[JYD73]

Gentlemen of the SOAs, 5th SFG(Abn), 1st SF, I am working on a case of a downgraded Medal of Honor nomination and I have noticed a couple of other very similar cases in doing research. These are cases that involve downgraded Medal of Honors to Distinguished Service Crosses.

I know that there are cases of Medals of Honors downgraded to Silver Stars, but because of the lack of record keeping on Silver Stars, I have not been able to track many of these.

My particular interest has evolved from one case of a downgraded Medal of Honor nomination of a friend of mine, to what appears to be a pattern of downgraded medals for SOA warriors. I believe this can be attributed to the classification of missions, the misunderstanding of SOG operations in the Vietnam conflict by the Regular Army with the odds that you stood against, and the political climate at the time most especially 1970 forward.

Do any of you SOA warriors know if Sgt. James N. Pruitt and SSgt. Gary Michael Rose are still living, and are you in contact with them?

I am hoping to get Congressional support for an insertion of legislation similar to that in the 1996 National Defense Authorization Act, inserted into the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act. If not 2013, then I will keep trying. When this can be achieved, it could be beneficial to them and other SOA warriors of the Vietnam era.

I would greatly appreciate any assistance that members of the MACSOG(MACV-SOG) SOAs may be able to provide. And thank you for your incredible service above and beyond what most people realize.