- SURNAME
Ashton
- FORENAME
Curtis Morris (Butch)
- UNIT
U.S.N. Seal Team 2
- RANK
Aviation Electricians Mate First Class
- NUMBER
467709097
- DATE OF DEATH
27th December 1969
- AGE
23
- GRAVESITE
Garden of Memories Cemetery, Sweetwater, Nolan County, Texas Section 3 Block 1
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
from Sweetwater, Texas
born 30.11.1946 Rotan, Texas
husband of Stephanie Jo Huddleston Ashton
graduated Sweetwater High School
Seal Team 7 in Vietnam 1967-68
awards D.S.M., Silver Star, Bronze Star with V with 2 gold stars
Permian Basin Vietnam Memorial, Midland, Texas
KIA Bien Hoa Province, South Vietnam
Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C. Panel 15W Row 096
DATE OF DEATH:
27-Dec-1969AWARD:
https://www.specialforcesroh.com/index.php?threads/ashton-curtis-morris.31017/CITATION:
Bronze Star with Combat V: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” to Aviation Electrician Second Class Curtis Morris Ashton, United States Navy, for meritorious achievement in connection with operations against the enemy while serving with SEAL Team TWO, Detachment ALFA in the Republic of Vietnam, on the night of 13 March 1968. As machine gunner with a SEAL combat patrol, Petty Officer Ashton’s patrol penetrated 4,000 yards into an enemy base camp occupied by a Viet Cong battalion. The patrol discovered a large barracks complex containing approximately 30 well armed insurgents. Petty Officer Ashton volunteered to act as rear security during his patrol’s withdrawal through 1,000 yards occupied by a large Viet Cong force. Petty Officer Ashton held off a Viet Cong attempt to cut off and encircle his patrol, continually exposing himself to a hail of automatic weapons fire to insure his patrol’s safe extraction. Petty Officer Ashton’s courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. (Petty Officer Ashton is authorized the Combat “V”.)
Bronze Star (Gold Star) : The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” to Aviation Electrician Second Class Curtis Morris Ashton, United States Navy, for meritorious service in connection with operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force while serving in the Republic of Vietnam from 23 October 1967 to 20 April 1968. Petty Officer Ashton distinguished himself by his sustained high performance of duty during combat patrols, ambushes, reconnaissances, raids and other clandestine combat operations of the swamps, jungles, streams and mud of the Mekong Delta. As a member of SEAL Team TWO, Detachment ALFA, 7th Platoon, Petty Officer Ashton actively participated as assistant squad leader with a SEAL squad on over 80 combat missions resulting in numerous enemy casualties and captives, many weapons captured and a collection of very important intelligence material. Petty Officer Ashton’s aggressiveness, knowledge of guerilla tactics, clear judgment, devotion to duty and courage under fire were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. (Petty Officer Ashton is authorized to wear the Combat “V”.)
Bronze Star (Second Gold Star): The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Second Gold Star in lieu of a Third Award of the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” to Aviation Electrician Second Class Curtis Morris Ashton, United States Navy, for heroic achievement while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in armed conflict against North Vietnamese and Viet Cong communist aggressors in the Republic of Vietnam on 17 November 1968. Petty Officer Ashton, as machine gunner for a seven-man squad of the Fifth Platoon, United States Navy SEAL Team, Detachment ALFA, was patrolling Thoi Son Island, a heavily defended Viet Cong stronghold. The squad moved into a three house complex in order to question residents about enemy activity in the area. Since the houses were separated, the squad was forced to disperse itself in order to set up adequately for any contingency. While they were questioning the inhabitants of the house, a ten man enemy unit came down an adjacent trail in an attempt to attack the squad in the houses. Seeing that he was the only one who could get into position to fire on the enemy, Petty Officer Ashton, with complete disregard for his own safety, mumped onto the open trail to get a clear line of fire. In his initial volley of fire, he killed five of the aggressors and routed the remainder of the unit. His aggressive actions and devotion to duty thwarted the enemy’s attempt to trap his squad in the houses and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. (Petty Officer Ashton is authorized to wear the Combat “V”.)
Bronze Star (Gold Star) : The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” to Aviation Electrician Second Class Curtis Morris Ashton, United States Navy, for meritorious service in connection with operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force while serving in the Republic of Vietnam from 23 October 1967 to 20 April 1968. Petty Officer Ashton distinguished himself by his sustained high performance of duty during combat patrols, ambushes, reconnaissances, raids and other clandestine combat operations of the swamps, jungles, streams and mud of the Mekong Delta. As a member of SEAL Team TWO, Detachment ALFA, 7th Platoon, Petty Officer Ashton actively participated as assistant squad leader with a SEAL squad on over 80 combat missions resulting in numerous enemy casualties and captives, many weapons captured and a collection of very important intelligence material. Petty Officer Ashton’s aggressiveness, knowledge of guerilla tactics, clear judgment, devotion to duty and courage under fire were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. (Petty Officer Ashton is authorized to wear the Combat “V”.)
Bronze Star (Second Gold Star): The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Second Gold Star in lieu of a Third Award of the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” to Aviation Electrician Second Class Curtis Morris Ashton, United States Navy, for heroic achievement while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in armed conflict against North Vietnamese and Viet Cong communist aggressors in the Republic of Vietnam on 17 November 1968. Petty Officer Ashton, as machine gunner for a seven-man squad of the Fifth Platoon, United States Navy SEAL Team, Detachment ALFA, was patrolling Thoi Son Island, a heavily defended Viet Cong stronghold. The squad moved into a three house complex in order to question residents about enemy activity in the area. Since the houses were separated, the squad was forced to disperse itself in order to set up adequately for any contingency. While they were questioning the inhabitants of the house, a ten man enemy unit came down an adjacent trail in an attempt to attack the squad in the houses. Seeing that he was the only one who could get into position to fire on the enemy, Petty Officer Ashton, with complete disregard for his own safety, mumped onto the open trail to get a clear line of fire. In his initial volley of fire, he killed five of the aggressors and routed the remainder of the unit. His aggressive actions and devotion to duty thwarted the enemy’s attempt to trap his squad in the houses and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. (Petty Officer Ashton is authorized to wear the Combat “V”.)
WEB LINKS:
• https://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient/recipient-55198/• http://www.veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?recordID=1984
FINDAGRAVE:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16489583/curtis-morris-ashton
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