[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 128 (Wednesday, September 23, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1779]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            LT. GERALD D. WHEATON TO RECEIVE THE BRONZE STAR

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. THOMAS E. PETRI

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 23, 1998

  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, September 26th, I plan to be 
present--votes permitting--for a long overdue ceremony in Ripon, 
Wisconsin, for a true American hero.
  It was December 15, 1967. Most Americans were getting ready for 
Christmas. But 1st Lieutenant Gerald D. Wheaton's artillery battalion 
had just taken over a position near Chu Chi in South Vietnam previously 
assigned to another battalion. Wheaton was the Battalion Ammunition 
Officer, and he knew he had a job on his hands when he found that his 
predecessor had left him with broken boxes, mixed lots, and in some 
cases missing charges. So he got to work--a time consuming and exacting 
job. The battalion had no ammunition trucks, so he had to beg and 
borrow vehicles for resupply.
  Six weeks later, the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong violated a 
ceasefire in order to launch their mammoth surprise Tet offensive 
throughout the Republic of Vietnam. The first days of the offensive 
were chaotic. Wheaton's brigade was given the mission to keep the main 
supply route open from Quang Tri Province to Camp Evans about 30 miles 
away. A North Vietnamese regiment attacked the garrison at Hi Lang and 
cut the supply road to Camp Evans.
  Lt. Col. Robert E. Lee, Jr. (then a Major) says:


       I ordered Lt. Wheaton to move his ammunition section from 
     Phu Bi to Quang Tri City and be prepared to resupply C 
     Battery in the vicinity of Quang Tri City, a battery in the 
     vicinity of Hi Lang and a 155 battery at LZ Jane. The 
     batteries were approximately thirty miles apart. Lt. Wheaton 
     loaded his section on two helicopters. At the time, we were 
     not aware of the magnitude of the Tet offensive. The 
     helicopters came under heavy ground fire and one turned back. 
     Lt. Wheaton insisted his helicopter continue the mission. Lt. 
     Wheaton's decision ensured his battalion was resupplied with 
     ammunition.


  Keeping his own battalion and a reinforcing artillery battery 
resupplied was a monumental challenge which Lt. Wheaton met despite 
great personal risk from land mines, sniper fire and ambush. Indeed, 
later Lt. Wheaton was seriously injured when his jeep drove over a land 
mine. His passenger was killed.
  As a result of his efforts before and during the Tet offensive, Col. 
Lee believes that Lt. Wheaton's actions saved the lives of many 
American soldiers, so he recommended Lt. Wheaton for a Bronze Star.
  But then, nothing happened. During the hectic days following the 
offensive the original recommendation was somehow misplaced.
  During a reunion, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Lee learned that Lt. Wheaton had 
failed to receive the recognition he was due. So in July of last year 
Col. Lee contacted my office to see if we could right a wrong and help 
with a resubmission of the recommendations for Lt. Wheaton's awards. I 
was happy to help. The Army requires extensive procedures to make sure 
the awards it makes are merited, but over the course of a year we were 
able to demonstrate our case.
  On Saturday, September 26 at 11 a.m. at the Ripon, Wisconsin VFW I 
plan to be on hand to offer my personal gratitude to Gerald Wheaton. We 
will be joined by Col. Lee and by Wheaton's former Battalion Commander, 
Col. (Ret.) William Malouche as Gerald D. Wheaton receives the Bronze 
Star for meritorious service, and the Bronze Star with a ``V'' Device 
for valor. I believe Lt. Wheaton deserves the full measure of 
recognition and congratulations that can be extended by this House on 
behalf of a grateful nation.

                          ____________________