Navy Federal Credit Union

Timothy Sullivan was interned as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam after he was shot down on November 14, 1967, and was held until his release on March 14, 1973.

Awards Received

  • Bronze Star Medal

    Service:

    United States Navy

    Rank:

    Lieutenant Commander

    Division:

    Prisoner of War (North Vietnam)

    Action Date:

    November 14, 1967 – March 14, 1973

    (Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” to Lieutenant Commander Timothy Bernard Sullivan, United States Navy, for meritorious service while interned as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam. He never wavered in his devotion and loyalty to the United States and his fellow prisoners. Despite the adversities of confinement, he performed such duties and responsibilities as assigned by superiors and required of the Code of Conduct in an exemplary and highly professional manner. Displaying extraordinary courage, resourcefulness, and dedication throughout this period of imprisonment, he reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Naval Service and the United States Armed Forces. [The Combat Distinguishing Device is authorized.]

  • Legion of Merit

    Service:

    United States Navy

    Rank:

    Lieutenant Commander

    Division:

    Prisoner of War (North Vietnam)

    Action Date:

    November 14, 1967 – March 14, 1973

    (Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Legion of Merit with Combat “V” to Lieutenant Commander Timothy Bernard Sullivan, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam from 14 November 1967 to 14 March 1973. His ceaseless efforts, by a continuous showing of resistance to an enemy who ignored all international agreements on treatment of Prisoners of War, in the extremely adverse conditions of the communist prisons of North Vietnam, demonstrated his professional competence, unwavering devotion, and loyalty to his country. Despite the harsh treatment through his long years of incarceration, he continued to perform his duties in a clearly exceptional manner which reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service. [The Combat Distinguishing Device is authorized.]

  • Legion of Merit

    Service:

    United States Navy

    Rank:

    Commander

    Action Date:

    February 1983 – August 1994

    The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Legion of Merit to Commander Timothy Bernard Sullivan, United States Navy, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Officer in Charge assigned to Fleet Aviation Specialized Operational (FASO) Training Group, Atlantic Fleet, Brunswick, Maine from February 1983 through August 1994. An extremely competent and resourceful leader, Commander Sullivan has provided steady and mature leadership to guide FASO Detachment Brunswick through design, construction, and movement into a new training facility, acquisition of the Redington training area, downsizing from over 150 to 83 personnel, training over 65,000 military and civilian personnel in multiple mission areas and supporting and coordinating a host of activities with boy scouts, civic groups, state police, and Maine forestry service. Utilizing his extensive personal Prisoner of War (POW) experiences, he wisely directed the education of over 24,000 high risk of capture military personnel in survival, evasion, resistance and escape techniques, and the Code of Conduct. Additionally, he personally conducted over 60 advanced SERE lectures to deploying squadrons and air wings, providing critically important deployment area information, and preparing the Navy and Marine Corps personnel that would be held as POW’s by Iraq during the Persian Gulf war. By his outstanding leadership, commendable innovation, and inspiring dedication to duty, Commander Sullivan reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

  • Bronze Star Medal

    Service:

    United States Navy

    Rank:

    Lieutenant Commander

    Division:

    Prisoner of War (North Vietnam)

    Action Date:

    November 14, 1967 – March 14, 1973

    (Citation Needed) – SYNOPSIS: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” to Lieutenant Commander Timothy Bernard Sullivan, United States Navy, for meritorious service as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam from 14 November 1967 to 14 March 1973. Through his ceaseless efforts, in an atmosphere of enemy harassment, threat of torture and brutal treatment, he established and maintained intracamp communications. At great risk and in spite of further cruelty, he continued to devise many unusual and ingenious methods of communications, resulting in American and Allied prisoners resisting the enemy’s demands and at the same time improving the prisoners’ morale. By his heroic endeavors, exceptional skill, and devotion to duty, he reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Naval Service and the United States Armed Forces. [The Combat Distinguishing Device is authorized.]

  • Prisoner of War Medal

    Service:

    United States Navy

    Rank:

    Lieutenant Commander

    Division:

    Prisoner of War (North Vietnam)

    Action Date:

    November 14, 1967 – March 14, 1973

    Lieutenant Commander Timothy Bernard Sullivan, United States Navy, was held as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam from November 14, 1967 until his release on March 14, 1973.

  • Silver Star

    Service:

    United States Navy

    Rank:

    Lieutenant Commander

    Division:

    Prisoner of War (North Vietnam)

    Action Date:

    November 1967

    The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Commander Timothy Bernard Sullivan, United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while interned as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam during November 1967. Lieutenant Commander Sullivan’s captors, completely ignoring international agreements, subjected him to extreme mental and physical cruelties in an attempt to obtain military information and false confessions for propaganda purposes. Through his resistance to those brutalities, he contributed significantly toward the eventual abandonment of harsh treatment by the North Vietnamese, which was attracting international attention. By his determination, courage, resourcefulness, and devotion, Lieutenant Commander Sullivan reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Naval Service and the United States Armed Forces.