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Norman C. Gaddis
Norman Carl Gaddis (September 30, 1923 – February 13, 2024) was a United States Air Force officer, fighter pilot and prisoner of war. At the time he was shot down over North Vietnam, Gaddis was the most senior United States Air Force officer (Colonel). Early life Norman was born September 30, 1923, on his grandparents' family farm in Dandridge, Tennessee. His early years were affected by the Great Depression including frequent moves by his parents, Bruce and Allie, to find work and suitable housing. His mother was hospitalized for tuberculosis in 1928 and in order for his father to continue to work, Gaddis; his 7-year-old brother Ralph; and 1-year-old sister; Opal, were placed in an orphanage until the sanatorium had an apartment for the family. Military service in Army Air Corps During his time at Knoxville High School Gaddis was very involved in Junior ROTC. Because of the Pearl Harbor bombing in December 1941 his older brother, Ralph was drafted in July 1942. On October 29 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dandridge, Tennessee
Dandridge is a town in and the county seat of Jefferson County, Tennessee, United States. It had a population of 3,344 at the 2020 census. The town is part of the Morristown, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of Jefferson, Hamblen, and Grainger counties. It is considered a suburb of Knoxville based on its proximity to the city, and the connection between the two via Interstate 40. Dandridge bills itself as the "second oldest town in Tennessee" (behind only Jonesborough in Washington County).Billie McNamara,Jefferson County, Tennessee Genealogy & History" 1996-2004. Retrieved: 18 February 2008. Most of the downtown area of Dandridge sits below the high level water mark of Douglas Lake and is protected by a levee made out of stone. History In the 16th century, a substantial Native American chiefdom known as Chiaha was located on Zimmerman's Island, just southwest of Dandridge along the French Broad River. Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto spent several w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
"V" Device
A "V" device is a metal capital letter "V" with serifs which, when worn on certain decorations awarded by the United States Armed Forces, distinguishes an award for heroism or valor in combat instead of for meritorious service or achievement. The decorations with which a "V" may be authorized differ among the military services, as well as the manner in which the "V" is worn and the name by which it is referred to. Until 2017, each service also used different criteria in determining whether a "V" could be authorized. Etymology The Department of Defense, Army, and Air Force refer to the "V" as the "V" device. The Coast Guard refers to it as the Valor Device, while the Navy and Marine Corps refer to it as the Combat Distinguishing Device or Combat "V". When referring to a medal that has been awarded with the "V" device, it is often referred to as having been awarded "with valor". History On 22 December 1945, in War Department Circular 383, the United States Army decided to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vietnam Service Medal
The Vietnam Service Medal is a military award of the United States Armed Forces established on 8 July 1965 by order of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The medal is awarded to recognize service during the Vietnam War by all members of the U.S. Armed Forces provided they meet the award requirements. The distinctive design has been attributed to both sculptor Thomas Hudson Jones, a former employee of the Army Institute of Heraldry and Mercedes Lee who created the design. Award criteria The Vietnam Service Medal (VSM) was awarded to all members of the U.S. Armed Forces who served in Vietnam and its contiguous waters or airspace, after 3 July 1965 through 28 March 1973. Members of the U.S. Armed Forces in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, or airspace thereover, during the same period and serving in direct support of operations in Vietnam are also eligible for the award. ; Requirements Individuals must meet one of the following requirements: * Be attached to or regularly serve for 1 or more ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
National Defense Service Medal
The National Defense Service Medal (NDSM) is a service award of the United States Armed Forces established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953. It is awarded to every member of the US Armed Forces who has served during any one of four specified periods of armed conflict or national emergency from June 27, 1950 through the present. Combat or "in theater" service is not a requirement for the award. History The National Defense Service Medal (NDSM) was first intended to be a "blanket campaign medal" awarded to service members who served honorably during a designated time period of when a "national emergency" had been declared during a time of war or conflict. It may also be issued to active military members for any other period that the Secretary of Defense designates. To date, the NDSM has been awarded for four specific time periods, which roughly correspond to the Korean (1950-1954), Vietnam (1961-1974), Gulf (1990-1995), and the Global War on Terrorism (2001 to 2022). ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Army Of Occupation Medal
The Army of Occupation Medal is a military award of the United States military which was established by the United States War Department on 5 April 1946. The medal was created in the aftermath of the Second World War to recognize those who had performed occupation service in either Germany, Italy, Austria, Japan or Korea. The original Army of Occupation Medal was intended only for members of the United States Army, but was expanded in 1948 to encompass the United States Air Force shortly after that service's creation. The Navy and Marine equivalent of the Army of Occupation Medal is the Navy Occupation Service Medal, which features the same ribbon with its own medallion and clasps. History Although authorized in 1946, it was not until 1947 that the first Army of Occupation Medals were distributed. The first medal was presented to General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower, who had been the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force Commander during World War II. Becau ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
World War II Victory Medal
The World War II Victory Medal is a service medal of the United States military which was established by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945 (Public Law 135, 79th Congress) and promulgated by Section V, War Department Bulletin 12, 1945. The World War I Victory Medal is the corresponding medal from World War I. History The World War II Victory Medal was established by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945 (Public Law 135, 79th Congress) and promulgated by Section V, War Department Bulletin 12, 1945. The medal was designed by Thomas H. Jones and approved by the Secretary of War on 5 February 1946. Consequently, it did not transition from a ribbon to a full medal until after World War II had ended. The World War II Victory Medal was first issued as a service ribbon, referred to as the “Victory Ribbon.” The Congressional authorization for the medal specified that it was to be awarded to any member of the United States military, including members of the armed forces of the Govern ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
American Theater Medal
The American Campaign Medal is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was first created on November 6, 1942, by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was intended to recognize those military members who had performed military service in the American Theater of Operations during World War II. A similar medal, known as the American Defense Service Medal was awarded for active duty service before the United States' entry into World War II. History The American Campaign Medal was established per Executive Order 9265,6 November 1942, by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and announced in War Department Bulletin 56, 1942. The criteria were initially announced in Department of the Army (DA) Circular 1, dated 1 January 1943, so that the ribbon could be authorized prior to design of the medal. The criteria for the medal were announced in DA Circular 84, dated 25 March 1948 and subsequently published in Army Regulation 600–65, dated 22 September 1948. The A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Good Conduct Medal (United States)
The Good Conduct Medal is one of the oldest military awards of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Navy's variant of the Good Conduct Medal was established in 1869, the Marine Corps version in 1896, the Coast Guard version in 1923, the Army version in 1941, and the Air Force version in 1963; the Air Force Good Conduct Medal was temporarily discontinued from February 2006 to February 2009, followed by its subsequent reinstatement. Criteria The criteria for a Good Conduct Medal are defined by Executive Orders 8809, 9323, and 10444. The Good Conduct Medal, each one specific to one of the five branches of the U.S. Armed Forces, is currently awarded to any active duty enlisted member of the United States military who completes three consecutive years of "honorable and faithful service". Such service implies that a standard enlistment was completed without any non-judicial punishment, disciplinary infractions, or court martial offenses. If a service member commits an offense, t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Combat Readiness Medal
The Combat Readiness Medal is an award of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force created in 1964. The original Combat Readiness Medal was an award senior to the Air Force Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth ..., and it was awarded for superior and meritorious duty to the United States Air Force. The award criteria for the medal were revised in 1967 and the Combat Readiness Medal adopted the designation as a service medal. The Combat Readiness Medal is awarded to any member of U.S. Air Force or U.S. Space Force, who have accomplished sustained individual combat mission readiness in an Air Force or Space Force weapon system or who have undertaken the preparedness for direct weapon-system employment. A service member must have completed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Prisoner Of War Medal
The Prisoner of War Medal is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was authorized by Congress and signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on 8 November 1985. The United States Code citation for the POW Medal statute is . The Prisoner of War Medal may be awarded to any person who was a prisoner of war after April 5, 1917 (the date of the United States' entry into World War I was April 6). It is awarded to any person who was taken prisoner or held captive while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States; while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an opposing Armed Force; or while serving with friendly forces engaged in armed conflict against an opposing Armed Force in which the United States is not a belligerent party. As of an amendment to Title 10 of the United States Code in 2013, the medal is also awarded for captivity under circumstances "which the Secretary concerned finds were comparable to those circumstances under which ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
The Air and Space Outstanding Unit Award (ASOUA) is one of the Awards and decorations of the United States Department of the Air Force, unit awards of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It was established in 1954 as the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and was the first independent Air Force decoration created (to this point, Air Force personnel were routinely awarded Awards and decorations of the United States Army, Army decorations). The Air Force Longevity Service Award would follow in 1957 with most of the standard Air Force awards (including the Air Force Good Conduct Medal (United States), Good Conduct Medal) established in the early to mid 1960s. The Outstanding Unit Award is awarded to any unit of the U.S. Air Force (including the Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard) which performs exceptionally meritorious service, accomplishes specific acts of outstanding achievement, excels in combat operations against an armed enemy of the United Stat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Army Commendation Medal
The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth version existing for acts of joint military service performed under the Department of Defense. The Commendation Medal was originally only a service ribbon and was first awarded by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard in 1943. An Army Commendation Ribbon followed in 1945 and in 1949 the Navy, Coast Guard, and Army Commendation ribbons were renamed the "Commendation Ribbon with Metal Pendant". By 1960 the Commendation Ribbons had been authorized as full medals and were subsequently referred to as Commendation Medals. Additional awards of the Army and Air Force Commendation Medals are denoted by bronze and silver oak leaf clusters. The Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and Coast Guard Commendation Medal are authorized gold and silver ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
