Vietnam-era pilot gets highest American aviation award 32 years later
     BAD KREUZNACH, Germany (August 2, 1997 8:33 p.m. EDT) -- At 67,
 the uniform still fits on his lean frame and he still carries him-
 self like a soldier.
     Nearly 32 years after a war in the jungles of Southeast Asia,
 Walter Schramm, a retired U.S. Army helicopter pilot, received
 America's highest aviation -- the Distinguished Flying Cross.
     Major Gen. Larry Ellis, the commander of the 1st Armored Divis-
 ion, pinned the medal on Schramm's chest during ceremonies Friday
 in Bad Kreuznach, 50 miles west of Frankfurt.
     He called Schramm "a warrior who distinguished himself ... more
 than 30 years ago."
     It was Nov. 14, 1965, in the central highlands of Vietnam, when
 the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry was ambushed by two North Vietnamese
 regiments in the first real battle of the Vietnam War, officials
 said. The Americans were outnumbered 10-1.
     As the fighting raged, Schramm flew his helicopter seven times
 into the battle area to resupply the Americans and fly the wounded
 out.
     American casualties were 234 dead and 260 wounded. Two thousand
 Vietnamese were killed.
     Schramm's heroism was recounted in "We Were Soldiers Once .. And
 Young," by Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and Galloway. Moore commanded the 7th
 Cavalry when it was attacked.
     Before the ceremony, Schramm explained to reporters why he
 thought the award was so late in coming.
     "I think that maybe Gen. Moore got to thinking about this battle
 after they reconstructed it all. ... There was, in his opinion, so
 many heroic acts being performed that nobody ever got an award for,"
 Schramm said. "They just decided, 'Better late than never, we'll
 give them some recognition."'
     The German-born Schramm retired from the Army in 1974 and now
 lives near Frankfurt. He emigrated to Kenosha, Wis., in 1953 and
 served in the military where he obtained U.S. citizenship.
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     The unit mentioned was the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the 1st
 Cavalry.
     The above was for the Ia Drang Valley goof where the First
 Cavalry Division was pinned down by five divisions of North
 Vietnamese regulars.  The 9th and 20th Bomb Squadron, all the
 way from Guam, bombed to within 200 yards of them to break up
 the attack and allow them to withdraw.  I remember the mission
 well and what the area looked like afterward.  We were very
 careful bombing so close to our own troops but it had to be
 done.
 Jim Sanders
--- DB 1.39/004487
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