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/Korean Summer (1953)
From Month/Year
May / 1953
To Month/Year
July / 1953
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 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.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
May / 1953
To Month/Year
July / 1953
Last Updated: Dec 24, 2023
Personal Memories
Memories On 2 January 1953, she began the new year with strikes against communist supply dumps and troop billeting areas behind the stalemated front lines. While the propeller-driven Skyraiders and Corsairs delivered tons of bombs on their targets, the jet Panthers conducted flak-suppression missions using a combination of cannon fire and rockets to knock out troublesome enemy gun sites. This close teamwork between old and new style planes made possible regular strikes against Korea's eastern coastlines and close-support missions to aid embattled Marine or Army forces on the often bitterly contested battle lines. Valley Forge air groups dropped some 3,700 tons (3,400 tonnes) of bombs on the enemy before the ship left the Korean coast and returned to San Diego on 25 June 1953.
