Forty-six years after responding to a call of 10-plus Marine casualties in an
area overwhelmed by enemy forces in Quang Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam,
the commander of Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces North, Lt. Gen. Rex C.
McMillian presented a Marine Corps veteran with the Navy Cross, the
second-highest award a Marine can receive for valor. The award was presented
during a ceremony at the USS
Kidd Veterans Memorial & Museum, October 13, 2015.
On May 9, 1969, Sgt.
Kenneth A. Altazan, crew chief for Marine medium helicopter squadron 364,
Marine Aircraft Group 16, 1st Marine Air Wing, was conducting emergency medical
evacuations for a Marine infantry company that was being suppressed by a large
enemy force during the Vietnam War. Altazan’s heroic efforts during this time
were recognized with a Silver Star.
Though Altazan received
the Silver Star years ago, additional evidence of his heroic were recently submitted
to the Marine Corps that led to upgrading his Silver Star to the Navy Cross.
That evidence was a recording taken by
a serviceman whose plane was flying above Altazan’s helicopter that day, and
his recording showed that Altazan not only jumped into the line of fire once to
rescue others but twice, the second time after suffering an injury to his knee.
Altazan was the
appointed crew chief on the lead aircraft of two CH-46 transport helicopters
that were assigned to extract the 10-plus
Marines that were heavily engaged in combat with the North Vietnamese Army
Force.
The plan was to land the helicopter in two places to rescue the injured, but
the aircraft immediately came under heavy fire, and the wounded Marines were
scattered. Undaunted by the volume of fire directed at his aircraft, Altazan
directed his crew that they were to extract the dispersed Marines from five
locations instead, touching the helicopter down each time.
At the second extraction location, Altazan saw a Marine evacuating a
casualty get shot and fall to the ground. Without a second thought, he ran to
them, lifted one onto his shoulder and grabbed the other by the arm and began
to haul them to the helicopter. In the midst of his rescue effort, an enemy
bullet hit the Marine he was carry causing all three to hit the ground and
injuring Altazan’s knee. After all three men fell to the ground, Altazan picked
himself back up and continued to carry the Marines to safety.
“In boot camp, they
taught us to react. You react to something more than you think it through,” said
Altazan. “If I had sat back and thought about what was going on none of this
would have ever happened.”
Landing the helicopter at the final fifth zone, dangerously close to the
enemy’s position, Altazan noticed another Marine casualty in the distance
waving a green shirt. The Marine was unable to get to the helicopter due to his
injuries and enemy fire. Again, with no regard for his own injuries, Altazan
jumped out of the doorway of his aircraft and began to run toward the Marine.
Running out of time and in significant pain, he pulled off his heavy body armor
and ran to the Marine. Upon arrival, he discovered not one, but two wounded
Marines. One, he pulled over his shoulders into a fireman’s carry, the other he
dragged by his belt approximately 30 meters to the safety of the helicopter.
According to Altazan’s Navy Cross
citation, his bold initiative and selfless concern helped save the lives of his
fellow Marines, inspired all who observed him and was instrumental in completing
the hazardous mission.
“He left the safety and comfort of his
aircraft and personally carried wounded back,” said Sgt. Maj. William F.
Fitzgerald III, sergeant major of 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Forces
Reserve.
Fitzgerald added, it’s important for
Marines to recognize achievements like Altazan’s, not only because it fills
them with pride, but also because they too may be called to display that kind
of courage.