The Ones That Got Away: The Elusive Medals
Sometimes the serviceman is recognized for his military deeds and other times they go unnoticed.
In garrison at two different places I was recognized for my ability and was written up for the Army Commendation Medal. However, due to my outspoken nature and/or my personal standards, they were torn up. On one occasion I told the personnel clerk (who wrote up the awards and had told me that I was getting the award) that the unmilitary liaison between him, a specialist, and a field grade officer was the talk of the camp. Scratch one Army Commendation Medal.
On the other occasion I was on duty at a highly classified military installation. I had just taken over as the non-commissioned officer in charge. I was asked to write up the Army Commendation for the sergeant that I had replaced. I refused because I had found nothing in order when I took over. Machine guns were rusting in their bunkers, security keys were not maintained in an orderly fashion, operational orders were outdated, chemical warfare kits were missing critical items, and on and on. I did say I had no objection to someone else writing up the award for him, but no one did. I was surprised that they did send a letter about me to my next assignment that was very exemplary and would have been the basis for an Army Commendation.
On 4 January 1945, our target was a road bridge north of Verona, Italy. The area was south of the Brenner Pass, so it was well protected by anti-aircraft guns. Our path in and out was over the least number of guns. We dropped our bombs on the bridge. Our B-24 took a hit and the pilot was hit. In the excitement he pulled the plane out of formation and into an area of concentrated anti-aircraft guns. I saw a battery of guns fire on the ground and I know we were the ones targeted, because we were the only bomber in that air space. The pilot wasn ’t wounded, because his Flak jacket stopped the shell fragment. I got his attention on the intercom and gave a hard right correction. He responded and turned the plane. The shells burst harmlessly off to the left and high. I kept up directing him to the left & right until we were out of their range. We landed at one of our fighter strips behind our front lines, so the pilot could assess the damage to the bomber.
My alertness in seeing the FLAK batteries fire, and realizing that in seconds those shells would be exploding around us, getting the pilot’s attention quickly to change course, was the difference between me writing this today and getting shot out of the skies in Northern Italy that day. I’m sure that my action saved me, the crew and the plane, but that action was never put on paper for an award.
Remember, it would have to be the pilot to make the recommendation and he did pull the plane out of the formation. Who could blame him, because he had been hit. At that time he didn't know that the FLAK vest, had contained the fragment.
He would later recommend me for the Distinguished Flying Cross for my action on 20 Dec 1944. For some reason or other the paperwork didn’t get to the Colonel until 13 May 1945. The war in Europe ended on 8 May 1945 and at that point everyone wanted to get home. I didn’t receive the award and when I was getting out of the service in 1945, a personnel clerk, found the recommendation, removed it from my file and handed it to me, because he thought I would like to have it.
Here is that recommendation:
