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. Person. Error: On Feb. 12, 1973, he was among the first group of prisoners to be released from North Korea. Albert C. Vollmer, was rescued. In July 1973 USAF assigned him to the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, where he became combat ready in the F-4 Phantom II. [8][9] Scoring numerous hits on the MiG, shooting off its canopy, and setting it on fire, Risner chased it between hangars of the Communist airbase, where he shot it down into parked fighters. Jet fuel and hydraulic fluid spewed out from the wounded Sabre. On the initial attack, while exposing himself to heavy ground fire, with complete disregard for his personal safety, Colonel Risner's aircraft sustained a direct hit in the left forward bomb-bay area, filling the cockpit with smoke and fumes. His autobiography, The Passing of the Night: My Seven Years as a Prisoner of the North Vietnamese, describes seven years of torture and mistreatment by the North Vietnamese. Postwar peace and return to civilian life brought mundane employment for Robinson Risner as an auto mechanic, a service station manager and a short stint running a service garage. Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, "Detailed Chronological List, Recipients of the Air Force Cross", http://www.homeofheroes.com/members/02_AFC/detail_index_chron.html, http://www.airforce-magazine.com/MagazineArchive/Pages/1983/December%201983/1283valor.aspx, http://aeroweb.brooklyn.cuny.edu/history/aviators/rrisner.htm, http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0112/14/lkl.00.html, "Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale: Vietnam War Hero and Indomitable Spirit at the Hanoi Hilton", http://www.historynet.com/vice-admiral-james-bond-stockdale-vietnam-war-hero-and-indomitable-spirit-at-the-hanoi-hilton.htm, "USAF Weapons School Robbie Risner Award", http://web.archive.org/web/20120420011921/http://www.aggienetwork.com/uploads/class/newsletters/66%20July%2008.pdf, "Nomination of United States Representatives and Alternate Representatives to the 40th Session of the United Nations General Assembly", http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1985/91785a.htm, http://www.veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.asp?ID=19, "Eagle Biography: Robinson 'Robbie' Risner", Air University Gathering of Eagles, Dedication of the Risner statue at the Air Force Academy on November 16, 2001, Photograph of Risner statue and its sculptor, Lawrence Ludtke, YouTube (newsreel), "1957 Spirit of St. Louis II Sets Atlantic Record", Articles with dead external links from November 2014, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War, Central High School (Tulsa, Oklahoma) alumni, Recipients of the Air Force Cross (United States), Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States), United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II, Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States). second award of the air force cross " The President of the United States 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 . James Robinson Risner: Mini Bio (1) The Risner Award is a six and one-half foot trophy consisting of a sculpture of Risner in flight suit and helmet on a marble base, weighing approximately four tons. 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. He was the first living recipient of the medal,. Risner enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces as an aviation cadet in April, 1943, and attended flight training at Williams Field, Arizona, where he was awarded his pilot wings and a commission as 2nd Lieutenant in May 1944. He flew F-86s with the 50th Wing to activate Hahn Air Base, West Germany, where he became commander of the 81st Fighter-Bomber Squadron in November 1954. He received an unofficial rebuke from the American embassy for flying an armed fighter into the sovereign territory of a foreign nation, but for diplomatic reasons, the flight was officially ignored.[6]. Robinson Risner. Donations made to the CALS Foundation are tax-deductible for United States federal income tax purposes. The President of the United States of America, 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 Lieutenant Colonel James Robinson Risner, United States Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force while a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam from 31 October 1965 to 15 December 1965. Even so, as the officer of rank with the responsibility of maintaining order, from 1965 to 1973 he helped lead American resistance in the North Vietnamese prison complex through the use of improvised messaging techniques ("tap code"), endearing himself to fellow prisoners with his faith and optimism. The meeting, described as "stilted",[36] resulted in an unflattering portrait of McCarthy in Risner's book, primarily because she failed to note scars and other evidence of torture he wrote that he had made plain to her. Risner noted to a biographer that his tour under these conditions amounted to as much flying as he desired but a distinct lack of discipline on the ground. [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. The strike force consisted of more than 100 F-105, F-100, and B-57 aircraft, and in the congested airspace, heavy anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) fire seriously disrupted its coordination and radio communications. [35], Publication of Risner's book led to a flap with American author and Vietnam war critic Mary McCarthy in 1974. He was promoted to the grade of Brigadier General in May 1974. [32] Risner made no rebuttal at the time, but when interviewed 20 years later, termed it "character assassination", a charge supported by several of McCarthy's liberal peers. The award is presented annually to the outstanding graduate of the USAF Weapons School, with the first recipient being Capt. He received the Air Force Cross for his actions with the Sixty-Seventh Tactical Fighter Squadron on April 34, 1965, and was awarded an Oak Leaf Cluster to his Korean War Silver Star for operations against the North Vietnamese between September 9 and 12, 1965. Summarize this article for a 10 years old. In 2006, Risner appeared on an episode of the History Channel series Dogfights. Risner was awarded the Silver Star for a September 15, 1952, action in which his wingmans jet was damaged during fighting with enemy aircraft. The one time she was way off was about the prisoner of war in North Vietnam, Robinson Risner. The President of the United States, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, United States Code, takes pleasure in presenting the Air Force Cross to Robinson Risner, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force on 3 and 4 April 1965. Risner, in Davis (1978), p. 46, is quoted as identifying the airfield as "Tak Tung Kau". [19] After the last strike had been delivered, Risner and the two surviving members of his flight remained in the area, directing the search and rescue mission for Baird until their fuel ran low. Flying came easily to the gifted trainee, which led to a coveted assignment flying fighters after graduation. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Section 55, Site 626. "On Colonel Risner". He said he would be ready to return to duty after three good meals and a good nights rest.. . In addition to replicating the Risner Award, the statue commemorates Risner and other POWs who were punished for holding religious services in their room at the Hanoi Hilton on February 7, 1971,[32] in defiance of North Vietnamese authorities. [26], On the morning of September 16, 1965, on an Iron Hand sortie, Risner scheduled himself for the mission[21] as the "hunter" element of a Hunter-Killer Team searching for a SAM site in the vicinity of Tuong Loc, 80 miles (130km) south of Hanoi and 10 miles (16km) northeast of the Thanh Hoa Bridge. Baird, W. David, and Goble, Danney (1994). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Robinson Risner was often assigned to fly F-86E-10 Sabrejet, nicknamed Ohio Mike and bearing a large cartoon rendition of Bugs Bunny as nose art, in which he achieved most of his aerial victoriesOn Sept. 15, 1952, his fighter unit found itself in a fierce dogfight over the Yalu River near the East China Sea when he noticed that the plane of his wingman, 1st Lt. Joseph Logan, had been hit and was leaking fuel. 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. He was forced to eject when the aircraft, on fire, pitched up out of control. Risner stayed in radio contact with the rescue helicopter. Some prisoners reconstructed an abbreviated version of the Bible from memory. He was previously married to Dorothy Miller Williams and Kathleen Shaw. Brigadier Robinson Risner. U.S. Air Force. 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. On 4 April, he again led an attacking force of fighter aircraft on a restrike against the same target. Then, in the most unlikely circumstances, came true greatness. "[2], Risner in 1973 after being released as a POW by the North Vietnamese. At his death, Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark A. Welsh III observed: "Brig. Shot down again on September 16, 1965, he was captured and held as a. In February 2012 the Academy received a $3.5 million gift from The Perot Foundation to endow the General James R. Risner Senior Military Scholar at the center, who "will conduct research to advance the understanding, study and practice of the profession of arms, advise senior Academy leadership on the subject, and lead seminars, curriculum development, and classroom activities at the Academy. [10][12], On September 21 he shot down his fifth MiG, becoming the 20th "jet ace". [17], From August 1960 to July 1961, he attended the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. [25] Initial attempts to locate and destroy the SA-2 Guideline sites, known as Iron Hand missions, were both unsuccessful and costly. 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 matched by few men in American military history. 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. He also became a P-51 Mustang pilot in the Oklahoma Air National Guard. It was a reminder of the generals strong leadership among the POWs. On these dates Colonel Risner led two successive operations against vitally important and heavily defended targets. James Robinson "Robbie" Risner (born January 16, 1925)[1] was a general officer and professional fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. He was the fifth of seven children. The day after his arrival, he returned to Korea when he learned that MiGs were operational. Youll know when you get there. And concluded: And pray; if you havent been, start. Near Cho Do, Logan bailed out after calling to Risner, "I'll see you at the base tonight." Risner in 1973 after being released as a POW by the North Vietnamese, Risner's call sign this date was "John Red Lead". [32] He was a POW for seven years, four months, and 27 days. In his words he describes how he survived a torture session in July 1967, handcuffed and in stocks after destroying two pictures of his family to prevent them from being used as propaganda by an East German film crew: To make it, I prayed by the hour. James Robinson Risner 'Robbie' Engagements: Korean War (1950 - 1953) Vietnam War (1960 - 1973) Biography: James Robinson "Robbie" Risner (January 16, 1925 - October 22, 2013) was a general officer and professional fighter pilot in the United States Air Force.. Risner was a double recipient of the Air Force Cross, the second highest military decoration for valor that can be awarded to . The proud strains rang out of the 15-foot walls of the camp and reverberated outside in the streets of downtown Hanoi. Even so, as the officer of rank with the responsibility of maintaining order, from 1965 to 1973 he helped lead American resistance in the North Vietnamese prison complex through the use of improvised messaging techniques ("tap code"), endearing himself to fellow prisoners with his faith and optimism. [1][n 11], The USAF Weapons School Robbie 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). The Risner Award is a six and one-half foot trophy consisting of a sculpture of Risner in flight suit and helmet on a marble base, weighing approximately four tons. The trophy is permanently displayed at the United States Air Force Academy, with each winner's name inscribed. He was the first living recipient of the medal.[1]. He flew a combined 163 combat missions, was shot down twice, and was credited with destroying eight MiG-15s. 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