Thomas Dewey Jones Award

Jones' heroic actions under-fire exemplified the greatest courage and the Best Traditions of the Big Red One and the US Army.

Without regard to his own safety; Jones put himself at the gravest risk in order to save his unit from being overrun by a Superior Combat Force of North Vietnamese Regulars.

Assigned to guard a small private air strip adjacent to a French Villa and a rubber plantation; Jones and elements of the 1st Infantry Division set up a protective perimeter not suspecting an attack.

North Vietnamese units attacked the unit in force blowing up the Villa and killing all the occupants of the neutral French residence hoping to use this tactic to breakthrough a surprised protective American force.

In a scene rarely found in the history of the Vietnam War; Jones, acting as a forward observer was confronted with an enemy force of two Battalions of North Vietnamese Regular Soldiers in full battle-dress with battle-flags waving and bugles blowing.

The enemy began pouring over the surrounding hills exposing themselves during a major frontal assault confident in their ability to succeed and overrun the American force quickly.

The combat situation quickly deteriorated into hand to hand combat all along a thin defensive line; a battle in which Jones participated as he attempted to maintain radio contact with his unit command post and defend his own position along the line.

Anticipating an enemy breakthrough; Jones found his position virtually cutoff and forward of his unit skirmish line.

Jones managed to use his radio calling in an air-strike on his own position while holding off a large number of the enemy with effective small arms fire.

Jones' selfless act of personal heroism and disregard for his own safety resulted in the destruction of a great number of the enemy.

The air-strike turned the tide of battle thereby saving his unit from an inevitable wholesale assault. Miraculously Jones survived.

Jones was recommended for the Congressional Medal of Honor.

For this action Thomas Dewey Jones was Awarded the Silver Star.

In 1976 Jones was promoted from the ranks to Warrant Officer with a Masters Degree in Computer Technology at Ft. Huachuca Arizona while assigned to the United States Army Security Agency Testing and Evaluation Center; Intelligence and Service Command.

Jones was transferred to the Pentagon. (1)