Vet receives medal for USS Forrestal fire heroism

Norwich - U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney presented service medals to Gregory Potts, a Vietnam veteran, in the Norwich District Office Aug. 6.

Potts, of Willington, received the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V," National Defense Service Medal and Vietnam Service Medal with one bronze star, medals he earned but never received when he left the Navy.

Potts earned the Navy Commendation Medal for his actions on the USS Forrestal (CVA-59) when a fire started aboard on July 29, 1967, in the Gulf of Tonkin. Potts woke up sleeping shipmates and helped evacuate them from the area, according to Courtney's office. He administered first aid to a man with a badly cut leg, using his shirt as a tourniquet and taking him away from the fire. He then helped fight the fire.