Vietnam War medals recognize radio operator

By Ms Kari Hawkins ( Redstone)April 5, 2012

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(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

History has a way of finding us.

And so it was for Cleveland King Jr. on Saturday when history came calling, leaving behind a Silver Star, Bronze Star with Combat "V," Purple Heart with two Gold Stars and Combat Action Ribbon for actions this Marine took in combat during the Vietnam War.

The medals were presented by retired Marine Lt. Gen. Frank Libutti during a ceremony hosted by Kilo Battery, 2nd Battalion, 14th Marines at the Marine Corps Reserve Center in Huntsville.

Describing it as a "show of love" from friends who cared enough to track down the medals he had never received, King said he was grateful that family, friends, local community and military leaders, and retired and active duty Marines would come together to see him receive his medals.

"You've come together to tell me 'thanks,' a radio operator who was only doing his job," King said.

"I was doing my job because I took the Marine Corps seriously. When they trained me, they trained me well. Thank God we made it through."

King was accompanied at the ceremony by his wife, Libby Ann, and a large group of family members from Ohio, Chicago and Oregon. The ceremony was also attended by 11 members of King's platoon, including two of his platoon commanders; Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle; Redstone Arsenal's Lt. Gen. Richard Formica and his wife Diane, and Maj. Gen. Jim Rogers; and several leaders in the local military community. Several times during the ceremony, the crowd gave standing ovations for the heroic efforts of King and others in attendance.

"We've stood together before and there's no finer man to stand next to," said King's platoon commander Karl Marlante, who is the author of "Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War."

"Sometimes you have no choice when you are one foot away from where another Marine is killed. We had no choice but to be born in the United States in a certain time, and then end up in the Marine Corps and in North Vietnam. You have no choice of where you're standing when the bullet comes by. But you can fulfill what's happening to you with a noble heart."

King's medals awarded actions taken in March 1969 when the Marine corporal served with Company C, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Division near Khe Sanh, Vietnam.

The Silver Star was awarded in recognition of actions King took on March 1, 1969, when, as his unit was advancing toward the enemy-held hilltop objective, both his platoon commander and platoon sergeant were wounded.

King, a radio operator, took command, directing his fellow Marines toward the hilltop objective, which was needed as a landing zone to extract Marine casualties. King was exposed to hostile fire as he encouraged his platoon forward to secure the landing zone. Prior to the landing of medical evacuation helicopters, King rushed out into the open landing zone to release a smoke grenade that would visually mark the area for the helicopter pilots. As he rushed into the open, an enemy mortar round exploded near him, knocking him to the ground and wounding his hand. He went on to direct the helicopter pilot by radio until the aircraft safely landed.

After the first helicopter departed with several injured Marines, King exposed himself again to hostile fire as he directed the second helicopter into the zone and aided with loading Marine casualties onto the helicopter.

The Bronze Star was awarded in recognition of actions King took on March 3, 1969, when Company C's second platoon came under attack by the North Vietnamese army in the early morning hours and several Marines were wounded. King joined the company commander to the point of heaviest contact, and assisted in reorganizing and encouraging the men in the fire-swept terrain. After learning that four seriously wounded Marines were dangerously exposed to enemy fire near the company's perimeter, King rushed forward and assisted in moving them to a safer location.

When King returned from his tour and to a civilian life in Youngstown, Ohio, he received several military awards, including the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal and Vietnam Service Medal with three bronze campaign stars. But he didn't know he was awarded a Silver Star until recently when, now living in Huntsville, he was contacted by Byron Moore of North Carolina, the son of one of King's fellow Marines.

"I was putting some old pictures from Vietnam together for my dad, and I discovered 20 to 25 different men he served with," Moore said. "I also discovered that Mr. King got a Silver Star. So, I called him to congratulate him about the Silver Star and he didn't know about it."

Once the proper officials were notified, the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps moved quickly to rectify the situation.

"There's always something that you were put on this earth to do," King said. "Sometimes that comes sooner. Sometimes that comes later. But be patient. It's coming because this took a long time."

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