Navy Cross Citation
The President
of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy
Cross to
NGUYEN VAN KIET, PETTY OFFICER THIRD CLASS
NAVY OF THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM
Citation:
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extraordinary heroism while serving with friendly forces
engaged in armed conflict against the North
Vietnamese and Viet
Cong communist aggressors in the Republic
of Vietnam. On 13 April 1972, Petty Officer Kiet
participated in an unprecedented recovery operation for
a downed United States aviator behind enemy lines in Quang
Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam. He courageously
volunteered to accompany a United
States SEAL Advisor Thomas
R. Norris (Medal Of Honor) in an extremely hazardous
attempt to reach the aviator, who was physically unable
to move toward friendly positions. Using a sampan
and traveling throughout the night, they silently made
their way deep into enemy territory, past numerous major
enemy positions, locating the pilot at dawn. Once, after
being spotted by a North Vietnamese patrol, he calmly
continued to keep the enemy confused as the small party
successfully evaded the patrol. Later, they were
suddenly taken under heavy machine gun fire. Thinking
first of the pilot, he quickly pulled the sampan to
safety behind a bank and camouflaged it while air
strikes were called on the enemy position. Due to Petty
Officer Kiet's coolness under extremely dangerous
conditions and his outstanding courage and
professionalism, an American aviator was recovered after
an eleven-day ordeal behind enemy lines. His
self-discipline, personal courage, and dynamic fighting
spirit were an inspiration to all; thereby reflecting
great credit upon himself and the Naval Service.
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email: ktnguyen95
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