A Belated Valor Award – With a Backstory
In the early morning hours of June 13, 1968 – in Kontum Province, South Vietnam – an enemy unit moved into position for a night attack on a US camp. SGT Frank Spink was on guard duty. At 3AM, he noticed the enemy night attack about to begin, sounded the alarm, and engaged the enemy. His actions gave sufficient warning to his unit to allow an effective response and prevent his camp from being overrun.
His actions also drew the enemy’s full attention, however, and nearly cost SGT Spink his life. He was severely wounded by enemy rocket fire during the attack. His life was likely saved by his lieutenant, who rendered immediate aid during the battle. SGT Spink did, unfortunately, lose an arm due to his wounds.
For his wounds SGT Spink received a Purple Heart. He was also recommended for the Silver Star, and apparently the award was approved. Unfortunately, because of some administrative SNAFU, it was also never presented to SGT Spink. Nor was SGT Spink aware of it.
That’s where this story would normally have ended – no presentation, and no story. Just another deserving but unknown hero denied proper recognition by a regrettable admin SNAFU.
Except here, years later, someone followed up.
Everyone in the military gives LTs and ENSs grief. Much of the time, that’s well-deserved. Virtually all new officers – particularly non-prior service ones – are naïve as hell. Some new “butterbars” actually think they know their ass from a hole in the ground the day they’re commissioned. And a few are really obnoxious and arrogant “pieces of work”.
But most junior officers know they’re ignorant, and listen to (and learn from) their NCOs. One thing most junior officers learn quickly from their NCOs is to take care of their troops. And the good ones remember that for the rest of their lives.
A few years ago SGT Spink’s former lieutenant was doing research on his old unit. He came across paperwork for Spink’s Silver Star.
He got in contact with his former soldier, and thanked him for saving lives that long-ago night. He found out that Spink had never received his award.
The former lieutenant and another vet then took action. And though it took a while, the rest – as they say – is history. A longstanding SNAFU was finally corrected; a deserving hero was recognized. Earlier this week, SGT Frank Spink, US Army, was presented his Silver Star. Belatedly, yes – but he received it.
Kudos, SGT Frank Spink. Through your valor, many friendly lives were saved. We belatedly honor your actions – and your heroism – on that long-ago day in June of 1968.
And kudos also to John McHenry, SGT Spink’s former lieutenant, who followed up and took care of his soldier. And to fellow veteran Fred Golladay – who, along with McHenry, simply wouldn’t let the matter rest.
Category: Military issues, Real Soldiers, Veterans Issues
Excellent work LT and Mr Golladay.
There are MANY cases such as this. Earlier this year a man (whom I’ve had in my own db for a DSC since 2005) learned for the first time that he had been awarded a DSC in Vietnam but never been so advised. In fact, I’ve got a situation right now where a son emailed me that I had his father erroneously listed for a SS in WWII when in fact “it is not on his DD-214 and he was never awarded the SS.” After sending him the G.O. #, he emailed me back to say, “Don’t delete my father from your list, his G.O. confirms the award.” I could cite many more such cases like this, which is why a complete database of all awards, all the way back to the beginning of our awards system, is so important and why we should continue to demand DoD do so.
Doug: agreed. Still, in the interim it’s always goo to see deserving people get the recognition they rated, even well after-the-fact. And in many cases that happens only because someone cared enough to bulldog the system and make it work.
Better late than never. And better the individual receive that recognition than his or her next of kin.
Meaning no disrespect to the Sgt., but IMHO this only proves how diluted service awards have become. THEN, Sgt. Spink saves his camp, loses his arm and gets a Silver Star. NOW, some office pouge does a good job ordering supplies “in country” and gets a Bronze Star as a parting gift. I’ll keep my “fruit cup” that has meaning rather than have a “fruit salad” of “gimme’s”.
Congradultion Sgt. Spink on receiving your justly earned silver star. You were a hero that June night in 1968 & 45 yrs later your still a hero. Thank you for your service & preserving the freedoms I enjoy so much. God bless.
If you think that officers and senior NCOs didn’t get bronze stars essentially just for being on a staff in Vietnam you don’t know enough about Vietnam. Abusive awards was a notorious practice.
Since Vietnam, all the BSM for service or achievement (e.g, without “V” device) has indicated is that the recipient did MSM-level work in a combat zone. The ones that indicate heroism are awarded with a “V” device – well, in the Army and USAF, anyway. The Navy and USMC are a bit . . . different in that respect.
MSM-level work in a combat zone is still worth something, which is why the BSM is above the MSM in precedence.
Man, it’s great when the Good Guys win one. Congrats SGT Spinks, and well done Elltee!