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The Distinguished Flying Cross for a Vietnamese Pilot
Tôi bất ngờ, thích thú và hãnh diện thấy trên FaceBook một bài viết của cháu Kevin Vương viết về cha mình là cựu Th/tá KQVNCH Vương Minh Dương tùng sự tại PD213, Đà Nẵng từ 1964 đến 1970 và PD237 Chinook tại Biên Hòa từ 1970 đến 1975.
Cháu viết để vinh danh cha mình, một phi công VNCH đã được KQ Hoa Kỳ trao tặng The Distinguished Flying Cross vào năm 1968, nhưng huy chương này đã bị thất lạc trên đường di tản sang Mỹ
Một Tr/tướng Mỹ về hưu hiện là chủ tịch Hội CQN Hoa Kỳ tại Dallas đã tổ chức một buổi lễ trao tặng lại (reissued) huy chương này cho anh Dương vào tháng 3 năm 2023 (video đính kèm),
và bảng số xe đặc biệt cho anh, theo anh nói khi thấy bảng số này các quân nhân Mỹ đều chào kính anh nghiêm chỉnh.
Đây là niềm vinh dự và hãnh diện cho KQVN.
Đ.Quỳnh PD219
Mời quý vị đọc bài viết của cháu:
Kevin Vuong is with Duong Vuong and Lan Vuong.
As I was growing up, my dad never talked about the war. I'm sure he had numerous reasons not to. He just focused on how to move forward after leaving everything behind. He started out with odd jobs like delivering newspapers while figuring out how he was going to raise a family here. One day, he got an opportunity to interview as a helicopter pilot for Petroleum Helicopters Inc.. that happened to be on the day my mom was delivering their "favorite" child.. me (Mimi / Tino
). Fun fact - I was named after the gentleman that got my dad the job - Kevin McKay.
Fast forward.. recently we found out that my dad was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1968. This award is considered to be the highest decoration for acts of heroism or extraordinary achievements while participating in aerial flight. It is ranked fourth in order of precedence below the Medal of Honor. He lost it and a bunch of other valuables while making the trip to the US. The video attached shows him getting the medal reissued to him.
I can't imagine the challenges and sacrifices that my parents faced in order to give their children a chance at a better life. My dad isn't perfect.. no one is. But without him, I wouldn't have the sometimes-too-much sense of humor that he has. I wouldn't try to do things myself because he taught me how to change oil in a car or troubleshoot a rich/smokey exhaust. I wouldn't love fishing because of the super early mornings on the Mississippi River levees. He made me iron his work uniform almost every night (I absolutely hated doing that!) before he left for work at 5am.
A lot of who I am today is because of what I saw him do as I grew up.
Maybe it's a guy thing.. or maybe it's because of his stoic nature.. but I don't say this enough to him...
Dad, I'm proud and thankful for all the sacrifices that you endured for our family. I'm happy that I see qualities in me that I got from you. Thank you and I love you.
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https://www.facebook.com/1036048424/...31755943682232
Ông và cháu
Cựu Th/tá Vương Minh Dương trong ngày ĐH Trực Thăng Toàn Cầu năm 2019 tại Dallas, Texas
