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. Regardless of if this is the case, it is . 17 January 1991 -, I had heard that we received the combat action ribbon for operation frequent wind. Editorial note: On Jan. 26, 1973, a terminal date of Mar. B. Those last two photos where aboard Hancock. [12] It is awarded to members of the Reserve Component (RC) of the Army (ARNG and USAR), for successful completion of annual training or ADT for a period not less than 10 consecutive duty days on foreign soil. ST. LOUIS MO 63132. The operation consisted of taking on fleeing refugees from South Vietnam on . No Servicemember may be issued both medals for service in Vietnam. Vietnam FREQUENT WIND - Evacuation. Total casualties were relatively light: two USMC Embassy Security Guards killed in an attack by ground fire, and two USMC CH-46 search and rescue helicopter aircrews presumed dead following a crash at sea. The bamboo grove represented the lawful, democratic state. 1. The 12-month accumulated sea duty requirement for the SSDR is waived for OEF (11 Sep 1 TBD) and OIF (19 Mar 2003 TBD) to qualify for the initial award of the ribbon only. For service in Operation Eagle Pull and Operation Frequent Wind Hancock & all ships and commands participating received the following awards; Operation Eagle Pull - 12 April 1975 Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Humanitarian Service Medal Meritorious Unit Commendation Operation Frequent Wind - 29 April to 30 April 1975 Operation Frequent Wind was the final phase in the evacuation of American civilians and "at-risk" Vietnamese from Saigon, South Vietnam prior to the takeover of the city by the North Vietnamese Army It was carried out on 29-30 April 1975, during the last days of the Vietnam War. This one guy did about seven or eight of em I guess he liked doing it but he shouldnt have because he banked this helo, and it went up and he hit the water and that thing went right on top of him. (Operation Frequent Wind) April 29, 1975 to April, 30 1975 Vietnam (including Thailand) July 1, 1958 to July 3, 1965 . Personnel eligible for the award of the Purple Heart are not necessarily qualified for the Combat Action Ribbon unless the wound was received while under enemy fire in one of the above scenarios. The Army Reserve and Army National Guard are the only reserve components which issue an overseas ribbon for training outside of the United States. Operation DESERT STORM. 1 The foreign territory upon which U.S. Armed Forces have actually landed, or are present, and specifically deployed for the direct support of the designated military operation. b. Historically, most Short Tour Service Ribbons were awarded for service in South Korea, by far the most common short tour assignment in the USAF. As gunners mate, Miller was in charge of the ships armory and was mount captain on one of the ships 3-inch, 50-caliber cannons. -No person will be entitled to more than one award of the V. Service Medal. It was a maddening process sending packets of information back and forth between the Navy and DOD. 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. (2) Any Servicemember on temporary duty (TDY) or temporary active duty to serve on boards, courts, commissions, and like organizations. The AFEM will be awarded only for operations for which no other U.S. campaign medal is approved. 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. April 30, 1975 marks the date of Operation Frequent Wind, one of the largest humanitarian rescues in naval history. People were sleeping on the main deck and everything. More than 40 years after U.S. Navy veteran James Miller helped evacuate civilian and military refugees from Da Nang and Saigon during the Vietnam War, the Indio resident will finally receive five. The Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) was awarded to all members of the U.S. Armed Forces who served in Vietnam and its contiguous waters or airspace, after 3 July 1965 through 28 March 1973. 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.. Additionally, we hold the records of Chemical Warfare Services that may be of interest. In April 1975, Okinawa participated in Operation Eagle Pull, the evacuation of Phnom Penh, Cambodia and Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of Saigon, Vietnam. (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. More than 7,000 people were evacuated from various points in Saigon, and the airlift left a number of enduring images. NOTE: The following criteria were applicable to granting an Award for Valor: - Sustained superior performance while under threat of physical attack or harassment; or. thank you for your efforts. On that final day, USAF aircraft flew a total of 1,422 sorties over Saigon. The Vietnam Service Medal may be awarded posthumously. (a) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of the military department concerned shall, upon the application of an individual who is an eligible Vietnam evacuation veteran, award that individual the Vietnam Service Medal, notwithstanding any otherwise applicable requirements for the award of that medal. No member will be eligible for both the AFEM and a campaign medal awarded during a single tour in the Operation Frequent Wind, the final operation in Saigon, began on April 29, 1975. problem-solving sentence for resume. Thanks for posting. This fixed-wing evacuation was determined impossible when hostile artillery and rocket fire closed the air base at Tan Son Nhut. The NDSM may be awarded for both active and reserve service as defined below. 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. The crossbow is the ancient weapon of Vietnam. It was carried out on 29-30 April 1975, during the last days of the Vietnam War. Republic of VietnamService MedalDisplay Recognition. Operation Frequent Wind was the evacuation by helicopter of American civilians and 'at-risk' Vietnamese from Saigon, South Vietnam, on 29-30 April 1975 during the last days of the Vietnam War. Normally, the Short Tour Service Ribbon is awarded for a permanent duty assignment of at least 300 days within an 18-month time span; such assignments are generally served unaccompanied by family members, though a short tour assignment need not be unaccompanied. The Iraqi Surge campaign tour was 15 months. There are a total of 17 campaign stars authorized for the Vietnam Service Medal. Operation Frequent Wind was the final phase in the evacuation of American civilians and "at-risk" Vietnamese from Saigon, South Vietnam prior to the takeover of the city by the North Vietnamese Army (PAVN) in the Fall of Saigon. After 1 July 1958, the Joint Chiefs of Staff will designate U.S. military operations that qualify for the AFEM, and they will specify the degree of participation in designated operations warranting award of the medal. Long tour credit is awarded for completion of an overseas long tour (2 years) prescribed by Department of the Air Force Instructions, or to any member assigned to a United States or overseas location who is subsequently sent under temporary duty orders (to include combat tours) for 365 or more days within a 3-year time frame. AR 600822 5 March 2019 35. While returning to Japan from Saigon, his unit was diverted to recapture the USS Mayaguez that had been seized by the Cambodians. MARINES THAT WERE AWARDED THE ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL FOR PARTICIPATING IN OPERATION FREQUENT WIND FROM 29-30 APRIL 1975 ARE NOW ENTITLED TO EXCHANGE IT FOR THE VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL PER SECTION 542 IN PUBLIC LAW 107-314. (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. Please complete and MAIL the APPLICATION FORM. Chambers, ordered the crew to drop UH-1 Huey helicopters worth about $10 million overboard to clear the deck. In such instances, the AFEM will be deleted from the list of authorized medals in personnel records. Hancock was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation and received four battle stars on the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal for service in World War II. Operation FREQUENT WIND was the first major operation We located a number of references to photographs and documents primarily held by our colleagues at the National Archives at . The Vietnam Service Medal may be awarded posthumously. Operation Frequent Wind is still considered the largest evacuation ever conducted by the US military. http://www.genealogy.com/forum/general/topics/vietnamwar/824/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_Service_Medal, Operation Frequent Wind Summary of the Evacuation 1262. are forwarded for information and use in determining eligibility for unit awards, campaign and service medals. In the exergue, the words REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM SERVICE are shown in three lines. To qualify for award of the VSM an individual must meet one of the following qualifications: (1) Be attached to or regularly serve for 1 or more days with an organization participating in or directly supporting military operations. This effort consisted of: 444 USAF/USMC helicopter sorties; 204 TACAIR sorties; 24 AH-1J (Cobra) combat escort sorties; 8 AC-130 gunship sorties; 5 EC-130 (ABCCC) sorties; 44 KC-135 tanker sorties; and 2 HC-130 search and rescue support sorties. 2. (This does not include ALL personnel who served in Thailand, Laos or Cambodia during the Vietnam War.). Well, what had happened I got out in 75 and Congress didnt approve a lot of these ribbons until the late 70s, early 80s.. Do they qualify for Combat Action? Personnel assigned to areas subjected to sustained mortar, missile, and artillery attacks who actively participate in retaliatory or offensive actions are eligible. No person will be entitled to both awards for Vietnam service. In the center of a bronze medallion one and a quarter inches in diameter, a crossbow over which is superimposed a flaming torch. The Air and Space Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon[9] is issued for completion of a standard overseas service assignment of two years or more in length with additional awards denoted by oak leaf clusters. To the amazement of Captain Lawrence . The Vietnam Service Medal is worn after the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and before the Southwest Asia Service Medal. [10], The Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon[11] (ARCOTR) was established by the United States Secretary of the Army (SECARMY) on 11 July 1984 as announced in DAGO 199015. One days service is credited for the first sortie flown on any day. On Sunday, Miller will receive theVietnam Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Meritorious Unit and Navy Meritorious Service Medal. Notwithstanding section 3 of the Executive Order No. He was a man burdened with a deep sense of loss. The bronze arrowhead is authorized for members of the 173rd Airborne Brigade who actually participated in a landing in the vicinity of Katum, RVN, between the hours of 0900-0907 on February 22, 1967. 1, [Sec. Upon application, any such member may be awarded the Vietnam Service Medal in lieu of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, but no person may be awarded both medals by reason of service in Vietnam and no person shall be entitled to more than one award of the Vietnam Service Medal. From 7 October 1987 to 7 April 1988, Okinawa was deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of mine sweeping operations and MAGTF 1-88. A. "You would think if a guy served, just give him his medals, right? everybodys screaming and the props hit and this prop went about six feet off the deck didnt hit anybody. The ribbon is awarded to any member of the Navy or Marine Corps who completes one year of consecutive or cumulative duty at a permanent overseas duty station. It was carried out on 29-30 April 1975, during the last days of the Vietnam War. MILITARY PERSONNEL RECORDS I knew that we had also received the PUC, MUC and the AFEM. Example Display Recognition:Actual Size: 8 1/2 x 11Displayed: Army.All Five Service Branches, Air Force, Army, Coast Guard,Marine and Navy are Applicable. That would have to be corrected before he'd beeligible to receive his medals. 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 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 operation ended at 0900 on April 30, and by noon that day, Communist flags waved over Saigon's Presidential Palace. In 1992 a medal was affixed to the ribbon. Civilian service must have been on land, sea, or airspace of Vietnam from 1959-1975. The Combat Action Ribbon will not be awarded to personnel for aerial combat since the Strike/Flight Air Medal provides recognition for aerial combat exposure; however, a pilot or crewmember forced to escape or evade after being forced down could be eligible for the award. Separately, all USMC and selected land-based USN personnel who participated in Operation Frequent Wind are additionally authorized the Vietnam Civil Actions Medal. 9700 PAGE AVENUE 2. (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. The Army Overseas Service Ribbon was first issued in August 1981. North Vietnamese invasion forces began their final attack on April 29, which triggered an evacuation of Americans and South Vietnamese civilians and military officials. Worth about $ 10 million overboard to clear the deck served in Thailand, Laos or Cambodia during Vietnam! 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