Almost 37 years after a Vietnamese helicopter pilot saved the lives of several American soldiers ambushed by communist forces, he finally received the Silver Star awarded to him at the time, report the office of U.S. Senator Mark Udall here, the Denver Post here, and KWGN-TV here.
The man is former VNAF Captain Nam Nguyen, and over all these years and decades, he never knew he was a medal recipient.
Two months ago, his daughter found his name on the list of Silver Star recipients, and called the office of her Senator, Mark Udall of Colorado. Wheels were set in motion, and the pilot received his medal in a small ceremony in the Senator’s office on March 30. (See videos at the end of entry.)
“This award is a great honor for me and my family and my fellow soldiers,” Nam Nguyen said.
The action took place December 15, 1973, when Nguyen was a first lieutenant. He was leading a group of three helicopters carrying American soldiers to Long An to search for and recover the bodies of Americans missing during the war.
During the mission, the group was attacked. Lt. Nguyen reacted quickly. He ordered one helicopter to take off immediately, and then called for fire support. He directed their response to stop the attacker, then landed and picked up a group of soldiers.
His quick thinking resulted in a minimal loss of life. One American and one Vietnamese died in the ambush, but the rest were taken to safety.
The U.S. Army awarded Nguyen the Silver Star, but the paperwork got lost somewhere, the medal was never issued, and Nguyen never knew about it.
After the war, then-Captain Nam Nguyen was taken to reeducation camp, where he spent 6 years in imprisonment.
Nguyen came to the U.S. in 1993, became a U.S. citizen in 2000, and have been living in Colorado.
And then one day his daughter Linh Nguyen found his name on the list of Silver Star recipients. She contacted Sen. Udall’s office.
“I don’t know if he’s a hero or not,” said Linh Nguyen on KWGN-TV. “All I know is he did the right thing in his position for that time, he did his best work to save the people who go with him that day.
“I’m just so happy for him that his work is being recognized and that people appreciate what he did.”
The Silver Star is the third-highest award given for valor in combat.
Above: Video from KWGN-TV. Below: Video from Sen. Mark Udall’s office.
I WAS STATIONED IN VIETNAM BACK IN 1969. I COULD TELL YOU THIS FACT:
MOST OF THE SOLDIERS IN THE SOUTH VIETNAM ARMY WOULD RUN AWAY WHEN THE VC APPROACHED.
you think they give the silver star to joe’s like you..lol!!
here’s an advice go spend your hard earn retirement fund on something creative and productive the fact that your are trolling at this site tells me alot about you:
White Power = White Trash
if it wasn’t for the war you would be pension-less and holding up a sign “please help” at a local street corner.
run along whitepower, run along.
WHITE POWER Says:
April 7th, 2010 at 1:42 pm
I WAS STATIONED IN VIETNAM BACK IN 1969. I COULD TELL YOU THIS FACT:
MOST OF THE SOLDIERS IN THE SOUTH VIETNAM ARMY WOULD RUN AWAY WHEN THE VC APPROACHED.
And ……you White Ass?
Let’s be fair here. Many of RVN soldiers and officers ran for their lives on the Fall of Saigon. I have no respect for those cowards who left in 1975 and now act like they are hardcore anti commie and are so patriotic. If they were all that why didnt they stay and endure jail time like other RVN soldiers. And you know who are.
white power is funny, those american cowards ran for their lives in 1973 already. They ran like the French did when our hero Vo Nguyen Giap kicked their butts after Dien Bien Phu.
FUCK HO CHI MINH AND THE SOUTH VIETNAM ARMY COWARDS!
ok, so what are you going to do about it?
I LOST MY LEGS BECAUSE OF THE FUCKING SOUTH VIETNAM ARMY COWARDS YOU BASTARD!
White Powerless,
Rants again just like Bo May. Another loser who is frusrated with his own life goes on the blog to rant. Sounds like Bo May de ja vu.
Bo May also hates his own Viets. He’s actually worse since he’s yellow but he hates his own people. At least people know White Powerless and his ugliness from the get go.
THEY WOULD RUN AND LEFT ME AND A FEW BEHIND WHEN THE VC ATTACKED US IN EARLY 1969.
THE SAME FUCKING COWARDS ARE NOW PARADING UP AND DOWN BOLSA IN THEIR FUCKING UNIFORMS.
Some South Army Veterans came here after 1975 as broken men, they kept quiet and rebuilt their lives, they brought their children up successfully, most of them are in the waning years of their lives. Leave them alone, they don’t hurt no ones.
Those who are making loud noises are just a few, their anti-commie sentiments, times and efforts were used by the group of viet politicians with their own agenda to get votes and to get snuggly warm under the armpits of the right wing republican party.
Some victorious North Army veterans became disillusioned after the war having seen the communist doctrine does not mean sh!t. They were also found out they have been lied to, their anti-capitalist sentiments were programmed into their brain and their lives, times and efforts were used by the north politburos to advance their own position in the party.
In the end we are all losers. North and South.
What about American veterans? Just read what White Power wrote here on the blog and you know.
What about the so-called viet community activists? You ask? Just read what Joey Crappy and Kimmy wrote here then you know? They decided to be lied to again and again by the promises of a viet utopia in little saigon community under the false leadership of van tran.
What about van tran? You ask? Read all the news on the Bolsavik bout van tran, then you know.
White power why did you shoot yourself in the leg?
Drug abuse was a big problem during the war were you high at the time?
Are you still high now?
Bo May, you are mentally ill. Ask your family members. ……… ashamed being born Viet!
Why don’t you mix your blood with White Ass?
Yes, people like you and van tran make every viet ashamed of being viet.
It’s only you ……White Ass yearning introvert dork.
We are proud of being Viet!
Why? I like white ass.
I like black ass too.
Bo May wants White Ass…..
Bo May has mental disease…..it’s called “White Wash” disease.
Why? I like both men and women. I am flexible.
Bo May, you only care about White Ass…… a hairy white ass now?
HaHa Dung Kim is bi-sexual!
Darn you find out my secrets!
I always know Dung Kim is bi-sexual.
Come on guy, I don’t use my post name.
The real Bo May here….
Jung Kim, call the Bol and tell them to stop spreading lies about your proud leader van tran or you will boycott this web site forever.
(It would be hard for you, isn’t it)
But but it is true…
Jung Kim works for me. Stop spreading lies about him. He is not bi. he is only gay.
And Jung Kim really got the hot for Bo May.
Van Tran you are a Mafia son of bitch.
And you are a Mafia bitch.
At least I am not stealing tax payer’s money in Sacramento you son of bitch.
Janet Nguyen, you are freaking funny! Got me turned ON girl.
Me love feisty woman very much.
So van tran, you are Janet nguyen son?
Now, that should explain everything!
Van is Janet’s SOB, Janet is kImmy’s bitch and kImmy is Van’s whore ….
Loretta Sanchez is actually Van Tran’s bitch, not Janet. She’s just a plain bitch.
Bolsa Gossip is Bo May’s bitch. Bo May is Just Asking’s bastard. All three are a holes.
Hot temperature has turned some idiots real dorks speaking to their own hands….
Go to
http://www.sinksanchez.com
Loretta needs to resign!
No Relation, your life will be much better if you could get rid of your PMS (Pissed @ Men Syndrome) and start a relation.
Janet,
Meet me at my home tonight and we can talk some compromise.
PS: I like big ass.
Conservatives are morons, sore losers and a bunch of rednecks. And the vietnamese who are conservatives are just a bunch of anti communist hypocrites who don’t allow others to have their own freedom of speech while protesting for freedom and “deMOCKracy” for Vietnam. Its too funny.
Hey QUACK, you’re an ASS and you’re BAD in the sack!
The Vietnam war is long over, but the guy is pissed-off about it now, why? Because it’s in his nature to be pissed-off. He has a pre-existing condition called the “white power”.
But it’s funny: he repeated the simpleton-level rant on South Vietnamese “cowards” that was curiously unbalanced. It struck me that he wouldn’t even mention American “brave” boys at My Lai. With his ignorant allegations against South Vietnamese army and grossly exaggeration of Viet Cong fighting prowess, he is looking a lot like Jane Fonda then … except from the waist down.
An important lesson we learn in politics is that “pure democracy” doesn’t work because there is nothing to check … a racist loony-tune.
Ho Cho’ Vinh,
Conservatives rule Orange County and dominate Little Saigon. You, on the other hand, only rule your little wiener between your legs. Can you order your wiener to stop saluting so often. Probrably won’t listen to you, a fool, Ho Cho’ Vinh.
We are happy to support our Assemblyman Van Tran to replace whore Loretta!
http://www.joinvantran.com
What kImmy really saying is:
We are happy to support our Mafia Assemblyman Van Tran to replace whore Loretta!
http:/www.joinvangang.com