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After more than four decades, and the efforts of Rep. Virginia Foxx and local veteran’s organizations, Jim Judson was re-awarded military decorations he earned during his service in Vietnam in a ceremony on March 21.

“It really meant the world to me, that Rep. Foxx and (Ashe County Veterans Service Officer) Darryl Vaughn would take this on for me,” Judson said. “Foxx has done a lot for me, and that’s touching ... because for many years, I’ve felt Vietnam vets never really had a welcome home.”

A self-described Air Force brat, Judson had been raised in a patriotic family, he said, and had volunteered for duty in Vietnam.

“Being raised in my family — when your country calls, you go,” Judson said. “I felt like ... it was a way to earn your right to live in this country.”

Stationed south of Saigon, Judson was serving as a member of the U.S. Army’s 18th MP brigade when he was wounded during a mortar attack on his fire support base on March 30, 1968.

“I made it into the country in October of 1967, and served in Saigon during Tet,” Judson said. “Later, they sent us down Highway 4 in anticipation of a second wave attack.”
During the attack, Judson said the mortar blast badly damaged his leg, and he was evacuated to Japan for surgery.

“I came close to losing my leg, but, thankfully, they were able to save it,” he said.

It was in Japan, Judson said, that he was first awarded the Purple Heart for wounds he sustained in the attack.

The award can trace its lineage back to 1782, when Gen. George Washington authorized the Badge of Military Merit — a heart made of purple cloth — to soldiers of the Continental Army for gallantry in battle, fidelity or essential service.

The medal was reauthorized following the end of the First World War and redesigned at the request of Gen. Douglas MacArthur in 1931, to be awarded to servicemen wounded or killed while serving in combat.

More than 350,000 U.S. servicemen are estimated to have received the award during the Vietnam War.

Largely recovered from his wounds after three to four months in Japan, Judson finished his tour of Vietnam in a “safe fire zone”  before returning to United States.

But it was in San Francisco — his first steps onto U.S. soil after returning from the war — where Judson said he learned that his service would be viewed differently by the American public.

“Change into civilian clothes if you go outside the airport,” Judson said. “That’s what we were told, because we would be harassed by protesters.”

Upon returning home, Judson visited his father at Spring Lake outside Fort Bragg —  the place he stored his Purple Heart and an Army Commendation Medal he had been awarded for safekeeping — before joining the Criminal Investigative Division.

“After that, I left the service and joined the North Carolina Highway Patrol,” Judson said. “I ultimately retired from the patrol in 1997.”

Following the death of his parents —  and the confusing shuffle of their estate —  Judson’s medals were lost, he said.

“And I kind of thought that was that,” Judson said.

It was a recent discussion with Foxx’s office, however, that Judson said he was told he could receive medals for those that were lost.

“They kind of walked me through the process, and I’m so grateful,” Judson said.

The recognition of any veteran is special, Foxx said on March 21, but especially veterans of Vietnam because they never received the appropriate appreciation and respect for their service.

“We can’t do enough to honor our veterans, because without them we would not have our freedom,” Foxx said. “We are a very blessed nation, and we’re a unique nation, where we’ve always been a free people and we value that freedom.”

And although Americans may sometimes take the fruits of freedom for granted, we should not, she said.

“If you pay any attention to what is going on in the world, particularly lately, freedom can be lost very quickly,” Foxx said. “So, again we are delighted to be here to honor Jim ... and to remind people what an important contribution veterans make.”

In presenting Judson his medals, Foxx told the crowd that Judson’s medals signified great sacrifice and the risking of his life.

“And we are so appreciative of what you have done,” Foxx said.

Vaughn compared the homecoming of Vietnam vets to his own, following his service in Desert Storm.

“I was received by a bunch of people, but it was a Vietnam vet that told me he did not recognize the fanfare that I got that hit me,” Vaughn said. “So, to all our veterans, I want to say, ‘Thank you.’ I am privileged to follow in your footsteps, and to be able to recognize a Vietnam veteran is something that I am really proud to be a part of.”

Judson thanked Vaughn and Foxx for their efforts in securing his awards and said, “I really thought this was kind of buried over the years, but it was a conscious effort by a lot of people that brought this together and I’m so thankful. It’s really taken four decades, but it’s things like that this that help us know that some people really did appreciate what we did.”
http://ashemountaintimes.com/news/judson-receives-purple-heart-army-commendation-medal-for-vietnam-service/article_fbf35e7e-3c68-598b-a097-2d9cec9e8280.html