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The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross (Army Award) to Captain Peter David Caldarelli (AFSN: FR-78566), United States Air Force, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight, evidenced by voluntary actions above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron in the Republic of Vietnam. Captain Caldarelli distinguished himself while serving as a Forward Air Controller in Quang Tin Province on 15 March 1969. In the late afternoon Captain Caldarelli responded to an urgent request for assistance from an infantry company which was under heavy automatic weapons fire from entrenched enemy positions. Rain showers and low visibility hampered his efforts to locate the conflict. Flying his aircraft at a very low altitude, he located the friendly elements and directed helicopter gunships onto the enemy positions. The enemy fire was suppressed enough to allow an urgent medical evacuation. Concerned by the nearness of the friendly elements to the target, Captain Caldarelli again maneuvered his aircraft extremely close to the enemy positions and provided accurate target marking for the arriving fighter bombers. After the fighters’ initial pass, he observed colored smoke of the type used by friendly troops, rising from the target area. Captain Caldarelli halted the airstrikes, reconfirmed the position of the friendly forces and was assured that the smoke was displayed by the enemy in an effort to halt the airstrikes. The weather was deteriorating rapidly, but Captain Caldarelli immediately maneuvered his aircraft to mark the enemy position again and deployed his fighters. The skillfully guided attacks neutralized the enemy and the friendly unit was able to continue the advance. Captain Caldarelli’s outstanding flying ability and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Air Force.

Awards Received

  • Silver Star

    Service:

    United States Air Force

    Rank:

    Captain

    Batallion:

    20th Tactical Air Support Squadron

    Action Date:

    March 19, 1969
    Headquarters, United States Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 4139 (November 13, 1969)

    The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star (Army Award) to Captain Peter David Caldarelli (AFSN: FR-78566), United States Air Force, for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force while serving with the 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron in the Republic of Vietnam. Captain Caldarelli distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 19 March 1969 while serving as a Forward Air Controller supporting a search-and-clear operation by troops of the Americal Division. Two companies of the Division were immobilized by heavy automatic weapons fire as they assaulted the hilltop fortifications of an enemy force. When the friendly units attempted to pull back from the hill to call in air support, many casualties were sustained and a number of men were cut off and pinned down on the hill by intensive suppressive fire. Captain Caldarelli arrived over the battle area in his spotter aircraft and made repeated passes over the hill in order to locate precisely the friendly soldiers left on the hillside and mark accurately the enemy’s defensive emplacements. He then directed tactical aircraft in pinpoint bombing runs on the hostile positions. Midway in the air strikes, while Captain Caldarelli was again marking the hostile positions, his remaining smoke rockets failed to fire, so he circled the hilltop fortresses at exceptionally low altitudes under heavy ground fire and re-marked the enemy positions by dropping smoke grenades from the window of his aircraft. The accuracy with which Captain Caldarelli marked the hostile fortifications and directed the tactical aircraft in their bombing runs broke the enemy’s resistance, enabled those soldiers stranded on the hill to pull back, and opened to the friendly units an unobstructed approach to the hilltop. Captain Caldarelli’s gallantry in action was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Air Force.