Kiwi soldier waits 40 years for bravery medal

Kiwi soldier waits 40 years for bravery medal

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However, the memories flooded back tonight when he was presented with a US Bronze Star for valour by US Consul-General Randy Berry Jnr, at the Silverdale RSA, north of Auckland.

The citation said that Col Chippindale acted "without regard for his personal safety ... to keep up a devastating and continuous volume of fire".

His "courageous performance, skill, and tactical proficiency" reflected well on him and the traditions of the New Zealand and United States armies.

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The Bureaucrats and others who helped to deny the awarding medals legitimately earned have been defeated it has only taken forty odd years or so . I would Imagen Bronze Star would have been akin to a Mention in Dispatches under the old Imperial awards system which both Australia and New Zealand used at the time . I have read that it was only few years back long after South Vietnam ceased to exist that the Australian veterans of the Battle of Long Tan were officially permitted to wear the South Vietnamese decorations that were awarded to them .

All the while the US military awards system was being corrupted , Aussie and clearly to some extend Kiwi troops were being denied awards they had legitimately earned under the existing and in some cases over seas decorations they earned .

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