My friend Charles Smith being awarded both the Silver Star Medal and the Army Commendation Medal for his heroism and accomplishments in Vietnam. The awards were presented on MacArthur Field at Ft. Sam Houston, TX in June 1969.
According to the award citation accompanying the Silver Star Medal he received, on 1 April 1968 " . . . Specialist Smith was serving as a medical aidman with his company on a battalion-minus reconnaissance in force operation ten kilometers west of Lai Khe. As the mechanized column maneuvered through the dense jungle terrain, it was suddenly subjected to intense hostile rocket propelled grenade and machinegun fire. The initial barrage disabled the lead vehicle and seriously wounded its occupants. Specialist Smith was approximately 100 meters to the rear when the call for a medical aidman reached him. With complete disregard for his personal safety, he moved forward through the hail of enemy rounds to the soldiers trapped inside their vehicle as it began to burn. He immediately pulled one man free from the wreckage. Again he braved the flames and hostile fire to enter the burning track and remove another comrade. Specialist Smith calmly administered first aid to the casualties until another vehicle arrived to evacuate them. His exemplary courage, initiative, and bold determination were directly responsible for saving the two men's lives and significantly contributed toward the successful conclusion of the encounter. Specialist Five Smith's unquestionable valor in close combat against numerically superior hostile forces is in keepiing with the finest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, the 1st Infantry Division and the United States Army."
Charles was a good friend and a highly respected medic. He returned from Vietnam in late '68 and had already separated from the Army and was about to leave for NY to pursue a career in photography when the long-overdue decorations were finally awarded to him. He had a long and successful career as a photojournalist and commercial photographer.
Photo courtesy of Charles "Recon Doc" Smith
