- SURNAME
Petrie
- FORENAME
George William,Jr
- UNIT
6 SF Group (Company D)
- RANK
First Lieutenant
- NUMBER
- AWARD
Silver Star
- PLACE
North Vietnam 1970 (Son Tay)
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
first raider on the ground at Son Tay
awards received 2 Silver Stars, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with V, Bronze Star, 2 Purple Hearts
born 21.6.1939 Lenoir, North Carolina
entered service 1958 (US Army)
Fort Jackson, South Carolina (basic training)
Fort Bragg, North Carolina (jump school)
319th Field Artillery Bn,82nd Airborne Division 1958
20th + 77th Field Artillery Bns,1st Cavalry Division 1959-60
Mortar Battery,503rd Infantry Regiment (Airborne),82nd Airborne Division 1960
5th Special Forces Group 1961
Vietnam 1963
8th Special Forces Group 1964
Panama + Dominican Republic 1964-65
5th Special Forces Group (II Corps Mike Force) 1967-68
Vietnam 1967-68
awards Silver Star, Bronze Star with V, Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal with V
3rd Special Forces Group 1969
6th Special Forces Group
received direct commission to 1st Lt 21.11.1970
Son Tay Raid (assault team leader, Blueboy Element Three)
award 2nd Silver Star
5th Special Forces Group
company commander to operations officer 1971-73 (promoted Captain)
MACV-SOG (Bright Light missions) 1971
Joint Casualty Resolution Center 1974-75
last US Special Forces soldier to leave Vietnam alive
awards Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal for Valor
S-3 (Ops),1 Bn 35th Infantry Regiment,25th Infantry Division 1975
S-3 (Ops) 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division 1975
Joint Casualty Resolution Center (Executive Officer) 1976
retired June 1980 (Major)
employed, Electronic Data Systems with H. Ross Perot, Dallas
worked for various Law Enforcement agencies, Texas
owner, a private investigation and security company
President, Chapter 31, Special Forces Association for 19 years
awarded Gold Order of the Saint Philip Neri Award 2007 (for SF service)
inducted as Distinguished Member of the Regiment 13.1.2010
CITATION:
Silver Star : The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 8, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant First Class George W. Petrie (ASN: RA-14672362), United States Army, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force while serving with Detachment B-20, Company B, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, in the Republic of Vietnam. Sergeant First Class Petri distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 7 August 1967, as Radio Operator and Platoon Leader of a Special Forces patrol on an extended reconnaissance mission in the Central Highlands. While moving down a heavily vegetated river valley, his company was savagely attacked by a large Viet Cong force. Sergeant Petri quickly led his control element toward the source of fire and sighted the patrol's right flank moving unsuspectingly toward another portion of the enemy force. Ignoring his safety, he moved in front of the waiting Viet Cong troops and delivered a savage barrage on them, disrupting their ambush. The Viet Cong brought up a heavy machine gun in an attempt to gain fire superiority, and Sergeant Petri crawled toward the weapon under blazing fire. When he came into range of the weapon, he stood up and destroyed it and its crew with hand grenades. Bullets struck all around him as he returned to his men. He quickly deployed them for an assault, and led a furious charge which forced the insurgents to flee. He then skillfully directed air strikes on the enemy soldiers and inflicted heavy casualties on them. Sergeant First Class Petri's gallantry in action was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
Silver Star (Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster) : The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 8, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star to First Lieutenant (Infantry) George W. Petrie (ASN: RA-14672362), United States Army, for gallantry in action on 21 November 1970 as a member of an all-volunteer joint U.S. Army and Air Force raiding force in the Joint Chiefs of Staff-directed heliborne assault mission to rescue United States military personnel held as prisoners of war at Son Tay prison in North Vietnam. This valiant effort was motivated by deep compassion for his imprisoned fellow men-at-arms, and by a strong sense of military duty and national pride. After crash-landing in the assault helicopter inside the prison compound, Lieutenant Petrie led his element in a search and clear action across the open and exposed portion of the compound courtyard to the main gate and gate tower to engage entrenched enemy personnel. Lieutenant Petrie, in the face of automatic weapons fire, personally charged the gate tower, clearing it with rifle fire and grenades. Then, with complete disregard for his life, he maneuvered to an exposed position in order to deliver covering fire for the remainder of the assault group. At this time Lieutenant Petrie was confronted with a counterattack, and, from this critical position, he placed accurate fire on the advancing enemy, repulsed the attack, and caused the enemy to flee. The enemy counterattacked a second time, and in a calm and efficient manner Lieutenant Petrie directed his element against the enemy and quickly eliminated this recurring threat. Lieutenant Petrie withdrew to the extraction point under fire, only after the compound search was completed and the order to withdraw was given. Lieutenant Petrie's conspicuous disregard for his personal safety, extraordinary heroism against an armed hostile force, and extreme devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself and the United States Army.
Silver Star (Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster) : The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 8, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Silver Star to First Lieutenant (Infantry) George W. Petrie (ASN: RA-14672362), United States Army, for gallantry in action on 21 November 1970 as a member of an all-volunteer joint U.S. Army and Air Force raiding force in the Joint Chiefs of Staff-directed heliborne assault mission to rescue United States military personnel held as prisoners of war at Son Tay prison in North Vietnam. This valiant effort was motivated by deep compassion for his imprisoned fellow men-at-arms, and by a strong sense of military duty and national pride. After crash-landing in the assault helicopter inside the prison compound, Lieutenant Petrie led his element in a search and clear action across the open and exposed portion of the compound courtyard to the main gate and gate tower to engage entrenched enemy personnel. Lieutenant Petrie, in the face of automatic weapons fire, personally charged the gate tower, clearing it with rifle fire and grenades. Then, with complete disregard for his life, he maneuvered to an exposed position in order to deliver covering fire for the remainder of the assault group. At this time Lieutenant Petrie was confronted with a counterattack, and, from this critical position, he placed accurate fire on the advancing enemy, repulsed the attack, and caused the enemy to flee. The enemy counterattacked a second time, and in a calm and efficient manner Lieutenant Petrie directed his element against the enemy and quickly eliminated this recurring threat. Lieutenant Petrie withdrew to the extraction point under fire, only after the compound search was completed and the order to withdraw was given. Lieutenant Petrie's conspicuous disregard for his personal safety, extraordinary heroism against an armed hostile force, and extreme devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself and the United States Army.
WEB LINKS:
https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/24641
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