Belated Presentation Ceremony For The Award Of The US Silver Star To The Late Warrant Officer Kevin Wheatley, VC
By John Tilbrook Our BEAGLE audience may be interested to learn that at long last, after more than 56 years after the late Warrant Officer Kevin “Dasher” Wheatley was recommended for the award of the SILVER STAR for his gallantry under enemy fire on 18 August 1965 whilst he was serving alongside US Army Special Forces in Vietnam 1965, this decoration will finally be presented to his war widow, Mrs Edna Wheatley at a presentation ceremony to be held at the United States Embassy in Canberra on 14 December 2021.
Mrs Edna Wheatley, who never remarried and who singlehandedly raised her four young children on her own, will be accompanied at the US Embassy for the presentation by her only son George Wheatley from Tuross Head, as well as her daughter Phillis and her grandchildren. Other guests will include the Governor General of Australia, General David Hurley AC, DSC Retd and Michael Madden, the author of the latest military history documenting the short life of WO2 K.A. Wheatley who died on the battlefield protecting his wounded comrade in Quang Ngai Province on 13 November 1965. For this selfless brave conduct as a member of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV), WO2 Dasher Wheatley was posthumously bestowed with the Victoria Cross (VC) for his Valour.
The SILVER STAR is the third highest military combat decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an enemy. Actions that merit the SILVER STAR must be of such a high degree that they are above those required for all other US Combat Decorations, but do not merit the award of the Medal of Honor or the Distinguished Service Cross.
The award of the SILVER STAR is linked to two separate incidents he was involved in as a AATTV member. Early in his tour he was in an action with Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) regular troops in Quang Trị Province. During the enemy fighting, a child ran across the battlefield. Seeing the danger, WO2 Kevin Wheatley ran after the girl through the small arms and machine gun crossfire and brought her back to safety, using his own body to shield her. Later in August 1965, during an attack on a Viet Cong (VC) held village WO2 Wheatley was recommended for an award by a US infantry advisor after he single-handedly exploited the position, carrying the attack up a steep slope and forcing the VC forces to withdraw.
For those interested in Australian military history I highly recommend the following recently published history work by Michael Madden
On the 50th anniversary of his death in South Vietnam, the City of Campbeltown NSW unveiled a memorial to commemorate the bravery of WO2 K.A. Wheatley fondly known to all his Army comrades as “Dasher”.
L to R - Mrs Edna Wheatley with her son George, and two of her daughters at the dedication ceremony for the “Warrant Officer Dasher Wheatley” memorial at Campbelltown NSW on 13 November 2015.
CITATION FOR THE AWARD OF THE VICTORIA CROSS
On 13 November 1965 at approximately 13:00 hours, a Vietnamese Civil Irregular Defence Group company commenced a search and destroy operation in the Tra Bong valley, 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) east of the Tra Bong Special Forces camp in Quang Ngai Province. Accompanying the force were Captain F. Fazekas, senior Australian Advisor, with the centre platoon, and Warrant Officers K. A. Wheatley and R. J. Swanton with the right-hand platoon. At about 1340 hours, Warrant Officer Wheatley reported contact with Viet Cong elements. The Viet Cong resistance increased in strength until finally Warrant Officer Wheatley asked for assistance. Captain Fazekas immediately organised the centre platoon to help and personally led and fought towards the action area. While moving towards this area he received another radio message from Warrant Officer Wheatley to say that Warrant Officer Swanton had been hit in the chest, and requested an air strike and an aircraft, for the evacuation of casualties. At about this time the right platoon broke in the face of heavy Viet Cong fire and began to scatter. Although told by the Civil Irregular Defence Group medical assistant that Warrant Officer Swanton was dying, Warrant Officer Wheatley refused to abandon him. He discarded his radio to enable him to half drag, half carry Warrant Officer Swanton, under heavy machine-gun and automatic rifle fire, out of the open rice paddies into the comparative safety of a wooded area, some 200 metres away. He was assisted by a Civil Irregular Defence Group member, Private Dinh Do who, when the Viet Cong were only some ten metres away, urged him to leave his dying comrade. Again he refused, and was seen to pull the pins from two grenades and calmly awaited the Viet Cong, holding one grenade in each hand. Shortly afterwards, two grenade explosions were heard, followed by several bursts of small arms fire.
The two bodies were found at first light next morning after the fighting had ceased, with Warrant Officer Wheatley lying beside Warrant Officer Swanton. Both had died of gunshot wounds.
Warrant Officer Wheatley displayed magnificent courage in the face of an overwhelming Viet Cong force which was later estimated at more than a company. He had the clear choice of abandoning a wounded comrade and saving himself by escaping through the dense timber or of staying with Warrant Officer Swanton and thereby facing certain death. He deliberately chose the latter course. His acts of heroism, determination and unflinching loyalty in the face of the enemy will always stand as examples of the true meaning of valour.
George Wheatley, son of WO2 “Dasher” Wheatley, VC proudly representing his late father at the 2015 ANZAC Day centenary ceremony at Tuross Head, accompanied by the Secretary THPA (John Tilbrook).
