Harold Dana Jones
Major, U.S. Air Force

On 2 June 1972, Major Harold Dana Jones was serving with the 1131st Special Activity Squadron, 13th Air Force, in Kontum Province, South Vietnam.

In May 1972, the South Vietnamese 23rd Infantry Division was cut off and surrounded in Kontum City in the Central Highlands. The equivalent of three enemy divisions supported by heavy artillery, anti-aircraft guns, and tanks were attacking this one division and its American advisors. The airfield was closed because of enemy artillery fire and the only supplies were coming in by parachute. In late May enemy artillery rounds were falling around the division headquarters bunker.

Maj Harold Jones, assigned as the Air Liaison Officer for the 23rd Division, was standing in the open, talking on the Air Force radio in his jeep. He was out of his element in the middle of a big ground battle but continuing to do his duty by coordinating the bombing and other air support that was saving the Division from being overrun.

[Information in the previous three paragraphs are excerpts from a document titled: Thomas P. McKenna - A Visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which is included in The Battle of Kontum - Memories Book (http://www.thebattleofkontum.com/memories/memories.html). It was written by noted military author, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas P. McKenna U.S. Army (Ret), the author of Kontum: The Battle to Save South Vietnam.]

Medals and Awards

Purple Heart
Air Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal

Honors

The name Harold D Jones is located on Panel W1 Line 34 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.