Vietnam Aviator Silver Star Group

**hawk3370** · 12-22-2009, 02:47 AM

by Adrian Stevenson

To actually have someone on the forum who won these is a real priviledge. Thank you very much for showing the awards you earned.

Cheers, Ade.

Ade.
Thanks for the kind comments. I was fortunate in that I flew guns both tours and for most of my tours supported my old friends in the 5th SF in Cambodia, Loas and even up into North Vietnam. Everytime we launched it was because someone was in trouble and needed fire support so we got to mix it up with the NVA and VC more so than some other units. I guess that would account for my being shot down seven times. We never gave much thought to earning awards, they just seem to come along after the smoke cleared. Attached is a pic of one of my better landings.

Have a very Merry Christmas.

Terry

**hawk3370** · 12-22-2009, 02:55 AM

by Steven M

Major...........I am humbled, and I am more proud to know you than words can say...my utmost respect for you Sir. Thank you very much for posting these.

With the most sincere respect to some of my friends here...accolades for valor are not "won", they are bestowed upon a warrior...

Steve,
Thanks, got a very nice card this date, appreciate your thinking of us this season. Hope that you and your family have a wonderful Christmas.
Terry

**hawk3370** · 12-22-2009, 03:06 AM

by Alan M

congratulations on a great set of awards , won from a very intense and understated campaign ,
cheers Al

Al,
Thank you.
I recently read some stats on the VN war and in that it was quoted that average soldier in the Pacific during WW2 saw approximately 45 days of combat a year as opposed to the average soldier in VN who saw 254 days of combat a year. I attribute that to the helicopter that could move men around the battlefield at a moments notice. In 1968 when my unit supported the 9th Inf Division, we would fly our C-Model Huey gunships out into the delta around Dong Tam trying to draw fire and when we did within a few minutes 10 slicks full of 9th Div troopers would decend upon the area. Those poor grunts would go from one fire fight to another every day. But it made the time go by fast and I would rather have been out fighting then setting around the base camp.

Terry

Zable · 12-22-2009, 03:19 AM

Amazing collection.. how did you win these sir.

cszakolczai · 12-22-2009, 06:11 AM

Great thread Terry, wonderful to see the medals, Merry Christmas.

**hawk3370** · 12-22-2009, 02:16 PM

by cszakolczai

Great thread Terry, wonderful to see the medals, Merry Christmas.

Thanks Chris, you have a package coming your way, should be there today or tomorrow. Have a very Merry Christmas.

Terry

**hawk3370** · 12-22-2009, 02:28 PM

by Zable

Amazing collection.. how did you win these sir.

Zable,
For the most part being in the wrong place at the wrong time equals awards, especially the four purple hearts. These medals were awarded for various actions throughout my two tours and 25 years service. The first tour with the 240th Assault Helicopter Company at Bear Cat and the second with D Co. 101st Aviation Bn, 101st Airborne Div at Phu Bai. My first tour was spent rotating between support of 5th SFG at Tay Ninh East and the 9th Infantry Div in which we did a lot of flying and shooting. And my second tour with the 101st was spent almost entirely supporting the CCN Launch Sites at Marble Mountain, Quang Tri and Phu Bai. The only time we launched was when we were putting a team in or going to their aid when they got into contact. As a result almost everytime we went out we were involved in a fire fight. I ended up with over 1800 hours of combat flying was shot down seven times, and earned a Silver Star, 4-Distinguished Flying Crosses, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, 57 Air Medals three with V Device for Valor, ARCOM with V, 4-Purple hearts and the usual I've been there awards.

Have a very Merry Christmas.

Terry

HDTony · 12-22-2009, 02:32 PM

Terry

Thank you for your service and for posting your grouping. There still is a lot of interest in every way shape and form about world wide happenings with every man or woman that has been in harms way.

Be Well

Tony

**Paul D** · 12-22-2009, 05:58 PM

Terry it's a great priviledge to have you here with us , many thanks for posting your medals and the History of how you won them,

Merry Christmas and best wishes for the new year

Paul

**Alan M** · 12-22-2009, 07:19 PM

Terry , the " huey " was the iconic war bird of the VN war with the unforgettable " wump , wump , wump " noise that came from the rotor`s . Being a teenager myself in the sixties i remember that time well ! Again , congrat`s on coming through that campaign and on your marvellous service record , Merry Christmas to you and your family
Al