Presentation Date: August 24, 2017
Lieutenant John Nye Gulick, US Naval Reserve, SEAL Team ONE
John was born 4 July 1940 in New Jersey. He attended Washington & Lee University, Lexington, VA. In 1961, he enlisted in the US Naval Reserve to participate in the Reserve Officer Candidate program through which college students were trained at Newport, RI for eight weeks during two consecutive summers. If they graduated from college, these trainees became officers in the Naval Reserve. John was commissioned as an Ensign on 3 September 1963.
His early military training included:
-- Combat Information Center (CIC) School, NAS Glencoe in fall of 1963.
-- Air Intercept Control School, Point Loma, CA in January 1964.
John reported on board the destroyer U.S.S. Fletcher (DD-445) in February 1964. He was promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade in February 1965. The Fletcher deployed to WESTPAC from April to September 1964 (Japan, Hong Kong, Philippines and Korea). John served on the Fletcher until April 1965.
His subsequent military training inclded:
--- Underwater Demolition Training (UDTRA) School (later renamed Basic Underwater Demolition School; BUD/s) completed 1 September 1965.
-- U.S. Air Force Survival School at Stead AFB, Nevada
-- U.S. Army Jump School at Fort Benning, Georgia
-- U.S. Army Jungle Warfare School in Canal Zone, Panama
-- U.S. Army Pathfinder School, Fort Benning, Georgia
Assigned to Underwater Demolition Team 12 (UDT-12) as a Weapons Officer. Transferred to SEAL Team ONE at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado at San Diego, CA on 1 May 1, 1966.
Deployed to Vietnam in September 1966 as Assistant Platoon commander, John was assigned to the Rung Sat Special Zone near Saigon. This area was a large tidal mangrove swamp dotted with canals, a few rice fields, fishermen trying to make a living, and Viet Cong.
During a firefight on 7 October 1966, John was wounded by mortar fragments. Of the 19 men on the Landing Craft Medium (LCM), 16 were wounded. Three were disabled and left Navy service. The unit continued conducting night ambushes, daylight patrols, and junk searches until February 1967.
On 3 January 1967, John was promoted to Lieutenant and assigned as Training Officer within the Operations Department.
His military award and decorations include:
-- Bronze Star with Combat “V” device
-- Purple Heart
-- Presidential Unit Citation
-- Navy Commendation Medal
John left active duty on 28 August 1967.