| SSgt Philip C. Beekley |
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Meritorious Service Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters) |
Air Medal (8 Oak Leaf Clusters) |
Combat Readiness Medal |
National Defense Service Medal |
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Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal |
Vietnam Service Medal |
Vietnam Gallantry Cross With Palm |
Vietnam Campaign Medal |
Philip was assigned as an Airborne Reconnaissance Linguist operating out of Kadena AB, Okinawa (Japan), Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam and Nakhon Phanom, Thailand from May 1971 through November 1973. He participated in four battle campaigns and flew on more than 200 airborne combat reconnaissance missions in Vietnam, the Gulf of Tonkin, Laos,and Thailand for which he received 9 Air Medals. During this period he also attended the Combat Crew Jungle Survival Training at Clark AFB, Philippines.
After his Vietnam duty, Philip flew as an Airborne Reconnaissance Linguist out of Osan AB, Korea and Kadena AB, Okinawa (Japan). Between the assignments in Korea and Japan he attended the Intermediate Chinese Mandarin course at the Defense Language Institute. He returned to the United States in 1978 and served as an Analyst at the National Security Agency, Washington, DC.
Philip attained the rank of Staff Sergeant during his service with the U.S. Air Force from 1969 through 1979. He accrued 2,500 hours on RC-135C/D/M/V/W and R/EC-130B during this time. In May 1979 SSgt Beekley was selected to attend the Officer Training School at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas.