Navy Cross Recepients

Submitted by adminscoot on Wed, 05/17/2017 - 18:27

Navy Cross

Lieutenant Edward A. Dickson, USNR, awarded the Navy Cross posthumously for extraordinary heroism.

 

 

On Sunday, February 7, 1965 Lieutenant Dickson flew his A-4E Skyhawk NL 503, BuNo. 150075, with Attack Squadron 155, from the USS Coral Sea (CVA-43), during a strike against the Dong Hoi staging area in North Vietnam. When his Skyhawk was struck by intense enemy anti-aircraft fire on a low-level run-in to the target area and burst into flames, Lieutenant Dickson elected to continue his run with his burning aircraft until he released his bombs on the target. Following his attack, Dickson headed toward the sea where he ejected from his burning Skyhawk. Unfortunately, he did not survive and was listed as Killed in Action.

By his inspiring and courageous devotion to duty, Lieutenant Dickson upheld the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

 

Air Medal

 

 

 

Lieutenant Dickson is remembered on "The Wall," Panel 01E, Row 085.

Lieutenant Commander T. R. Powers

31 October 1965: Lieutenant Commander T. R. Powers in A-4E BuNo. 151173 side number AH 466 was shot down by triple A, over North Vietnam. Lieutenant Commander Powers survived the ejection and was captured by the North Vietnamese and was murdered by the North Vietnamese while in captivity. He was awarded the Navy Cross.

 

 

POWERS, TRENT RICHARD
Captain, U.S. Navy
Attack Squadron 164, U.S.S. Oriskany
Date of Action: October 31, 1965
Citation: The Navy Cross is presented to Trent Richard Powers, Captain, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism on 31 October 1965 while serving as a pilot of jet attack aircraft with Attack Squadron 164, embarked in U.S.S. Oriskany (CVA-34) during a combat mission over hostile territory in North Vietnam. Captain (then Lieutenant Commander) Powers was assigned the demanding and unusual task of leading a two-division, United States Air Force flight into an area heavily defended by antiaircraft artillery and surface-to-air missiles, with the mission of locating and destroying the missile installations. He planned the attack route and led the eight- plane group over more than six hundred miles of unfamiliar, cloud-shrouded, mountainous terrain, arriving in the target area precisely at a prebriefed time that had been selected to coincide with the strikes of two carrier air wings against a bridge. The target area was the scene of an intense air-to-ground battle, many surface-to-air missiles were being fired and heavy enemy antiaircraft fire was observed in all directions. With full knowledge of the serious hazards involved, Captain Powers courageously led the Air Force aircraft into battle. His bombs and those of the Air Force aircraft which he led inflicted severe damage to both missile sites. By his superior aeronautical skill and valiant determination, Captain Powers upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Home Town: Minneapolis, Minnesota

 

 

LCDR James Joseph Connell

 

 

06 May 1939 - 14 Jan 1971

 

 

 

July 15, 1966, VA-55, CVW-14, USS RANGER: Lieutenant James Joseph Connell flying A-4E Skyhawk BuNo. 151024 side number NK 410 was shot down by AAA anti-aircraft over North Vietnam. LT Connell ejected and was captured and made Prisoner-Of-War by the North Vietnamese. Promoted to LCDR while in captivity, LCDR Connell was killed by the North Vietnamese during captivity. His remains were repatriated 06 March 1974

 

 

 

CITATION FOR AWARD OF THE NAVY CROSS to JAMES JOSEPH CONNELL Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy

 

For extraordinary heroism as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam from April 1968 to June 1969. Under constant pressure from the North Vietnamese in their attempt to gain military information and propaganda material, he experienced severe torture with ropes and was kept in almost continuous solitary confinement. As they persisted in their hostile treatment of him, he continued to resist by feigning facial muscle spasms, in-coherency of speech, and crippled arms with loss of feeling in his fingers. The Vietnamese, convinced of his plight, applied shock treatments in an attempt to improve his condition. However, he chose not to indicate improvement for fear of further cruelty. Isolated in a corner of the camp near a work area visited daily by other prisoners, he established and maintained covert communications with changing groups of POW's, thereby serving as a main point of exchange of intelligence information. By his exceptional courage, determination, and resourcefulness in this most difficult line of resistance, he reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service and the United States Armed Forces.

 

 

ON THE WALL: Panel 09E Line 022 Virtual Wall - LCDR Connell.

Captain Homer L. Smith, United States Navy

 

 

On May 20, 1967, then-CDR Homer L. Smith, Commanding Officer of Attack Squadron 212, was lost during a strike mission against an enemy target in North Vietnam, while flying A-4E Skyhawk BuNo. 149652 NP 233 from the carrier USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31).

Under adverse weather conditions, Commander Smith led two separate and successful attacks on two strategically important and heavily defended thermal power plants located in difficult terrain in North Vietnam.  Commander Smith's Skyhawk was shot down by enemy anti-aircraft fire during the second mission. He was captured by the enemy and subsequently died in captivity.

Smith was posthumously promoted to the rank of Captain and awarded the Navy Cross, the Navy's highest combat award, for extraordinary heroism.  By his inspiring and courageous devotion to duty, Captain Smith upheld the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Captain Smith is remembered on "The Wall," Panel 20E, Line 68.

 

 

Naval Aviator Wings

 

Navy Cross

 

 

17 JUL 1967

 

 

REYNOLDS, MARVIN D.

Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy
Attack Squadron 163, U.S.S. Oriskany
Date of Action: July 17, 1967
Citation:
The Navy Cross is presented to Marvin D. Reynolds, Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism on 17 July 1967 as a pilot in Attack Squadron 163, embarked in U.S.S. Oriskany (CVA-34). As the leader of a section of A4E aircraft conducting a search and rescue mission for a pilot downed the previous day, thirty-two miles southwest of Hanoi, North Vietnam, Lieutenant Commander Reynolds proceeded seventy miles inland through darkness and heavy antiaircraft-artillery fire to the search area where he succeeded in establishing contact with the downed pilot. When the Search and Rescue Commander informed him that positive voice contact with the pilot must be established before the helicopter could cross the beach, Lieutenant Commander Reynolds reentered the area and established voice contact. Due to his low fuel state, he was forced to aerial refuel before returning to the scene, this time leading the rescue forces. Maneuvering so as to evade three surface-to-air missile launchings, he led the flight to the rescue scene. He attacked and silenced a large flak site endangering the helicopter. Lieutenant Commander Reynolds then made repeated, dangerously low passes over the pilot to ensure successful pickup. During egress, he successfully attacked and silenced one of the most menacing flak sites on the helicopter's egress route. By his courageous conduct, exceptional skill, and fearless devotion to duty, he was primarily responsible for the successful rescue of the downed pilot, thereby upholding the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

 

 

August 21, 1967: Squadron Commander, CDR Bryan Compton, and LCDR James Busey earned Navy Crosses for leadership and coordination skills in an attack strike over North Vietnam that resulted in destruction of the Hanoi thermal power plant.

 

Naval Aviator Wings

 

Navy Cross

 

21 AUG 1967

 

COMPTON, BRYAN W., JR. Commander, U.S. Navy

Attack Squadron 163, U.S.S. Oriskany Date of Action: August 21, 1967 Citation: The Navy Cross is presented to Bryan W. Compton, Jr., Commander, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism as a pilot and as Commanding Officer of Attack Squadron 163, embarked in U.S.S. Oriskany (CVA- 34), on 21 August 1967. As the strike leader of a major coordinated air attack against the Hanoi Thermal Power Plant, Hanoi, North Vietnam, Commander Compton, with precise navigation and timing, led the strike group to the target area through an extremely intense array of sophisticated enemy defenses, including at least twenty-eight surface-to-air missiles and heavy, accurate antiaircraft fire. Despite the continuing heavy enemy opposition in the target area, Commander Compton skillfully maneuvered his strike forces and led them in an attack which inflicted major damage upon the target. During the attack, strike aircraft incurred extensive battle damage from the heavy flak opposition. With complete disregard for his own safety, Commander Compton remained in the vicinity of the target until the damaged aircraft exited the area safely. In addition to assisting the egressing strike pilots by calling evasive maneuvers necessary for them to avoid surface-to-air missiles and heavy concentrations of antiaircraft artillery fire, he succeeded in taking seventeen pictures with a hand-held camera which provided immediate and invaluable damage assessment of this most significant target. By his superb leadership, outstanding courage and inspiring devotion to duty in the face of extremely heavy enemy opposition, Commander Compton contributed greatly to the success of a most hazardous mission and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

 

Naval Aviator Wings

 

Navy Cross

 

 

21 AUG 1967

 

 

BUSEY, JAMES B., IV Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy

Attack Squadron 163, U.S.S. Oriskany Date of Action: August 21, 1967 Citation: The Navy Cross is presented to IV Busey, Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism on 21 August 1967 as a pilot in Attack Squadron 163, embarked in U.S.S. Oriskany (CVA-34). During a combat mission over North Vietnam, Commander (then Lieutenant Commander) Busey was the leader of a section in a six-aircraft bombing element which attacked the Hanoi thermal power plant in the face of the enemy's most sophisticated and complex arsenal of air defense weapons. As he commenced his attack, Commander Busey sustained antiaircraft hits to his aircraft. He skillfully regained control of his aircraft and, although his plane was severely damaged, renewed his attack, placing his weapon precisely on target. Subsequent bomb damage assessment photography confirmed that he inflicted heavy damage to his assigned portion of the thermal power plant. Although still severely handicapped by his damaged aircraft, Commander Busey evaded four surface-to-air missiles during his egress from the target area. Then, through skillful airmanship, he returned his crippled aircraft to the aircraft carrier. By his tenacious aggressiveness, professionalism, and heroic actions in the face of the enemy's massed and determined defenses, Commander Busey upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

 

 


Theme by Danetsoft and Danang Probo Sayekti inspired by Maksimer