Bio: Southworth, John A. – Capt. (Receives 4 Medals – 1970)

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Southworth, Wagner

---------Source: OWEN ENTERPRISE (Owen, Clark County, Wis.) 03 Dec 1970

Captain John A. Southworth, son of Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Southworth, route 2, Owen (Clark Co., Wis.), received four awards for Vietnam services during ceremonies conducted at Fort Benning, Georgia.

The medals included the Bronze Start for meritorious service (his second such award); two air medals (1st and 2nd awards); and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Bronze Star for valor while serving as the Battalion Commander of a special forces mobile strike force in the Delta Region of Vietnam.

The Bronze Star for meritorious service was for outstanding meritorious service in connection with military operations against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam during the period of August 1970.

The two Air Medals were awarded for making 13 combat assaults and having over 100 hours of Direct Support in helicopters and fixed wing aircraft while a maneuver element was on the ground. The majority of these hours were accumulated while Captain Southworth was the operations officer (S-3) for the Mobile Stroke Forece "B" Detachment operation out of Chi Tang, South Vietnam.

Captain Southworth returned from his second tour with Special Forces in Vietnam in August of this year, and is currently attending the 36-week Infantry Officers' Advance course at Fort Benning, Ga. Captain Southworth's wife Elizabeth, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Wagner of Stratford, and four children, are residing with him in military quarters at Fort Benning.