1SG_1st_Cav Posted February 1, 2013 Share #1 Posted February 1, 2013 Going thru my personal papers I came across my 1st Cavalry Division {AIRMOBILE} COMBAT CERTIFICATE. It was present to me for my service in Vietnam from June 1967 ~ June 1968. And I thought it might be interesting to see how many of you have your personal COMBAT CERTIFICATE, or one from your relatives or friends, or some that you may have with your medal or uniform groupings from other veterans. Over the years I have seen some from WWII, the Korean war, and from the Vietnam War. I have no idea if Gulf War, OIF/OEF?Afghanistan vets ever received any. The 1st Cavalry Division is always FIRST, so I'll lead the way with Combat Certificate #1. I'll show you mine if you show me yours! Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brig Posted February 1, 2013 Share #2 Posted February 1, 2013 The Marine Corps doesn't have any official combat certificates these days, but the National Guard units we worked besides in 05-06 liked to give us them for some reason. Technically, I've been awarded three combat patches, only got the certs for 2, and am not authorized to wear any as we don't authorize SSI...I was a LCpl for all of them, but when the Army gets a personnel roster that has Grade: E3, they write out PFC evidently...here's one from the 793rd MP... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brig Posted February 1, 2013 Share #3 Posted February 1, 2013 43rd MP combat patch cert... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brig Posted February 1, 2013 Share #4 Posted February 1, 2013 18th MP patch cert...not sure where the patches went. I guess if for some reason I ever find myself in the Army, I can wear these things, but I'm more likely to rock the 2nd MarDiv SSI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASMIC2971 Posted February 1, 2013 Share #5 Posted February 1, 2013 Brig, Very interesting first certificate, the crest at the 6 o'clock position (The Arm of Desicion) is my unit. Thanks for sharing as a lot of my senior NCO's and officers were with that TF as well, they mostly wear 1MARDIV, 2MARDIV, 1MEF & 2MEF as there FWTS-SSI instead of the army units they are authorized. Drew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edgeer Posted February 3, 2013 Share #6 Posted February 3, 2013 Not sure if these Certificates would fall into this thread. The first one was for Operation Just Cause. THough the certificate states from 20 Dec 1989 to 20 Jan 1990. Operation Just Cause officially ended on 31 Jan 1990. My Bn remained in Panama through Mar. 90 conducting the follow-on mission "Operation Promote Liberty. This one earned me my CIB and 7th Inf Div Light's as a combat patch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edgeer Posted February 3, 2013 Share #7 Posted February 3, 2013 Here's my second one. This I earned when I spent 90 days in and on the Koran DMZ back in 1986. Back around 2005, DA brass finally decided to admit and recognized that the Korean DMZ since the 1953 Korean Armistice, had been and still considered a combat zone. They amended AR 600-8-22 in regards to the CIB as well as the CMB to reflect it. Both are retroactive awarded. Here's the kicker if anyone wants to submit an application to determine their eligibility. If you have been awarded the CIB or the CMB for any other operation,conflict, etc between 1953 and the start of OIF/OEF you WILL NOT be awarded a second CIB. The declared all combat operations between 1953 and the start of OIF/OEF as the Vietnam War Era and thus not entitled to a 2nd award for the same era. Furthermore, if you are approved and awarded it, you are NOT Authorized a Combat Patch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hueytaxi Posted February 4, 2013 Share #8 Posted February 4, 2013 I never received such when I was with the Cav and I noticed Gen. John J. Tolson's signaturew on the firsat posted. I met the General during an award ceremony at LZ Hammond, near what would be Phu Cat AFB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1SG_1st_Cav Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share #9 Posted February 4, 2013 I guess your unit didn't take care of business when you left, unless maybe you got medevaced out. I know exactly where LZ Hammond was, as it was south of us from LZ Uplift, just off of QL 1. I was originally at Uplift from July 1967 to 1 March 1968. I was with the 8" Howitzer unit there. We had a 4-gun 8" Battery there on the west side of the highway and our Bn TOC on the east side of the highway up on the short hill. I was Chief of Bn FDC with 7th Bn, 15th Artillery, and we provided heavy artillery support {8" & 175mm} almost exclusively to the 1st Cavalry Division. We had our A Btry at LZ English, a 2-gun Platoon at LZ Pony, our B Btry at LZ Uplift, and a 2-Gun Platoon down south supporting the ROKs off of Hwy 19 at Binh Khe {later LZ Diamondhead}. I was promoted into the Hard Chargers of 1st Bn, 30th FA (155mm AIRMOBILE) during TET, and joined them at Camp Evans the first of March, until my tour ended in June 1968. Do you belong to the 1st Cav Div Assocition? Do you get the SABER? Danny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hueytaxi Posted February 4, 2013 Share #10 Posted February 4, 2013 1SGT, great recall on those LZ's we often placed a reaction force at Uplift or Pony on standby. We left Hammond when English opened up on a larger scale. I read the Saber online and just rejoined. Still in touch with my Flt. Co from then as wel as my S3, Plt. Ldr and a few wingmen. A friend of mine, Rod Kilduff has his maps posted on the 229th website http://www.229thavbn.com/ I'm looking for my slides from '67 to digitalize. The few I have found are mostly unusable, but i did manage to get my avatar out of one. Nice to have the reply Danny. Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted December 15, 2014 Share #11 Posted December 15, 2014 Here's my second one. This I earned when I spent 90 days in and on the Koran DMZ back in 1986. Back around 2005, DA brass finally decided to admit and recognized that the Korean DMZ since the 1953 Korean Armistice, had been and still considered a combat zone. They amended AR 600-8-22 in regards to the CIB as well as the CMB to reflect it. Both are retroactive awarded. Here's the kicker if anyone wants to submit an application to determine their eligibility. If you have been awarded the CIB or the CMB for any other operation,conflict, etc between 1953 and the start of OIF/OEF you WILL NOT be awarded a second CIB. The declared all combat operations between 1953 and the start of OIF/OEF as the Vietnam War Era and thus not entitled to a 2nd award for the same era. Furthermore, if you are approved and awarded it, you are NOT Authorized a Combat Patch.imjin scout certifcate dmz korea with badge copy.jpg Re: Retroactive CIB: Edgeer, this is the first I've heard of this! Is this really true? I tested for the EIB a few of months before ETS, and although I passed by far (with the highest aggregate in my BN), I never received it. I occasionally ponder the possibility of following it up, but it seems like an exercise doomed to futility. But if I'm authorized CIB, I would definitely jump through hoops for that! OTOH, the Army is slow, but they usually do follow through with the the paper trail. I earned my Excellence In Competition, Bronze, Pistol, competing in the 101st ABN / Ft. Campbell Post Matches in November, 1976, but hadn't seen it by the time I ETS'ed in January '78. Lo and behold, months after getting home I received the "Leg" badge and a copy of the orders from Ft. Benning, dated 14 April 1978. So, it only took them a year and a half to process! LOL Fletch 1/73rd Armor and 2/9th Infantry Camp Casey and Camp Liberty Bell, ROK 75-76 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHASEUSA11B Posted January 23, 2015 Share #12 Posted January 23, 2015 Here's a card issuing the merchant marine combat bar to a sailor by the war shipping administration. It's not exactly like the other combat certificates but I found it interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skautdog Posted January 23, 2015 Share #13 Posted January 23, 2015 Danny, Thanks for starting this thread. I find it very interesting and hope others will show their certificates. IF I received one, I sure don't remember it, but I have trunks of AD stuff not gone through in years. Of course, I was awarded my CIB by having it tossed to me when a log bird came in,so there probably wasn't a certificate. No biggie. Been there. Done that. Ken 62 INF PLT (Combat Tracker), 1/9, First Cavalry Division (Airmobile) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1SG_1st_Cav Posted January 23, 2015 Author Share #14 Posted January 23, 2015 Ken: For many reasons there were a ton of Troopers who did not get the medals or certificates they earned. You know there was a big disconnect between the troops in the bush and the REMFs at the Division Base Camp. I never got an Air Medal like a lot of other Troopers, but I earned my Bronze Star in 1967-68. I did notice that our S-1 Jerks who never left Base Camp except to go on R&R all got Air Medals. Then in early 1971, as our Bn was preparing to shut down, many of those REMFs were awarded multiple Bronze Stars within weeks of the orders being cut. The awards and recognition system was not always fair. I was told a long time ago "Suck it up ~ Buttercup!" Danny PS: Here is a picture of a real sad sack taken at LZ Uplift in the Central Highlands [iICTZ] south of the Bong Son River in late 1967. I was just back from a frightening three days at LZ Pony at the north end of the 506 Valley [aka VC Valley]. Anyone one who has ever in combat that said they were never scared is full of shinola. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skautdog Posted January 24, 2015 Share #15 Posted January 24, 2015 Danny, Airborne to all you said. I wasn't beefin. It is what it is. I got all the awards I neded by working with great kids, trying to make their lives a little better, and keeping them alive. By the way, thanks for sending that stuff to us on time and on target! Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1SG_1st_Cav Posted January 24, 2015 Author Share #16 Posted January 24, 2015 Ken: The 1-30th FA, call sign "Hard Charger", was in Vietnam from November 1965 until April 1971. We fired 1,260,000 155mm rounds of Timely, Accurate, and Deadly AIRMOBILE Firepower. Based on 15 unit awards earned, and 13 Campaign Streamers, we were the highest decorated Medium Artillery Battalion to serve in Vietnam. These awards did not come easily as we suffered 40 KIAs, and nearly 350 WIAs. These are high numbers for casualties in a Field Artillery unit. If it wasn't for the support we provided to you grunts we would not have a job! Glad we could help! Hard Charger 9Golf, End of Mission ~ Out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skautdog Posted January 24, 2015 Share #17 Posted January 24, 2015 Danny, Shot OUT SPLASH Anyone who hasn't lived on a new FSB just doesn't know what they don't know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hueytaxi Posted January 26, 2015 Share #18 Posted January 26, 2015 Just revisited this thread since my last post. Danny I ended up tube arty my second tour.Aviation section of 23rd FA Gp. flying for DEPCOM of II Field Force. Tay Ninh to Vung Tau and Da Lat to Can Tho. If it wasnot Cavm Korean, ARVN or Aussie arty it was us,. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chas H Posted April 8, 2015 Share #19 Posted April 8, 2015 Hey Sgt Dan, I was searching "LZ Diamondhead" and this thread turned up. Haven't seen/read you around for a few years. I have a "Certificate of Achievement" from the I Field Force VietNam, signed by Gen Kalergis, CO of the 41st Arty Grp-I think. I have yet to figger out how to post it. To the rest of the fine gentlemen reading this, Sgt Dan was one of my instructors when the 7/15 Arty was located at Ft Bragg, NC; and I learned much from his classes. I started and completed my tour of Paradise as head of C battery's FDC. I'm glad Sgt Dan mentioned LZ Pony, as I was stuck in that mud hole for the last 3 months of 1967. My Best to all. Chas H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssggates Posted April 8, 2015 Share #20 Posted April 8, 2015 43rd MP combat patch cert... Brig, I have some of the exact same certs from 05-06. Were you with the marine company at Ashraf? FOB Spartan/Grizzly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefighter Posted April 8, 2015 Share #21 Posted April 8, 2015 Great looking certificates.I look the two that authorize the soldier to wear the unit's patch as a combat patch, especially to a Marine.I have one of the Merchant Marine cards for the Vietnam service ribbon.Great stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brig Posted April 9, 2015 Share #22 Posted April 9, 2015 Brig, I have some of the exact same certs from 05-06. Were you with the marine company at Ashraf? FOB Spartan/Grizzly. Indeed I was! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brig Posted April 9, 2015 Share #23 Posted April 9, 2015 Great looking certificates.I look the two that authorize the soldier to wear the unit's patch as a combat patch, especially to a Marine.I have one of the Merchant Marine cards for the Vietnam service ribbon.Great stuff. We were told that the Army gave them to us in hope we would reciprocate with a 2nd MarDiv SSI, I suppose not realizing that A. We haven't recognized SSI since 1947 and B. we fell under 4th MEB, not 2ndMarDiv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssggates Posted April 9, 2015 Share #24 Posted April 9, 2015 Indeed I was! My platoon lived in the trailers next to you. We got along way better with you guys than we did the other army units on the FOB. Ashraf was a crazy little place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brig Posted April 9, 2015 Share #25 Posted April 9, 2015 My platoon lived in the trailers next to you. We got along way better with you guys than we did the other army units on the FOB. Ashraf was a crazy little place. I recall those trailers, and then they built our little HESCO fort around our living space within the FOB mid-deployment when Grizzly took over. Not sure if we did it or the Army did it, the CO of Grizzly really didn't like it, he's the one who tasked us with that stupid guard the chow hall in full PPE assignment, and forced us to wear those dumb turret gunner tri-color shoulder DAPS. If you guys rolled through Checkpoint Grizzly during the morning shift, there's a pretty good chance it was me waving you in through the military lane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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