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all there own. If you are lucky enough to meet a special operations crew member, ask him for just one of those stories. On one occasion, Capt. Jarvis and his crew were startled during the flight out of a special operations pick up area. They had just completed an extraction and were flying at 2000 feet when a hand suddenly appeared on the deck of the passenger area from outside the helicopter. One of the Special Forces members decided he did not want to hang from the ladder, therefore, he had unhooked himself from the ladder and climbed the 50 feet up into the helicopter while it was flying back to base. Needless to say, he gave the aircrew quite a scare, as they were not expecting someone to enter their aircraft while flying so high. Sounds like a Special Forces type doesn't it?
Like a lot of Vets, Capt. Jarvis is a highly decorated combat officer with over 12,000 hours of flight time in helicopters. Some of his active duty decorations were awarded for heroism and include the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, Purple Heart, 14 Air Medals (1 for Valor), Bronze Star with cluster (1 for Valor), and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
The Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry was awarded to Capt. Jarvis, by a South Vietnamese Commander, in appreciation for a number of single ship missions flown on one day to pick up his troops from a landing zone taking fire and artillery continually during the operation. The Purple Heart was awarded for being wounded. Capt. Jarvis took a bullet in the leg while flying one of these missions. The Bronze Star for Valor and the Distinguished Flying Cross were earned within a few hours of each other on two separate incidents under heavy contact (bullet punching holes directly in front of him through the helicopter wind screen while he sat hovering in an LZ waiting for wounded, under fire, making for the aircraft.
Capt. Jarvis does not like to think of himself as a hero. Instead, he says he's just did his duty, just like every other pilot and soldier who has ever gone to battle for his country. Among his Vietnam comrades his actions are not special. Capt. Jarvis has many stories about his experiences in Vietnam, many of which are humorous and many more of which are not. Some of the missions he has shared with us are very difficult for him to tell as many people lost their lives on those missions. Most of those were good friends.
I feel it an honor and a privilege to have been able to hear some of these stories and I am also proud to be a part of a unit in which he commands. SEMPER VIGILANS Captain Jarvis.
Cpt. Greg Malone
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