Skyraider MOH Should Have Been............

[Jack Cook]

Capt Paul T. McClellan USAF Stayton, Oregon 1st Air Commandos MIA Ia Drang Valley 14 Nov 1965.





I was in the battle at LZ X-RAY, November 14-16, 1965 as a machine gunner with the 7th Cavalry. While laying prone on the ground and firing at the advancing NVA I was observing the A-1E Skyraider making his bombing runs in front of my position (between the Chu Pong Mountain and me). I have documented this in the book "We Were Soldiers".

I was 'keying' off of him as I knew that he had a better view of the enemy than I had as to where they were coming from. The pilot made several bombing runs also firing his machine guns at very low levels. On his last run he was hit by enemy fire and his fuel tank exploded and caught fire. Just above the tree top he passed by me, his plane trailing smoke and flame. I was less than 50 yards from him and saw his face looking at the LZ and in my direction. He was alive and moving at that time. He disappeared over the trees and out of my sight. He killed many of the enemy and may have saved our battalion. I am extremely grateful for his actions and feel he deserves the MOH for his heroics and sacrifice.

From a US soldier,
Bill Beck
30 Jul 2007

[Jack Cook]

Worthy of a Memorial Day bump

[ACMech]

Great pictures!

[wendovertom]

that first shot almost looks like a very young Mel Gibson!!

Tom P.

[Mudge]

Not to diminish what Capt. McLellan did but....IMHO the MoH is for "above and beyond".

Mudge

[Ken]

I have a dear friend who flew Skyraiders, in fact, his first tour occurred at the same time at Capt McClellan's and he flew in support of troops during the same battle(s) in '65. He returned to the states as an A-1 IP and later volunteered for a second combat tour. I've heard his first hand stories of some ferocious fighting, comrades lost, good days and bad. I've read some of his medal citations; stuff to make one's hair stand on end. I think he deserved consideration for a Medal of Honor or Air Force Cross, but his decorations were 2 Silver Stars and 5 DFC's for various missions. I don't think he cares much which medals, if any, were awarded; he was there and knows what happened. And like most combat vets and military personnel, he knows that there will always be those who were awarded too much, those awarded too little, and those who actions will never be fully known (or known at all).

With that in mind, I opened this neat thread from our long lost buddy Jack Cook to enjoy some stunning, and somewhat uncommon color pics of an A-1E and an American hero in action. As passionate as I am about this segment of history, the thread gives me pause because I'm looking at a man who is no longer with us because he died fighting for our country. And with it is the rare narrative of a soldier/witness who believes that this pilot helped save his life and wishes (rightfully or not) that this man be awarded our highest honor.

So, before this thread turns into a superficial rehash of the criteria for decorations, I simply ask that the focus be on learning from the aviation history depicted and honoring the memory of another hero that I assume most of us knew nothing about until Jack started the thread.

Ken

[oscardeuce]

What are the chances that this kind of recommendation would go through? Seems this man would have seen enough to know "normal" fighting from above and beyond. I may be wrong he may have just arrived in countr

[PinecastleAAF]

I just finished reading "My Secret War" by Richard Drury about his time as a Skyraider pilot in country. The timeframe is a little later, 68-69 and centers mostly around operations at night over the trail. Well worth the time to read. He discusses the awarding of medals at one point and how ridiculous it was. The book also has the first mention I can recall of the Stanley YANKEE Extraction System. Interesting that only the USAF Skyraiders had it.

[Ken]

A past thread on the Yankee seat. I suspect Capt McClellan did not have that option in 1965.

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