— Flying into the jungles of South Vietnam and meeting with community leaders in remote villages was a dangerous job.  And Mike Vaccaro, then 24, did it often.  

“What I was doing was helping local people protect themselves, defend themselves, and know what to do,” when faced with threats from the Viet Cong or North Vietnamese Army raiding their villages, Vaccaro told Congressman Chris Smith (NJ04) on Friday, Feb. 21, at Smith’s office in Middletown. Though the dangerous terrain in the Mekong Delta necessitated he carry an M-14 rifle, grenade launcher or both, Vaccaro said he routinely received friendly welcomes from civilians. “My job was to try to help them help themselves.”

PHOTO: Congressman Smith presents the Bronze Star to Mike Vaccaro at Smith’s Middletown Office on Feb. 21. At either side are N.J. State Assemblymembers Gerry Scharfenberger and Vicky Flynn.

For such risky work, Vaccaro was designated to receive the Bronze Star. In fact, he was mailed a certificate that he has kept to this day which boldly states he was awarded the Bronze Star “for meritorious achievement in ground operations against hostile forces in the Republic of Vietnam during the period of August 1971 to April 1972.”

The only problem: the medal itself never arrived.  Then-2^nd Lt. Vaccaro was shipped home early due to President Nixon’s “Vietnamization” of the war (phased in replacement of U.S. personnel with South Vietnamese forces).

“Over the years I tried to contact the records operation in St. Louis several times with no success,” Vaccaro told Smith. “I gave up. When I read your newsletter, I thought I would reach out to you.”

The certificate Vaccaro saved from all those years ago came to good use. Smith reached out to both the Army and the National Personnel Records Center, part of the National Archives, sending them a letter requesting a Bronze Star for the veteran, and included a copy of the certificate. Ultimately, the Army agreed with Smith, and Vaccaro’s record has been amended to reflect the medal.

Present for the ceremony were Vaccaro’s wife, Lynda, daughter Stephanie and son Michael, and grandchildren Alex and Abigail.

“Your family has to know how deeply you are respected,” Smith told the veteran, a Middletown resident who will turn 79 next week. “Thank you for that courage. The Bronze Star is about courage and meritorious service. And that’s you.”

Smith told the family that the fight for a free and democratic Vietnam goes on, noting his Vietnam Human Rights Act, has passed the House three times, but stalled each time in the Senate. 

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