A United States Army Officer's multi decoration medal group for the Vietnam War: Major William Henry McGondel, Reserve Officer's Training Corps, late 3rd Brigade 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) United States Army & National Guard

a). Bronze Star Medal: With bronze oak leaf cluster on riband, unnamed as issued

b). Air Medal: With bronze ‘V’ for 'Valor' & 2 x bronze OLC's. Officially named (William H. McGondel)

c). Army Commendation Medal: With with bronze OLC. Officially named (William H. McGondel)

d). National Defense Service Medal: With bronze oak leaf cluster on riband

e). Vietnam Service Medal: With four bronze service stars on riband

f). Armed Forces Reserve Medal: Army reverse with silver 'Hourglass' emblem on riband

g). Republic of Vietnam: Campaign Medal with clasp '1960-'

Bronze Star Medal: The presentation and citation for the award of the Bronze Star Medal was published in an article, together with a photograph of the recipient in uniform (with Combat Infantryman Badge) wearing his BSM, in the 'Town Crier' newspaper of Wilmington, Massachusetts, issue of, 16 May 1968:

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BILL MCGONDEL AWARDED BRONZE STAR

Major Bill McGondel, US Army, a 1950 graduate of Wilimington High School, was awarded the Bronze Star, on May 8th., for action in Vietnam. The award was made at the Wentworth Military Academy, Lexington, Missouri.

The citation read: On the rainy night of 3-4 May, 1966, he was largely responsible for the successful night move of a 360 vehicle convoy, through 150 kilometers of Viet Cong infested territory to a tactical area of operations in the vicinity of Bong Son. This moved placed combat and supporting elements in position for a surprise dawn attack that resulted in the defeat of a North Vietnamese battalion and approximately 325 confirmed dead. This was the first major night convoy conducted by United States forces in Vietnam and contributed substantially to the subsequent successful operation.

By his loyal, courageous and dedicated service, Major McGondel made a significant contribution to the combat success of the 1st Cavalry Division and particularly to the 3rd Brigade

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For details of the Vietnam Service of 3rd 'Greywolf' Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), see below website:

- https://1cda.org/history/history-3bde/

Sold together with identical companion medal riband bar

Note: The wearing of the OLC emblem on the National Defense Medal, rather then a Bronze Service Star, was unique to the United States Army through the Vietnam War (other services used the bronze service star). The bronze OLC denotes that the recipient had served in two specified qualifying periods for the NDSM

The inclusion of the Air Medal for Valor, together with 'Oakleaf Clusters' denoting further awards of the decoration, reflect the recipient's particular services with the 'AIRMOBILE', of 1st Cavalry Division during the Vietnam War

William Henry McGondel, son of Charles McGondel (a Clerk) & Sarah McGondel, was a native of, Woburn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, where he was born on, 2 July 1931. The National Guard Register for 1961, records that William McGondel held officer number 02284368. He first enlisted in the National Guard in 1949, and was a graduate of the Infantry School Officer Basic Training Course of 1957. Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant (Infantry) 10 June 1956; 1st Lieutenant (Training Command) 9 June 1959 and posted Infantry on 21 December 1959. On 1961 William McGondel enlisted in the United States Army (service number 019246385) firstly on, 11 August 1961, taking his discharge on, 8 May 1972, secondly he enlisted on, 1 November 1972 and took his discharge on, 31 october 1974. Sometime after his Vietnam service, Major William H. McGondel was an ROTC instructor at Wentworth Military Academy in Missouri. He died in Reading, Massachusetts, on 3 October 2004

An obituary to William H. 'Mac' McGondel, Sr., was published in the Boston Globe isue of, 5 October 2004:

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WILLIAM MCGONDEL OBITUARY

(Ret. U.S. Army) of Reading, Oct. 3. Husband of Elsie (Horrigan) McGondel. Father of William H. McGondel, Jr. and his wife Deborah (Dauplaise), Heather Wade and her husband Scott, and Laura McGondel and her fiance Thomas Robinson. Grandfather of Patrick, Courtney, Timothy, Christopher, and Julia. Brother of Margaret Flanigan, George McGondel, and Larry McGondel. Funeral Services will be private per his request. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Rosie's Place, 889 Harrison Ave., Boston, MA 02115. Arrangements by Cox Funeral Home, WOBURN

Unquote.

Condition: GVF

Code: 22692