Item Description
Original Item: One-of-a-kind. Specialist Fourth Class (SP4) George Otis Peay RA12713724 served in Vietnam during 1966 and was door gunner on a UH-1D assault helicopter as a member of the 117th Assault Helicopter Company from 1965-1966. He was the recipient of the distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, Bronze Star and multiple additional awards. The only mend in this set that is engraved to George O. Peay is the Air medal. This air medal is a Williams & Anderson manufactured medal and marked on the back of the brooch.
SP4 Peay can be found on the 117 AHC Roster at this link.
None of the other medals are engraved to SP4 Peay. In fact this very Air Medal was posted on a well respected collector's forum in 2012 and Peay's son responded that it had been stolen from the veterans car while he was in hospital in 1975. This very air medal was given back his son who was in possession of an engraved DFC and multiple other medals. Unlike the DFC in Peay's son's possession in 2012, this Air Medal is not engraved, so we can only assume one of two things:
The other medals in this set, which are genuine Vietnam War era medals, were added to the Air medal for display purposes.
All medals were SP4 Peay's but his son kept the engraved DFC.
To read about it yourself please visit this link.
In additional to all the medals we included printed color copies of his photos, DFC Citation, Air Medal Citation, Bronze Star Citation, 1997 newspaper article about his service and issuance of the DFC 31 years later.
SP4 Peay DFC citation reads as follows:
SPECIALIST FOURTH CLASS GEORGE O. PEAY ARMY
For service as set forth in the following:
CITATION: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Specialist Fourth Class George O. Peay, United States Army, for heroism while participating in aerial flight in the Republic of Vietnam on 10 June 1966. Specialist Peay distinguished himself while serving as a door gunner on a UH-1D assault helicopter, displaying courage, forcefulness, and perseverance in the face of intensive enemy fire during a daring emergency medical resupply mission at night to Company A, 2d Battalion, 501st Infantry, 101st Airborne Division near Dak To, Vietnam. Despite adverse weather conditions, reduced visibility and hazardous jungle terrain, Specialist Peay gallantly braved the high volume of enemy 50 caliber and light automatic weapons fire by exposing himself outside the door of his aircraft to assist in recognizing the correct landing zone. Reacting with speed and accuracy, he placed heavy suppressive fire on the enemy gun emplacements while the helicopter hovered at tree top level. Dangerously exposed to enemy fire he hastily air dropped the supplies and credited his actions with destroying two enemy 50 caliber machine gun emplacements and crew members. Specialist Four Peay's professionalism, superb gunnery skill, and profound courage in the face of the enemy at great risk to his own life is in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflects great credit upon himself his unit, and the United States Army.
Death: PEAY, GEORGE O. "WILLIE"'
117th / Gunner / 65-66
Birth: Nov. 30, 1946
Death: Jul. 30, 2001
Note: SP4 US ARMY Burial:
Arlington National Cemetery Arlington
Arlington County Virginia, USA
Plot: Sec: 5-M2 ROW 8, Site: 5
SP4 Peay can be found on the 117 AHC Roster at this link.
None of the other medals are engraved to SP4 Peay. In fact this very Air Medal was posted on a well respected collector's forum in 2012 and Peay's son responded that it had been stolen from the veterans car while he was in hospital in 1975. This very air medal was given back his son who was in possession of an engraved DFC and multiple other medals. Unlike the DFC in Peay's son's possession in 2012, this Air Medal is not engraved, so we can only assume one of two things:
The other medals in this set, which are genuine Vietnam War era medals, were added to the Air medal for display purposes.
All medals were SP4 Peay's but his son kept the engraved DFC.
To read about it yourself please visit this link.
In additional to all the medals we included printed color copies of his photos, DFC Citation, Air Medal Citation, Bronze Star Citation, 1997 newspaper article about his service and issuance of the DFC 31 years later.
SP4 Peay DFC citation reads as follows:
SPECIALIST FOURTH CLASS GEORGE O. PEAY ARMY
For service as set forth in the following:
CITATION: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Specialist Fourth Class George O. Peay, United States Army, for heroism while participating in aerial flight in the Republic of Vietnam on 10 June 1966. Specialist Peay distinguished himself while serving as a door gunner on a UH-1D assault helicopter, displaying courage, forcefulness, and perseverance in the face of intensive enemy fire during a daring emergency medical resupply mission at night to Company A, 2d Battalion, 501st Infantry, 101st Airborne Division near Dak To, Vietnam. Despite adverse weather conditions, reduced visibility and hazardous jungle terrain, Specialist Peay gallantly braved the high volume of enemy 50 caliber and light automatic weapons fire by exposing himself outside the door of his aircraft to assist in recognizing the correct landing zone. Reacting with speed and accuracy, he placed heavy suppressive fire on the enemy gun emplacements while the helicopter hovered at tree top level. Dangerously exposed to enemy fire he hastily air dropped the supplies and credited his actions with destroying two enemy 50 caliber machine gun emplacements and crew members. Specialist Four Peay's professionalism, superb gunnery skill, and profound courage in the face of the enemy at great risk to his own life is in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflects great credit upon himself his unit, and the United States Army.
Death: PEAY, GEORGE O. "WILLIE"'
117th / Gunner / 65-66
Birth: Nov. 30, 1946
Death: Jul. 30, 2001
Note: SP4 US ARMY Burial:
Arlington National Cemetery Arlington
Arlington County Virginia, USA
Plot: Sec: 5-M2 ROW 8, Site: 5
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