Other Memories
Traveling TAD to I Corps to serve as Press Liaison to the Seabees there. The press center in Da Nang -- an ex-brothel -- and Regimental headquarters at Red Beach. A convoy to Hue/Phu Bai, the imperial palace at Hue before Tet 1968, flying into Khe San, the Marine air detachment mess at Dong Ha was one of the best I ever ate at while the Army mess across the air strip in town was the worst, Monkey Mountain, the Special Forces base at Thong Duc, flying with body bags, mud over your combat boots while you get dust in the face and the smell of a Nuc Nam factory are memories from I Corps. From Saigon: the Caravel Hotel, very good French and Chinese restaurants, and Tet 1967 -- one year before the big one. Was just back in town from I Corps so the fire crackers kept me awake all night. In the morning I found out why -- the streets were covered from store front to store front with the red paper for exploded fire crackers that covered the curbs like leaves in a Midwestern or Northeastern U.S. Fall.
Criteria Qualification for this ribbon signifies acquisition of specific professional skills, knowledge and military experience above those normally required of Navy personnel serving with the Fleet Marine For... Qualification for this ribbon signifies acquisition of specific professional skills, knowledge and military experience above those normally required of Navy personnel serving with the Fleet Marine Force (FMF). This qualification must be obtained through a formal program and the successful completion of written tests. For a full listing of the requirements for this ribbon, see paragraph 5 of SECNAVINST 1650.1G (pages 4-15 through 4-17). Active duty Navy officers must serve a minimum of 12 months with the Fleet Marine Force and Navy Reserve Officers must serve a minimum of 24 months in a Naval Reserve Fleet Marine Force unit with satisfactory drill attendance. MoreHide
Criteria Qualification for this ribbon signifies acquisition of specific professional skills, knowledge and military experience above those normally required of Navy personnel serving with the Fleet Marine For... Qualification for this ribbon signifies acquisition of specific professional skills, knowledge and military experience above those normally required of Navy personnel serving with the Fleet Marine Force (FMF). This qualification must be obtained through a formal program and the successful completion of written tests. For a full listing of the requirements for this ribbon, see paragraph 5 of SECNAVINST 1650.1G (pages 4-15 through 4-17). Active duty Navy officers must serve a minimum of 12 months with the Fleet Marine Force and Navy Reserve Officers must serve a minimum of 24 months in a Naval Reserve Fleet Marine Force unit with satisfactory drill attendance. 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
Other Memories
Put on my first class crow 16 JAN 65. An Air Force sargent joined me in addvancing from E5 to E6 that da. He'd been an E5 longer than I'd been in the Navy (5 yrs 4 mths).
Other Memories
Avoiding Shore Patrol while awaiting orders, after dropping from NESEP, by working as a JO in the base Public Affairs Office -- which had no rated journalists assigned for duty.
Best Moment
Thirteen months after arriving as a SA I put on my JO3 crow on 16 MAY 61. A year later, JO2. In between, on 19 DEC 61, Ruthie and i got married.
Other Memories
This is the outfit that flew the recon needed to get the pictures President Kennedy used during the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, earning the first Navy Unit Commendation Medal issued in peace time and the only one ever presented by a U.S. President. That was a four months after I left. My memories, along with many others are detailed at vfp62.com
Criteria The Navy Good Conduct Medal (NGCM) is a decoration presented by the United States Navy to recognize members who have completed three years of honorable service. Medals awarded before January 1, 1996 r... The Navy Good Conduct Medal (NGCM) is a decoration presented by the United States Navy to recognize members who have completed three years of honorable service. Medals awarded before January 1, 1996 required four years of service. MoreHide
Once again avoided shore patrol with JO skills. This time copy editing and writing headlines for shipyard monthly paper.