Professional Soldiers ® - SSG Covell, 5th Group, April 29, 1965

For the record here:

RELEASE NUMBER: 060830-01
DATE POSTED: AUGUST 30, 2006

Quote:

Special Forces Viet Nam veteran receives Bronze Star Medal
U.S. Army Special Operations Command
By Pfc. Daniel Love

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (USASOC News Service August 30, 2006) – A former Special Forces Soldier was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for valorous actions during the Vietnam War in a ceremony Aug. 29, at the Elks Lodge in Fayetteville, N.C.

Charles R. Covell, who at the time of the action was a staff sergeant with 5th Special Forces Group, earned the Army’s fourth highest decoration for valor on April 29, 1965 while fighting in the Tay Ninh province, 65 miles northwest of Saigon.

The award was presented by Maj. Gen. Herbert Altshuler, commanding general of U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command and a fellow Vietnam War veteran.

"There's no statute of limitations on honorable service or bravery," said Altshuler. "I think that it’s fitting that the Army has finally found a way to see that this award gets to a well deserved recipient."

Paperwork for the award submitted in the past was not accepted or lost. After a few tries, Covell gave up on getting his award.

"I thought that I was never going to get that award, but I kept the paperwork anyway," said Covell. "I sent it to Sen. (Elizabeth) Dole, and it was accepted within a few weeks."

During the time described in the award citation, Covell was fulfilling the age-old Special Forces duty of working with indigenous personnel to complete the Army’s mission. The demolitions engineer and his men were on a combined combat patrol with their Vietnamese comrades when they were ambushed by Viet Cong forces.

"In a situation like that day, everything happens so fast. There's no time to think about what its like," said Covell. "We just had a job to do, and we knew we had to do it. What I did felt like a reaction, probably from good training."

Covell administered first-aid to the wounded, directed fire and assisted his men while under constant fire. He then helped load the dead and wounded into a helicopter. Upon hearing that a friendly platoon was cut off from communications and heading toward a location with imminent inbound artillery, he ran after them and stopped them from being hit by the coming rounds.

"This award isn't just for me," said Covell. "It's also for the men who didn't come back. They never got to be there and receive their awards."

Covell had some tough assignments while in the Army, but that did not stifle his enthusiasm for military service.
"Every man should join the army," said Covell. "The Army was very good to me. I learned more about being a man and an American in those 12 years than any other time in my life."

-usasoc-