Vol. 58, No. 1 5 · 2016. 1. 22. · a rocket-propelled grenade shot from a rooftop and an improvised explosive device that was remotely detonated on the ground. As her citation for

25th Infantry Division, and the United States

Army.7

The reverse of Skogerboe’s officially machine engraved

Bronze Star Medal w/"V" and oak leaf cluster is at Figure

5.

Figure 4: The officially hand-engraved Bronze Star Medal

awarded to Captain Charles A. Wirt, U. S. Army.

Now compare it--and the aggressive wording--in

Skogerboe’s "V for Valor" award:

For heroism in connection with military operations

against a hostile force: Second Lieutenant

Skogerboe distinguished himself by heroic actions

on 24 August 1969, while serving as a platoon

leader with Company B, 2nd Battalion, 12th

Infantry in the Republic of Vietnam. While an

element from Company B was on their way to

establish a night ambush site, they came under

small arms and rocket propelled grenade fire from

a hostile force. Lieutenant Skogerboe immediately

began deploying his men into positions to return

effective fire on the enemy force. With complete

disregard for his own safety, Lieutenant Skogerboe

exposed himself to the hail of exploding projectiles

as he continued to direct his men until he was

fatally wounded by enemy fire. His valorous

actions contributed immeasurably to the success

of the mission. Lieutenant Skogerboe’s bravery,

aggressiveness, and devotion to duty are in keeping

with the highest traditions of the military service

and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, the

Figure 5: The officially machine-engraved Bronze Star Medal with "V" and oak leaf cluster awarded to 2nd Lieut-

enant Dennis Skogerboe, U. S. Artny.

Iraq Bronze Star Medal with "V". A good example of a

Bronze Star Medal with "V" for the on-going war in Iraq

is the award to Sergeant Timothy Hicks, for heroism

while an artillery cannon crewmember in C Company,

2nd Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, lstArmored

Division. On June 1, 2003, then 30-year-old Hicks was

driving in a convoy with his company’s first sergeant as

his passenger. Insurgents fired a rocket-propelled grenade

at the unit’s field artillery supply vehicle, also called a

FAASV. At the same time, the attackers unleashed a

barrage of small arms fire at the soldiers in the FAASV.

Both soldiers in the FAASV were badly wounded. Hicks

left the relative safety of his vehicle and ran to the FAASV

with the intent of driving it away to safety. He managed

to dodge a hail of bullets and dive into the driver’s hatch

of the FAASV, which he then drove to safety. He later

also assisted two soldiers who were pinned down by fire

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at a nearby intersection. For this combat heroism, Hicks received the Bronze Star Medal with "V." Figure 6 shows Sergeant Timothy Hicks at his battalion’s tactical operations center in Baghdad in September 2004.

Figure 6: Sergeant Timothy Hicks.

Iraq: Air Medal with "V." The award to Chief Warrant Officer 3 Brian Mucci is a good example of a recent

award. In April 2003, Mucci was an Apache helicopter

pilot with the 101 st Airborne Division and was operating

was south of Baghdad. He was in the rear of the aircraft

and on a mission to help accept the surrender of an Iraqi

armored division.

As Mucci and his co-pilot got closer to the enemy unit, the Iraqis opened fire. Despite a hail of bullets and some close calls from artillery rounds fired at their helicopter, Mucci returned fire with Hellfire missiles, 30-millimeter chain guns and 2.75-inch rockets. He took out an enemy tank, armored reconnaissance vehicle, and 20 artillery pieces.

For his heroism in the air--and for destroying so many enemy assets while himself under fire--Mucci received theAir Medal with "V" device.8 (A photograph showing how the "V" is worn on the suspension ribbon of an Air Medal awarded to a soldier is on the cover of this issue.)

Iraq: Army Commendation Medal with "V." Two good illustrations of Army Commendation Medals with "V" for valor devices to soldiers in Iraq are the awards to Specialist Maria C. Flores-Sanz and Cole Hottle. On July 2, 2003, Flores-Sanz was part of a three-vehicle convoy traveling from Baghdad International Airport to central Baghdad. The vehicles were attacked simultaneously by a rocket-propelled grenade shot from a rooftop and an improvised explosive device that was remotely detonated on the ground. As her citation for valor explains, despite the "smoke and confusion," Flores-Sanz "drove the two passengers of her vehicle to safety and later returned to the attack site to help evacuate the wounded soldiers.’’9 Figure 7 shows Specialist Maria C. Flores-Sanz on duty in Iraq.

Figure 7: Specialist Maria C. Flores-Sanz.

On April 9, 2003, Specialist Cole Hottle, a heavy wheeled

vehicle operator for the 360th Transportation Company

(Fort Carson, Colorado) volunteered for a convoy mission

to move a battalion’s headquarters from one location to

another. At one point during the move, the convoy had

to stop to wait for a truck to catch up. The enemy saw

the stopped convoy and began firing mortar rounds.

Hottle immediately took charge of the situation and told

his fellow soldiers, who were unsure of what to do and had become tightly grouped, to spread apart. He then

repositioned two soldiers with M249 squad automatic

weapons to provide suppressive fire while the other

soldiers went prone with their M 16 rifles. Hottle’s actions

6 JOMSA

kept the enemy attackers pinned down until more American soldiers arrived.1°

Manual (SECNAV Instruction 1650.1G), dated January 7, 2002, explains:

For his gallantry that day, Hottle received the Army Commendation with "V for Valor" in October 2003. Figure 8 is a photograph of Specialist Hottle receiving his award.

Figure 8: Specialist Cole Hottle receiving his Army Commendation Medal with "V" for Valor" award.

Despite the thousand and thousands of decorations and medals awarded to soldiers during recent combat deployments, awards with the "V" device are relatively small. During the 1991 Persian Gulf War, for example, the Army awarded over 26,000 Bronze Star Medals for achievement or service, but only 891 for valor. Similarly, the Army Awards Branch shows on its website that over 36,000 Bronze Stars have been awarded for achievement or service in Iraq, but only slightly more than 1,000 for valor. The same is true for Air Medal and Army Commendation Medal awards in Operation Iraqi Freedom: about five percent of the total number of Air Medals awarded and three percent of the Army Commendation Medals have been awarded with the "V" device.

The Combat Distinguishing Device in the Navy, Marine Corpand Coast Guard (1944-present)

While it did adopt the bronze "V" device, the Navy Department called it the "Combat Distinguishing Device," and took a different approach to its use by sailors and marines. As the Navy and Marine Corps Awards

The "V" is authorized for wear if the award is for acts

or services involving direct participation in combat

operations. In all cases, the Combat Distinguishing

Device may only be worn if specifically authorized in

the citation. Eligibility for the Combat

Distinguishing Device shall be based solely on acts

or services by individuals who are exposed to

personal hazard due to direct hostile actions, and

not upon the geographical area to which the acts or

services are performed. Each case must be judged

on its own merits (emphasis in original).1~

It follows that the "V" only may be worn by a

recipient whose citation specifically authorizes the

wear of the "V." There is no requirement that the

citation expressly state that performed any act of

individual heroism. Rather, the Combat

Distinguishing Device may be authorized for "acts

or services by individuals who are exposed to

personal hazard due to direct hostile actions."

(italics supplied) As a practical matter, a Marine

Corps award citation authorizing the "V" will

always identify individual acts of heroism in

combat even though that is not required by the

controlling Navy instruction.

As for the Coast Guard, at the time the "V"

appurtenance was adopted by the Navy, the Coast Guard

was operating as a part of that service, and consequently

followed the Navy Department’s policy on how the "V"

would be used, Although the Coast Guard subsequently

left control of the Navy (to "return" to the Department

of the Treasury), it has continued to follow the Navy’s

policy on the use of the Combat Distinguishing Device.

Prior to April 4, 1974, the Navy and Marine Corps

authorized the "V" for the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star

Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy

Commendation Medal and Navy Achievement Medal.

Between 1974 and 1991, this list was altered: the "V"

could no longer be awarded for the Legion of Merit, but

it could now be awarded for wear on the Distinguished

Flying Cross and Air Medal.

In January 1991, the Navy changed its regulations again

and today, the Combat Distinguishing Device may be

worn on the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross,

Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal, Navy and Marine Corps

Commendation Medal and Navy and Marine Corps

Achievement Medal. This means that sailors and Marines

may wear the "V" on twice as many medals as soldiers.

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