Honor Chris Noel with the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Chris Noel ultimately sacrificed her Hollywood acting career to serve her country by entertaining and supporting our troops on the airwaves and in person where they served - in the air, on land, and at sea.
HonorChrisNoel.com is commited to ensuring that the President of the United States considers Chris Noel for our nation’s highest civilian honor, the PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM. We believe she has earned this award for her uniquely selfless service to our country, in times of war and in times of peace. We ask that you review the justification for Chris Noel’s nomination contained on this site and show your support by signing our petition. There is no cost or obligation. Let’s demonstrate that there is widespread support that Chris Noel be recognized at the highest level for her life’s work aiding our active duty and veteran military personnel at home and abroad. You can also help by sharing this site and engaging your U.S. Senator and Congressional Representative. Thank you.
If you’re a Vietnam-era veteran, you know the name Chris Noel—the Voice of Armed Forces Radio from 1966-1971. Chris Noel ultimately sacrificed her Hollywood acting career to serve her country by entertaining and supporting our troops on the airwaves and in person where they served - in the air, on land, and at sea.
In addition to boosting morale via her nightly radio music show, she made several tours to Vietnam where she helicoptered into firebases.
At times, she came under enemy fire and once crash landed (due to mechanical failure) in enemy territory.
Time and again, Chris Noel risked her life to bring a warm smile or hug from home, comfort the wounded in field hospitals, and encourage the troops. Despite what the troops were hearing in the news from home, she assured them they were loved, supported, and not forgotten.
Chris Noel is an American hero; an exemplary candidate for the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor, alongside the Congressional Gold Medal. It is bestowed by the President of the United States to recognize people who have made “an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural, or other significant public or private endeavors.”
Sign here to support Chris Noel’s nomination.
Let’s not miss this opportunity to recognize Chris Noel for her lifelong support of our active duty troops and veterans.
We will send this petition to the President of the United States to advocate that Chris Noel be considered for the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her selfless commitment and service to our country as a civilian, in times of war and in times of peace.
Please act today. Thank you.
Who has signed up to support honoring Chris Noel?
Since our site went live on February 10, 2024, we have already heard from hundreds of veterans, active duty, family, and friends of service members from all fifty United States, Puerto Rico, Australia, New Zealand, Finland, Sweden, Canada, England, and the Netherlands who served with the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Navy Seabees, Coast Guard, Air National Guard, Merchant Marines, Royal Australian Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, and Royal Australian Artillery.
“I am a former DJ with AFRTS and was stationed in Nakhon Phanom, Thailand, 1969 to 1970. I met Chris several years ago at West Palm Beach VA Hospital, more than 50 years after playing her shows in support of our troops. It is my distinct honor to sign this petition nominating Chris.”
“3rd Battalion 8th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division, 9/66-9/67 RSVN Chris visited our forward fire bases, and also at a battalion reunion some 40-50 years later. True American hero!”
“Chris was a warm and welcoming voice from ‘the world’ who made thousands of homesick GIs know they were not forgotten. She risked her own life in a combat zone to bring a piece of home to ours. She did not let a Viet Cong bounty on her head stop her from supporting our brothers and sisters.”
“U.S. Marine Corps, Corporal, 0331 M-60 Machine Gunner, 1966 to 1969. Chris Noel was the voice of an angel on Armed Forces Radio in Vietnam. Highly recommended for the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Long overdue.”
“Served with 1/1 Cavalry as a Tank Commander 69/70. Operated in I Corp Region from Duc Pho up to the A Shau Valley. War is Hell. Thank you, Chris Noel.”
Let’s keep the momentum growing!
Please share this page with everyone in any way you can. Encourage others to learn about Chris Noel’s extraordinary life of service and support for our troops and veterans and sign our petition.
“It’s obviously extremely difficult to do. But we all agreed, there could be no one who more epitomizes the spirit and meaning behind this honor than Chris Noel.” Read more about our efforts in this article from Radio World »
THANK YOU for helping to honor this American hero with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“Hi, Love! Welcome once again to another date with Chris.”
There was no one in America better known to those men - no actress, no singer - than Chris Noel.
An excerpt from ‘Vietnam and Me’ by Chris Noel
Through the steel lid that covered his hole, John Gallagher (a captured Green Beret) could hear the VC’s radio. John told me later, “Everyday your voice would come on the radio, and I could hear the music. How bizarre to hear [an] American woman’s voice on a VC radio inside Cambodia! You made us realize we still had a chance of making it out alive.” When I asked him why, he said, “Because we knew Americans were still there and weren’t going to forget about us. We knew they would do something. We knew that we weren’t forgotten. Just hearing your voice gave us hope. The biggest thing is you still made us feel a part of home. Knowing that made us want to stay alive.”
One of thousands of letters GIs sent to Chris Noel: (From 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, Headquarters Supply Company)
Dear Miss Noel,
Today, 19th of March, could be the last day for most of us. We’re going to make a beach landing in a pretty rough spot in Vietnam. When you receive this letter, I’ll probably be gone from this crummy world.
I just want to say that listening to your beautiful voice on radio gives us Marines a big lift. It’s just too bad that most people back home don’t give a damn what happens to us or the outcome of this war. They just keep protesting and criticizing, but give no encouragement or support.
They don’t know that us Marines are afraid and want to live like others. I’m just an ordinary young man, not old enough to drink or vote.
I’ve always been a great admirer of you and was hoping and wishing that I would be able to meet you in person someday, but for reasons now I can’t plan that far ahead.
Capt. Willis J. “Jim” Haas, US Army
“What impressed me most was you, Chris. I’ve been up country a number of times, so I wasn’t impressed particularly by seeing the people and the things, ‘cause I’ve seen that before. This is my first chance to see somebody who really cared about these guys, in the truest, deepest sense of the word. Doing a lot of good for them. This is what really impressed me, and I’m not kidding a bit. You went out there and made so many guys happy, probably the happiest they’ll be in their whole year here, except maybe the day they go home. To me it was just really tremendous the way they responded to you, and the way that you responded to them. You instinctively knew what they needed and you gave it to them.”
(Note: Capt. Jim Haas is pictured above, far right.)
About Chris Noel
In 1993, Chris Noel founded Vetsville Cease Fire House, a group of eight shelters for veterans in Florida.
Vetsville helps disabled, homeless, and hungry veterans by providing emergency residential lodging, food, clothing, and employment opportunities to veterans of the Vietnam, Gulf, and Afghanistan wars. Vetsville has been open every day for over thirty years and has provided nearly 100,000 nights of sanctuary.
Today, at age eighty-three and living in her hometown of West Palm Beach, Florida, Chris Noel remains active with Vetsville (now only located in Boynton Beach) and as a champion for veterans with mental and physical disabilities, including those suffering the permanent effects of PTSD and Agent Orange. She still occasionally attends vet-related events.
