FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: CWO Frederick Ferguson ~ 06 February 2023

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[Kathy in Alaska]

 

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~ Hall of Heroes ~

CWO Frederick Ferguson

Info from here and here and here.

           

Frederick Edgar Ferguson (born August 18, 1939) is a former United States Army warrant officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in the Vietnam War.  He was the first Army aviator to receive the Medal of Honor in Vietnam.

Frederick E. Ferguson was born on August 18, 1939, in Pilot Point, Texas. He attended Phoenix Union High School in Phoenix, Arizona. Ferguson joined the Navy after he graduated from high school in 1958, and served for four years as an aviation storekeeper.

He applied to the Army's Warrant Officer Program, and was appointed to the rank of Warrant Officer in 1966. Ferguson completed Army Aviation School in 1967 and was immediately deployed to Vietnam as an aircraft commander and Section Leader of

Company C, 227th Aviation Battalion, First Cavalry Division, Airmobile.

On January 31, 1968, Ferguson commanded a Bell UH-1 supply helicopter near the city of Hue, during the Tet Offensive. He heard a distress call from the wounded crew of a helicopter which had been shot down over the enemy-controlled section of the city. Ferguson ignored warnings to stay away from the area because of heavy anti-aircraft fire, and flew along the Perfume River toward the survivors at a low altitude and maximum speed.

He stayed on course despite heavy fire from enemy occupied buildings and boats and landed in a confined area near the survivors despite limited visibility. The helicopter was severely damaged by exploding mortar fragments while the wounded soldiers were loaded, but Ferguson ignored the damage and pushed the helicopter back through the heavy enemy fire along the river to safety. His actions successfully saved the lives of the five survivors and rescued them from a hostile area. Ferguson was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, which was presented to him on May 17, 1969, by President Richard Nixon at the White House.

In July 1969, after completing the Armor Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Ferguson was promoted to Captain. He remained on active duty and served as Commanding Officer of an armor company from 1970 to 1971. In 1972, Ferguson entered the Arizona Army National Guard. He was promoted to Major in 1975 and assigned to command the 997th Aviation Company of assault helicopters. He became Executive Officer of the 997th Aviation Battalion in 1978 and served in that capacity until 1982. Ferguson then served as a Technician Instructor Pilot with the Guard until 1997.

In his civilian life, Ferguson has held various positions and involves himself in numerous organizations. From July 1972 to July 1979, he was sales manager and then vice president of Arizona Janitor Supply. Ferguson then worked as a benefits counselor at the Phoenix office of the Veterans Administration from 1979 to 1984.

In 1998 he piloted air ambulances for Omni Flight Helicopters, supplementing the services of the Native American Air Ambulance of Arizona. Beginning in 1999, Ferguson has worked at the Arizona Department of Veterans Services, and became Deputy Director of the department in 2000. He is a member of several organizations for veterans and for pilots, including his role as a councilor for the Scottish-American Military Society. Frederick Ferguson is married with two children.

Chief Warrant Officer Ferguson's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. CWO Ferguson, U.S. Army distinguished himself while serving with Company C. CWO Ferguson, commander of a resupply helicopter monitoring an emergency call from wounded passengers and crewmen of a downed helicopter under heavy attack within the enemy controlled city of Hue, unhesitatingly volunteered to attempt evacuation. Despite warnings from all aircraft to stay clear of the area due to heavy antiaircraft fire, CWO Ferguson began a low-level flight at maximum airspeed along the Perfume River toward the tiny, isolated South Vietnamese Army compound in which the crash survivors had taken refuge. Coolly and skillfully maintaining his course in the face of intense, short range fire from enemy occupied buildings and boats, he displayed superior flying skill and tenacity of purpose by landing his aircraft in an extremely confined area in a blinding dust cloud under heavy mortar and small-arms fire. Although the helicopter was severely damaged by mortar fragments during the loading of the wounded, CWO Ferguson disregarded the damage and, taking off through the continuing hail of mortar fire, he flew his crippled aircraft on the return route through the rain of fire that he had experienced earlier and safely returned his wounded passengers to friendly control. CWO Ferguson's extraordinary determination saved the lives of 5 of his comrades. His actions are in the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself and the U.S. Army.

 

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[TigerHawk]

10 SECONDS IS A LONG TIME...SOMETIMES. UNDER OUR PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES IT’S NOT MORE THAN A HO HUM...WHICH IS GOOD!

“THE MUNICIPALITY IS GOING TO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT REMOVING, AT LEAST SOME OF, THE PILE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CUL-DE-SAC.”

CALL ‘EM, TELL THEM TO NOT REMOVE ANY OF THAT SNOW BECAUSE YOU’VE DROPPED YOUR PURSE WITH THE WINNING LOTTERY TICKET IN IT, AND YOU WANT TO DIG THROUGH IT TO GET THAT PURSE. THE WHOLE PILE WILL BE GONE THE NEXT DAY! BUT DON’T FORGET TO CALL AGAIN ASKING WHERE THEY DUMPED IT, TO KEEP YOUR CREDIBILITY INTACT! ASK IF THEY FOUND YOUR PURSE. THREATEN TO SUE THEM! THEY’LL TAKE SUCH A DEFENSIVE STANCE THEY WON’T BOTHER YOU. THEN TO TOP IT OFF AND SET THEM AT EACH OTHERS THROATS, GIVE ‘EM ANOTHER CALL IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS THANKING THEM FOR FINDING AND MAILING YOUR PURSE TO YOU, BUT ASKING WHERE THE LOTTERY TICKET IS. WHEN THEY SAY THEY DON’T KNOW, EMPHASIS THAT SOMEBODY KNOWS! THE PERSON THAT MAILED THE PURSE! WITH NO RETURN ADDRESS!!!

THEN STEP BACK...A LITTLE FURTHER THAN YOU THINK NECESSARY, AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS ;-)

[luvie]

IN HONOR OF THE BEAUTIFUL FULL MOON
IT'S THE SNOW MOON OF FEBRUARY

Benny Goodman Sextet~How High The Moon

Craig Chaquico/Russ Freeman~Samba Del Luna

Glenn Miller~Moonlight Serenade

Gregg Karukas~Moonlit Breeze

Butch Helemano~Lover's Moon

Miner~Paper Moon

Neil Young~Harvest Moon

[luvie]

Hey there, radu!

Yes, I went to sleep easily, but woke up 3 times during the night. Coughing and sniffling. Stupid allergies! And I got up way before the alarm went off, so it was safe. LOL!

It was a good and really warm day. Hope things were are beginning to warm up there.

[TigerHawk]

“It was frightfully cold the last two days.”

SAME HERE...-5* AT NIGHT. DRIPPED WATER FAUCETS TO KEEP ‘EM FROM FREEZING PIPES ON OUTSIDE WALLS HAD IT HAPPEN IN THE PAST. MAJOR PITA!

I’VE SEEN THE MOON BEFORE.

“The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas.”

ONE OF THE BEST POEMS EVER WRITTEN WITH INTENSE IMAGERY AND PASSION.

THE HIGHWAYMAN. ONE OF MY FAVORITES.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43187/the-highwayman

ENJOY IT.

[Kathy in Alaska]

GLAD YOU HAVE WARMED UP...AND SORRY THAT YOU CAN'T SEE THE MOON EITHER.

[Kathy in Alaska]

MY BROTHER AND HIS WIFE ARE HUNKERED DOWN NEAR GREAT GUANA CAY IN THE BAHAMAS ON THEIR 43' SAILBOAT WAITING OUT SOME HEAVY WINDS, BUT GOT A GREAT SHOT OF THE MOON TONIGHT.

[TigerHawk]

NICE PIC!

THE OBVIOUS QUESTION IS: WHY AIN’T YOU WITH THEM!!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hey there, Pro...is your snow and cold weather all gone finally?

Getting to spend time with your son lately?

[radu]

So you had problems with coughing last night, too, did ya? I had the same problem. Went to sleep pretty quickly but woke up for a potty break and didn’t get back to sleep for an hour. Dratted sinuses flowing like Niagra Falls. Not sure what had them so fired up but I didn’t like it at all.
Once I went back to sleep, I slept until the alarm went off. Actually, the alarm buzzed for 25 minutes before I finally woke up. I don’t think the cats appreciated that. LOL

Yes, it warmed up a little more today but was windy. Still pretty nice though.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Mayor, and thank you for today’s sustenance for body and soul.

Hope you are warm and rested and ready to take on the new week.

[luvie]

Ooooo...that is breathtaking! I love the reflection on the water. Sounds like they are having a wonderful time...except when there are heavy winds. Is that their boat in the picture or are they ON their boat at the time?

[luvie]

That’s the question I wanted to ask her. LOL!

[luvie]

I wasn’t pleased by all the coughing and sniffing and blowing either. Really interrupted my sleep...and Peaches’. LOL! I think he was tired of me. Hubby was asleep in his chair and missed all the fun.

Don’t know about you, but I’m sleepy early tonight. No alarms in the morning, though. Yay!

[radu]

If you got through without frozen pipes, you were lucky. That was some nasty weather y’all had. BRRRRRRRRR

I love the full moon and enjoy getting unique shots of it when I get lucky enough. I’m so mad I can’t load tonight’s shots into the computer.

That’s a wonderful poem and I did enjoy it. I hadn’t heard of it before.

[radu]

Waiting out heavy winds again, are they? They move around a lot, though, in between rounds of it. I’m glad they were able to repair Gypsy in time to head out again this winter. They must be having a blast.

They certainly had an awesome view of the moon tonight.

[radu]

I’ve been coughing and blowing all day. The wind is out of the south and bringing some unwanted junk with it apparently. I’d like to burn trash tonight but I’m not going back outside. It would be nice to have a chance at sleep tonight.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, luvie...another reminder of one of the great heroes we need to remember. Thanks.

[luvie]

Yeah, smoke on top of what the wind drug home would not be a good combination for your sinuses.

Mine, thankfully has calmed down. At least till I put my head on the pillow. LOL!

[PROCON]

Hi Kathy, we're in a bit of a warm trend thankfully. Had lunch with son on Friday, he's working the weekend at the post office and Sundays he delivers Amazon packages.

Life is good, no complaints.

[luvie]

We must honor them. We don’t want them to ever be forgotten! EVER!