The NDSM may be awarded for both active and reserve service as defined below. b. It may take 4-6 months for the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) personnel to respond to your request. "The dragon is traditionally associated with Vietnam, the shoreline denotes service in the coastal waters adjacent to Vietnam, and the anchor symbolizes maritime service.". 7th Motor Transport Battalion "Roughrider" convoy from Da Nang to An Hoa. }#TfIZp$uMhb+vog;Gq&&EqdK$A. Operation Frequent Wind and Vietnam Service Medal All personnel who participated in Operation Frequent Wind (the evacuation of Saigon) are now automatically authorized the Vietnam Service Medal and Vietnam Cross of Gallantry. NOTE: Prior to 1992, the Merchant Marine Vietnam Service Medal was a ribbon-only decoration. MARINES THAT WERE AWARDED THE ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL FOR PARTICIPATING IN OPERATION FREQUENT WIND FROM 29-30 APRIL 1975 ARE NOW ENTITLED TO EXCHANGE IT FOR THE VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL PER SECTION 542 IN PUBLIC LAW 107-314. Vets Supply Line, 10650 County Road 81, Suite 131, Maple Grove, MN 55369, (612) 425-0911 Fax number (612) 425-2577 Order Line (800) 864-5062 MARINES THAT WERE AWARDED THE ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL FOR PARTICIPATING IN OPERATION FREQUENT WIND FROM 29-30 APRIL 1975 ARE NOW ENTITLED TO EXCHANGE IT FOR THE VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL PER SECTION 542 IN PUBLIC LAW 107-314. Miller's biggest problem wasthat his DD-214 -- a document known as aCertificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty issued by the U.S. Department of Defense -- did not include his overseas service. SECNAVINST 1650.1H Click HERE Then go to Page 7-5. L2_QW@"g"`>h` 02@0\Oc&}m5;v4L&0a$NlGD! Good morning everyone. Veterans Preference and "Wartime" Service | National Archives The deteriorating situation at the Defense Attach location required the Embassy to become a major site. The ship then returned to San Diego for a year where the Blue Ridge was outfitted with surface-to-air missiles, and then returned overseas in early 1975. Armed with the right information, you may increase your chances of success on the first try. Personnel assigned to areas subjected to sustained mortar, missile, and artillery attacks who actively participate in retaliatory or offensive actions are eligible. List of Authorized Campaign Stars. After the war, Miller returned to the valley and eventually became postmaster for the cities of Thermal, Coachella, Indio and Palm Springs. Just months after taking command, he oversaw the evacuation of thousands of U.S. personnel and Vietnamese military and civilians during Operation Frequent Wind, which took place April 29 and 30, 1975. It will be up to you to provide the evidence to the records center which will convince them you actually deserve the award. Strike Assault Boat (STAB) Copies of citations for unit awards you believe you are qualified to receive. The Palm Desert Democratwill present those medals to Miller on Sunday during a Special Ceremony of Recognition before the start of the second day of theVeterans University event at California State Universitys Palm Desert campus. Another time, there was a helo on the deck and another was coming in and Im telling everybody, get down, get down! And another helo went in front of the ship and the ship hit him. While returning to Japan from Saigon, his unit was diverted to recapture the USS Mayaguez that had been seized by the Cambodians. foreign service awards for operation frequent wind (c) Served at a normal post of duty (as contrasted to occupying the status of an inspector, (d) Aboard a vessel other than in a passenger status and furnished a certificate by the homeport. %PDF-1.6 % `*^&"^n Dx"~ JMYGO4le,Wx0|Wz rY~:36fMCE-uXReov7zCIYiG Vietnam Vet receives medals 35 years after service and were not on active duty before 1/28/73. 16) Consolidation II 1 December 1971 29 March 1972 Nobody was armed on the ship, so I grabbed a .45., Miller ran up to the deck where a helicopter had landed on the fantail and I knew they were Vietnamese, but I didnt know if they were north or south. (No ships qualified), Operation FREQUENT WIND. Operation DESERT STORM. Operation FREQUENT WIND - 29 April - 30 April 1975. I was present as a Marine attached to the USS Denver during Operation Frequent Wind during April and part of May in 1975. You will have to purchase those ribbons and medals yourself. MUC = Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Seaborne Powered Target Craft (SEPTAR) (QST-33/35) 3. Notes pertinent to the display of certain medals and ribbons, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, Searching for Your Personal Navy Unit Awards, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60s Device, Mobile Riverine Force Navy Unit Awards List, Sources for Purchasing Medals and Ribbons. The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) (N86) authorized the Small Craft Insignia for junior officers and senior petty officers who had served as officer in charge (OIC) of Riverine or Coastal Craft, under combat conditions, in the Republic of Vietnam. (2) Is wounded or injured and requires medical evacuation from the AOE while participating in the operation, regardless of time. Due to the delayed timing of the order, the capability for rapid response to such an order was imperative. (e). Please sign the MRFA guestbook! (2) With Gold Star To a unit which is cited before a Corps. Operation Frequent Wind - A South Vietnamese helicopter pilot and his family, safely aboard the USS Hancock, are escorted by a Marine Security Guard to the refugee area during an evacuation, Saigon, Viet Nam, April 29, 1975. The MRFA does not endorse any particular supplier. C /uaF4nf C3 &h0OA 4?6 9 Nka,@m Join us for our 2017 reunion by making a reservation today! When he left the Marines, his personnel file lacked proper documentation about where he had served. Caption: Operation Frequent Wind, April 29, 1975 A Vietnamese Air Force HU-1 Huey Helicopter is deliberately ditched near USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19), as one of the ship's boats stands by to pick up. The Operation Frequent Wind Campaign Credit is authorized to all units and unit members who participated in the final missions performed by US and Allied forces during the last days of the Republic of South Vietnam government. HMM-263 lost a great Marine Bert McCauley. USS Midway (CVB/CVA/CV-41) is an aircraft carrier, formerly of the United States Navy, the lead ship of her class.Commissioned 8 days after the end of World War II, Midway was the largest ship in the world until 1955, as well as the first U.S. aircraft carrier too big to transit the Panama Canal.She operated for 47 years, during which time she saw action in the Vietnam War and served as the . NOTE: this is the only Navy/Marine personal decoration that has no associated medal. Vietnam Service Medal - Wikipedia Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of Vietnam in April 1975, moved over 50,000 people. Service members who earned the AFEM for operations in Southwest Asia 6) Tet Counteroffensive 30 January 1 April 1968 Explore points of interest in the US Army section; awards, citations, index, roster and select information related to the mobile riverine force! A cover letter outlining what you are requesting, i.e., unit awards, foreign awards, and/or copies of awards listed on your Form DD214N. Join me as I look back 44 Years Earlier In 1973 America's fighting in Southeast Asia ended, placing the combat burden against North Vietnam squarely on the shoulders of the South Vietnamese Army (ARVN). Not more than one Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation will be worn by any individual. Commander, U.S. She can be reached at Denise.Goolsby@DesertSun.com or on Twitter @DeniseGoolsby. ;":Nk 8>N-V\}Uw:OWRMzkZzzK'[X>MJ'k Tank Landing Ship LST-1184 Frederick Commissioned 15 April 1944. See more information below. MIDIV 112 and 113 Members qualified for the AFEM by reason of service between 01Jul1958 and 03Jul1965 (inclusive) in an area for which the Vietnam Service medal (VSM) was subsequently authorized shall remain qualified for that medal. 112 0 obj <>stream (c). RETIRED AND FORMER MARINES AFFECTED BY THIS LAW NEED TO SUBMIT THEIR REQUESTS TO THE NATIONAL PERSONNEL RECORDS CENTER (NPRC) BY FAX TO (314) 801-9195 OR BY MAIL TO: v.0beq! As hostile Khmer Rouge forces approached Phnom Pehn, the capitol of Cambodia, the urgency to protect and remove American, Allied and Cambodian personnel named on the Khmer Rouge Death List grew rapidly. Personnel eligible for the award of the Purple Heart WOULD NOT necessarily qualify for the CAR. Naval Advisory Group, RVN, 3. It wasnt until about five years ago when Miller started putting together a memorabilia collection for his dad that included his World War II ribbons that Miller began wondering about his own service decorations. No more than one medal will be awarded to any one Servicemember. It is not authorized for Soldiers who met the criteria in a one-time period, left active duty, and returned during the same period of eligibility (see chap 6 for service stars). Operation Frequent Wind was the final phase in the evacuation of American civilians and "at-risk" Vietnamese from Saigon, South Vietnam prior to the takeover of the city by the North Vietnamese Army It was carried out on 29-30 April 1975, during the last days of the Vietnam War. It will not be inside the envelope so it would be easy to throw it away without even knowing its there. 1st Anti-Tank Bn, 1st Mar Div, 27Mar66 to 20Sep69, 3rd Anti-Tank Bn, 3rd Mar Div, 12Jul65 to 20Sep69, For the Period of 08 February 1962 to 28 March 1973, Headquarters, US Military Assistance Command, Vietnam AND SUBORDINATE COMMANDS IN DIRECT SUPPORT are eligible to participate in the award only during the period actually served ashore in the Republic of Vietnam, Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Commendation, Civil Action, 1st Class with Palm and Frame. Personnel who served for a minimum of 6 months as OIC, patrol officer (commissioned or enlisted), river section leader, boat officer, or petty officer in charge (POIC) of the following craft are eligible to wear the insignia: Patrol Boat River (PBR) Medals of America, 1929 Fairview Road, Fountain Inn, SC 29644, (864) 862-6425 or (800) 308-0849, Fax number (800) 407-8640 5) Vietnamese Counteroffensive Phase III 1 June 1967 29 January 1968 The palm for this award measures 9/16 inch in length with a 1/8 inch stem and four front leaves attached like a branch. Servicemembers who earned the AFEM for Operation FREQUENT WIND, between 29 and 30 April 1975, may elect to receive the VSM instead of the AFEM. (3) Participate as a crewmember in one or more aerial flights into airspace above Vietnam and contiguous waters directly supporting military operations. This means it is up to the veteran to now apply for the awards he may not have previously received. This group is here so that those of us US Navy folks who participated in the evacuation of Saigon, aka Operation Frequent Wind, can amass and share thoughts, ides, and feelings about that "war.