 |
|
 |
| Inductees Nominations Sponsors/Donations News/Info About
OMHOF Contact
Us |
| Private First Class Robert A.
Holzbacher |
Class
of 2006
|
|
United States Army
Air Medal with "V" Device |
Citation
For heroism while engaged in aerial flight in connection with
military operations against a hostile force: Private
First Class Robert A Holzbacher, 71st Aviation Company
distinguished himself by heroic actions on 14 October 1966,
in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving as a crew member
on an aircraft that was participating in a hazardous combat
assault in support of the 30th ARVN Ranger Battalion. Five
minutes prior to the arrival of the lift helicopters, a team
of armed helicopters performed a reconnaissance of the proposed
landing site and discovered that the tree lines adjacent to
the landing zone were heavily infested with antiaircraft automatic
weapons positions. The armed aircraft received an intense
volume of hostile fire on their initial pass. Determined to
accomplish the mission and to overpower the Viet Cong in that
area, the lift helicopters continued their approach and landed
the rangers one hundred and fifty meters from the enemy stronghold.
The company was the target of an intense volume of enemy fire
on the first wave of the assault. Ten helicopters were struck
by enemy fire. Because the rangers were helplessly pinned
down in the landing zone, the 71st voluntarily undertook the
mission of returning to the same landing site with a supporting
element of Rangers. During the second wave of the assault,
the enemy fire became even more intense than before. The armed
escort continually placed devastating defensive fire on the
enemy positions. Through the combined efforts of the armed
helicopters and the door gunners of the lift helicopters,
effective fire was placed into the enemy positions and caused
many Viet Cong casualties and prevented the enemy from using
all of his available firepower. Even though the aircraft were
subjected to continuous small arms and automatic weapons fire,
the flights into and out of the area were successfully completed
and only light casualties were sustained. Private First Class
Holzbacher’s actions were in keeping with the highest
traditions of the military service and reflect great credit
upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
|
|
|
|
