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
Criteria The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is awarded to members of the Armed Forces who, after July 1, 1958, participate in specified United States operations or those in direct support of the United Natio... The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal is awarded to members of the Armed Forces who, after July 1, 1958, participate in specified United States operations or those in direct support of the United Nations or friendly foreign nations 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 Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross Colors) was authorized to be worn by units individually cited for service in military operations in support of the government of Sout... The Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross Colors) was authorized to be worn by units individually cited for service in military operations in support of the government of South Vietnam. The actions cited are for the same services that would have resulted in the award of a Valorous Unit Citation by the Army or a Navy Unit Citation MoreHide
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
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
Description Operation Game Warden, Task force 116, was an operation to deny Viet Cong access to the resources in the Mekong Delta which was conceived of in December 1965. U.S. naval forces, backed by Marine artilOperation Game Warden, Task force 116, was an operation to deny Viet Cong access to the resources in the Mekong Delta which was conceived of in December 1965. U.S. naval forces, backed by Marine artillery on the ground, launching a rapid surprise attack on the dozens of small Viet Cong ports which were scattered around the Delta. Unprepared in the face of intense U.S. firepower, which included U.S. F-4 Phantoms dropping special illumination bombs which blinded the Viet Cong deck gunners, leaving to them being unable to accurately return fire on the attacking U.S. craft, the Viet Cong were incapable of mounting a stiff resistance. Much the Viet Cong fleet and its operators were destroyed.... More
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
Description The blockade began October 21 and, the next day, Kennedy delivered a public address alerting Americans to the situation. In his speech, he warned a frightened American public that the missiles on CubaThe blockade began October 21 and, the next day, Kennedy delivered a public address alerting Americans to the situation. In his speech, he warned a frightened American public that the missiles on Cuba were capable of hitting Washington, D.C. or anywhere in the southeastern portion of the country, the Panama Canal, Mexico City or “as far north as Hudson Bay, Canada, and as far south as Lima, Peru.” A military confrontation appeared imminent when Kennedy told his audience that he ordered the evacuation of the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and put military units on standby. Boldly, he stated, “one path we shall never choose is the path of surrender or submission.”
Khrushchev responded by sending additional ships—possibly carrying military cargo—toward Cuba and by allowing construction at the missile sites to continue. Over the following six days, the Cuban Missile Crisis, as it is now known, brought the world to the brink of global nuclear war while the two leaders engaged in tense negotiations via telegram and letter.
Fortunately by October 28, Kennedy and Khrushchev had reached a settlement and people on both sides of the conflict breathed a collective but wary sigh of relief. The Cuban missile sites were dismantled and, in return, Kennedy agreed to close U.S. missile sites in Turkey.... More
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
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
Criteria The China Service Medal was awarded to Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard personnel who: Served ashore in China or who were attached to any of the vessels that operated in support of the operations in... The China Service Medal was awarded to Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard personnel who: Served ashore in China or who were attached to any of the vessels that operated in support of the operations in China between July 7, 1937, and September 7, 1939; or who Served ashore in China or were attached to any of the vessels that operated in support of operations in China between September 2, 1945 and April 1, 1957. Military services performed in the Asiatic-Pacific area between September 2, 1945 and March 2, 1946 could be credited for eligibility for the China Service Medal unless the individual was eligible for the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal based on service performed prior to September 2, 1945. MoreHide
Criteria The United Nations Korean Medal was generally awarded for any period of service while assigned as a member of the Armed Forces dispatched to Korea or adjacent areas for service on behalf of the United... The United Nations Korean Medal was generally awarded for any period of service while assigned as a member of the Armed Forces dispatched to Korea or adjacent areas for service on behalf of the United Nations. Service in qualifying organizations had to be certified by the United Nations Commander-in-Chief as having directly supported military operations in Korea. In the case of the United States, such certification was issued in General Orders 31 (June 20, 1955); General Orders 33 (July 11, 1955); and General Orders 36 (July 13, 1955). MoreHide
Description The development of the international situation with regard to Formosa and the
Nationalist-held offshore islands of China in February and March is described below
under cross-headings.
Following repeatThe development of the international situation with regard to Formosa and the
Nationalist-held offshore islands of China in February and March is described below
under cross-headings.
Following repeated and heavy Chinese Communist air attacks on the Tachen Islands
the Chinese Nationalist Government announced on Feb. 6 that
the islands were to be evacuated. The announcement stated that the evacuation had
been decided upon in order to meet the new challenge of international Communist
aggression, and so that the forces defending the Tachens could be redeployed to
strengthen the defence of other islands such as Quemoy, Matsu, etc, The State
Department in Washington had announced on Feb. 5 that, at the request of
the Chinese Nationalists, the U.S. Seventh Fleet had been ordered to help in the
evacuation of the Tachens.
The evacuation accordingly took place on Feb. 7–11, a U.S. State Department
announcement on the latter date saying that the operation—which was under the
command of Vice-Admiral Pride—had been completed and that the U.S. naval and air
forces which had taken part would now resume their normal operations in the
Formosa Strait. The statement added, however, that the U.S. forces would be alert
to any concentration or employment of Communist Chineseforces obviously
undertaken to facilitate an attack upon Formosa, and will be prepared to take
appropriate action. The evacuation of the islands—which included also the small
islands of Yushan and Peishan some 30 miles north and south of the Tachens
respectively—was unopposed by the Chinese Communists, who withdrew all their
forces from the area.
The only incident occurred on Feb. 9 when a U.S. plane on antisubmarine patrol was
shot down by Communist anti-aircraft fire some 20 miles south-west of the Tachens;
another plane was hit, but landed safely. Vice-Admiral Pride announced after the
incident that the lost aircraft—whose crow were rescued by an American destroyer—
had made an error in navigation.
The U.S. Seventh Fleet, in a communiqué issued on Feb. 13, said that it had employed
132 vessels and 400 aircraft in covering the evacuation, and that it had taken off
10,000 Nationalist troops, 4,000 guerillas, 14,500 civilians, and 40,000 tons of
military equipment and supplies.
Shortly after the completion of the evacuation the Communist New China News
Agency announced on Feb. 13 that the Chinese People's Liberation Army had
liberated Tachen, Yushan, and Peishan islands, that all enemy-occupied islands
off the Chekiang coast had now been liberated, except the southernmost, Nanchisan
island, and that the liberation of the islands had created favourable conditions for
the liberation of Taiwan ( Formosa) and other coastal islands. Earlier (Feb. 7)
the Chinese Communist radio had described the U.S. assistance in the evacuation of
the Tachens as a war provocation against the People's Republic of China and a
grave threat to the peace of the Far East.
The Nanchi Islands (of which Nanchisan is the most important), south of the Tachens
and some 130 miles north of Formosa, were evacuated by the Chinese Nationalists
on Feb. 23–25, about 6,000 troops and some 2,500 civilians being taken off. The
evacuation, which was carried out despite repeated Nationalist assertions that the
Islands would be defended at all costs, was effected without assistance from U.S.
forces. The islands were occupied by the ChineseCommunist forces on Feb. 26.
Following their occupation of the Tachen and Nanchi Islands,
the Chinese Communists-renewed their attacks on the Nationalist-held islands of
Quemoy and Matsu, the most important islands, remaining in Nationalist hands
besides a Formosa and the Pescadores. The Nationalists reinforced their garrisons on
the two islands, and by mid-March were reported to have more than 60.000 troops on
Quemoy atone, whilst the Communists, who on March 25 announced that they were
withdrawing a further six divisions from North Korea into China, were reported to be
massing-troops in Fukien Province on the mainland opposite the islands. It was also
reported that the Communists had brought up heavy artillery pieces, opposite
Quemoy, putting the whole of the island within range of heavy artillery fire.
An attempted assault by 40 Communist motorised Junks on Kaoteng Island (In the
Matsu group) was driven off on March 4, whilst on March 14 the Nationalists
announced that their aircraft had destroyed three Communist gunboats and seven
armed Junks west of Wu Yu Island, south-east of Amoy; apart from these
engagements there was little activity during; February andMarch except for exchanges
of gunfire between Quemoy and the mainland opposite and Nationalist air attacks on
Communist shipping.
The Chinese Nationalist Government continually reiterated their intention to defend
Matsu and Quemoy and not to evacuate them, but opinion among the Western
Powersremained divided. InBritain, Sir Winston Churchill stated on Feb. 23 that there
was a great deal of difference between the coastal islands of China and the island of
Formosa, whilst Sir Anthony Edensuggested on March 8 that the Nationalists should
withdraw from all the coastal islands (see 14100 A). In the United States on the other
hand, where a number of leading Republicans argued that U.S. forces should go to the
assistance of the Nationalists if Quemoy and Matsu were attacked, both President
Eisenhower and Mr. Dulles refused to say what U.S. policy would be in that
eventuality. In Canada, Mr. Lester Pearson (Minister for External Affairs) declared
on March 24 that he did not consider a conflict over Quemoy or the Matsus to be a
situation requiring any Canadian intervention in support of the Chinese Nationalist
regime. TheIndian Prime Minister, Mr. Nehru stated on Feb. 25 that the offshore
islands were obviously parts of China and should be immediately evacuated by the
Nationalists.... More
Criteria To be eligible for this medal, the Service member must have: Served between the outbreak of hostilities (June 25, 1950) and the date the armistice was signed (July 27, 1953); Been on permanent assignm... To be eligible for this medal, the Service member must have: Served between the outbreak of hostilities (June 25, 1950) and the date the armistice was signed (July 27, 1953); Been on permanent assignment or on temporary duty for thirty consecutive days or sixty non-consecutive days, and Performed duty within the territorial limits of Korea, in the waters immediately adjacent thereto or in aerial flight over Korea participating in actual combat operation or in support of combat operations. 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
Description Korea, Summer 1953, 1 May - 27 July 1953. There was little activity anywhere along the front as 1953 began. Then, as spring approached, the enemy renewed his attacks against the Eighth Army 's outpostKorea, Summer 1953, 1 May - 27 July 1953. There was little activity anywhere along the front as 1953 began. Then, as spring approached, the enemy renewed his attacks against the Eighth Army 's outpost line. By July these attacks had increased in frequency and intensity until they were nearly as heavy as those of May 1951.
In January 1953 Van Fleet had twelve South Korean and eight U.N. divisions to defend the army front. Total strength of combat, service, and security troops was nearly 768,000. Opposing the U.N. forces were seven Chinese armies and two North Korean corps, totaling about 270, 000 troops. Another 531,000 Chinese and North Korean troops remained in reserve. With service and security forces, total enemy strength in Korea was estimated at more than a million men.
Other than a few patrol clashes, little fighting occurred during January and February 1953. On 11 February Lt. Gen. Maxwell D. Taylor took command of the Eighth Army as Van Fleet returned to the United States for retirement. The enemy increased his attacks during March, striking at outposts of the 2d and 7th Divisions and the 1st Marine Regiment. During the period 9-10 March the Chinese were successful in ambushing several U.N. patrols, inflicting heavy casualties in each instance. After these flare-ups the front quieted down until late May, when the enemy struck at the outposts of the U.S. 25th Division that were guarding the approaches to the Eighth Army's western positions. Although the enemy was successful in occupying three of the division outposts, he suffered nearly 3,200 casualties.
On the night of 10 June three Chinese divisions struck the ROK II Corps in the vicinity of Kumsong, attacking down both sides of the Pukhan River. Several attacks forced these units to withdraw about two miles. Both sides lost heavily; the Chinese suffered about 6,000 casualties and the ROK units about 7,400. By 18 June the attacks had subsided. By the end of the month, action along the entire front had returned to routine patrolling and light attacks.
Operation LITTLE SWITCH, an exchange of Allied and Communist sick and wounded prisoners, began on 20 April. When it was completed in the latter part of the month, 684 Allied prisoners had been exchanged for more than 6,000 Communists.
Armistice negotiations were resumed in April. The prisoner-of-war question was settled by providing each side an opportunity to persuade those captives who refused repatriation to their homeland to change their minds. By 18 June the terms of the armistice were all but complete; but on this date President Syngman Rhee ordered the release of 27,000 anti-Communist North Korean prisoners of war unilaterally, in protest against armistice terms which left Korea divided. U.N. officials disclaimed any responsibility for this action; but the enemy delegates denounced it as a serious breach of faith and delayed the final armistice agreement for another month. Enemy forces took advantage of this delay. On 13 July the Chinese launched a three-division attack against the left flank of the ROK II Corps and a one-division attack against the right flank of the U.S. IX Corps, forcing U.N. forces to withdraw about eight miles to positions below the Kumsong River. By 20 July, however, U.N. forces had counterattacked, retaken the high ground along the Kumsong River, and established a new main line of resistance. No attempt was made to restore the original line, as it was believed that the armistice would be signed at any time. Enemy casualties in July totaled about 72,000 men. Out of the five Chinese armies that had been identified in the attacks, the enemy had lost the equivalent of seven divisions.
By 19 July the negotiators at Panmunjom had reached an accord on all points. Details were worked out within a week and the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed at 1000 hours 27 July 1953.... More
