ELIGIBILITY OF AGENCY PERSONNEL IN SAIGON FOR PURPLE HEART

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP84-00780R001400010069-3
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
S
Document Page Count: 
9
Document Creation Date: 
December 15, 2016
Document Release Date: 
June 4, 2003
Sequence Number: 
69
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
March 15, 1966
Content Type: 
MF
File: 
AttachmentSize
PDF icon CIA-RDP84-00780R001400010069-3.pdf580.25 KB
Body: 
Approved For Release 2'0'0'3'/08120-: CIA-RDP84-007 D D / S (4 1GR: Acl Director of Personae 1 8 MAY 1966 It G I S " p Du please bring this subject up to date Col. White in the light of the new SIGNED Alan M. Warfield EEC-DD/S:VRT:ses (17 May 1966) Distribution: Orig - Adse DD/S Subject w/Background 1 - DD/S Chrono Background: Note from VRT to RLB via AMW dated 25 Mar 66 Memo for Ex. Dir. -Compt. from Assoc. GC, dated 15 Mar 66 re Eligibility of Agency Personnel in Saigon for Purple Heart (cc) Xerox letter for Dep. Sec. of Def.' Cyrus R. Vance, from U. Alexis Johnson, Undersec. of State, dated 15 Feb 66. Xerox letter for U. A. Johnson from C. R.. Vance dated 3 Mar 66. STATINT Approved For Release 2003/08/20 : CIA-RDP84-00780 R001400010069-3 ADMINISTRATIVE.- INTERNAL USE ONLY Approved For.Release 2003/08/20: CIA-RDP84-007fWWRA4?gg, 0069-3 STATINTL Attached is the latest correspondence on granting the Purple Heart to civilians. Dick eels that individual cases should be written up for consideration by the Department of Defense buti and other members of the Honor and Merit Awards Board disagree. They feel that Secretary Vance's response to State (attached) in effect closes out the matter of granting the Purple Heart to civilians. Bob wants to talk with Emmett Echols about this when he returns next week, and I suggest they brief you and Colonel White on this subject. As you know, the Department of State had plans for developing a new award which would be similar to the Purple Heart and the Honor and Merit Awards Board has proposed a special award of this kind for Agency personnel. I assume our award will be approved, but according to the attached State Department letter a good deal of time will be required for them to develop a new award. If you wish, I will talk with Emmett and Bob about this next week and set up a, meeting for them to brief you on their feelings , ! with regard to presentation of individual cases to Defense. Approved For Release 2003/08/20 : CIA-R00780R001400010069-3 T Approved For Release 2003/08/286 DP84-00780R001400010069 3 OOC 66-0567 15 MAR 1966 MEMORANDUM FOR: Executive Director -Comptroller SUBJECT: Eligibility of Agency Personnel in Saigon for Purple Heart 1. Attached is a copy of the exchange of correspondence of February 15 and March 3, respectively, between Deputy Under Secretary of State U. Alexis Johnson and Deputy Secretary of Defense Cyrus Vance, forwarded to us by State. (Also attached is a copy of AR 672-5-1.) The Deputy Secretary's reply is that civilian personnel are ineligible for the Purple Heart unless they are actually "serving under competent authority in any capacity with an armed force" of the United States. His quotation is from the Executive Order. He does not comment further on this point. This leaves the matter, it seems to me, one of determining in each case whether any employee was serving under competent authority with an armed force. 2. 1 am forwarding copies of this correspondence to the DDP member of the Honor and Merit Awards Board, and to Emmett Echols, Chairman of the Board. They may want to ascertain the facts as to each employee. Perhaps the appropriate action now is for the Agency to review these cases, having in mind the language of the Executive Order and the command structure and functions of the U. S. authorities in Saigon, and to recommend to the Pentagon the Purple Heart for any employee who, in the judgment of this Agency, is eligible under the language of the Executive Order. 25X1 25X1 Attachments cc: I ~~, 1 /08/20 : C - ,4-00780R00 400?7@O69m33C Approved For Relea?e 2003/08/20 : CIA-RDP84-00780 R001400010069-3 I,!>IITZD OFFICIAL USE Dear Cy: A proposal has been received from Saigon to the effect that the Purple Heart'should be granted.to civilian enm3~yces- of the U.S. Government in youth Viet 1 am who suffer injury or death as the result of hostile action. Both Arab-aszador Lodge and General Westmoreland endorse the use of the Pu p3.e Heart: in Viet kvar;.. !rci';assador Lodge makes. the point that it is a much better medal for the purpose than any na-w device that tuight be invented. his poj.nt is. pertinent, because the Department of State has ,beer thinking in terts of 'a" new and separate, medal for U.S. civilians killed or wounded in any foreign country as the result of attacks against the United States, its iiilitary forces, its citizens, or its property and premises. In view of the special nature of the Vietnamese situation and the length of time required to develop a new award, the Departnzrnt of State, now agrees with the Embassy at Saigon in the use of the Purple Heart for civilian eraaloyees of the U.S.: Government in South Viet Nam. It t1 s conce iv b? e that the combined d irecti n of, the diplomatic and military programs at Saigon, and the close relationship of the politI,Cal, militexy, and economic activities throughout the country might provide the basis `he Honorable . Cyrus R. Vance, puty Secretary of Defense, Roots 3E92a, The Pentagon. LI1v1i^D OFFICIAL US. FEB151261 for an/ . Approved For Release 2063/08/20: CIA-RDP84-00780 R001400610069-3 Approved For Release 2003/08/20 : CIA-RDP84-00780 R001400010069-3 O PICIAL USE for an interpretation by this D'a- Partzr nt of 1`e sense of paragraph 34 of R. 672-5-3. to cover all U.S. civilian employees. If so, the Department. of .Sate favors such an interpretation in. con ction with Viet !-z am, arid would concur in. any instruction that the .uric n;: of 1 fense We should also 1':.ke to explore the eligibility, for the Purple Heart of U.S. citizens who are privately employed by U. S. firi:us carrying on Vietnamese operations solely under U. S. Goverame.rt contracts. The close support wen to U.S. Gover r. nt programc by these companies might qualify their Amer can employees as potential recipients, especially if they are "Or Ming functions which would otherwise have to be conducted by U. S. military personnel or U. S. Cover rent euplovoe:3, In as:,tch as there are already sevdral instances of injury and death to U.S. citizens, both Goverx'ent employees and contractors' persor.n 1, I would very much appreciate your early rosponae. Sincerely, .): :+T'.MITED O".'FICIE:L USE. Approved For Release 2003/08/20 :.CIA-RDP84-00780 R001400010069-3 A. O R ~k THE DEPUTY SECRETARY OF DEFENSE WASHINGTON, D.C. 20301 MAR 3 1966 Approved For Release 2003/08/20 : CIA-RDP84-00780R001400010069-3 Honorable U. Alexis Johnson Deputy Under Secretary of State y;ashington, D. C. 20520 This is in response to your letter of February 15, 1966 proposing that the Purple Heart be awarded to all civilian employees of the U.S. Govc,n Lent, and of U.S. firms carrying on operations solely under U.S. Govern- r.nt contracts, in South Vietnam who suffer injury or death as the result of hostile action. Eligibility for the Purple Heart is prescribed in Executive Order 11016, "Authorizing Award of the Purple Heart," dated 25 April 1952, in part, as follows: "The Secretary of a military department, . . . shall, in the name of the President of the United States,' award the' Purple Heart, . . . to any member of an armed force under 'the juris- diction of that Department and any civilian,. national of the United States, who, while serving under competent authority in any capacity with an armed force of the department has been, or ms.y, hereafter be wounded has been, or may hereafter be "(a) In any action against an enemy of the United States; "(b) In any action with an opposing armed force of a for- eign country in which the armed forces of the United Mates are or have been engaged; "(c) While serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in an armed conflict against an opposing armed force in which the United States is not a belligerent party; "(d) As the result of an act of any such enemy or oppos- ing force; or "(e) As the result of an act of any hostile foreign force." It would therefore require an amendment to Executive Order 11016 to ex- tend eligibility for the Purple Heart to include civilian employees of the U.S. Government, or.to U.S. citizens who are privately employed by U.S. firms cariying,,,;on Vietnamese operations solely under.U.S. Governa- ment contracts, unless they are actuall:r "serving under'*compeLen:tt au- thority in any capacity with an armed force." Approved For Release 2003/08/20 CIA-RDP84-0078OR001400010069-3 Approved For Release 2003/08/20 : CIA-RDP84-00780R001400010069-3 Sincerely, a -uvz'vwc- .. ._ Me Department of Defense does not, E,t this tirue, have a coordinated po- sition concerning the larger question posed by your letter. That is, whether or not it would be desirable to award this oldest of the mili- tary decorations to U.S. civilians killed or wounded in any foreign country as -the result of attacks aga3.nst the United States, its military forces, its citizens, or its property and premises, or even to certain U.S,, citizens involved in the-.current operations in South Vietnam. I have requested -co ants from the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the L' Li li- ta.xy Departments. I will inform you of our recommendation in the matter at ar. early date. Approved For Release 2003/08/20: CIA-RDP84-00780 R001400010069-3 Approved For Release 2003/08/20 : CIA-RDP84-00780 R001400010069-3 -5 November-1962 United States who, after 6 December 1941, has been cited in orders or awarded a certificate for exemplary conduct in ground combat against an armed enemy -between 7 December 1941 and 2 Septem- ber 1945, inclusive, or whose meritorious achievement has been otherwise confirmed by documents executed prior to 1 July 1947. For this purpose, an award of the Combat Infantryman Badge or Medical Badge is considered as a citation in or- ders. Documents executed since 4 August 1944 in connection with recommendations for the award of decorations of higher degree than the Bronze Star Medal will not be used as the basis for an award under the provisions of this paragraph. 32. Air Medal. The Air Medal, established by Executive Order 9158 (amended by Execu- tive Order 9242-A, 11 September 1942) (WD Bul. 49, 1942), is awarded to any person who, while serving in any .capacity in or with the Army of .the United States, shall have distinguished lum- self by meritorious achievement while participat- ing in aerial flight (fig. 1). Awards may be made to recognize single acts of merit or sustained opera- tional activities, against. an armed enemy, or for heroism not . involving combat. The required achievement; while of lesser degree than that re- quired for the,award of the Distinguished Flying ,Cross, must,nevertheless have been accomplished with distinction beyond that normally. expected. x-33. Army Commendation Medal. The Army Commendation Medal established by the Secretary of War on 18 December 1945, and amended in ' Department of the Army General Orders .10, 1960, is awarded. to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States who, while serving in any capacity with the Army after 6 De- cember 1941,'sh 1 have distinguished himself by 'meritorious achievement or meritorious service (fig. 1). a. The required meritorious achievement or meritorious service while of lesser degree than that required for. the award of the Legion of Merit must nevertheless have been accomplished with distinction and must have been of the same degree as required fo'r the award of the Bronze Star Medal or-A.irMledal. To qualify, the achievement of the individual should have been of such magni- Approved For Release 2003/08/20 : CIA-RDP84-00780R001400010069 3 AR 672-5-1 C2 tri