Going to fight the bureaucracy again...

[Cyrus Cassidy #45437]

My relationship with my old man has never been a good one, but he is still my father, and I'm in a position to take up a cause for him.

 

He doesn't know anything about it yet, but a guy with whom he served in Vietnam is circulating a story about him over social media.  They met up at a reunion nearly 5 decades after the event and took a picture together.  The gist of the story is this:

 

22 February 1969.  My dad was in C company, 3/506th, 101st Airborne.  The writer was in D company, same battalion.  They were in a base camp near the South China Sea when D company was attacked at night.  Vietcong penetrated the wire, and "all hell broke loose," as the author put it.  D company had to retreat to C company's position; their company commander and two other soldiers were killed, 27 wounded.  A C company soldier was on top of a bunker firing over their heads to cover their retrograde.  The author, who was either D company's First Sergeant or a Platoon Sergeant by his description of his actions, integrated his men within C company's defensive perimeter and together they were able to hold the line.  But the guy who was providing covering fire during their retrograde was severely wounded.  Apparently my dad and the author, once the D company soldiers could cover the gap in the line, pulled him through heavy fire and rendered aid while being engaged.  They saved his life while getting shot at.  They had 18 Vietcong bodies inside the perimeter by the time it was all over, so this was no small affair.

 

In the days before the internet and the power of the Google search, I was a young lad still living at home when the man whom they had saved showed up at our doorstep out of the blue.  He had been looking for my dad and found him when I was about 15 years old.  He told my dad that he had been submitted for the Bronze Star medal for his actions that night -- this guy had personally seen the paperwork.  However, as many of you know, the Army is *HORRIBLE* about keeping track of that sort of thing.  It was neither approved nor disapproved; it was simply lost.  

 

I didn't know the story about why he had been submitted for the BSM.  He never talked about Vietnam and on the few occasions I asked him, I regretted it.  People didn't understand PTSD back then, but my old man should have been a case study.  At the time, I only knew some guy had shown up and told him he had been submitted.  It died on the vine and I haven't thought about that in decades.  

 

But now the story is being circulated on social media, and I know for a fact that two eyewitnesses to my dad's actions under fire are alive, which is why I'm going to fight the bureaucracy.  A Bronze Star Medal (BSM) must be approved by a 2-star general, and it *CAN* be done after-the-fact with no statute of limitations.  Sworn statements must be obtained from at least two eyewitnesses.  A sworn statement must be obtained by a commissioned officer, who is legally able to put someone under oath just like you do in court.

 

Do you see where I'm going with this?  I'm a commissioned officer; I can put witnesses under oath and obtain sworn statements.  In my Army Reserve job, on 1 AUG I will transfer to a new assignment, and become a faculty instructor at the US Army War College (this is my part-time job).  The commander is a 2-star general.  

 

My sister has the contact information for both eyewitnesses.  She is going to provide it to me and I'm going to obtain sworn statements from them and submit my old man for the BSM.  I've already begun greasing the skids at the War College S1 so they know it's coming and not lose it again.  I don't know the Commanding General (CG) very well at all, so I have no idea if he will be receptive to this, but let's hope.

 

 

[Tascosa, SASS# 24838]

Good luck, sounds like your dad deserves it.

[Pat Riot]

Good on you for doing this, Cyrus. I hope you are successful. 

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

I don't know you nor your dad, but it sounds to me like you got some fine genes from him and your mom.  Good luck on your quest and keep us posted.....and tell your dad that some of us think he deserves it.

 

 

[Rye Miles #13621]

Good luck! Sounds like your Dad raised a good boy!

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

God speed. Good Luck. My best wishes for you Father and your self.   

[Henry T Harrison]

Keep up the fight it’s going to be worth it 

[Calamity Kris]

Bless you for doing this for your dad, regardless of your history with him.  Sounds like he deserves it.  Good luck on winning the fight for what's right.

[Utah Bob #35998]

An honorable mission. Drive on, Sir!

[DocWard]

Add my tip of the hat for your plan of action, and my wishes that it comes to fruition, it sounds well deserved.

[Dr Matt Lurse]

I really wish you the best with this-- I've seen and heard of this sort of thing so often, either lost or just badly written accounts that get downgraded and then round filed.  Or Unit cultures that don't really go for medals.  *Edit* -- Hope the C co dude that got hit holding them off got or gets something too

[Cat Brules]

Speak to your Congressman/woman and to your Senator, too.  Request their help.

Don’t turn over any original documents you have.  Hand over copies only.

 

Cat Brules

[Capt. R. Hugh Kidnme]

A truly worthwhile endeavor. Wishing for your success. It sounds like it is well deserved. 

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

[Big Sage, SASS #49891 Life]

Hope it works. Good luck.

[Mud Marine,SASS#54686 Life]

You are a fine son. I hate to think how many actions have never been honoured.

 

Semper Fidelis!

[Utah Bob #35998]

I did a shadow box for a few things of my dad’s that I found after he passed. I only wish I would have done it sooner. He never talked about the war either.