in an area for which the Vietnam Service medal (VSM) was subsequently authorized shall remain qualified for that medal. National Defense Service Medal . That would have to be corrected before he'd beeligible to receive his medals. She said, Do you need anything else? and I said 'Well, I got less response from the Navy than I did from the Department of Defense, so maybe you can get my medals, too,' so then about a week or two later, she said, We have your medals. . The vast majority of the documents in this series were created between 1965 and 1979. Personnel who qualified prior to 1 July 1992 while assigned to a Yard Patrol (YP) or Craft of Opportunity (COOP) Trainer craft are authorized to continue to wear the insignia. It may take 4-6 months for the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) personnel to respond to your request. Servicemembers who earned the AFEM for service in Vietnam between 1 July 1958 and 3 July 1965 may elect to receive the VSM instead of the AFEM. (No ships qualified), Grenada. The package you receive in a less than ceremonious way contains items which may be important for you to bring a little greater sense of closure to a chapter in your life for which you can be proud. (No ships qualified), Operation MAYAGUEZ. Authorization: SECNAV Notice 1650 of 17 July 1967. endobj Be sure you inspect the contents thoroughly before tossing your packing material. b. RVN Gallantry Cross Unit Citation takes precedence over the RVN Civil Actions Unit Citation and is beneath all United States unit citations, the Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, and Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation.