FYI

Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal (Est 1919)

Dates: 1919 to present
Criteria: Landings on foreign territory and operations against armed opposition for which no specific campaign medal has been authorized.
Attachments: Silver Star Device, Bronze Star Device

National Defense Service Medal - NDSM (Est 1953)

Dates: 1950-54, 1961-74, 1990-95, 2001-TBD
Criteria: Any honorable active duty service during any of the above periods.

Vietnam (RVN) Service Medal (Est 1965)

Dates: 1965-73
Criteria: Service in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, or Thailand during the above period.

Republic of Vietnam (RVN) Gallantry Cross Medal w/Palm (Est 1950)

Criteria: Awarded for valor and heroic conduct while fighting the enemy.
Notes: Palm device is citation for unit awards
Combat Aircrew Wings
Combat Aircrew History

When the Navy finally decided to enter aviation in December 1910, a new era dawned for thousands of officers and enlisted men. By December 1917, pilots were designated as Naval Aviators and wore distinctive wings of gold. Five years later, in September 1922, non-pilot officers, or Naval Aviation Observers, were recognized with their own breast insignia. However, the enlisted men who flew aboard rapidly evolving naval aircraft remained unrecognized. The Naval Appropriations Act of 1916 granted enlisted aircrewmen flight pay and other benefits, but it would take almost 30 years before the Navy created an insignia for these "Sailors in the sky

Many heroic aircrewmen have flown aboard naval aircraft and were an integral part of Naval Aviation. Marine Gunnery Sergeant Robert G. Robinson earned the Medal of Honor for his actions during a daylight bombing mission against a German-held railroad Junction in Belgium on 14 October 1918. Robinson and pilot 2nd Lieutenant Ralph Talbot were recognized for extra-ordinary heroism in engaging enemy aircraft at great odds. Figuratively, Robinson "earned his wings.

Enlisted personnel continued to gain prominence through the 1920s. On 1 July 1921, several basic aviation ratings were created from which the Navy drew its enlisted aircrewmen: aviation machinist's mate, aviation metalsmith, aviation carpenter's mate, aviation rigger and photographer. Aside from their rating badges, no one could tell that these men belonged to the aviation community.

Aircrewmen continued to take flight aboard biplanes, balloons and dirigibles, losing their lives in some cases. Over 70 Sailors, many enlisted aircrewmen, were killed on 4 April 1933 when the rigid airship Akron (ZRS 4) crashed off Barnegat Light, N.J.

During WW II, a new aviation breast insignia was designed in response to numerous requests from the fleet to recognize enlisted aircrewmen. The 19 February 1943 meeting of the Navy Department Uniform Board approved a recommendation from the Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics (BUAER) for the creation of such an insignia. It was endorsed by the Commander in Chief, U.S. Fleet, and the Chief of Naval Personnel was tasked to issue the appropriate instructions. The aircrew insignia was to be authorized "for flight crews of Navy planes who have been duly designated as members of aircrews. Commissioned and warrant officers who have been designated as Naval Aviators or Naval Observers, and enlisted ratings who have been designated as Naval Aviation Pilots, shall not be eligible to receive or wear the aircrew insignia."

In a letter dated 11 February 1943, BUAER Chief Rear Admiral John S. McCain had set forth the provisions of eligibility for wearing the new aircrew breast insignia as "having served, subsequent to 7 December 1941, for a total period of three months as a regularly assigned member of the aircrew of a combatant aircraft." The term "combatant aircraft" was expanded to include all operating aircraft of the fleet or frontier forces, except utility aircraft which were not designed for offensive or defensive purposes. "Regularly assigned member of the aircrew" was to be taken literally and must have been annotated as such on the respective unit's battle station bill. In addition, commanding officers could authorize personnel who had suffered injuries or other physical impairment while engaged in combatant operations to wear the aircrew wings.

The insignia featured a banner across the top on which eligible sailors could affix up to three stars signifying individual combat awards. Aircrews engaging enemy aircraft, singly or in formation; engaging armed enemy combatant vessels with bombs, torpedoes or machine guns; and engaging in bombing or offensive operations against fortified enemy positions were qualified to wear a combat star, with unit commander approval, on their aircrew breast insignia. Since Naval Aviator wings were adopted in 1917, many wing designs have been proposed, adopted and changed, with only the gold color remaining constant.

The design of the silver aircrew wings, however, has remained unchanged since its inception in 1943. Only the size has been altered to match that of other devices in use today. The qualifications, on the other hand, have been revised numerous times to reflect changes in technology and war-fighting strategies.

My "PURPLE FOX’ brothers at

http://www.hmm-364.org/mbrs-a.html

Have a Cpl. R.W. Dodd listed for 65-66

it is a long shot, but; Last name and time frame are correct; could this be a mistake in initials?

Here is the photo of Cpl R. W. Dodd

Nope!

Nope thats not him! It would be J H Dodd!

Barbara Dodd LaForge

From www.military.com
Name : JR JA DODD
Service : MARINE CORPS
Service Component :
Pay Grade : E-6
Military Specialty : 6083
6083 Aircraft Safety Equipment Mechanic A-6/EA-6

A6 is a jet plane. not familiar with it. Sky Raider?

www.military.com Join and save the password, You can search for your unit. There are Battalions and sometimes company web pages., You can use the buddy finder and email other members. Free No Fees.

HqCo, 7th EngrBn(-)Rein, 1st MarDiv(Rein)FMF
Headquarters Company
7th Engineers Battalion
1st Marine Division
(Rein) means reinforced which means it had extra units. like an extra infantry regiment and Artillery Battery from the 5th Marine Division.
FMF WesPac
Fleet Marine Force West Pacific was the overall command for the units in Viet Nam,

HQ Company was the Battalion HQ for the unit. There were also several other companies, probably Alpha Bravo & Charlie Companies but you would have to ask an Engineer to be sure. So 7th Engineers would have HQ, A, B & C companies

HQ Co 7th Engineers Battalion has a web page of its own.
http://3rdbridge.org/2002%207th%20Eng%20Assoc%20Reunion/7th%20Engineer%20Association.htm

http://www.usmc.org/7th/
better maps are on the 7th Marine REgiment web page
www.marzone.com
click on the guys in the rice paddy to enter. Dai Loc Map probably the one you want for 7th Engineers. Da Nang map for the air field.

FPO San Francisco Fleet Post Office, just means the unit was over seas.

HMM-364, MAG-36, 1stMAW
Thats a Helicopter squadron, Marine Air Group, 1st Marine Air Wing 1st Maw was the air wing equivalent of the 1st Marine Divison, the largerst unit. Not real familiar with Air Wing units. HMM I think is medium helios Like the CH 46 Sea Knight.
http://www.hmm-364.org/

Again I am not familiar with Air Wing. I was Arty and am familiar with Arty & and infantry units.

Santa Ana is the town outside El Toro MCAS. Marine Corps Air Station. I was discharged at El Toro but was never stationed there except for my last week when I came home for discharge.

Guantanamo Cuba is a Navy/Marine Base called Gitmo. its on one end of the island.

Dont know much about HMM-361 another Helicopter squadron.
To find the units you can do www.google.com searches.
use quote marks
"HMM-361"+Marines
"Hmm-364"+marines
"CH46"+marines
"ch-46"
use variations of the names as well.
"HMM 361"+marines

MARTD,MARTC,NAS ATLA Marietta, GA
Marietta Georgia Naval Air Station

TECHSCOLOCO, HQIN, MCB or MGB, OHANT? (can't really read this one) VA
Technical School I think HqIN? MCB Marine Corps Base. Like Camp Pendelton MCB or Camp Lejeune MCB.
San Diego MCRD or Parris Island MCRD Marine Corps Recruit Depot (Boot Camp) RTR Recruit Training Regiment Bn is Battlaion part of a regiment. Co is company part of a Bn.
ITR is infantry Training regiment Lejeune or Pendleton, everyone went there.

I think someone else has already answered the service medals. There may be more he is entitled to such as unit commendations.

Now here is the important part. Did you recieve all his service reocrds or just his DD 214? You can get the service record book and maybe even get them to tell you what unit commendations he might be entitled to. Onje more thing do not give out his Service number to anyone except the govt. It can be used to get his SSN and steal the identity. You may have already been to this place.

(Nest of Kin)

With your service number or ssn you can get a copy of your service records. If you file by email, they will call and ask you to fax your signature so you might as well file the form by Regular mail.
http://www.archives.gov/facilities/mo/st_louis/military_personnel_records.html
Military Record Requests (SF180)
National Personnel Records Center
NPRC
9500 Page
St Louis, Mo 63132

Snuffy Jackson
da0730@banet.net
HQ-2-13, E-2-13, L-4-11 & C-1-11
(Artillery batteries, Battalion and regt)
MOS 0846 Artillery Scout Observer

Help w/ Dads DD 214!

Thank you so much, you helped me out alot!

Barbara Dodd LaForge

Possible Info on JH Dodd

Dear Barbara:

I just read your posts and all the replies from over a year ago. Three items struck my eye. First, when you mention JH Dodd enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1957. Second, a mention about Cuba, and third the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal.

I also enlisted in 1957 so JH Dodd and I are contemporaries, which ties in wtih Cuba and the Marine Expeditionay Medal.

In 1961 I was in Guantanamo Bay Cuba during the Bay of Pigs with VMA-331, a A-4 Skyhawk attack squadron.

We were on the 'hot-pad' (ready to launch within minutes) to support the Free Cuban Forces who made the landings. As such, we were all awarded the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal.

This juxtaposition of time frame, Cuba and the medal makes it likely that JH Dodd was in Cuba in support of the invasion. He may even have been attached to us (VMA-331) or another operation there. There have been relatively few awards of that Medal, especially during the time of JH Dodd's service (1957-1975?).

I hope this helps clear up a few things.

VMA web pages

There are web pages for VMA 331.

www.skyhawk.org/4E/vma331/vma331
www.military.com
www.google.com search
"VMA-331"
"VMA 331"