E. Daniel Cherry
E. Daniel Cherry | |
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Air Force Distinguished Service Medal | |
| Relations | Henry Hardin Cherry (grandfather) |
Edward Daniel Cherry (born March 4, 1939) is an American retired military officer who served as a
He retired in 1988, after 29 years of distinguished service.[2]
Early life
Edward Daniel Cherry was born in Youngstown, Ohio, on March 4, 1939, and moved to Bowling Green, Kentucky, when he was an infant.[3] He graduated from South Cobb High School in Austell, Georgia, in 1957.[1]
Military career
Cherry entered the Air Force in July 1959 as an aviation cadet and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in July 1960. He served as a
He received training in F-105 Thunderchiefs at
Vietnam war
In February 1967, Cherry was transferred to
In June 1971, he returned to Thailand, where he served as an
Post war
In June 1972, Cherry was assigned as operations officer with both the
After graduating from the
In August 1987, Cherry was appointed as commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service, and deputy chief of staff for recruiting service and commissioning programs at Headquarters of Air Training Command at Randolph Air Force Base in Texas, until his retirement from the Air Force on December 1, 1988. He is a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours.[1][6]
Later life
Cherry and wife Sylvia have two children and four grandchildren.[7]
After his retirement from the Air Force, he moved to Bowling Green, Kentucky, where he worked as the secretary of the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet within the State Government of Kentucky and as president of the Warren County Intermodal Transportation Authority. He was enshrined in the Kentucky Aviation Hall of Fame in 2000 and Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame in 2015. He was awarded the Western Kentucky University Hall of Distinguished Alumni on 2013.[7]
The F-4D (66-7550), in which Cherry scored his MiG kill, is restored and currently on display at Aviation Heritage Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky.[3]
In 2008, with the help of an attorney friend who had connections in Asia, Cherry sought to find the Vietnamese MiG-21 pilot whom he shot down on April 15, 1972. A Vietnamese TV program based in Ho Chi Minh City which specialized in reuniting long-separated friends or family called The Separation Never Seems to Have Existed (Vietnamese: Như chưa hề có cuộc chia ly) managed to find the pilot Nguyễn Hồng Mỹ, who was residing in Hanoi.[8] On April 5, 2008, Cherry met with Nguyễn and shook hands with him on live TV. They quickly became friends, and Cherry and Nguyễn later traveled across the United States where they visited numerous airshows and landmarks, and took part in numerous speaking sessions where they recounted their experiences in aerial combat and their relationship.[9][4] In 2009, Cherry published a book called My Enemy, My Friend: A Story of Reconciliation from the Vietnam War, which recounts his experiences in aerial combat and his subsequent friendship with Nguyễn.[10]
He currently serves as the executive vice president of Aviation Heritage Park, and serves on the board of advisors of Western Kentucky University and its research foundation, and College Heights Foundation and Center for Information Technology.[7]
Awards and decorations
During his lengthy career, Cherry earned many decorations, including:[1]
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USAF Command Pilot badge
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Air Force Distinguished Service Medal[11]
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Silver Star w/ 1 bronze oak leaf cluster[11] |
Legion of Merit w/ 1 bronze oak leaf cluster[11] | |||||||||
| Distinguished Flying Cross w/ 1 silver and 3 bronze oak leaf clusters[11] |
Distinguished Flying Cross (second ribbon required for accoutrement spacing)[11] |
Meritorious Service Medal w/ 2 bronze oak leaf clusters | |||||||||
| Air Medal w/ 4 silver oak leaf clusters |
Air Medal w/ 2 silver and 2 bronze oak leaf clusters (second ribbon required for accoutrement spacing) |
Air Medal (third ribbon required for accoutrement spacing) | |||||||||
| Air Force Commendation Medal | Air Force Presidential Unit Citation | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award w/ 1 bronze oak leaf cluster | |||||||||
| Combat Readiness Medal w/ 1 bronze oak leaf cluster |
National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 service star |
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal | |||||||||
campaign star
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Korean Defense Service Medal
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Air Force Longevity Service Award w/ 1 silver oak leaf cluster | |||||||||
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
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Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
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Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
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References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Brigadier General E. Daniel Cherry". United States Air Force. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
- ^ Guttman, Jon (May 20, 2021). "They Tried To Kill Each Other In The Skies Over Vietnam. Now They're Friends". HistoryNet. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
- ^ a b "McDonnell-Douglas F-4D Phantom II - Brigadier General Edward Cherry, USAF". The Historical Marker Database. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
- ^ a b Cherry, Dan (May 2009). "Above & Beyond: My Enemy, My Friend". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
- ^ "Fierce MiG-21 Jets Create Hell Over Hanoi". Dogfights. Season 1. Episode 5. December 1, 2006. History. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
- ^ "Wings & Things Guest Lecture Series" (PDF). National Museum of the United States Air Force. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Gen. Edward Daniel Cherry". Western Kentucky University. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
- ^ "NCHCCCL 5: Tướng Mỹ tìm lại người Phi công Việt Nam lái MiG21 anh hùng". YouTube.
- ^ Levesque, William R. (April 19, 2009). "Onetime Warriors Find Friendship". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
- ^ Moore, Jim (September 12, 2012). "Reconciliation of Former Combatants Inspires Heals". AOPA. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Valor awards for Edward Cherry". Military Times. Retrieved December 12, 2022.
This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Air Force