This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Shaun Thomas (Underdog), OSC
to remember
Rutledge, Howard Elmer (Howie)(POW), CAPT.
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(Citation Needed) - SYNOPSIS: Captain Howard Elmer Rutledge (NSN: 9932091/506435), United States Navy, was awarded the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy in Southeast Asia.
(Citation Needed) - SYNOPSIS: Captain Howard Elmer Rutledge (NSN: 9932091/506435), United States Navy, was awarded a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy in Southeast Asia.
(Citation Needed) - SYNOPSIS: Captain Howard Elmer Rutledge (NSN: 9932091/506435), United States Navy, was awarded a Second Gold Star in lieu of a Third Award of the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy in Southeast Asia.
(Citation Needed) - SYNOPSIS: Captain Howard Elmer Rutledge (NSN: 9932091/506435), United States Navy, was awarded the Legion of Merit with Combat "V" for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States while serving as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam.
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Legion of Merit to Captain Howard Elmer Rutledge (NSN: 9932091/506435), United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Deputy Director of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations from October 1976 to April 1978. Responsible for coordinating the administrative requirements and plans for all naval aircraft and air-launched weapons programs during a period of severe budgetary constraints, Captain Rutledge demonstrated perceptive judgment, superb managerial ability, and inspiring leadership in accurately assessing the relative costs and merits of each naval aviation project. His capacity to collate all available data, reduce it to a meaningful format, and utilize it as a basis for knowledgeable decision making enabled the Division to apply rational and realistic priorities to naval aviation programs. In addition, Captain Rutledge's decisiveness in deriving solutions to ad hoc problems requiring difficult trade offs to be made among naval aviation programs earned him the utmost respect of his superiors and peers. By his imaginative approach to problem solving, astute foresight, and selfless devotion to duty, Captain Rutledge contributed immeasurably to increased fleet combat readiness and to the definition of vital naval aviation requirements, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and upholding the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Captain [then Commander] Howard Elmer Rutledge (NSN: 9932091/506435), United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight on 28 November 1965, as a pilot of jet aircraft, serving with Fighter Squadron ONE HUNDRED NINETY-ONE (VF-191), embarked in U.S.S. BON HOMME RICHARD (CVA-31), during aerial combat operations. Captain Rutledge led a flight of three aircraft which were participating in a two-carrier strike against the Ha Chanh Bridge in North Vietnam. Prior to reaching the target, his flight was diverted to the alternate target, a railroad and highway bridge near Thanh Hoa. Overcast conditions in the area forced Captain Rutledge to descend into an area of heavy ground fire before commencing his attack. Without regard for his personal safety, he led his group in a dive bombing attack in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire, delivering his bombs squarely on the assigned target and inflicting severe damage. Captain Rutledge's courageous performance was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. Action Date: November 28, 1965 Service: Navy Rank: Captain Company: Fighter Squadron 191 (VF-191) Division: U.S.S. Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31)
Korean War/CCF Intervention (1950-51)/Chosin Reservoir (Battle of Changjin)
From Month/Year
November / 1950
To Month/Year
December / 1950
Description The Battle of Chosin Reservoir, also known as the Chosin Reservoir Campaign or the Changjin Lake Campaign was a decisive battle in the Korean War. "Chosin" is the Japanese pronunciation of the Korean name, "Changjin". The UN forces relied on Japanese language maps dating from their occupation of Korea which had only ended five years earlier at the conclusion of World War II. Shortly after the People's Republic of China entered the conflict, the People's Volunteer Army 9th Army infiltrated the northeastern part of North Korea.
On 27 November, the Chinese 9th Army surprised the US X Corps commanded by Major General Edward Almond at the Chosin Reservoir area. A brutal 17 day battle in freezing weather soon followed. In the period between 27 November and 13 December 1950, 30,000 United Nations troops (later nicknamed "The Chosin Few") under the field command of Major General Oliver P. Smith were encircled and attacked by approximately 120,000 Chinese troops under the command of Song Shi-Lun, who had been ordered by Mao Zedong to destroy the UN forces. The UN forces were nonetheless able to make a fighting withdrawal and broke out of the encirclement while inflicting crippling losses on the Chinese. While the battle resulted in the Chinese pushing the UN out of North Korea, it was a Pyrrhic victory. The evacuation of the X Corps from the port of Hungnam marked the complete withdrawal of UN troops from North Korea
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
November / 1950
To Month/Year
December / 1950
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories The first carrier air strike of the Korean War was launched from Valley Forge's flight deck on 3 July 1950. Outnumbered and outgunned, the South Korean troops battled desperately against veritable tides of Communist invaders. Waves of Douglas AD Skyraiders and Vought F4U Corsairs struck the North Korean airfield at Pyongyang while Grumman F9F-2 Panthers flew top cover. Tons of bombs from the attacking American planes pounded hangars, fuel storages, parked Russian-built aircraft, and railroad marshaling yards. Meanwhile, the escorting Panthers downed two Yak-9s and damaged another.
In spite of attempts by United Nations forces to interdict the steady flow of communist infantry and armor, the North Koreans steadily pushed the defending South Koreans back into a tenuous defense perimeter around Pusan. On 18 September 1950, the American landing at Inchon outflanked the communist forces while United Nations forces broke out of the perimeter to the south. During this period of bitter struggle, Valley Forge's Air Group 5 made numerous daily strikes against North Korean targets. Troop concentrations, defensive positions, and supply and communications lines were repeatedly "fair game" for the bombs of the Skyraiders and the rocket and cannon fire from the Panthers and Corsairs. Over 5,000 combat sorties delivered 2,000 tons (1,800 tonnes) of bombs and rockets between 3 July and 19 November 1950.
