Sergeant, US Air Force
Born: November 01, 1945 at Hartford, CT
Entered Service: New Haven, CT
Date/Place of Action: February 24, 1969 - Long Binh Army Post (In the Air), Vietnam
Unit: 3rd Special Operations Squadron
Presentation: At the White House
By President Richard M. Nixon on May 14, 1970
Date of Death: Nov 8, 2000
Buried at: Arlington National Cemetery - Arlington, VA
|
|
Captain, US Air Force
|
Born: April 22, 1946 at Palestine, TX
Entered Service: Lafayette, LA
Date/Place of Action: June 29, 1972 - Quang Tri Province, Vietnam
Unit: 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron, Da Nang Air Base, Pacific Air Forces
Presentation: To His Family At Blair House, Washington, DC
By Vice President Gerald R. Ford on August 08, 1974
Date of Death: June 29, 1972 (Killed In Action)
Buried at: Lafayette Memorial Park - Lafayette, LA
|
The stories of America's knights of the skies cannot properly be told without a tribute to perhaps the greatest pioneer of American air power. He was the World War I hero of American aviation that made a former racecar driver his personal driver, and then encouraged that young man to fly in the Army Air Service. His driver was Eddie Rickenbacker.
His independent, outspoken advocacy for American air power led to his courts martial in the period between the two world wars. Rickenbacker and a young general named Douglas MacArthur were among his few allies. His proclamation that "A qualified air service is the life insurance of our national integrity," went unheeded. He resigned his distinguished and heroic career after fighting in vain for what he believed in. He died before his vindication by a new generation of American airmen in World War II.
In 1939, three years after General William Billy Mitchell's death, the United States Congress ordered a special medal of honor be awarded Mitchell "in recognition of his outstanding pioneer service and foresight in the field of American military aviation."
Often mistakenly listed among America's Medal of Honor recipients, Billy Mitchell DID NOT receive the Medal of Honor. Both the citation and the medal itself reflect that difference. That difference, however, can never refute the courage and heroism of the greatest pioneer of American air power.
Front
Living Recipient of the Medal Of Honor |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jay Zeamer
World War II
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bernard Fisher
Vietnam
|
|
Leo Thorsness
Vietnam
|
|
George Bud Day
Vietnam
|
|
|
|
|
|
Joe Jackson
Vietnam
|
|
James Fleming
Vietnam
|
| | |
Yüklə 2.58 Mb.