A Sailor's History of the U.S. Navy (52 page)

2. Vietnam defense campaign (8 March–24 December 1965).
As Communist efforts in South Vietnam increased, U.S. carriers continued bombing North Vietnam while U.S. Marines landed from Seventh Fleet ships at Danang, marking the beginning of major combat involvement in Vietnam. The Navy established the Coastal Surveillance Force (dubbed “Operation Market Time”), using its own Swift boats and Coast Guard WPBs to stop Communist infiltration from the sea. On 18 December, the U.S. Navy began patrolling the rivers of South Vietnam in an operation named Game Warden.

3. Vietnamese counteroffensive, phase 1 (25 December 1965–30 June 1966).
As the war continued, the Navy continued to patrol the coasts and rivers in brown-water operations. Minesweeping craft began patrolling the Long Tau River leading to Saigon to keep that vital waterway open to merchant traffic. Naval patrol craft worked to keep Vietnamese harbors open and safe in Operation Stable Door. Navy helicopters called “Seawolves” began supporting the newly arrived Navy PBRs in Game Warden missions.

4. Vietnamese counteroffensive, phase 2 (1 July 1966–31 May 1967).
To support U.S. Army operations in the strategically vital Mekong Delta and RSSZ, the Navy created the Mobile Riverine Force, using altered landing craft as river assault vessels to carry Soldiers into the many waterways of the region and to provide fire and blocking support during these operations. Boatswain Mate First Class James Elliott Williams earned the Medal
of Honor when he took his PBR patrol in harm's way and destroyed sixty-five enemy vessels and killed or captured hundreds of enemy soldiers that were infiltrating the Mekong Delta. Naval air operations continued from “Yankee Station” off North Vietnam and “Dixie Station” off South Vietnam.

5. Vietnamese counteroffensive, phase 3 (1 June 1967–29 January 1968).
PBR patrols were extended into the northern provinces of South Vietnam (so-called I-Corps tactical zone) during Operation Green Wave, while the Mobile Riverine Force conducted several large operations in the Mekong Delta and RSSZ. SeaBee units continued the massive buildup of combat support facilities all over South Vietnam.

6. Tet counteroffensive (30 January–1 April 1968).
Enemy attacks erupted all over South Vietnam during the holiday period known as Tet. After some initial setbacks in the early hours of the surprise offensive, U.S. and South Vietnamese forces responded by soundly defeating enemy elements. General William Westmoreland, overall commander of U.S. forces in South Vietnam, credited the Mobile Riverine Force with “saving the [Mekong] Delta” during this period.

7. Vietnamese counteroffensive, phase 4 (2 April–30 June 1968).
In the aftermath of the Tet Offensive, naval forces continued to patrol the rivers and coastlines and to provide direct air support for various operations in South Vietnam. Air operations against the North continued in the pan-handle region.

8. Vietnamese counteroffensive, phase 5 (1 July–1 November 1968).
Combat and support operations continued, but the strategy began to shift to the “Vietnamization” of the war (turning over patrol and combat operations to the South Vietnamese). As a first step, the VNN began minesweeping operations on the Long Tau River.

9. Vietnamese counteroffensive, phase 6 (2 November 1968–22 February 1969).
Bombing of North Vietnam was halted as a peace gesture, but reconnaissance flights continued. Air operations in the South continued, and the U.S. Navy initiated the Operation SEALORDS interdiction strategy that led to increased fighting on the waterways. The Navy also implemented its ACTOV in December 1968.

10. Tet 1969/counteroffensive (23 February–8 June 1969).
Fighting continued in the Mekong Delta as the U.S. Navy launched several offensives (Operation Giant Slingshot, Operation Barrier Reef, among others). The Navy also conducted raids into the rivers in the I-Corps tactical zone.

11. Vietnam summer–fall 1969 (9 June–31 October 1969).
Turnover to the VNN picked up speed while American Sailors kept the pressure on enemy forces through continued offensive operations.

12. Vietnam winter–spring 1970 (1 November 1969–30 April 1970).
Several operations were conducted during this period (Sea Float, Breezy Cove, Ready Deck, and the like) to maintain pressure on enemy forces while ACTOV continued.

13. Sanctuary counteroffensive (1 May–30 June 1970).
Naval air provided support for an incursion into Cambodia. Operation Blue Shark replaced the Operation Market Time raider program.

14. Vietnamese counteroffensive, phase 7 (1 July 1970–30 June 1971).
American naval advisors played an increasingly central role in South Vietnam as Vietnamization continued. U.S. naval air supported the South Vietnamese incursion into the Laotian sanctuary.

15. Consolidation I (1 July–30 November 1971).
U.S. Sailors remained in Vietnam, performing advisory roles while air reconnaissance and occasional retaliatory strikes were conducted against North Vietnam.

16. Consolidation II (1 December 1971–29 March 1972).
Air operations against North Vietnam intensified as it became clear that a major military buildup was under way.

17. Vietnam ceasefire campaign (30 March 1972–28 January 1973).
In April 1972, the last naval bases were turned over to the South Vietnamese; in that same month, the North Vietnamese launched a major invasion of the south. U.S. airpower played a key role in repelling the invaders as American advisors fought alongside their Vietnamese counterparts in the largest series of battles since the Tet Offensive of 1968. In January 1973, the Paris Peace Accords were signed, ending U.S. involvement in the war.

This medal was authorized on 12 March 1991 for participation in or support of military operations in Southwest Asia or in the surrounding areas between 2 August 1990 and 30 November 1995, including Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

Stars

Three bronze stars represent the three different campaigns of the Southwest Asia Service battle streamer.

 

1. Defense of Saudi Arabia (2 August 1990–16 January 1991).
When Iraq invaded Kuwait, President George H. W. Bush ordered two U.S. aircraft carriers into the area to join other naval forces already on station as a visible deterrent to further Iraqi aggression against the strategic vital nation of Saudi Arabia. A massive buildup of U.S. forces in the region (dubbed “Operation Desert Shield”) prepared to go to war with the Iraqi forces to drive them out of Kuwait.

2. Liberation and defense of Kuwait (17 January–11 April 1991).
In a massive attack involving air, naval, and ground forces (dubbed “Operation Desert Storm”), the United States led a coalition of forces to liberate Kuwait. Air strikes, missile attacks, and naval gunfire missions led the attack, carrying out such missions for more than a month before ground troops began the final assault that defeated the Iraqi forces and liberated Kuwait.

3. Southwest Asia ceasefire campaign (12 April 1991–30 November 1995).
In the aftermath of Operation Desert Storm, U.S. forces remained in the area, carrying out various missions (among them, reconnaissance, air strikes, and humanitarian aid) to contain Iraq and prevent further destabilization in the region.