Criteria The Navy Unit Commendation may be awarded by the Secretary of the Navy to any unit of the Navy or Marine Corps that distinguishes itself by outstanding heroism in action against an enemy (but not suff... The Navy Unit Commendation may be awarded by the Secretary of the Navy to any unit of the Navy or Marine Corps that distinguishes itself by outstanding heroism in action against an enemy (but not sufficiently to justify the award of the Presidential Unit Citation). It may also be awarded to a unit that distinguishes itself by extremely meritorious service not involving combat (but in support of military operations), which renders that unit outstanding when compared to other units performing similar service. MoreHide
Criteria The Meritorious Unit Commendation may be awarded by the Secretary of the Navy to any unit of the Navy or Marine Corps that distinguishes itself under combat or noncombat conditions by either valorous ... The Meritorious Unit Commendation may be awarded by the Secretary of the Navy to any unit of the Navy or Marine Corps that distinguishes itself under combat or noncombat conditions by either valorous or meritorious achievement which renders that unit outstanding compared to other units performing similar service, but not sufficient to justify the award of the Navy Unit Commendation. MoreHide
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 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 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 Awarded by the Vietnam Government to military personnel who have accomplished deeds of valor or displayed heroic conduct while fighting the enemy and have been cited individually at the regiment, brig... Awarded by the Vietnam Government to military personnel who have accomplished deeds of valor or displayed heroic conduct while fighting the enemy and have been cited individually at the regiment, brigade, division, corps, or armed forces level. MoreHide
Criteria
The unit citation of the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Medal was awarded certain units by the Vietnamese government for meritorious service during the period 1 March 1961 to 28 March 1974.
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
Description At 0300 23 August the Marine security outposts at the Cam Le Bridge just south of Danang came under heavy attack by what appeared to be most of a North Vietnamese battalion. Although the outpost on thAt 0300 23 August the Marine security outposts at the Cam Le Bridge just south of Danang came under heavy attack by what appeared to be most of a North Vietnamese battalion. Although the outpost on the north bank of the river held out, the outpost on the south side was overrun after a four hour fight. A reaction force from the 1st MP Bn (which had elements of the 3rd MP Bn attached) moved to reinforce the north bank outpost, while elements of the 1/27 and 2/27 Marines, supported by tanks from the 1st Tank Bn moved to recapture the southern end of the bridge. The fighting lasted well into the 23rd and resulted in a number of US killed and wounded - but the actions north and south of the river and follow-up sweeps by the Marines and the 52nd ARVN Infantry on 24-26 August resulted in several hundred NVA dead left on the field. The number of casualties at the Cam Le Bridge is difficult to determine with exactitude because a number of different units were involved. Close reading of the Command Chronologies shows that not fewer than 15 Marines and sailors died in the fight for the Cam Le Bridge:
D Co, 1st MP Bn: LCpl Hylan L. Crowder, Winona, MS LCpl John A. Eller, Norfolk, VA (Silver Star) LCpl Albert Mc Bride, New York, NY Pfc Walter M. Henry, Seattle, WA (Silver Star)
H&S Co, 3rd MP Bn: Cpl Robert D. Purdie, Sherman Oaks, CA HN Alan R. Gerrish, Woburn, MA (Navy Cross) LCpl Harold J. Klusendorf, Troy, MI LCpl Jerry A. Weimer, Fort Morgan, CO Pfc Christopher L. Chambers, Molalla, OR
A Co, 1st Bn, 27th Marines: LCpl Henry H. Ballew, South Roxana, IL LCpl Leo M. Jennette, Buxton, NC
H&S Co, 1st Bn, 27th Marines: HM3 Charles R. Golling, Nevada, OH HM2 Danny L. Grimshaw, Seattle, WA
E Co, 2nd Bn, 27th Marines: LCpl Michael L. Cooper, Chesapeake, WV
F Co, 2nd Bn, 27th Marines: LCpl George A. Kyricos, Tewksbury, MA... More
At the height of the American involvement in Vietnam, the port of Da Nang, South Vietnam, was the Navy’s largest overseas shore command. From this port city, over 200,000 U.S., Vietnamese, and allied
At the height of the American involvement in Vietnam, the port of Da Nang, South Vietnam, was the Navy’s largest overseas shore command. From this port city, over 200,000 U.S., Vietnamese, and allied forces fighting in the I Corps Tactical Zone were supplied with everything that they needed to combat the VC and NVA aggressors.
The U.S. Navy established the MST-1 detachment to train Vietnamese crews and maintain PTFs in February 1964. The PTFs, under Vietnamese officers and crews, conducted over 1,000 raids against North Vietnam from March-April 1964 to January 1972. Because of Da Nang’s strategic location on rail, air, and highway routes, development of its facilities into a large deepwater port was essential. By the end of 1964, preparations were well underway to improve Da Nang’s base and port facilities. The airfield was expanded and new runways were constructed, so were piers, fuel farms, warehouses, and ammunition magazines. Marine ground security and helicopter units were stationed at the airfield.
When Marines deployed to Vietnam in large numbers beginning in March 1965, Da Nang became the focus of the growing War. For the next four years, Da Nang hosted various Army Divisions, and two Marine Divisions of the III Marine Amphibious Force. Together these forces, along with allied and South Vietnamese units, fought the VC and NVA enemy in the I Corps Tactical Zone. The Navy provided logistics support to the Coastal Surveillance Forces that patrolled offshore to interdict the smuggling of arms and supplies by North Vietnam to the South by sea. The PBRs of Task Force CLEARWATER fought to keep the rivers of I Corps open to allied logistics traffic. The Da Nang base became home to the Seabee’s 13th Naval Construction Regiment, and – later – the 3rd Naval Construction Brigade and 32nd Naval Construction Regiment.
Da Nang reached its peak in 1969. At that time the command controlled 250 ships, landing craft, lighters, tugs, barges, floating cranes that made it the largest concentration of such vessels in all of Southeast Asia. The command had 450 officers, 10,000 sailors, and had a civilian work force of 11,000 Vietnamese and civilian contractors. There were three deep-draft ship piers for ocean-going ships, while LSTs used the Tien Sha, Bridge, Museum, and Ferry cargo facilities. The port controlled 900,000 square feet of supply depot space, 2.7 million square feet of open-air storage space, and 500,000 cubic feet of refrigerated storage space. The port handled 320,000 tons of cargo
each month and the two tank farms reached a capacity of 50 million gallons that year.
In May 1969, the Americans began the turnover of assets to the South Vietnamese government. The NSA was charged with assisting the Vietnamese with this effort. A training program was established to replace the various American and contractor jobs with Vietnamese who could do these tasks. The 13th Naval Construction Regiment relocated to Okinawa in December 1969. December 1969 also saw the transfer of landing craft, barges, and lighters to the Vietnamese Navy. In May 1970, the Naval Hospital was turned over to Army control. The naval command continued training Vietnamese counterparts as the Army assumed overall logistics control in the I CTZ in June 1970. In November 1971, the 3rd Naval Construction Regiment furled its colors. NSA Da Nang was disestablished in April 1972. On 29 March 1973, the last American units at Da Nang – several fleet air detachments and the Naval Communications Station – were redeployed or disestablished in place. The Navy’s nine-year stay in Da Nang came to an end.
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