Gridley Veteran to attend first PUC of Obama Administration

By Lisa Van De Hey
The Gridley Herald

By Lisa Van De Hey

COMMEMORATION BOUND—Jerry Shelton of Gridley, a member of the 11th Calvalry Alpha (A) Troop will attend commemoration activities this month for the award of the Presidential Unit Citation in Santa Clara.

As many are attending the high school reunions of their graduating classes this summer, Jerry Shelton is preparing to attend another type of reunion.

This month, Shelton will travel to Santa Clara for the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), the first for the Obama Administration.

As part of the 11th Cavalry Alpha (A) Troop, Shelton will be able to witness the commemoration. What is even more interesting, is that two other Gridley men, Mike Womack and Harville Horn were in his troop with him.

When looking at the list of the 10-12 troops in his regiment, Shelton noticed two men were from Yuba City and one from Chico.

Shelton says he spent nine months out in the field before he was asked if he could type. He was asked if he would be an unofficial clerk and held this title five months. When he was home on leave, he was in a motorcycle accident, which extended his stay just six days. He didn’t feel the injuries were that bad, but the Red Cross delayed his return and another man had filled his position as clerk when he returned. He went back to the fields and lost ten pounds in ten days.
As stated in the website for the A troop, www.11thcavnam.com, the PUC is awarded in the name of the President of the United States and any unit receiving the citation must display such gallantry, determination and espirit de corps in accomplishing it’s mission under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions as to set it apart and above other units participating in the same campaign. The degree of heroism required is the same as that which would warrant award of a Distinguished Service Cross to an individual.

“Originally named the Distinguished Unit Citation, the PUC was established by executive order in 1942 by executive order for units of the Armed Forces of the United States and allied nations for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy occurring on or after December 7, 1941.

The order directed the Secretary of War to issue citations in the name of the President of the United States to military units for outstanding performance of duty,” the website stated.Considering both names the citation has been called, it has been awarded 127 times, including Alpha Troop (A troop) decoration in the almost seven decades since it was established.

This, the 24th annual reunion of the 11th Armed Cavalry of the Veterans of Vietnam and Cambodia, will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Santa Clara this month, with optional tours including San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey Bay and a military vehicles museum.