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| Medal of Honor recipient Colonel Bernard Fisher (USAF, Ret.) and USAF Chief of Staff General Mike Ryan share a moment during a ceremony which took place at the Pentagon on 9 Mar 99. |
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| Medal of Honor recipient Colonel Bernard Fisher (USAF, Ret.) and USAF Chief of Staff General Mike Ryan share a moment during a ceremony which took place at the Pentagon on 9 Mar 99. |
On 9 March 99, we had a ceremony in the Pentagon with some of the 1st ACS lads - Bernie Fisher, Luke Lucas, Denny Hague and Paco Vasquez - all who flew in the battle of Ashau on the 10th of March when Bernie rescued Jump Meyer.
It was exactly 33 years ago (9 Mar '66) that the Battle of A Shau started. About a year ago, a publishing company in San Diego put together a book in what I refer to as the "Steve Canyon" format. The story centers around the action of Bernie when he was awarded the MOH.
The occasion was the formal presentation by Col Bernie Fisher of copies of a new book documenting his Medal of Honor mission. The book, underwritten by Boeing, published by Stellar Productions of San Diego and is being distributed by the Air Force Association's Aerospace Education Foundation to ROTC and Junior ROTC programs. Gene brought together Bernie Fisher and three of the other 1st ACS Skyraider pilots who were there on the mission that day--M/Gen Denny Hague, Col John 'Luke' Lucas, and LtCol Paco Vasquez. The ceremony also included Richard and Stella Torres, the publishers from San Diego
Representing the Air Force at the ceremony were Acting Secretary of the Air ForceWhit Peters, and Chief of Staff, General Mike Ryan. The ceremony was held in the Secretary's reception room. I invited as many of the Spad drivers in the local area that I could find; Nordie Norwood, Randy Jayne, Tom Stump, and Gary Koldyke were able to attend.
- Gene Deatrick
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Gene Deatrick begins the ceremony (Notice the picture of Fisher and his 1st ACS commander, Gene Deatrick in the background.) |
Air Force Chief of Staff General Mike Ryan and the guest of honor, Medal of Honor winner, Bernie Fisher of Cuna, Idaho. | Acting Secretary of the Air Force, Whit Peters congratulates Bernie. |
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| Luke, Paco, Denny Hague, MG Allison, Tom McKee (Pres. of AFA), Bernie, Randy Jayne | Luke Lucas, Nordie Norwood, and the Chief discuss the ceremony | CoS, Gene Deatrick, Bernie Fisher, Paco Vasquez, Denny Hague, Luke Lucas, Acting Secretary Peters |