lest we forget

ASHTON, CURTIS MORRIS

Rank / Branch:

AIRCRAFT ELECTRICIAN'S MATE FIRST CLASS, U. S. NAVY

Date Of Birth:

1946-11-30

Country Of Loss:

SOUTH VIETNAM

Status:

HOSTILE, MULTIPLE FRAGMENT WOUNDS

Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground:

GROUND

Other:

MARRIED

Unit:

SEAL TEAM 2

Date Of Loss:

1969-12-27

Loss Coordinates:

BEN HOA

Catagory:

BODY RETURNED

Awards & Decorations:

SEE BIO

VETERAN HAGI0GRAPHY

ASHTON, CURTIS MORRIS, AIRCRAFT ELECTRICIAN'S MATE, U.S. NAVY SEAL, SWEETWATER, NOLAN COUNTY, TEXAS

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

NAVY SEAL TRIDENT BADGE, PARACHUTE WINGS, SILVER STAR, PURPLE HEART WITH 2 GOLD STARS, NAVY AND MARINE CORP COMMENDATION MEDAL WITH V DEVICE, NAVY AND MARINE CORP ACHIEVEMENT MEDAL WITH V DEVICE, COMBAT ACTION RIBBON, NAVY PRESIDENTAL UNIT CITATION WITH ONE BRONZE STAR, NAVY UNIT COMMENDATION MEDAL, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, NATIONAL DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL, VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL WITH 3 BRONZE STARS AND ONE SILVER STAR, VIETNAM MILITARY MERIT MEDAL, VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY WITH PALM UNIT CITATION AND MEDAL, VIETNAM CIVIL ACTION FIRST CLASS MEDAL, VIETNAM CAMPAIGN MEDAL

BIOGRAPHY

Curtis Morris Ashton was born in Rotan, Fisher County, Texas, the son of Alpha Omega Coan and Richard Walter Ashton. He was the youngest of six children. His family moved to Sweetwater when he was seven years old, and he attended Sweetwater Schools through the sophomore year. Before his junior year, he moved to Tye and lived with his older brother, Troy and his family. He attended school there. He moved back to Sweetwater and dropped out of high school his senior year and joined the Navy in January 1965. He completed the requirements for his GED in the Navy.
He completed his recruit training at the Naval Recruit Training Depot at San Diego, California and then completed training as an electrician's mate. He served with the fleet and served off the coast of North Vietnam at Yankee station in 1966. After his tour with the fleet, he applied for Seal Training and was accepted. He completed the training in June 1967 and then married Stephanie Huddleston, his childhood sweetheart from Sweetwater, July 15, 1967.
He completed a voluntary tour in Vietnam as a member of the 2nd Seal Platoon, 7th Platoon from October 1967 through June 1968. He returned for a second tour with the 2nd Seal Team, 5th Platoon from October 1968 through May 1969. He re-enlisted on June 15, 1969, and was promoted to AE1, E-6. While stationed back at NAB Little Creek, he attended Special Operations Training at NAB Coronado, California, and Gunfire Support School at NAB Little Creek, before returning to South Vietnam with SEAL Team 2 and he began his third voluntary tour on December 15, 1969. . He had completed over 150 SEAL missions in his two previous tours and was the recipient of two purple hearts and many awards for valor. According to a SEAL buddy, he was loyal, fearless and was deadly with a Stoner Machine Gun. He went anywhere at any time to complete a mission. To his buddies, he was known as "Litl Ashton."
At about 2345 hours on 27 December 1969, AE1 Curtis Morris Ashton, USN, 7758555, was killed in action when an explosion occurred near his patrol area, 21 kilometers southeast of Nha Ba. Ashton was in a WBGP with five seals, L. Gardner and six PRU troops. A LHFT was called in to place strikes on lights seen south of their position. At 2345 hours, ordnance exploded within the guard post resulting in Ashton's death and wounding one PRU. The wounded PRU was medevac'd 30 minutes later.
He was buried in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Sweetwater with full military honors. He was survived by his wife, Stephnie of Virginia Beach, Virginia; his parents of Sweetwater, his sisters: Helen Tommie, of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Carol Nezat of Fort Walton, Florida and his brothers: Troy of Glen Burnie, Maryland; Gene of Lovington, New Mexico; and Gayland of Pleasanton, Texas.
His father passed away in 1986 and his mother in 1995, they are buried near him. His sister, Helen Tommie and his brothers, Troy and Gene are now deceased. His wife, Stephanie Nelson, married a mutual friend of Curtis and her from Sweetwater. She lives in McDade, Texas.
POSTHUMOUS AWARD OF THE SILVER STAR Synopsis: The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star Medal to Curtis Morris Ashton, Aviation Electrician First Class, U.S. Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. Aviation Electrician First Class Ashton distinguished himself by intrepid actions on while serving with Detachment A, 4th Platoon, SEAL Team 2, Task Force 116. His unquestionable valor in close combat is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself and the United States Naval Service. Born: November 30, 1946, at Rotan, Texas Hometown: Sweetwater, Texas
FIRST BRONZE STAR CITATION: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HAS AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL TO AVIATION ELECTRICIAN SECOND CLASS CURTIS MORRIS ASHTON, UNITED STATES NAVY CITATION: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” to Aviation Electrician Second Class Curtis Morris Ashton, United States Navy, for meritorious achievement in connection with operations against the enemy while serving with SEAL Team TWO, Detachment ALFA in the Republic of Vietnam, on the night of 13 March 1968. As machine gunner with a SEAL combat patrol, Petty Officer Ashton’s patrol penetrated 4,000 yards into an enemy base camp occupied by a Viet Cong battalion. The patrol discovered a large barracks complex containing approximately 30 well-armed insurgents. Petty Officer Ashton volunteered to act as rear security during his patrol’s withdrawal through 1,000 yards occupied by a large Viet Cong force. Petty Officer Ashton held off a Viet Cong attempt to cut off and encircle his patrol, continually exposing himself to a hail of automatic weapons fire to insure his patrol’s safe extraction. Petty Officer Ashton’s courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. (Petty Officer Ashton is authorized the Combat “V”.)
SECOND BRONZE STAR CITATION: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HAS AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL TO AVIATION ELECTRICIAN SECOND CLASS CURTIS MORRIS ASHTON, UNITED STATES NAVY CITATION: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” to Aviation Electrician Second Class Curtis Morris Ashton, United States Navy, for meritorious service in connection with operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign force while serving in the Republic of Vietnam from 23 October 1967 to 20 April 1968. Petty Officer Ashton distinguished himself by his sustained high performance of duty during combat patrols, ambushes, reconnaissance's, raids and other clandestine combat operations of the swamps, jungles, streams and mud of the Mekong Delta. As a member of SEAL Team TWO, Detachment ALFA, 7th Platoon, Petty Officer Ashton actively participated as assistant squad leader with a SEAL squad on over 80 combat missions resulting in numerous enemy casualties and captives, many weapons captured and a collection of very important intelligence material. Petty Officer Ashton’s aggressiveness, knowledge of guerilla tactics, clear judgment, devotion to duty and courage under fire were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. (Petty Officer Ashton is authorized to wear the Combat “V”.) Born: Nov. 30, 1946, in Sweetwater, Texas… Killed in action on Dec. 27, 1969, during his second tour in Vietnam… Also awarded the Silver Star, three Purple Hearts, and two other Bronze Star Medals with the Combat “V” device… Interred: Garden of Memories Cemetery in Sweetwater, Texas
THIRD BRONZE STAR CITATION: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA HAS AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL TO AVIATION ELECTRICIAN SECOND CLASS CURTIS MORRIS ASHTON, UNITED STATES NAVY CITATION: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Second Gold Star in lieu of a Third Award of the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V” to Aviation Electrician Second Class Curtis Morris Ashton, United States Navy, for heroic achievement while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in armed conflict against North Vietnamese and Viet Cong communist aggressors in the Republic of Vietnam on 17 November 1968. Petty Officer Ashton, as machine gunner for a seven-man squad of the Fifth Platoon, United States Navy SEAL Team, Detachment ALFA, was patrolling Thoi Son Island, a heavily defended Viet Cong stronghold. The squad moved into a three-house complex in order to question residents about enemy activity in the area. Since the houses were separated, the squad was forced to disperse itself in order to set up adequately for any contingency. While they were questioning the inhabitants of the house, a ten-man enemy unit came down an adjacent trail in an attempt to attack the squad in the houses. Seeing that he was the only one who could get into position to fire on the enemy, Petty Officer Ashton, with complete disregard for his own safety, jumped onto the open trail to get a clear line of fire. In his initial volley of fire, he killed five of the aggressors and routed the remainder of the unit. His aggressive actions and devotion to duty thwarted the enemy’s attempt to trap his squad in the houses and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. (Petty Officer Ashton is authorized to wear the Combat “V”.) Born: Nov. 30, 1946, in Sweetwater, Texas… Killed in action on Dec. 27, 1969, during his second tour in Vietnam… Also awarded the Silver Star, three Purple Hearts, and two other Bronze Star Medals with the Combat “V” device… Interred: Garden of Memories Cemetery in Sweetwater, Texas Related Content