Colonel Risner initiated the attack, directing his aircraft into the target in the face of heavy automatic ground fire. The CALS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. [n 5], Risner's squadron led the first Rolling Thunder strike on March 2, bombing an ammunition dump at Xom Biang approximately 10 miles (16km) north of the Demilitarized Zone. View military histories of over 2 million, If you are a veteran, reconnect with people. James Robinson "Robbie" Risner (born January 16, 1925)[1] was a general officer and professional fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. After Vietnam, Risner was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General and returned to the pilots seat and commanded several fighter training programs before his retirement in 1976. (Davis, p. 46), Another flight member, 1st Lt. Willard P. Dunbar, reported that the MiG pilot was a red-headed Russian who shook his fist at Risner before crashing. The meeting, described as "stilted",[30] resulted in an unflattering portrait of McCarthy in Risner's book, primarily because she failed to note scars and other evidence of torture he had made plain to her. [52], Risner was inducted into the Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame by the Arkansas Aviation Historical Society in 2015.[53]. He died on October 22, 2013 in Bridgewater, Virginia, USA. His father was originally a sharecropper, then during the Great Depression became a day laborer for the Works Progress Administration. (1925 - 2013) (RIP) James Rob. "[39][40][41][n 10], Risner was promoted to colonel after his capture, with a date of rank of November 11, 1965. Timothy A. Kinnan in 1977. But first, he must earn the respect and commitment of his subordinates by demonstrating a personal willingness to assume any risk, physical or moral, that he might later ask of his followers. Honor or memorial gifts are an everlasting way to pay tribute to someone who has touched your life. [7], His first two months of combat saw little contact with MiGs, and although a flight leader, he took a three-day leave to Japan in early August. Howes, Craig. Risner's squadron led the first Rolling Thunder strike, bombing an ammunition dump approximately ten miles north of the Demilitarized Zone between the two Vietnams. Risner flew 108 missions in Korea and was credited with the destruction of eight MiG-15s, his final victory occurring January 21, 1953. Risner then said, Learn the tap code, and heres how it works, memorize it, and practice it, its vital. Adding, Eat everything they give you, no matter how disgusting; itll keep you alive. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. "[37], Perot helped Risner later become the Executive Director of the Texans' War on Drugs, and Risner was consequently appointed by President Ronald Reagan as a United States Delegate to the fortieth session of the United Nations General Assembly. James Robinson "Robbie" Risner was born in 1925 in Arkansas, to a sharecropping family struggling to make ends meet. Risners leadership was on display when he organized a forbidden worship service in 1971. While undergoing hospital treatment in the Army, he met his first wife, Kathleen Shaw, a nurse from Ware Shoals, South Carolina. It would take another war, and an extraordinary set of circumstances for that to occur. Amid heavy flak from antiaircraft fire, Risner maneuvered his jet behind Logans and, at a speed of more than 200 mph, placed the nose of his plane in the tailpipe of the damaged plane. Risner became the inspiration for all of the confused and scared young men in a very hostile environment. They were 60 miles from friendly territory and he knew his fellow pilot would never make it. [n 1] During their defense of the bombers, Risner's flight overflew the MiG base at Antung Airfield, China. Morrocco, John, and Manning, Robert (1984). [22], On the morning of September 16, 1965, on an Iron Hand mission, Risner flew F-105D 61-0217 as the "hunter" element of a Hunter-Killer Team searching for a SAM site in the vicinity of Tuong Loc, 80 miles south of Hanoi and 10 miles northeast of the Thanh Hoa Bridge. He was extensively tortured for information but successfully resisted their demands and established a standard of honorable conduct and resistance which was followed by hundreds of Americans after him. The flight of four F-86 Sabres launched and encountered 14 MiG-15s. . This guy had balls of steel. [12] Risner shut down his own engine in an attempt to save fuel, but eventually his engine flamed out and he glided to a deadstick landing at Kimpo. Shot down again on September 16, 1965, he was captured and held as a. . He was the first living recipient of the . James Robinson Risner was a man of humble origins, son of an Arkansas sharecropper, educated at secondary school level, not particularly ambitious, a common man save for two things: He could fly the hell out of an airplane; and, under terribly difficult circumstances as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam, he rose to a level of heroic leadership Born in Mammoth Springs, Arkansas on Jan. 16, 1925 and raised in a religious family, Robinson Risner made his first critical life choice between attending Bible College or joining the Army Air Forces during World War II. [7][10][11], On the return flight, Risner's wingman, 1st Lt. Joseph Logan, was struck in his fuel tanks by anti-aircraft fire over Antung. Thompson, Warren E., and McLaren, David R. (2002). Risner and Shaw became engaged on a ship and were discharged and married the next month. [21] Initial attempts to locate and destroy the SA-2 Guideline sites, known as Iron Hand missions, were both unsuccessful and costly. program[21] and raised quarter horses, and later in San Antonio. (Capt. During the Vietnam War, Risner was a double recipient of the Air Force Cross, the second highest military decoration for valor that can be awarded to a member of the United States Air Force, awarded the first for valor in aerial combat and the second for gallantry as a prisoner of war of the North Vietnamese for more than seven years. On 1 August 1975, he became Vice Commander of the USAF Tactical Fighter Weapons Center at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada and retired from the Air Force on 1 August 1976.[16]. [31] After publication of the book, McCarthy strenuously attacked both Risner (deeming him "unlikeable") and Risner's credibility in a review. Through his extraordinary heroism, leadership, and aggressiveness in the face of the enemy, General Risner reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force. [6], On September 15, using the call sign "John Red Lead",[8] Risner's flight escorted F-84 Thunderjet fighter-bombers attacking a chemical plant on the Yalu River near the East China Sea. The one time she was way off was about the prisoner of war in North Vietnam, Robinson Risner. Risner received two Silver Stars for his heroics and was one of only four airmen in history to receive more than one Air Force Cross, second only to the Medal of Honor for wartime heroism. Risner shut down his own engine in an attempt to save fuel, but eventually his engine flamed out and he glided to a deadstick landing at Kimpo. [6] Risner was often assigned to fly F-86E-10, AF serial no. I did not ask God to take me out of it. On September 16, 1965, Risner was leading an attack on a North Vietnamese missile base when his jet was disabled, forcing him to bail out. Risner was later transferred to Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico as Commander of the 832d Air Division in February 1974 and flew the F-111 fighter-bomber. On the afternoon of April 3, the strike package of Rolling Thunder Mission 9 Alpha consisted of 79 aircraft, including 46 F-105s. The missions saw the first interception of U.S. air attacks by North Vietnamese MiG-17 fighters, resulting in the loss of two of Risner's F-105s on April 4.[20]. Risner, in a battle damaged aircraft, diverted to Da Nang Air Base for landing. [37] After publication of the book, McCarthy strenuously attacked both Risner (deeming him "unlikeable" and alleging that he had "become a Vietnamese toady") and Risner's credibility in a review. Risner, the highest-ranking American POW during most of his seven years, four months and 27 days behind bars, died in his sleep October 22, 2013, at his home in Bridgewater, Virginia three days after suffering a severe stroke. [18] He was part of the first group of prisoners released in Operation Homecoming on 12 February 1973 and returned to the United States. 7478. He said he would be ready to return to duty after three good meals and a good nights rest.. "We were lucky to have Risner. [10][12], On September 21 he shot down his fifth MiG, becoming the 20th "jet ace". [3] In addition to a love of sports, Risner's interests were primarily in riding horses and motorcycles.[1]. Thompson, Warren E., and McLaren, David R. (2002). Always it would make sense, be crisp and to the point. On 4 April, he again led an attacking force of fighter aircraft on a restrike against the same target. Risner's exploits earned him the award of the Air Force Cross and resulted in his being featured as the cover portrait of the April 23, 1965 issue of Time magazine. Risner's determination to be assigned to a combat unit was nearly ended when on his last day before going overseas he broke his hand and wrist falling from a horse. When the squadron was relocated to Howard Field in the Panama Canal Zone in January 1945 to transition to P-38 Lightning fighters, its pilots were soon banned from the Officers Club for rowdiness and vandalism.[4]. Additional support provided by the Arkansas General Assembly. Summarize this article for a 10 years old. The two had met, apparently at McCarthy's request,[36] when McCarthy visited Hanoi in April 1968. "[2], Risner in 1973 after being released as a POW by the North Vietnamese. The 30th FS was based on a primitive airstrip without permanent facilities at Aguadulce, on the Gulf of Panama. The missions saw the first interception of U.S. aircraft by North Vietnamese MiG-17 fighters, resulting in the loss of two F-105s and pilots of the last flight, struck by a hit-and-run attack while waiting for their run at the target.[24]. Colonel Risner's actions not only deprived the communist force of its vital supply route and much needed equipment but further served to emphasize the high degree of U.S. determination in Southeast Asia. Tactics were revised in which "Hunter-Killer Teams" were created. James Robinson (Robbie) Risner, a native of Mammoth Spring (Fulton County), was a much-decorated fighter pilot famed for his resistance to his North Vietnamese captors as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. He also became a P-51 Mustang pilot in the Oklahoma Air National Guard. Forced to land on a dry lakebed, he found that he was in Mexico and encountered bandits, but successfully flew his Mustang to Brownsville after the storm had passed. James Robinson "Robbie" Risner (born January 16, 1925) [1] was a general officer and professional fighter pilot in the United States Air Force . Fighting one MiG at nearly supersonic speeds at ground level, Risner pursued it down a dry riverbed and across low hills to an airfield 35 miles (56km) inside China. The President of the United States, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, United States Code, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Air Force Cross to James Robinson Risner, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force while a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam from 31 October to 15 December 1965. James Robinson "Robbie" Risner (January 16, 1925 - October 22, 2013) was a Brigadier General, fighter pilot in the United States Air Force, and a senior leader among U.S. prisoners of war during the Vietnam War. He received his FIRST Air Force Cross when he was shot down and rescued, becoming the FIRST LIVING recipient of the new award. Your email address will not be published. This page was last edited on 25 December 2022, at 21:40. Read our Privacy Policy. But Robbies repeated requests for combat duty were ignored by the Armys personnel system, and he spent the rest of the war defending the Panama Canal. Employed at low altitudes, the "hunters" located the missiles and attacked their radar control vans with canisters of napalm, both to knock out the SAM's missile guidance and to mark the target for the "killers", which followed up the initial attack using 750-pound bombs to destroy the site. [2], The Risner Award, created September 24, 1976, was donated by H. Ross Perot as a tribute to Risner and all Vietnam era Prisoners of War, and is administered by the Tactical Air Command (now by Air Combat Command). With Risner we had spirituality. The day after his arrival, he returned to Korea when he learned that MiGs were operational. The idea was to push the plane to reach the United Nations rescue base of Cho Do. In an effort to help him reach Kimpo, Risner attempted to push Logan's aircraft by having him shut down his engine and inserting the nose of his own jet into the tailpipe of Logan's, an unprecedented and untried maneuver. His aerial skill and heroic actions set an example for the others to follow. On March 22, 1965, while leading two flights of F-105s attacking a radar site near Vinh Son, North Vietnam, Risner was hit by ground fire when he circled back over the target. He next served on the joint staff of Commander-in-Chief, Pacific (CINCPAC) in Hawaii.[15]. When it would get so bad that I did not think I could stand it, I would ask God to ease it and somehow I would make it. Risner is a double recipient of the Air Force Cross, the second highest military decoration for valor that can be awarded to a member of the United States Air Force. [n 8] Risner's aircraft was at very low altitude flying at approximately 600 miles per hour (970km/h),[27] approaching a site that was likely a decoy luring aircraft into a concentration of AAA. The force had clear conditions but encountered a severe glare in the target area that made the bridge difficult to acquire for attacks with the Bullpups. On August 12, 1965, U.S. Air Force and Navy air units received authorization to attack surface-to-air missile sites. a brigadier general in 1976. New York: Random House, 1973. [7], On September 15, Risner's flight escorted F-84 Thunderjet fighter-bombers attacking a chemical plant on the Yalu River near the East China Sea. Robinson Risner, Ace Fighter Pilot, Dies at 88. New York Times, October 28, 2013. Risner . Other awards include the Bronze Star with V device and Oak Leaf Cluster, Air Medal with seven Oak Leaf Clusters, Joint Service Command Medal, and Purple Heart with three Oak Leaf Clusters. Guards stormed into the cellblock and hauled Risner and two other organizers to certain torture. Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Archives (1985). In 1976, the Robbie Risner Award was created to recognize an air force weapons officer who makes the greatest combat impact in his or her first year after graduating from the Weapons Instructor Course at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. [19], On April 3 and 4, 1965, Risner acted as mission commander on two large missions attacking the Thanh Hoa Bridge in North Vietnam. On the afternoon of April 3, the strike package of Rolling Thunder Mission 9 Alpha consisted of 79 aircraft, including 46 F-105s. Comedian Kevin Fredericks won the Outstanding Social Media Personality award on Friday. He maneuvered his aircraft over the Gulf of Tonkin, ejected a mile offshore and was rescued after fifteen minutes in the water. (Campbell and Hill, p. 90), Risner was "Oak Lead" on September 16, 1965, flying F-105D 61-0217. answer explanation . Divergent Prosperity and the Arc of Reform (1968-2022) Type. Robinson deliberately concealed the injury, which would have grounded him, until able to convince a flight surgeon that the injury had healed. [3] Risner worked numerous part-time jobs in his youth to help the family, including newspaper delivery, errand boy and soda jerk for a drug store,[1] for the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce at age 16, as a welder, and for his father polishing cars. He was captured by North Vietnamese while still trying to extricate himself from his parachute. While the Korean War may have been Risners favorite period, it was by no means the most consequential in the lives of others. 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