House of Gordon ~ Virginia Division Hall of Honor

Commander Thompson, Robert S., USN, Ret.
ACTIVE DUTY: 1978 - 2002 (24 years)
INACTIVE SERVICE: 1975 - 1978
(drilling Naval Reservist - 4 years)
PERSONAL AWARDS:
Defense Meritorious Service Medal (DMSM) - two awards;
Meritorious Service Medal (MSM); Navy & Marine Corps
Commendation Medal; Navy Expeditionary Medal ; National
Defense Medal - two awards
OTHER AWARDS/RIBBONS AUTHORIZED:
Joint Meritorious Unit award; Meritorious Unit Commendation -
three awards; Navy "E" Ribbon; Sea Service Deployment award;
Pistol Sharpshooter ribbon
MISCELLANEOUS: Retired June 30, 2002 with the grade of
COMMANDER (O-5) in the MEDICAL SERVICE CORPS
specializing in Radiation Health & Safety. Retired with 24 years of
active duty and 4 years of Reserve time for a total of 28 years of
service.

The Hall & Wall of Honor is a fledgling project! We are including a Wall of
Honor at the Gordon Tent at each festival, as well the Hall of Honor on the
website. We encourage ALL House of Gordon, Virginia Members to send
us the following information for their family members who have served or
are currently serving in one of the Branches of the Armed Forces.

Name
Branch of Service (Regular or Reserve)
Active Duty -- the beginning year of service
Inactive -- the years of service
Any other pertinent information you wish to provide, such as medals
earned etc.
If your family member gave their life in service, please let us know
so that we can give them the appropriate honor.
A picture if you have one.

You may send your information to us at this link, or inquire via this link for
a mailing address if you prefer to post your information.

James A. Gordon
Branch of Service - Regular Army
Active Duty -- 1964 & 65

Served in the PIO office with two fellow non-coms at Fort Jackson after basic at
Fort Gordon, of all places. I produced a unit mimeograph weeklyedition for the first
year and then became the Sports Editor of the post paper for the last year.

While in the Army, met wife Beth in Columbia and soon went to work on producing
three children over the next 6-8 years. Then became the sports editor of a small
paper in New Jersey before moving back to Virginia where we have enjoyed life
since 1966. Received many sports writing awards and enjoyed covering prep and
college sports.

Morris A. Gordon, CW4 (Ret.)
Enlisted 24 Jan 1966, US Army Reserves
Active Duty 14 Nov 1966- 5 Apr 1967, Returned to Active Reserve Status 6 Apr
1967. Appointed Reserve Warrant Officer WO1 10 Apr 1976 -- Military Intelligence
Analysis.
Active Duty (AGR), 6 Jun 1981 - 5 Nov 1986 -- CW2 returned to Active Reserve
Status 6 Nov 1986
Commissioned Warrant Officer CW3
IRR -- Fort Hood TX 3rd Corp Military Intelligence Analysis -- Desert Storm/Desert
Shield -- 12 Aug 1992
Promoted to Reserve Warrant Officer CW4 10 April 1992
Placed in "Retired status" 1994
Retired with 28 years service for reserve retirement
Retired with a total of 35 years service US Army Warrant Office -- 22 Aug 2004--
reaching the rank of CW4 (Ret.)
During my career I took part in many classified Military Intelligence operations. I
trained in several "intelligence job" related classifications and supervised a section
of Interrogation personnel.

Lieutenant Col. Robert Charles Todd, USA, Ret.
Date entered service: June 1978
Retired June 2000,.22 Years of Service
Personal Awards: Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with
4 oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf
cluster, Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service
Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal with 1 Bronze Service Star,
Humanitarian Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas
Service Ribbon, Senior Army Aviator Badge.
Other Awards/Ribbons Authorized
Anything else you may wish to share or think pertinent: Graduate
of the School of Advanced Military Studies. Qualified as a pilot in
the UH-1, AH-1, OH-58 and CH-47 helicopters. Qualified as a
Maintenance Test Pilot in the AH-1, OH-58 and CH-47 helicopters.
Did strategic and operational planning for Europe while assigned
to the Third Infantry Division. Planned ground operation for the
Middle East while assigned to 3rd US Army, and planned for
Military Support to Civil Authorities during disasters and
emergencies while assigned to U.S. Army Forces Command.
Deployed to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait as deterrent to movements
of Iraqi units towards Kuwait in 1994. Provided humanitarian
support during the Cuban Mariel boatlift in 1980 and was the Joint
Operation Officer for the Kosovo refugees in 1999. Retired from
active duty in 2000. Regimental affiliation is the 5th Aviation
Regiment.

Gerald E. Vandenberg, USN (former convener Virginia Division.)
Periods of service 1974 - 1984
Enlisted USN 1974-1979 Active Duty
Enlisted USNR 1979-1982 Individual Drilling Reserves
Supply Corp Officer 1982 - 1984 Active Duty
Highest enlisted grade held Hospitalman Two (HM2) (E-5)
Highest officer grade held Ensign (O1E)
Honorable Discharge - with medical severance

Duty Assignments:
Basic training and Hospital Corps School - Great Lakes, Il; - student
Naval Hospital Key West, FL: - Hospital staff in pediatrics ward, recovery room,
inhalation therapy technician
Okinawa Japan (TAD) for Operation Baby Lift - medical staff
Bethesda Naval Hospital, Bethesda, MD - Student, EEG Staff, instructor, senior
instructor, electrical cerebral silence technician

Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD (TAD) - special research study assistant
Bethesda Naval Hospital, Bethesda, MD - (Reserve) Neuroelectrical testing staff
PO, instructor, electrical cerebral silence technician

USS Enterprise - (Reserve) Medical staff
Navy Officer Candidate School, Newport RI - student
Naval Supply Corps School, Athens, GA -student, staff training support officer

Awards, decorations, commendations, citations
Navy Commendation Medal for meritorious service during Hurricane Eloise;
Navy Achievement Medal for creating and implementing the Tri-service
Electro-Neurological Training and Testing Programs;

Humanitarian Service Medal - Operation Baby Lift
USCG Bronze Life Saving Medal for saving the lives of two people in a civilian
boating accident
Navy Good Conduct Medal for not getting caught
National Defense Service Medal
Navy Reserve Sea Services Ribbon
6 Letters of Commendation and 12 Letters of Appreciation