After 54 Years, Middletown Vietnam War Vet Receives Bronze Star

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — On Friday, Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ4) presented the Bronze Star to a 79-year-old Middletown man who served his country in the Vietnam war.

The man is Mike Vaccaro. He was 24 years old when he served in the Vietnam War from 1971 to 1972.

“What I was doing was helping local people protect themselves, defend themselves and know what to do,” when faced with threats from the Viet Cong or North Vietnamese Army raiding their villages, said Vaccaro, according to a press release from Congressman Smith's office.

Vaccaro said he routinely received friendly welcomes from Vietnamese civilians.

"My job was to try to help them help themselves," he said.

Present for Friday's ceremony were Vaccaro’s wife, Lynda, daughter Stephanie and son Michael, and grandchildren Alex and Abigail.

“Your family has to know how deeply you are respected,” Rep. Smith told the veteran. “Thank you for that courage. The Bronze Star is about courage and meritorious service. And that’s you.”

Because his work in the Vietnamese jungles was very risky, Vaccaro was designated to receive the Bronze Star. In fact, years ago he was mailed a certificate that he has kept to this day that states he was awarded the Bronze Star “for meritorious achievement in ground operations against hostile forces in the Republic of Vietnam during the period of August 1971 to April 1972.”

However, the medal itself never arrived from the U.S. Army.

Vaccaro was shipped home early due to President Nixon’s “Vietnamization” of the war, which was a phased-in replacement of U.S. troops with South Vietnamese forces.

“Over the years I tried to contact the records operation in St. Louis several times with no success,” said Vaccaro. “I gave up."

Vaccaro then decided to ask of Congressman Smith could help him — and he did.

The certificate Vaccaro saved from all those years ago came to good use. Smith reached out to both the U.S. Army and the National Personnel Records Center, part of the National Archives, sending them a letter requesting a Bronze Star for the veteran, and included a copy of the certificate. Ultimately, the Army agreed with Smith, and Vaccaro’s record has been amended to reflect the medal.