Richard Etchberger
Richard L. Etchberger | |
---|---|
Chief Master Sergeant | |
Unit | Detachment 1, 1043rd Radar Evaluation Squadron (Lima Site 85) |
Battles/wars | Vietnam War • Battle of Lima Site 85 † |
Awards | Medal of Honor Air Force Cross (Upgraded to the Medal of Honor) Purple Heart |
Richard Loy Etchberger (March 5, 1933 – March 11, 1968) was a senior non-commissioned officer in the
Military career
A native of Hamburg, Pennsylvania, Etchberger graduated from Hamburg High School in 1951.[2] He joined the Air Force on August 31 of that year,[3] and was promoted to Chief Master Sergeant on April 1, 1967.[3]
Battle of Lima Site 85
During the
Between November 1967 and March 1968, Lima Site 85 directed 27 percent of all air strike missions in the Kingdom of Laos and North Vietnam. When successful strikes were launched even through heavy cloud cover, the North Vietnamese realized that a radar facility must be nearby. Beginning in January 1968, North Vietnamese troops began closing in on Site 85. On January 13, the base was strafed by two
In the early morning hours of March 11, 1968, the site came under attack from
Staff Sgt. John Daniel had been shot twice in the legs and was taking shelter amidst the bodies of other casualties when Etchberger recovered him and fitted him into the helicopter sling. Upon regaining consciousness and learning that Etchberger himself had been killed, Daniel voiced his disbelief: "Hell, he hasn't been injured, he hasn't been shot. How is he dead?"[8] Decades later, when Etchberger was awarded the Medal of Honor, Daniel, in an interview with Stars and Stripes, suggested: "It should have happened 42 years-plus ago, and he should have gotten a damn 55-gallon drum full of them if he wanted them."[8]
Legacy
Etchberger was recommended for the Medal of Honor shortly after his death, but the nomination was rejected. Numerous accounts blame President
It was only after the Lima Site mission had been declassified fourteen years after Etchberger's death that his sons learned their father's true fate; they had previously been told that he died in a helicopter accident. In the early 2000s, veterans of the Air Force's
Etchberger is buried in Saint John's Cemetery, Hamburg, Pennsylvania.
A portion of Interstate 78 in Berks County, Pennsylvania was named the CMSgt. Richard L. Etchberger Memorial Highway in his honor.
Awards and decorations
United States Air Force Master Maintenance & Munitions Badge | ||
Medal of Honor | ||
Purple Heart | Air Force Commendation Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster |
"V" device and bronze oak leaf cluster
|
Air Force Good Conduct Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster |
Army Good Conduct Medal with three good conduct loops |
National Defense Service Medal with service star |
campaign stars
|
Air Force Longevity Service Award with three bronze oak leaf clusters |
Air Force Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon |
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
|
Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
|
Vietnam Campaign Medal |
Medal of Honor citation
The Medal of Honor was presented to Etchberger's sons by President Obama at a White House ceremony on September 21, 2010.
The text of Etchberger's Medal of Honor citation reads:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded, in the name of the Congress, the Medal of Honor to Chief Master Sgt. Richard L. Etchberger, United States Air Force, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life, above and beyond the call of duty.
Chief Master Sgt. Richard L. Etchberger distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism on March 11, 1968, in the country of Laos. While assigned as Ground Radar Superintendent, Detachment 1, 1043rd Radar Evaluation Squadron. On that day, Chief Etchberger and his team of technicians were manning a top-secret defensive position at Lima Site 85 when the base was overrun by an enemy ground force. Receiving sustained and withering heavy artillery attacks directly upon his unit's position, Chief Etchberger's entire crew lay dead or severely wounded. Despite having received little or no combat training, Chief Etchberger single-handedly held off the enemy with an M-16, while simultaneously directing air strikes into the area and calling for air rescue. Because of his fierce defense and heroic and selfless actions, he was able to deny the enemy access to his position and save the lives of his remaining crew. With the arrival of the rescue aircraft, Chief Etchberger without hesitation repeatedly and deliberately risked his own life, exposing himself to heavy enemy fire, in order to place three surviving wounded comrades into rescue slings hanging from the hovering helicopter waiting to airlift them to safety. With his remaining crew safely aboard, Chief Etchberger finally climbed into the evacuation sling himself, only to be fatally wounded by enemy ground fire as he was being raised into the aircraft.
Chief Etchberger's bravery and determination in the face of persistent enemy fire and overwhelming odds are in keeping with the highest standards of performance and traditions of military service. Chief Etchberger's gallantry, self-sacrifice, and profound concern for his fellow men, at risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, reflect the highest credit on himself and the United States Air Force.[10]
See also
- Medal of Honor, Etchberger is featured in Season 1, Episode 7
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Vietnam War
- Lao Veterans of America
- Laos Memorial
- Kingdom of Laos
References
- ^ Shaughnessy, Larry (September 3, 2010). "New Vietnam-era Medal of Honor recipient announced". CNN. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
- ^ Roth, Matt (September 3, 2010). "President To Award Medal Of Honor To Berks Native". Allentown, Pennsylvania: WFMZ-TV. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
- ^ a b "Obama to Award Posthumous Medal of Honor to Air Force Chief Killed in 1968". My Fox New York. September 3, 2010. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
- ISBN 978-0-231-10317-6.
- ^ a b c d e Hoffman, Michael (November 3, 2008). "Airman may get MoH for secret Laos mission". Air Force Times. Springfield, Virginia. Archived from the original on September 3, 2010.
- ^ Smith, Philip, (2 October 2004), Washington, D.C., http://www.laoveteransofamerica.org
- ^ An Air Combat First, CIA
- ^ a b c Jeff Schogol. "Veteran owes his life to Medal of Honor recipient Etchberger – News". Stripes. Retrieved 2012-08-14.
- ^ Correll, John. "Etchberger, Medal of Honor" (PDF). AIR FORCE Magazine, November 2010. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
- ^ "Medal of Honor: Chief Master Sgt. Richard L. Etchberger – Citation" (PDF). United States Air Force. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
Further reading
- Proietti, Matt (2015). At All Costs. Kay Press. ISBN 978-0986083105.
- Rowe, Erica (June 14, 2016). "Pease Airmen remember a hero's legacy". 157arw.ang.af.mil. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
External links
- "Medal of Honor: Chief Master Sgt. Richard L. Etchberger". United States Air Force. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
- "Medal of Honor: Chief Master Sgt. Richard L. Etchberger – Biography" (PDF). United States Air Force. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
- "Richard Etchberger". Hall of Valor. Military Times. Retrieved September 3, 2010.