ASHTON-CURTIS

KILLED  IN  ACTION

Curtis Morris "Butch" Ashton was born on November 11, 1946 in Rotan, Texas, the youngest of six children.  He dropped out of high school his senior year, joined the Navy in January 1965, and completed the requirements for his GED in the Navy.  Following recruit training in San Diego, and schooling as an electrician's mate, he served aboard the carrier USS Bon Homme Richard before applying for Seal training which was completed in June 1967.

Ashton completed a voluntary tour in Vietnam as a member of Seal Team Seven from October 1967 through June 1968.  He returned for a second tour with Seal Team Seven from October 1968 through May 1969.  He began his third Vietnam tour on December 12, 1969 as a member of Seal Team Two.  He had completed over 150 SEAL missions in his two previous tours, and was the recipient of two purple hearts and several awards for valor.  According to associates, he was loyal, fearless, deadly with a machine gun, and went anywhere at any time to complete a mission.

Ashton died on December 27, 1969 during a training exercise with South Vietnamese personnel.  During the exercise one of the trainees, who was later thought to be a VC sympathizer, mishandled a live grenade and when he caused it to explode it killed Curtis and several trainees.  Ashton has been buried in the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Sweetwater, Texas.

Prior to his death, Ashton had been awarded three Bronze Star Medals during his first tours in Vietnam.  The first award was for action on the night of March 13, 1968 when, as machine gunner with his Seal combat patrol, he 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.  Ashton volunteered to act as rear security during his patrol's withdrawal through 1,000 yards occupied by a large Viet Cong force.  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.

The second Bronze Star Medal was for meritorious service in connection with operations involving conflict with an opposing foreign forces while serving in Vietnam from October 1967 to April 1968.  Ashton distinguished himself by his sustained high performance of duty during combat patrols, ambushes, reconnaissances, raids and other clandestine combat operations of the swamps, jungles, streams and mud of the Mekong Delta.  Ashton actively participated as assistant squad leader on over 80 combat missions resulting in numerous enemy casualties and captives, many weapons captured and a collection of very important intelligence material.  His 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.

His 3rd Bronze Star Medal was awarded for his actions on 17 November 1968.  Ashton, as machine gunner for a seven-man squad, was patrolling 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.  As 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, Ashton, with complete disregard for his own safety, moved 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.

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)