CHESTER B. SMITH, received the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism in Vietnam on December 11, 1966, while serving with River Patrol Section 531 on the Mekong River. He pursued a sampan whose occupants along with eight other Viet Cong along the canal banks fired on the patrol boat. He and his crew returned suppressive fire. Then he reentered the canal with a cover boat and encountered a company-size force preparing to board 40 sampans. They retreated from Smith’s attack and all their transport and equipment were destroyed. Smith rearmed and reentered the canal for the third time to destroy six enemy weapons positions. He vectored a helicopter to rocket a run which destroyed an enemy ammunition cache.

CPT Smith is a life member and resides in Florida.