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attempt the rescue of 2 downed aviators, Lt. (then Lt. (J.G.)) Lassen skillfully piloted his aircraft over unknown and hostile terrain to a steep, tree-covered hill on which the survivors had been located. Although enemy fire was being directed at the helicopter, he initially landed in a clear area near the base of the hill, but, due to the dense undergrowth, the survivors could not reach the helicopter. With the aid of flare illumination, Lt. Lassen successfully accomplished a hover between 2 trees at the survivors' position. Illumination was abruptly lost as the last of the flares were expended, and the helicopter collided with a tree, commencing a sharp descent. Expertly righting his aircraft and maneuvering clear, Lt. Lassen remained in the area, determined to make another rescue attempt, and encouraged the downed aviators while awaiting resumption of flare illumination. After another unsuccessful, illuminated rescue attempt, and with his fuel dangerously low and his aircraft significantly damaged, he launched again and commenced another approach in the face of the continuing enemy opposition. When flare illumination was again lost, Lt. Lassen, fully aware of the dangers in clearly revealing his position to the enemy, turned on his landing lights and completed the landing. On this attempt, the survivors were able to make their way to the helicopter. En route to the coast he encountered and successfully evaded additional hostile antiaircraft fire and, with fuel for only 5 minutes of flight remaining, landed safely aboard
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184:. He initially served over four years as an enlisted sailor, enlisting in September 1961 and eventually achieving the rate of Aviation Electronics Technician 3rd Class (AT3) prior to being selected as a Naval Aviation Cadet (NAVCAD). Upon completion of flight training as a NAVCAD, he received his wings as a Naval Aviator and his commission as an officer in the rank of
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For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as pilot and aircraft commander of a search and rescue helicopter, attached to
Helicopter Support Squadron 7, during operations against enemy forces in North Vietnam. Launched shortly after midnight to
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LT Lassen became the first Naval
Aviator and fifth Navy man to be awarded the Medal of Honor (MOH) for bravery in Southeast Asia (SEA)/Vietnam. He was also only one of three Naval Aviators to be awarded the MOH in SEA (along with CAPT
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359:), Florida, naming it in CDR Lassen's honor. The 120-bed facility offers skilled nursing care and can accommodate 60 residents with dementia/Alzheimer’s disease.
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with only five minutes of fuel left in the helicopter's fuel lines. The account of the rescue was logged as a successful, routine search and rescue mission.
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Rank and organization: Lieutenant, U.S. Navy, Helicopter
Support Squadron 7, Detachment 104, embarked in U.S.S. Preble (DLG-15).
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He remained in the Navy and in the early 1980s served as
Commanding Officer of Helicopter Training Squadron EIGHT (
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Lassen (at left) and three other men shortly after receiving their Medals of Honor from
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plane had been shot down on a night interdiction mission deep inside
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opened the Clyde E. Lassen State
Veterans’ Nursing Home in
822:""Medal of Honor recipients of the U.S. Navy in Vietnam""
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List of Medal of Honor recipients for the
Vietnam War
700:"Navy to Commission Guided Missile Destroyer Lassen"
168:(March 14, 1942 – April 1, 1994), a native of
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place and date: Republic of
Vietnam, June 19, 1968.
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679:"Clyde Everett Lassen | This Day in Aviation"
294:), an advanced rotary-wing training squadron for
314:, Florida. He retired in 1982 with the rank of
917:United States Navy personnel of the Vietnam War
263:fire before landing safely at sea on board the
337:was commissioned and named in his honor. An
222:On June 19, 1968, Lassen, then a 26-year-old
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922:Vietnam War recipients of the Medal of Honor
897:United States Navy Medal of Honor recipients
434:CDR Lassen's awards include the following:
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344:was painted to commemorate his actions.
139:, Detachment 104, U.S.S. Preble (DLG-15)
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932:Burials at Barrancas National Cemetery
407:Born: March 14, 1942, Fort Myers, Fla.
404:Entered service at: Jacksonville, Fla.
349:Florida Department of Veterans Affairs
322:until his death from cancer in 1994.
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806:This article includes text in the
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706:. April 19, 2001. Archived from
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546:United States Navy Aviator Badge
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902:People from Fort Myers, Florida
591:Navy Presidential Unit Citation
312:Naval Air Station Whiting Field
720:(posted on Home of Heroes.com)
606:National Defense Service Medal
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927:Deaths from cancer in Florida
199:for his rescue of two downed
137:Helicopter Support Squadron 7
892:United States Naval Aviators
778:"Lassen, Clyde Everett, CDR"
310:/Allied student aviators at
912:Recipients of the Air Medal
907:United States Navy officers
77:Barrancas National Cemetery
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731:"SH-60F of HS-10 Warhawks"
619:(indicating 5 stars total)
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782:navy.togetherweserved.com
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233:of HC-7 (assigned to the
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224:Lieutenant, junior grade
89:United States of America
830:Naval Historical Center
596:Navy Good Conduct Medal
330:In 2001, the destroyer
834:Department of the Navy
624:Vietnam Campaign Medal
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363:Awards and decorations
849:"USS Lassen Namesake"
826:By Sea, Air, and Land
704:Abilene Reporter-News
611:Vietnam Service Medal
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195:, he was awarded the
115:Years of service
166:Clyde Everett Lassen
79:, Pensacola, Florida
20:Clyde Everett Lassen
859:on December 7, 2006
170:Fort Myers, Florida
48:Fort Myers, Florida
853:United States Navy
812:United States Navy
733:. 12 February 2011
710:on January 8, 2006
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326:Other recognitions
320:Pensacola, Florida
276:Michael J. Estocin
178:United States Navy
109:United States Navy
65:Pensacola, Florida
810:published by the
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286:Subsequent career
205:search and rescue
203:while piloting a
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861:. Retrieved
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144:Battles/wars
60:(1994-04-01)
887:1994 deaths
882:1942 births
787:February 1,
737:December 4,
561:Bronze Star
278:, and RADM
218:The mission
148:Vietnam War
876:Categories
800:References
567:"V" device
244:, off the
208:helicopter
193:Lieutenant
85:Allegiance
41:1942-03-14
578:Air Medal
419:USS
411:Citation:
380:(center).
332:USS
316:Commander
265:USS
246:USS
235:USS
230:Seasprite
226:flying a
174:Commander
127:Commander
762:26 March
684:26 March
636:See also
602:3rd Row
574:2nd Row
552:1st Row
251:) whose
172:, was a
95:Service/
839:May 14,
714:May 14,
341:Seahawk
248:America
212:Vietnam
176:in the
542:Badge
421:Jouett
339:SH-60
334:Lassen
306:, and
267:Jouett
237:Preble
228:UH-2A
186:Ensign
180:and a
154:Awards
106:
97:branch
664:Notes
582:with
565:with
242:VF-33
191:As a
865:2010
841:2006
789:2021
764:2023
739:2011
716:2006
686:2023
308:NATO
304:USCG
300:USMC
292:HT-8
253:F-4J
133:Unit
123:Rank
67:, US
55:Died
50:, US
35:Born
296:USN
210:in
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
