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Vietnam Vet receives medals 48 years after war

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Gwendalyn Smith
  • 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  "It's been quite a day for me," said an emotional retired Army Sergeant Cecil Wade after he received the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal with Valor and a second bronze star device for his Vietnam Service Medal in a ceremony at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, April 22, 2016.

"I even polished my boots for the occasion," he said, which brought a chuckle from the more than 600 attendees who came to witness the official ceremony in the base's library auditorium.

Those in the audience included his wife, Kriste, his father-in-law--a World War II veteran--Eugene Smith, and Kriste's cousin, Linda Cameron and her husband--also a Vietnam Vet, who served in the Army's 1st Calvary Division--Gary. Army Col. Kevin Lynch, who is assigned to the Defense Information Systems Agency at SAFB, presided over the ceremony.

Wade led About 50 Patriot Guard and Combat Vets Motorcycle Association members in formation onto base for the event.

"I ride with these people all the time on my motorcycle," said Wade. "To see them here and honor me shows what a tight brotherhood and sisterhood we have."

When Wade's riding buddy and friend, Master Sgt. John Roskom, found out he received his medals through the mail last fall after the Department of Veterans Affairs had reviewed his records, Roskom said he felt it was only right to give Wade the recognition he deserved.

"Cecil is a very humble man," said Roskom. "When we approached him with the idea, he said we 'didn't need to do all that' and he 'didn't want me to go to any trouble.' Although it's great that the medals are finally part of his record, these accolades are something that should be properly presented, in a formal military setting. To me it's just ... well, right."

Wade grew up in Rock Falls, Illinois and had three older sisters. At age 14, they lost both parents, and he lived with relatives until joining the Army in 1966 right after graduating high school. Shortly after enlisting, Wade volunteered for Vietnam.

"I felt like I needed to do more ... that I needed to serve my country, and that they needed me," he said.

Private Wade began working supply in Long Binh, and later transferred to Pleiku, where he was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division. While in Pleiku, he drove jeeps into secure areas to deliver supplies to local villagers. After being promoted to Private 1st Class, Wade decided to become a rifleman. Without any further training, he took ahold of his M-16 and was sent off into combat.

Roskom, who narrated the ceremony, said, "He learned all he could about staying alive and destroying the enemy the 'old school' way--by OJT [on-the-job training]."

Wade continued to conduct search and destroy missions with four other members of his patrol. It was on Feb. 9, 1968, during a patrol down an eerie jungle trail when Wade noticed that the path they were on trailed off and looked as if it had been packed down to clear someone's tracks. They came upon a hill where they saw North Vietnamese campsites, so his patrol went back to alert his unit, Alpha Company.

The next day, two companies were charged with the initial combat assault of this suspected stronghold where the North Vietnamese were dug-in and ready to attack. Because of the overwhelming amount of enemy fire, the two companies soon became pinned down and separated from each other.

During the firefight, Wade managed to crawl to a nearby bomb crater with a buddy nicknamed "Mouse" and their platoon leader. Ammo began to run low, so helicopters tried to resupply them, but the landing zone was too hot as it was taking direct mortar fire.

The aircrew decided to shove crates of ammo off the helicopter into the landing zone before departing.

Without regard for their own safety, Wade and Mouse jumped up, raced to the landing zone and collected as much ammo as they could carry to resupply their company.

"Their selfless actions were a critical turning point in the battle, ultimately enabling the success of that engagement and saving many American lives that day," explained Roskom.

A few weeks after this battle, on Feb. 28, 1968, Wade and his team were tasked to conduct a helicopter combat assault mission. By the time their helicopter arrived, a firefight had erupted and small-arms fire and mortars were exploding all around them.

"Our helicopter couldn't land, so we were forced to jump," said Wade. "My pack shifted on my back when I jumped, and I was lopsided in the air so when I hit, I hit on one leg. It completely destroyed my knee."

After his recovery, Wade was transferred to Fort Ord, California, and later Germany, where he volunteered for a second tour in Vietnam. His request was denied, and the Army instead changed his job to finance, which allowed him to undergo surgeries that were still needed as a result of his injury.

After serving a total of seven years, the Army medically retired Wade in 1973 as a Sergeant. He then attended college and graduated with a degree in business. As a civilian, Wade worked in finance, banking and insurance, and in 1991 he married his wife, Kriste.

Wade is now involved with the Patriot Guard and is also a lifetime member of both the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans organizations.

"It gives me a great deal of satisfaction to give honor and respect--to not only deceased service members--but also the ones who are living," said Wade. "I have a deep sense of patriotism; it means a lot to me."