What gives?

[Darren]

Maybe I missed something, but in the pic towards the bottom of the page, the General is wearing a CIB. His branch was Armor, though he commanded infantry in VN.

[CDRODA396]

Linky?:confused:

[yojinbukai]

Did they do branch details back then? I know my PL in Somalia was detailed to Infantry until he was ready to go the the Signal advanced course. If they were short on Infantry officers, that could be the case.

[Darren]

Here it is:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Clark_Official_NATO_Portrait.jpg

I will pound my head on the floor until forgiven.

[Whitebean54]

He was put in command of an Infantry company in Viet Nam and was shot four times during an engagement just a month after becoming the CO. I think that would be consider direct combat;)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wesley_Clark#Vietnam

[CDRODA396]

COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE (CIB). The Combat Infantryman Badge was originally authorized in 1943 for "infantrymen, including officers". By May 1944 the eligibility became more exact: officers and enlisted men of infantry regiments and lower infantry units. AR 600-70 (24 Sep 1951) included men of ranger infantry companies and also officers who, although not of the infantry branch, commanded an infantry unit of regimental or smaller size for at least 30 days. Change 19 of AR 672-5-1, dated 20 Jun 1969, further clarified officer eligibility -- he must be in the grade of colonel or below.

AR 672-5-1, Awards and Decorations, was the predecessor to today's AR 600-8-22, Awards and Decorations. Since the inception of the Combat Action Badge, the reg now reads:

AR 600-8-22...

(3) Personnel with other than an infantry or Special Forces MOS are not eligible, regardless of the circumstances. The infantry or Special Forces SSI or MOS does not necessarily have to be the Soldier’s primary specialty, as long as the Soldier has been properly trained in infantry or Special Forces tactics, possesses the appropriate skill code, and is serving in that specialty when engaged in active ground combat as described above. Commanders are not authorized to make any exceptions to this policy.

[Darren]

Always an education, this site.

[Parajuevos]

Maybe I missed something, but in the pic towards the bottom of the page, the General is wearing a CIB. His branch was Armor, though he commanded infantry in VN.

There is a guy in my VFW Post, whose stated resume is that he did four tours in Vietnam, was an Officer, a Cobra Pilot and an Infantry Company Commander but on different tours.

I've never questioned the guy and in fact consider him a friend. He wears his CIB, Pilots Wings, Airborne Wings and rows of ribbons, including the Silver Star and Purple Heart, on his firing squad uniform, when we do firing squad duty at the funerals of veterans and participate in American Legion Drill Competition.

He states that his rank at retirement was Lieutenant Colonel.

He has told us that his twin brother and he served together as pilots and were the sons of an Marine Corps General, who was the Commander of USMC flyers for a period, in Vietnam. His brother was KIA, while they served together.

He has stated on more than one occassion that the CIB is his proudest award.

I have never questioned any of his claims because vetting is required to be a member of the VFW and he was a member, long before I showed up. He is also the Adjutant. I did, however, find it unusual for one man to have so many different awards.

[RGR.Montcalm]

He wears his CIB, Pilots Wings, Airborne Wings and rows of ribbons, including the Silver Star and Purple Heart

BG Grange had a CIB, Master para badge, pilots/aircrew (not sure which) and a Pthfinder torch when he showed up in 1st Batt in 78 as a CPT. He was in L Co Rangers in VN.

Oh yeah, and he had a Silver Star, PH, and a bunch of other ribbons too.