Retired MSG Pat Watkins, formerly of the 7th Special Forces Group, US Army, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross last week.
The award was a bit delayed. The heroic acts for which it was presented occurred on 23 August 1968 – in Da Nang, South Vietnam. At the time, Watkins was a Staff Sergeant.
The Northwest Florida Daily News has additional details. Their article is certainly worth reading.
Well-deserved kudos, MSG Watkins; damn well done. It’s unfortunate that your being recognized for what you did it took so long.
“We should thank God that such men lived.”
Comments
11 responses to “MSG Pat Watkins Receives the DSC”
MSG Pat Watkins, you have all my respect and admiration. Well done soldier, well done.
Reading MSG Pat Watkins’ story I was struck by how similar it was to what John Rixley Moore is claiming. Juxtaposition to remind us why we have to call out the fakes.
The parallels are almost eerie, aren’t they? That you came up with Watkin’s story on the same day as Jonn’s piece on Moore is truly strange, Hondo.
Same area as Moore mentions in his account of the beach attack and a year later. Do you suppose Moore heard the story of the attack Watkin’s was in and then made it his own?
Anyone besides me hearing the theme from the Twilight Zone?
Congratulations to him and those who persevered on his behalf. He looks and sounds like a helluva good guy–but one you really don’t want to cross. He looks like he could well fit a uniform today–and make it look damn good.
Congrats to him, and so good to read about a real hero!!
46 years after the fact.
What a shame.
Reads like something straight out of Call of Duty: Black Ops
Damn!
I wonder who dropped this particular football. Were they waiting for him to die so his heroism would go away? I’ll bet that god damned Robert MCNamara had something to do with the tardiness of the award.
McNamara had already left government service at the time MSG Watkins’ did what he did to earn the DSC. Clark Clifford was the SecDef at the time.
Hats off to him, he should have received the award long ago.
My salute to you, Sir.
Roger that.