Talk:Operation Linebacker II/@comment-97.103.155.215-20160420141659

Background: Every year in December the Air Force Association and many military veterans organizations run articles about how Line Backer II (LBII) ended the Vietnam War. What is never said is that only two units received the Presidential Unit Citation for LBII; the USS American and the 354th TFW (some four years after the fact). Yes LBII units did receive the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award and RVN Mentorious Unit Citation in the colors of the Cross of Gallantry (awarded to all units who supported the war as was the ROK PUC at the end of that war). Since that time three unit awards higher than the AFOUA have been established increasing the gap between the AFOUA and the PUC. Given that members of the U-Tapao and Guam bomber units were awarded the Air Force Cross a very strong case can be made based on that alone that those units should have received the PUC. Given that the fighter, tanker, recon, rescue and support units made their success possible if follows that all LBII units should have gotten the PUC. The Air Force has been asked to correct this and their response has been that if these units had merited the PUC it would have been recommended and awarded. This of course flies in the face that frequently awards are made or upgraded retroactively because the right thing was not done at the time. Many authors have spoken to the Administration's dislike for the “Warlords” who were stationed in Vietnam and who tried to conduct the war as their military judgment dictated. Senator McCain was freed from captivity as a result of LBII and so far no member of Congress has chosen to take this issue on board. Clearly it will take the Congressional legislation and I solicit your support in doing so. The PUC has been retroactively awarded to other units that failed to receive proper recognition. Recently Congress awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to personnel of the Puerto Rican Infantry Regiment. While I can appreciate the significance of this award, I think your average GI would prefer to add that blue ribbon with the gold frame to his or her old uniform or shadow box. The award of individual decorations for LBII seems to have been appropriate, perhaps because the approval level was much lower in the chain of command than the PUC. Recommended Action: That Congress direct that the Presidential Unit Citation be awarded to those units conducting or directly supporting Operation Line Backer II unless they have been recognized by authorization of this award for that operation.