Army Reporter information
for Event = Battle of Vi Thanh
405 TC 170 AHC
Event = Tet-68 in Vinh Long
For date 681118
405 TC 170 AHC was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Vinh Long Province, IV Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Vinh Long
Description: The following is an edited version from the "Awards and decorations" column in the 18 Nov 1968 issue.
Two Vietnam veterans received the Army Aviation Association of America's top individual awards for their outstanding contributions to Army aviation during 1967-1968.
MAJ Robin K. Miller and SFC Jesse J. Dodson Jr. were named "Army Aviator of the Year" and "Army Aviation Soldier of the Year," respectively, during the association's Tenth Annual Honors Luncheon at the Sheraton-Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. Miller has served three tours of duty in Vietnam as a pilot and gunship platoon leader. During the three day, Vi Thanh battle in December 1967 Miller supported 129 medical evacuations, and in the process destroyed numerous enemy automatic positions. On Jan 12, 1968 the major engaged and enemy sampan, wounding its crewmen and allowing a captive American soldier to escape from the sampan. He then landed to rescue the American soldier. During the Tet Offensive Miller's gunship platoon played an important part in the defense of the Vinh Long Airfield. He learned at this time of enemy movement in the vicinity of a convent 800 meters from the airfield and made more than 20 trips into and out of the convent courtyard to rescue 208 children and nuns in spite of heavy ground fire.
Dodson was cited at the luncheon for his achievements as the shop foreman of the 450th TC Det in the 170th AHC The citation commended Dodson for being a professional soldier in every respect and said he combined a technical knowledge of helicopters, an understanding of the immediate military requirement, an abundance of drive and force together with outstanding leadership to consistently render invaluable maintenance support and produce and exceptionally high aircraft availability rate.
Comments: MAJ Miller, Robin K.; AAAA "Army Aviator of the Year"; ;
SFC Dodson, Jesse J. Jr.; AAAA "Army Aviation Soldier of the Year"; ;
The source for this information was 6811AR.AVN supplied by Les Hines
Additional information is available on CD-ROM.
Please send additions or corrections to: Gary Roush Email address: webmaster@vhpa.org
Return to panel index
Return to Helicopter Pilot KIA index
Return to VHPA Home Page
Copyright © 1998 - 2023 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association
Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023