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. Awarded by the Secretary of the Navy to any unit the Navy or Marine Corps which has distinguished itself by outstanding heroism in action against the enemy, but not sufficient to justify the award of the Presidential Unit Citation; or to any such unit which has distinguished itself by extremely meritorious service not involving combat but in support of military operations, rendering the unit outstanding compared to other units performing similar service. The degree of heroism required is the same as that which would be required for award of the Navy Cross Medal to an individual. 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. Good morning everyone. In conjunction with this operation, Marine detachments from III MEF provided security of U.S. ships engaged in carrying Vietnamese refugees to Guam. The (2) RVN awards below are Ribbon Only awards The Medal is issued when citing an individual. Salinas resident Johnnie Johnson, 66, was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal that recognizes his time in the region, specifically during his time on the USS Coral Sea during Operation Frequent Wind in the 1975 evacuation of Saigon as a member of the United States Navy. When you are successful you will receive an upgraded Form DD215 to be attached to original Form DD214N. (2) Be attached to or regularly serve for 1 or more days aboard a U.S. naval vessel directly supporting military operations. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data. At the end of his career, he was manager of postal operations for the offices from Temecula to Calexico. Anything and everything that couldn't fit in any of the other categories! Chief of Naval Operations July 31, 1968 (Marine Corps Photo- Pfc. 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 . The Palm Desert Democratwill present those medals to Miller on Sunday during a Special Ceremony of Recognition before the start of the second day of theVeterans University event at California State Universitys Palm Desert campus. 20 December 1989 - 31 January 1990. 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. Southeast Asia, from 1 March 1961 to 15 August 1973 (5). M -4 Z;jT(c uIkj6H p@`C Also automatically authorized is the Humanitarian Service Medal. The 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade, a task force of the III MEF successfully extracted by helicopter more than 7,000 Americans and Vietnamese from Saigon, Vietnam, in Operation Frequent Wind. Eligible Units. Campaign and Service Awards.), Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross Medal Color, with Palm). In addition to those specific units listed, all Navy and Marine Corps personnel who served in-country Vietnam during the period 01 Jan 65 28 Mar 73 are eligible since the Republic of Vietnam Government awarded it to Commander, U.S. Operations. When finished click FILE on your web browser toolbar and then click PRINT. b?mP7B 0[Rx$nhN,D;Ne~, The Military Departments. 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. Please note, that the Department Defense determines who is entitled to receive a medal, and under what circumstances. MUC = Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation 3) Click on Query Unit Awards in the upper right hand corner H*2P t^.C0B&r&p1xc#|^@^. P *,Tqn;iVvhGGq[YEI1|Xj+#Q>4T 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 No medal is authorized for this citation. In those instances, however, where a single unit received duplicate Vietnamese unit awards during the same period only one will be recorded in official military personnel and historical records. We were in shallow water and they couldnt keep pushing these helos over because we had nowhere to store them. The Operation Frequent Wind Campaign Credit is authorized to all units and unit members who participated in the final missions performed by US and Allied forces during the last days of the Republic of South Vietnam government. By the middle of May 1975, Guam harbored more than 50,000 Southeast Asian evacuees. 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. The Navy Uniform Regulation states the following: c. The Combat Action Ribbon of the Navy and Marine Corps was instituted in 1969. The Vietnam Service Medal may be awarded posthumously. X"(h0 Be sure to print at least (2) documents so you will have one for your file. Patrol Boat (PB, PBM, PBR, PCF) "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. 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. HKo8|tNtVR`~At?!G~r^IgBfj=^?#WOU[w_MgGr]^a k'HL6e#`[ _G# SECNAVINST 1650.1H Click HERE Then go to Page 7-5. 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. spent in confinement or while otherwise in restraint under enemy control. Memorials and museums dedicated to the Mobile Riverine Force. At the beginning of 1975 the Khmer Republic, a United States-supported military government, controlled only the Phnom Penh area and a string of towns along the Mekong River that provided the crucial supply route for food and munitions coming upriver from South Vietnam. { 'Ar n~AlZ'^Q9|04b!p`]C>$h6om&V >{M aADwJC4m8p'o/ An award will not be made to a unit for actions of one or more of its component parts, unless such unit performed as a total team in a manner justifying the award. 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. This means it is up to the veteran to now apply for the awards he may not have previously received. Surface Effect Craft (AGEH, LCAC, PCH, PGH, SES) Any such award shall be made in lieu of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal awarded the individual for participation in Operation Frequent Wind. I was awarded the VSM as well. . 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. To justify this award, the unit mush have performed service 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. Humanitarian Service medal . It may take 4-6 months for the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) personnel to respond to your request. He also hopes his situation will bring attention to the factthat many other service members have encounteredsimilar difficultiesgetting the medals they've earned. 2) Vietnam Defense Campaign 8 March 24 December 1965 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. 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. The stem of the palm is to the wearers right., Click HERE for the above quote provided by the Naval Personnel Command (Under 5319. 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. %PDF-1.6 % SECNAVINST 1650.1F, Dated 8 August 1991. They said that they could run the country from that ship with the technology they had, Miller said. For each succeeding operation, conducted in a different theater of operations or against a different enemy or armed force, justifying a subsequent award, a bronze service star is worn on the suspension and service ribbon of the medal. Miller, 62, an Indio High School graduate who served in the Navy from October 1972 to September 1975, was a gunners mate aboard the USS Blue Ridge, a command and control ship that carried the Navy admiral and Marine general in charge of operations in the area. For operations in which personnel of only one military Service participate, the medal will be awarded only if there is no other suitable award available to that Service. !s+c'bbT @pZjSPn 0omCgK;az\6m o! 2 0 obj An individual whose eligibility has been established in combat in any of the following listed operations, is authorized the award of the CAR. We ended up going to Vietnam to evacuate Da Nang and then, the plan was to go to I think we went to Manila - to offload the general and the admiral, Miller said. 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 was under enemy fire and his performance while under fire was satisfactory. Click HERE for the above quote provided by the Marine Corps Uniform Regulations (Under 8. The palm for this award measures 9/16 inch in length with a 1/8 inch stem and four front leaves attached like a branch. Go To Top of Page Go To Issue Regulations for Other Medals and Badges 7th Motor Transport Battalion "Roughrider" convoy from Da Nang to An Hoa. Refugees arrive aboard USS Midway.29 April 1975. bdpopeye Mi Field Marshall MI.Net Member TAARB Joined Jul 12, 2006 9700 PAGE AVENUE Please contact our Webmaster, Mike Harris (mekong152@99w.us) If you are aware of any Navy unit awards for Vietnam that are not included on the lists, contact Mike with the information. Join us for our 2017 reunion by making a reservation today! An individual, whose eligibility has been established in combat in any of the following listed operations, is authorized the award of the Combat Action Ribbon. 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. 17 January 1991 -, I had heard that we received the combat action ribbon for operation frequent wind. stream 14) Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase VII 1 July 1970 30 June 1971 All personnel who participated in Operation Frequent Wind (the. sCbE@DK%Dx `3C-vAl' wIG;KkUAP~P'j_ZZu$=./K%ZK A._%}~__.1_UZW]Wuk/UWZ?_TuBu j0A:,vbfVop(28`( c}f!WT'UA`(jIR5* To justify citation, the unit must have clearly rendered itself conspicuous by action of a character comparable to that which would merit the award of a Navy Cross to an individual. Authorization of the CARmust be approved either by the USMC or USN Awards Branches. Awarded in the name of the President of the United States to units of the Armed Forces of the United States and co-belligerent nations for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy. [{J[ E[vWk m0_2Nx)e$=`@6L $DUf"#;# A(bm;[gO)eRD; 1kv6( r SbapK@R, Yh Z#$RT2#;5g3 W8v'Pav*`/=KFDJuZfC#P=%a& 2nd Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33444 (800) 821-7978 Fax (561) 265-7211 Paul, This is from MarAdmin 218/04 (Awards Update), 4. There are (18) Named Campaign Periods that denote the service stars. 2 Per reference (b) above, paragraph 14 (Page 2-20) of said reference states: (1). 16) Consolidation II 1 December 1971 29 March 1972 SECNAV Instruction 1650.1H Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual, c. The program featured the Fairfield Police Color Guard, Fairfield Mayor Ron D'Epifanio, and others. Here are the items we suggest you include in your request: 1. This group is here so that those of us US Navy folks who participated in the evacuation of Saigon, aka Operation Frequent Wind, can amass and share thoughts, ides, and feelings about that "war. (No ships qualified), Lebanon. POWs will not be accorded credit for the time. f!v/R _Ij_AvHnEA=PR0Vv=)=$DM^/_{P. 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. People were sleeping on the main deck and everything. The medal is awarded to recognize service during the Vietnam Warby all members of the U.S. Armed Forces provided they meet the award requirements. A. The Vietnam Service Medalis a military awardof the United States Armed Forcesestablished on 8 July 1965 by order of President Lyndon B. Johnson. REQUESTS ADDRESSED TO NPRC MUST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING PERSONAL INFORMATION: FULL NAME, SSN, SERVICE/SERIAL NUMBER, BRANCH OF SERVICE, DATE OF BIRTH, AND PERIOD OF SERVICE. (3) Accumulates required days service (consecutive or nonconsecutive) while participating as a regularly assigned air crewmember of an aircraft flying sorties into, out of, within, or over the area in direct support of the military operation. Although the evacuation of South Vietnam had ended, the USAF still had to transport thousands of tons of cargo to refugee camps and move refugees from the Philippines to Guam. ;b_[DDN\)0 a0vL-eIehD30 io3AA%)q NA uGOU PlR;IL#[_Nx:@ `An\ XuP||JbOR xif`N?fb`pB2 B c1'=9r^// K 7) Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase IV 2 April 30 June 1968 hb```e``c`d` BL,g7K{M9t[ ' Z:5D3eDNe@` , n1$d'a w}8D*@ # (2) Is wounded or injured and requires medical evacuation from the AOE while participating in the operation, regardless of time. The decision to evacuate the entire US presence by helicopter under Operation Frequent Wind was made late morning, 29 April 1975, Saigon time. 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. It was a maddening process sending packets of information back and forth between the Navy and DOD. Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull (SWATH) (MHS-1) assigned to support EOD Mobile Units. OPERATION FREQUENT WIND, 29-30 APRIL 1975, WILL BE REFLECTED AS THE 18TH CAMPAIGN UNDER THE VIETNAM CAMPAIGN. "The dragon is traditionally associated with Vietnam, the shoreline denotes service in the coastal waters adjacent to Vietnam, and the anchor symbolizes maritime service.". H.J. 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. % Additional sorties flown on the same day receive no further credit. A. North Vietnamese invasion forces began their final attack on April 29, which triggered an evacuation of Americans and South Vietnamese civilians and military officials. ", We went back (to Vietnam). IK8]%EJ!-b{P?w((mGE.'zRe^7G The initial decision to depart Saigon was made to evacuate the Defense Attach's office by fixed-wing aircraft. (d) Public Law 107-314 of 2 December 2002 stipulates that personnel who were awarded the Armed Forces Expeditioanry Medal (AFEM) for their participation in Operation FREQUENT WIND, during the period 29 to 30 April 1975, may elect the Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) in lieu of the Armed Forces Expeditioanry Medal (AFEM) for such service. pH^w>3@7-_d^; u&g_$]8VLvX2G2lIvca. Upon application, any such member may be awarded the VSM in lieu of the AFEM for such service. With Operation Eagle Pull and Operation Frequent Wind, the United States accomplished that task in April 1975 using Navy ships, Marine Corps helicopters, and the Marines of the III Marine Amphibious Force. ST. LOUIS MO 63132. 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. As hostile Khmer Rouge forces approached Phnom Pehn, the capitol of Cambodia, the urgency to protect and remove American, Allied and Cambodian personnel named on the Khmer Rouge Death List grew rapidly. VietnamEvacuation:OperationFREQUENTWIND DanielL. Although wear of multiple awards of this unit citation badge is not authorized, official military personnel and historical records will indicate all awards received. Awarded For Service During the Operation Period. 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. this award? Awarded for active participation in ground or air combat during specifically listed military operations. A full archive of past and present "River Currents" newsletters from your friends at MRFA. commander of the vessel that he or she served in the combat zone. National Capitol Historic Sales, P.O. REFERENCE: http://www.amervets.com/replacement/vn.htm#isr, NOTE: Eligible personnel should ensure this Service Period acknowledgment is listed on your current 201A Military Award Report:http://www.amervets.com/201areq.htm (or amervets.com/201a), Contact Person for this posting: Roger Simpson, PIOPublic Information Office: http://www.13105320634.comThe American War Library: http://www.amervets.com/16907 Brighton AvenueGardena CA 90247-5420Phone / Fax: 1-310-532-0634, -- Otis Willie (Ret.) Normal performance of duty or in a large number of combat missions does not in itself justify the award. Unit awards, medals and ribbons, and information on applying for and obtaining your medals and ribbons. Unit awards were often granted after a veteran left the service and in many cases recognition of the unit awards never made its way into the veterans DD-214. 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. When ordering be sure to ask for the Navy metal bracket that surrounds the RVNGC and RVNCA ribbons. Saunder, P.O. z_uA%)~z(\VTbO@Br0FsfiW ]~b"&0X(vQ?}g\-KQfpolU0TzLRrj#]6LPz^w%-J&g}Gg%FQN)F[VFSZP* NkKCp}S\g{v4*wC_,:ap-q^|c0X6cu$sN:=C@3IC@"9Zti9_3w-q&Mkk:! 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. 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 AFEM will be awarded only for operations for which no other U.S. campaign medal is approved. (a). (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. 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. Several aircrew members that I knew wore both awards 2023 www.desertsun.com. 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 association does not endorse the goods or services provided by the suppliers listed below. Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit (Civil Actions Medal, First Class Color, with Palm). Roger K. Nystrom), U.S. 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 - 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. Subsequent awards will be indicated by the use of a Gold Star on the ribbon: (1). To justify this award, the unit must have performed service of the character comparable to that which would merit the award of a Silver Star Medal for heroism or a Legion of Merit for meritorious service to an individual. On Sunday, Miller will receive theVietnam Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Meritorious Unit and Navy Meritorious Service Medal. Awarded to all personnel assigned or attached to the following units, during the period shown, are authorized to wear the ribbon bar, Gallantry Medal Color, with Palm and Gold Frame. Due to the delayed timing of the order, the capability for rapid response to such an order was imperative. 24 October 1983 - 2 November 1983. *Vietnam Evacuation (Operation Frequent Wind) 29 to 30 April 1975: Decommissioned, 5 October 2002 Laid up at the Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, Pearl Harbor Forces Vietnam and all subordinate units. List of Authorized Campaign Stars. River Assault Craft. Do they qualify for Combat Action? 11) Vietnam Summer Fall 1969 9 June 31 October 1969 Explore points of interest in the US Army section; awards, citations, index, roster and select information related to the mobile riverine force! 1st Anti-Tank Bn, 1st Mar Div, 27Mar66 to 20Sep69, 3rd Anti-Tank Bn, 3rd Mar Div, 12Jul65 to 20Sep69, For the Period of 08 February 1962 to 28 March 1973, Headquarters, US Military Assistance Command, Vietnam AND SUBORDINATE COMMANDS IN DIRECT SUPPORT are eligible to participate in the award only during the period actually served ashore in the Republic of Vietnam, Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Commendation, Civil Action, 1st Class with Palm and Frame. You should be able to print the citation text. To justify this award, the unit must have performed service as a unit of a character comparable to that which would merit the award of the Silver Star Medal or a Legion of Merit to an individual. MKV Special Operations Craft (SOC) 6) Tet Counteroffensive 30 January 1 April 1968 The palm for this award measures 9/16 inch in length with a 1/8 inch stem and four front leaves attached like a branch. PUC = Presidential Unit Citation (3) U.S. operations of assistance for friendly foreign nations. a. 1) Go to the NDAWS website Operation Frequent Wind was the final phase in the evacuation of American civilians and "at-risk" Vietnamese from Saigon, South Vietnam, before the takeover of the city by the North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) in the Fall of Saigon. "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers, For he today that sheds his blood with me, shall be my brother." Please sign the MRFA guestbook! 4 0 obj Copyright 2011 FOX19. Explore our Navy section: awards, stories, points of interest, origin of navy terminology and much, much more! 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. 1 Considering the dates prescribed in the legislation, the following combat periods, which were approved under prior direction, are approved to consider awarding of the CAR: World War II 07 December 1941 through 14 April 1946, Korean War 27 June 1950 through 27 July 1954. Operations. However, no person shall be entitled to both awards for service in an area for which the VSM has been authorized. Operation Frequent Wind - 29 to 30 April 1975 Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Humanitarian Service Medal Navy Unit Commendation Hancock was also awarded: American Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal Navy Occupation Medal National Defense Service Medal (2nd) 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: 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.

First Friday Of June 2022, Articles O