Clyde Everett Lassen

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Clyde Everett Lassen
United States of America
Service/branch United States Navy
Years of service1961–1982
RankCommander
UnitHelicopter Support Squadron 7, Detachment 104, U.S.S. Preble (DLG-15)
Battles/warsVietnam War
AwardsMedal of Honor

Clyde Everett Lassen (March 14, 1942 – April 1, 1994), a native of

Naval Aviator. 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 Ensign.[1]

As a

Naval Aviators while piloting a search and rescue helicopter in Vietnam
.

The mission

On June 19, 1968, Lassen, then a 26-year-old

antiaircraft fire before landing safely at sea on board the USS Jouett
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.

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 Michael J. Estocin, and RADM James Stockdale), and the only rotary wing Naval Aviator to be awarded the MOH in SEA.

Subsequent career

He remained in the Navy and in the early 1980s served as Commanding Officer of Helicopter Training Squadron EIGHT (

USCG, and NATO/Allied student aviators at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, Florida. He retired in 1982 with the rank of Commander, remaining in Pensacola, Florida
until his death from cancer in 1994.

Other recognitions

In 2001, the destroyer

SH-60 Seahawk was painted to commemorate his actions.[3]

In 2010, the

St. Johns County), 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.[4]

Awards and decorations

Medal of Honor

Lassen (at left) and three other men shortly after receiving their Medals of Honor from President Lyndon B. Johnson (center).
Clyde E. Lassen
Rank and organization: Lieutenant, U.S. Navy, Helicopter Support Squadron 7, Detachment 104, embarked in U.S.S. Preble (DLG-15).
place and date: Republic of Vietnam, June 19, 1968.
Entered service at: Jacksonville, Fla.
Born: March 14, 1942, Fort Myers, Fla.

Citation:

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 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 USS Jouett (DLG-29).

Commendations

CDR Lassen's awards include the following:[5]

V
Silver star
Badge
United States Navy Aviator Badge
1st Row Medal of Honor Bronze Star
with "V" device
2nd Row Air Medal
with Award numeral 1 		Navy Presidential Unit Citation Navy Good Conduct Medal
3rd Row National Defense Service Medal
Campaign star
(indicating 5 stars total) 		Vietnam Campaign Medal
with "60-" clasp

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Swopes, Bryan. "Clyde Everett Lassen | This Day in Aviation". Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  2. ^ "Navy to Commission Guided Missile Destroyer Lassen". Abilene Reporter-News. April 19, 2001. Archived from the original on January 8, 2006. Retrieved May 14, 2006. (posted on Home of Heroes.com)
  3. ^ "SH-60F of HS-10 Warhawks". 12 February 2011. Retrieved December 4, 2011.
  4. ^ "Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs | Connecting veterans to federal and state benefits they have earned". floridavets.org. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
  5. ^ "Lassen, Clyde Everett, CDR". navy.togetherweserved.com. Retrieved February 1, 2021.

References

This article includes text in the public domain published by the United States Navy.
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