# MOH Recipient Passes Away



## HAMMER11 (Jul 29, 2014)

SGM Jon R. Cavaiani (US Army – Retired) (MOH) died today, July 29, 2014 in Stanford, CA after a prolonged illness. By his side was his wife, Barbara.
Born in England, Cavaiani came to the United States with his parents in 1947 at age four. Though initially classified 4F, due in part to a severe allergy to bee stings, Cavaiani eventually joined the Army from Fresno, California, shortly before becoming a naturalized citizen in 1968.
He went to Vietnam in 1970 with the US Army Special Forces (the Green Berets) and by June 4, 1971, he was serving as a Staff Sergeant in Task Force 1 Advisory Element, USARV Training Advisory Group. This “advisory group” was formerly an element of the top secret and clandestine unit, MACV-SOG. On that day, near Khe Sanh, his outpost came under intense enemy attack. Cavaiani organized the unit's defense and, when evacuation by helicopter became necessary, he voluntarily stayed on the ground and directed the aircraft, which successfully evacuated most of the platoon. Cavaiani and a small group were left behind. During a major enemy attack the next morning, he ordered the remaining men to escape while he stayed and provided suppressive fire to cover their retreat. He was captured and spent the next two years as a prisoner of war.
Jon R. Cavaiani was released by the Provisional Government of Vietnam on April 27, 1973.
President Gerald Ford presented Cavaiani with the Medal of Honor during a ceremony on December 12, 1974. Cavaiani later reached the rank of Sergeant Major before retiring from the Army in 1996.
According to John “Tilt” Meyer, president of the Special Operations Association and former member of MACV SOG’s RT Idaho, “Jon remained very active in the Medal of Honor Society and the Special Operations Association and continued throughout his life to serve his nation and his community.” Meyers continued, “Jon was an integral part of both the Medal of Honor Society and the Special Operations Association. His friends, family and brothers in arms will miss his broad smile and quick wit, but mostly we will miss his ever present willingness to help others.”
The City of Philadelphia is planning a memorial and arrangements and further information will be posted as they become available.

RIP My Brother


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## LibraryLady (Jul 29, 2014)

RIP

Prayers out to your family and all your SF brothers who will mourn your loss.

The Troll is going to be crushed when he reads this.

LL


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## Viper1 (Jul 29, 2014)

Rest in Peace Sergeant Major.  x_sf_med spoke highly of you and Drew Dix.  Prayers out.


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## racing_kitty (Jul 29, 2014)

Damn, this breaks my heart.  Fewer and fewer left.  Fair winds and following seas, CSM Cavaiani.


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## AWP (Jul 29, 2014)

Blue Skies. My former Det. Sgt. spoke highly of you as well.


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## Grunt (Jul 29, 2014)

Rest In Peace, Warrior and thank you for your service.

My sincerest condolences to his family and those of you who knew him personally.


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## policemedic (Jul 29, 2014)

RIP, CSM Cavaiani.


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## rlowery60 (Jul 29, 2014)

RIP CSM


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## x SF med (Jul 29, 2014)

SGM Cavaiani, I will miss your mentorship, friendship and inspiration.  You WILL feast mightily in Valhalla, and Col Howard will lead the celebration.  Drive on SGM, I'm sad at your passing, but glad the pain is gone.  My Brother, I will see you in the future, and let you sing Lee Greenwood, Willie and Waylon songs until you have no more voice - while buying you  double Jack and cokes, 2 ice cubes, until you sound on-key.

De Oppresso Liber


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## Ooh-Rah (Jul 29, 2014)

The Vietnam era vets hold a special place in my heart.  My condolences to all on the forum who knew this man.


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## Red Flag 1 (Jul 29, 2014)

Rest In God's Peace, SGM. A true inspiration, and warrior.


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## RackMaster (Jul 29, 2014)

RIP.


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## HALO99 (Jul 29, 2014)

Rest In Peace.


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## JHD (Jul 29, 2014)

Rest in peace and condolences to those of you who knew him personally.   Thank you for your service.


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## Optimus Hund (Jul 30, 2014)

R.I.P. SGM, fair winds and following seas


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## Scubadew (Jul 30, 2014)

RIP


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## BloodStripe (Jul 31, 2014)

Rest easy, sir. We will carry on from here.


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## HAMMER11 (Jul 31, 2014)

Only photo known to exist of Jon in Nam.  NVA acquired all he had when Hickory was overran. 
Photo taken by James Shorten,  1970 @ B-53.


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## pardus (Aug 1, 2014)

RIP CSM.


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## HAMMER11 (Aug 1, 2014)

On Tuesday July 29, 2014, Jon was released by Stanford University Medical Department.

He was accompanied from his hospital room by his nurses who cared for him over the last year.
With the nurses was an Honor Guard of prior service Stanford security officials. 
They also included four of their young Cadets in the procession.

Representatives of The Medal of Honor Society and Special Forces Association were also present.

Downstairs, Jon was met by the Northern California Patriot Guard Riders who accompanied Jon to the mortuary in San Jose.

There was a short visitation at 1 PM Wednesday July 30,

At 2000 hrs, Jon was joined by a very professional U.S. Army Honor Guard, 30 San Jose Police vehicles and the Northern California Patriot Guard. The procession arrived at the San Jose Airport at 2100.

On Thursday at 0500, an American Airlines plane was positioned to receive Jon.
The San Jose Police, Medal of Honor Society and Special Forces Association representatives were once again present with American Airlines employees, airport officials and the San Jose Airport Fire Department.

Here Jon was joined by two lifelong friends CSM Mark Christianson USASF and David Behring who joined Jon on his flight to Philadelphia where he will be honored by the City of Philadelphia and the Marine Corps Law enforcement Foundation (MCLEF). They will be joined by just about every veteran and young men and women Jon has mentored.

There photos are at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lglyspkng/sets/72157646086772144/ Please feel free to download, print or save any you would like.
Memorials for Jon in California will be forwarded to you when the information is complete and verified.

Services will be scheduled for Jon at Arlington National Cemetery at a date yet to be announced.

You will receive this information as soon as it is available and confirmed.


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## racing_kitty (Aug 1, 2014)

For average retirees, the wait for internment can be as long as 90 days.  However, for a MoH winner and outstanding veteran, the wait time will be much shorter.


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## racing_kitty (Aug 2, 2014)

Pictures of CSM Cavaiani's return to Philadelphia.


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## surgicalcric (Aug 2, 2014)

HAMMER11 said:
			
		

> Here Jon was joined by two lifelong friends *CSM Mark Christianson* USASF



Who wasn't a CSM, wasn't awarded the Purple Heart, Silver Star or many other awards he adorned his uniform with that day. 

The gaul to wear awards not authorized to such an event.  Some guys just can't be proud to be who they are, even guys who've earned a SF tab - what a POS. 

Rest easy SGM Caviani. I will see you in the AA.


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## policemedic (Aug 3, 2014)

surgicalcric said:


> Who wasn't a CSM, wasn't awarded the Purple Heart, Silver Star or many other awards he adorned his uniform with that day.
> 
> The gaul to wear awards not authorized to such an event.  Some guys just can't be proud to be who they are, even guys who've earned a SF tab - what a POS.
> 
> Rest easy SGM Caviani. I will see you in the AA.



Ummm.....wow.


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## policemedic (Aug 3, 2014)

The word from Arlington is apparently anywhere from 3-90 days, according to one of my cops who helps run the local MCLEF chapter. 

Whenever it is, he and I (and many others) will be standing tall at Arlington as the CSM is laid to rest. I suspect I won't be the only SS member there.


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## Gypsy (Aug 3, 2014)

Rest in Peace, we shall not forget you.


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## SkrewzLoose (Aug 3, 2014)

Fair winds and following seas, CSM.


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## HAMMER11 (Aug 3, 2014)

I just spoke with a good friend at the Pentagon;  as of last night, no one has contacted Arlington personnel about arrangements or time line for internment.


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## HAMMER11 (Aug 3, 2014)

surgicalcric said:


> Who wasn't a CSM, wasn't awarded the Purple Heart, Silver Star or many other awards he adorned his uniform with that day.
> 
> The gaul to wear awards not authorized to such an event.  Some guys just can't be proud to be who they are, even guys who've earned a SF tab - what a POS.
> 
> Rest easy SGM Caviani. I will see you in the AA.




I was only relaying what had been sent to me by his family.  However, I agree with you.  I have never met Christianson.


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## surgicalcric (Aug 4, 2014)

HAMMER11 said:


> I was only relaying what had been sent to me by his family.  However, I agree with you.  I have never met Christianson.



I knew you were passing along info.  I just can't stand posers, regardless of how they do it, but especially when they pose at such somber and hollowed places.


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## Gunz (Aug 6, 2014)

Rest in Peace CSM, and Hand Salute to a gallant man.


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## Snaquebite (Aug 8, 2014)

Stand down on Christianson. His time will come. Trust me.


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## HAMMER11 (Aug 15, 2014)

The dates for the services for Jon Cavaiani are as follows:

Sunday, 11/2/14 1pm to 4pm
Reilly Funeral Home,
2632 East Allegheny Avenue
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19134
(215) 739-1777 

Wednesday, 11/5/14 12:45pm
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, VA 22211 
877-907-8585 
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil


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## colmurph (Nov 8, 2014)

The service at Arlington was awesome! The Old Guard gave Jon a magnificent send-off.  There were 7  MOH
Holders .  Rodger Donlon, Joe Marm and Brian Thacker among them.  There was a reception after, at the Ft. Myers Officers club hosted by the SFA, the SF Charitable Trust and the Special Operations Assn.


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## colmurph (Nov 8, 2014)




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## colmurph (Nov 9, 2014)

surgicalcric said:


> Who wasn't a CSM, wasn't awarded the Purple Heart, Silver Star or many other awards he adorned his uniform with that day.
> 
> The gaul to wear awards not authorized to such an event.  Some guys just can't be proud to be who they are, even guys who've earned a SF tab - what a POS.
> 
> Rest easy SGM Caviani. I will see you in the AA.





HAMMER11 said:


> I was only relaying what had been sent to me by his family.  However, I agree with you.  I have never met Christianson.



This is him. How jacked-up is that uniform?

Murph


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## x SF med (Nov 9, 2014)

SGM Caviaini invited me to call him Jon multiple times, the first time was at Ft. Devens...  I could not do it.  the first time I met him at Devens, I did not know he was a recipient of THE medal, he was inprocessing me at 10th SFG(A) and immediately after all the paperwork he asked "So, you are here at 10th, you going to buy a coin?"  Yes, I bought a coin ...  I'm not stupid enough to fail to recognize a SGM letting me know it was something that needed to be accomplished, immediately.  He then said..." I saw in your records that you went to TCU, did you get to meet MAJ Howard while you were there?  It looks like you got to know Bill Brosius and Bob Hines...  Now get lost, you need to finish your inprocessing."  (and he was correct I did get to meet MAJ Howard once while he was finishing his Master's and SGM Brosius and MSG Hines were mentors of mine, they both actually told me that I would not commission but would be a SF NCO.)  The rest of my time at Group and I met with SGM C. informally maybe 3 times.

Allow 20 years to pass...  SHOT Show, Orlando...   and it was like old home week when I met back up with him...  and he even remembered me...  I had lost the coin I bought from him all those years ago.... during Whidbey Island Race Week 6 months prior...  and another SF guy got me 2 replacement 10th SFG(A) coins...  which are not the same...

SGM was bigger than life, and nicer than one would expect...  rough but cultured and always watching out for the people around him...  I hope he's still watching out for me.

I am ashamed to say I could not make it to Philly and ANC...  but I said a farewell last Wednesday, for we all lost an inspiration, and a true hero.

De Oppresso Liber, SGM...  the number of SF and non SF attendees at your memorial and interment speak volumes about your impact on the communities in which you resided.


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## surgicalcric (Nov 16, 2014)

Douche...Dirt Bag....Dickhead...Dipshit...


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## x SF med (Nov 16, 2014)

surgicalcric said:


> Douche...Dirt Bag....Dickhead...Dipshit...



Me, or the poser? :wall:

This message from Crip was brought to you by the letter "D".


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## policemedic (Nov 16, 2014)

surgicalcric said:


> Douche...Dirt Bag....Dickhead...Dipshit...



You really need to come out of your shell. Shyness and lack of assertiveness can be difficult to overcome but it _can_ be done.


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