S Sgt James Edward Hughes, A-502 5th SFG, Silver Star, KIA VN

[kanemono]

Staff Sergeant James Edward Hughes was born on October 15, 1933, ASN 17408890, he was assigned to Detachment A-502 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), III Corps, Mike Force, 1st Special Forces. His primary specialty was a 05B4S, a Radio Operator and his tour of duty began on 18 June 1964. Staff Sergeant Hughes was killed in action on 13th March 1966 while engaged with the enemy during Operation Silver City, five miles north of Camp A-312, Xom Cat, Long Khanh Province, South Vietnam. He was 32 years old. He was awarded the Silver Star, Purple Heart, Good Conduct, National Defense, Vietnam Service and Vietnam Campaign medals. James Edward Hughes is buried in the Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

I tried to research SSgt Hughes at the Archives in St. Louis but the only thing his file contained was a note that said the file was borrowed but never returned. I tried to have him researched at the Special Forces Library but could find nothing. I also tried the National Archives at College Park but again I could find no information. If you have any additional information on SSgt Hughes please let me know.

Here is a website devoted to A-502 5th Special Forces Group.

http://www.therossje...A-502.main.html

Dick

 

 

[kanemono]

Here is a photograph and list of the A-502 team in 1965. SSgt Hughes may be in the photograph.

Batteford, Frank P. Jr., Berg, Charles L., Chestnut, John, Cincotti, Joseph G. - Captain (Team Leader), Foshee, Edgar E. Jr., Grady, Clyde E. Jr., Hughes, James E., Mallare, Gerald E., McClellan, Henry, Moore, George R., Peters, Larry J., Rice, Homer L., Schreiber, Robert D., Smeltzer, William L., Switney, Robert, Watson, Roger

 

 

 

[tarbridge]

There are some well known folks listed...RIP Sgt Hughes...

[ssggates]

I received the same "borrowed but not returned" response when I requested the records of a KIA relative once. I took a chance and immediately resubmitted a request... voila, records were found.

[katieony]

Thank you for sharing this Soldier's story...RIP.

[kanemono]

With the help of forum member smwinter207 I have found additional information on SSgt Hughes. I apologize if I have passed on some misleading information. My only excuse is that I have only been able to find bits and pieces of information since his file is not available.

Staff Sergeant James Edward Hughes was assigned to Detachment A-302 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), III Corps, Mike Force, 1st Special Forces when he was killed in action on March 13, 1966. He had been assigned to Detachment A-502 in 1965. In the period May 1966 to March 1967 the men of Special Forces Detachment A- 302 were awarded one Medal of Honor, three Distinguished Service Crosses, twelve Silver Stars, eleven Bronze Stars for Valor, and seventeen Purple Hearts, making it quite possibly the most decorated small unit in U.S. Army history. This for a unit that seldom had more than nine men operational at any given time.
Eight of the Purple Hearts were posthumous awards. During this period the men of A-302 and their indigenous troopers, known as Nungs, took part in every major battle in III Corps Tactical Zone, and a lot of smaller ones that nobody has ever heard of. They fought Main Force Viet Cong, North Vietnamese regulars, and all too often, poor leadership and downright stupidity on the part of “Regular Army”. They were known as the Mobile Strike Force, most often shortened to “Mike Force”.

Dick

 

 

[scottplen]

A very special group ! Thank for remembering his loss !

[erichjr]

very nice .