himself. Yet, despite his maIly injuries, he continued to offer maximum resistance. His personal bravery in the face of deadly enemy pressure was significant in saving the lives of fellow airmen who were still flying against the enemy. Day remained a prisoner of war in North Vietnam until his release on March 14, 1973. Aphotograph of Day is at Figure 9; he is the most highly decorated living American. Major Mer|yn H. Dethlefsen, March 10, 1967 On March 10, 1967, then Captain Dethlefsen was participating in an attack against the steel works at Thai Nguyen, located about 50 miles north of Hanoi, North Vietnam. He was piloting one of four F-105 "Thunderchiefs." and their task was to go in ahead of a strike force of fighter-bombers and attack the SAM complex, antiaircraft guns, and automatic weapons ringing the target. On the first pass against these enemy defenses, the F- 105 flight leader was shot down and his wing man was forced to withdraw with severe battle damage. Dethlefsen, however, decided to continue the attack on his own. He managed to evade an intercepting MiG-21 by flying into Figure 9: Colonel George E. "Bud" Day is the most highly heavy enemy antiaircraft fire, but his F- 105 was seriously decorated living American, credit: United States Air Force. damaged. badly sprained. He also was blind in the left eye due to Captain Dethlefsen nonetheless made repeated strikes a blood clot or bruise. Day was immediately captured with his wingman against the defense positions, even by North Vietnamese militia, taken to a prison camp, after they became obscured by the smoke and dust of interrogated, and severely tortured. the exploding bombs being dropped by friendly fighter- bombers. After his guards relaxed their vigilance, Day escaped into the jungle and began the trek toward South Vietnam. Despite injuries inflicted by fragments of a bomb or rocket, he continued southward on foot. He survived only on a few berries and uncooked frogs. Day managed to evade enemy patrols and reached the Ben Hai River where he encountered United States artillery barrages. Then, using a bamboo log float, Day swam across the river and entered the demilitarized zone. Due to delirium, he lost his sense of direction and wandered aimlessly for several days. After a number of unsuccessful attempts to signal United States aircraft, Day ran "right into the path of the Viet Cong ... he tried to take off running, but after the fourth or fifth step, the enemy started firing at him.’’~8 Day was shot in the hand and leg and was recaptured. He was returned to the prison from which he had escaped and later was moved to Hanoi after giving his captors false information. By now, Day was totally debilitated Figure 10: Major Dethlefsen receives the Medal of Honor from and unable to perform even the simplest physical task for President Lyndon B. Johnson, credit: United States Air Force. 14 JOMSA Then, after evading a second MiG-21, Dethlefsen was propelled grenades. diving through the smoke and haze to locate the missile complex when he was again hit by flak. Ignoring the The Americans operating the radar that night were killed danger, Dethlefsen made a final dive bombing attack and ahnost ilnmediately. Etchberger’s team, which was a strafing run with 20-1rim cannon fire, which effectively resting nearby, managed to escape the initial slaughter destroyed two missile sites. He then returned to Takhli and take cover on a ledge at about 3 a.m. After a short Air Base in Thailand with his crippled airplane. time, everybody was wounded or dead except Etchberger, who singlehandedly held off the North Vietnamese with For this action over North Vietnam, Dethlefsen was an M-16. awarded the Medal of Honor. It was the third award to an airman for the Vietnam War. The presentation was As dawn broke, a CIA-operated UH- 1H Huey helicopter made at the White House by President Lyndon B. Johnson managed to reach the stranded Americans. Ignoring the February 1, 1968. Figure 10 shows Dethlefsen receiving hail of bullets pinging all around him, Etchberger now the decoration from President Johnson. ~9 carried one injured comrade to the helicopter; he also helped another to reach safety. Chief Master Sergeant Richard Etchberger, March 11, 1968 As the CIA helicopter began to fly away, the enemy let loose a hail of fire. At least one round hit Etchberger as Chief Master Sergeant "Dick" Etchberger is the most he was being raised into the aircraft or just after he had recent Air Force Medal of Honor recipient. His Air Force been pulled inside. He bled to death before he could reach Crosss was upgraded to a Medal of Honor using the medical care in Thailand. provisions of Title 10, U.S.C. Section 1130 (permitting a Member of Congress to request that a military A total of 12 Americans had been killed, as well as 42 decoration be awarded regardless of time limitations; Thai and Laotian army personnel, but seven had smwived, see earlier above). Etchberger’s widow had received three of them as a direct result of Dick Etchberger’s his posthumously awarded Air Force Cross in 1968; the bravery under fire.2° Medal of Honor was presented to Etchberger’s three sons 1st Lieutenant James P. Fleming, November 26, 1968 in 2010. Etchberger’s Medal of Honor is unique: it is the first Medal of Honor to an individual serving in the James P. Fleming is one of two helicopter pilots highest enlisted grade in any service; no other E-9 has to be awarded the Air Force Medal of Honor. He been awarded the decoration. received it for the daring rescue of an Army long range reconnaissance patrol on November 26, 1968. On that In March 1968, Etchberger and 15 airmen, along with day, then 1 st Lieutenant Fleming was piloting a UH-1F two CIA officers and a forward air controller, were living light utility transport helicopter. His aircraft, and four at Lima Site 85 in Laos. This was a highly secret radar other helicopters (two of which were gunships), were facility needed by the United States Air Force to direct returning to their base for refueling and rearming when strike missions in Laos and North Vietnam. Just 15 miles an emergency call for help was received from a six-man from the North Vietnamese border, the radar site was Special Forces reconnaissance team. The Green Berets critical to the success of Operation Rolling Thunder, the were penned up next to a river near the Cambodian border, ongoing bombing campaign begun by the Air Force in with enemy forces on the three remaining sides. March 1965. But the site was highly classified because it was illegal, since an international agreement, signed by 14 Despite being low on fuel, Fleming and the four countries in Geneva in 1962, prohibited the stationing of helicopters ilmnediately changed course and sped to any military personnel in Laos. In fact, concerned about the area. As Fleming and the other aircraft descended the legality of the radar site, the Air Force had ’honorably to attack the enemy positions, one was struck by enemy discharged’ Etchberger and the other airmen and they fire and crash-landed. Its crew was picked up by one of were working at Lima Site 85 as ’civilian employees’ of the transport helicopters which, low on fuel and carrying Lockheed Aircraft Services. extra personnel, returned to its base. A second helicopter, Determined to eliminate the threat posed by the secret dangerously low on fuel, also had to pull out of formation installation, the North Vietnamese attacked Etchberger and return to base. The remaining gunship made several and his fellow Americans on March 11, 1968. During passes, firing away with its mini-guns, but the intense the night, hundreds of enemy soldiers climbed the 5,600 return fire from enemy machine guns continued. foot mountain on which the radar site was built and, in Fleming, piloting the only remaining transport helicopter, the darkness, attacked with automatic weapons and rocket Vol. 62, No. 2 (March-April 2011) 15 descended over the river to evacuate the team. Unable to fire from the surrounding hills. Incredibly, after Jackson land because of the dense foliage, he hovered just above returned to Da Nang, the crew of his C-123 discovered the river with his landing skids braced against the bank. that not a single bullet had touched their aircraft during The lone remaining gunship continued its strafing runs, the entire fight.22 but heavy enemy fire prevented the Special Forces team from reaching Fleming’s helicopter. President Lyndon B. Johnson presented Jackson with the Air Force Medal of Honor at a White House ceremony Although advised by radio to withdraw, Fleming decided on Jan. 16, 1969. A recent photograph of Joe Jackson at to make another rescue attempt before completely McChord Air Force Base, Washington, is at Figure 11. exhausting his fuel. He dropped down to the same spot and found that the American soldiers had managed to move closer to the river bank. The men dashed out and clambered aboard as bullets pierced the air, some smashing into the helicopter. But Fleming and his UH-1F made it into the air, and the gunship then returned safely to Duc Co, arriving with their fuel tanks nearly empty. For his role in this miraculous rescue, in which not a single life was lost, Fleming was awarded the Medal of Honor. He received the decoration at the White House from President Richard M. Nixon on May 14, 1970.21 Colonel Joe M.