Army Medal Identification

Point37

Point37

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My Dad recently passed. I’m trying to identify his army medals. He served in Vietnam for a couple years and worked for the US Army Corps of Engineers and he also went down to NY after 9/11 as a launch operator to move people from Jersey to NY for 3 weeks. Here is the list I have so far from his DD214 but I’m trying to make sure I know which is which. Thanks in advance for any help.
Ryan

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The yellow patch with the stripe is the First Cavalry Division.

The "Garryowen" badge is for the Seventh Cavalry Regiment. 3rd Brigade 1st Cav was comprised of the 1st, 2nd and 5th Cavalry Battalions. They became famous as the "Air Cav." He may have orders that show exactly what unit he was attached to, and when.

The book and movie "We Were Soldiers Once, and Young" is about the Battle of Ia Drang Valley, the first major engagement between the NVA and US forces, when 1st BN 7th Cav was attacked by an NVA Brigade. Very heavily outnumbered, American air power and artillery forced a stalemate. It was this battle that convinced both sides they could win: the Americans pointed to a 10:1 Kill Ratio, and the Vietnamese pointed to the fact they'd forced a withdrawal.

Seven 7th Cavalry Troopers received the MOH in Vietnam.
 
garandman said:
The yellow patch with the stripe is the First Cavalry Division.

The "Garryowen" badge is for the Seventh Cavalry Regiment. 3rd Brigade 1st Cav was comprised of the 1st, 2nd and 5th Cavalry Battalions. They became famous as the "Air Cav." He may have orders that show exactly what unit he was attached to, and when.

The book and movie "We Were Soldiers Once, and Young" is about the Battle of Ia Drang Valley, the first major engagement between the NVA and US forces, when 1st BN 7th Cav was attacked by an NVA Brigade. Very heavily outnumbered, American air power and artillery forced a stalemate. It was this battle that convinced both sides they could win: the Americans pointed to a 10:1 Kill Ratio, and the Vietnamese pointed to the fact they'd forced a withdrawal.

Seven 7th Cavalry Troopers received the MOH in Vietnam.
Click to expand...

Thanks...I remember him telling me of the rides hanging out the side of helicopters...I believe they were hueys...he had watched that movie with Mel Gibson I think

The highlighted I still haven’t identified yet...not sure what the little pineapple/grenade shaped pin on the bronze star next to the valor pin is and then the middle ribbon with red blue and white...and the 3 medals above the bottom 3

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Point37 said:
Thanks...I remember him telling me of the rides hanging out the side of helicopters...I believe they were hueys...he had watched that movie with Mel Gibson I think

The highlighted I still haven’t identified yet...not sure what the little pineapple/grenade shaped pin on the bronze star next to the valor pin is and then the middle ribbon with red blue and white...and the 3 medals above the bottom 3

View attachment 381750
Click to expand...

The unidentified unit citation is the Valorous Unit Citation, and that whole rack needs to be flipped so that the PUC is on its own right.

For that middle medal bar, it's an army Good Conduct Medal as the lowest award. The other two I've never encountered at all. The high one is hanging from the ribbon for the Department of the Army Civilian Service Commendation Medal, but it might be an older medal design; the current one is a hexagon with the DA crest in the middle (link). The middle medal is the DA Civilian Award for Humanitarian Service (link).

ETA: looks like they changed that medal design in November 2014.
 
Picton said:
The unidentified unit citation is the Valorous Unit Citation, and that whole rack needs to be flipped so that the PUC is on its own right.

For that middle medal bar, it's an army Good Conduct Medal as the lowest award. The other two I've never encountered at all. The high one is hanging from the ribbon for the Department of the Army Civilian Service Commendation Medal, but it might be an older medal design; the current one is a hexagon with the DA crest in the middle (link). The middle medal is the DA Civilian Award for Humanitarian Service (link).

ETA: looks like they changed that medal design in November 2014.
Click to expand...

Thank you...I ended up finding both those just now...he may have gotten those when he saved some people from a burning vessel in the cape cod canal when he was a patrol boat captain...

he was a Sargent when he was honorably discharged from the army
 
Point37 said:
Thank you...I ended up finding both those just now...he may have gotten those when he saved some people from a burning vessel in the cape cod canal when he was a patrol boat captain
Click to expand...

I'm betting that's the green one. The middle one was probably for volunteering on 9/11. No idea who holds those records.

Sorry for your loss. Thank you for getting it right!
 
Rat187 said:
Bronze OLC additional award for Valor, so he won 2 for valor....silver OLC would be 5 awards IIRC
Click to expand...

Yes, this is an important point. If the second BSM had been for service rather than valor, I think there should be two separate medals. It's one of the few times on a US uniform that you wear the same thing twice; in this case, you'd wear the V on one of them and the other would be naked, and lower. It works that way for ARCOMs, too, and whatever other awards the Army gives out Vs for.

IIRC.

ETA: Well, on research, turns out I might not be right about that; it's what I was told when I was in. But it's not a situation that arises very often these days, anyway, and I don't know whether it arose much during Vietnam either. OP, your father could have been recognized separately for meritorious service and for combat valor in-theatre, versus twice for two separate acts of combat valor. If it were my dad, I'd want to know which it was. Should be on the DD-214 I think? Definitely it would be on the citation certificates themselves, if you can find them.
 
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Two bronze stars with valor as an junior nco/ young enlisted is pretty damn impressive even in today’s age where they give out medals for every tic it seems, but from what I’ve heard from the Grey beards I served with you had to do something pretty special to get recognized like that in Nam or have a famous relative.

Condolences to your family, but if Valhalla is real your dads having a blast.
 

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