[8][10][11][n 3], On the return flight, Risner's wingman, 1st Lt. Joseph Logan, was struck in his fuel tanks by anti-aircraft fire over Antung. [22] Again he attempted to fly to the Gulf of Tonkin, but ejected when the aircraft, on fire, pitched up out of control. "[2], Risner in 1973 after being released as a POW by the North Vietnamese. Read our Privacy Policy. Risner, James Robinson . Give a donation in someones name to mark a special occasion, honor a friend or colleague or remember a beloved family member. It was according to him, the most gratifying period of his life. At his passing, Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark A. Welsh III observed: "Brig. In October 1952 Risner was promoted to major and named operations officer of the 336th FIS. 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. An identical casting, measuring four feet and weighing 300 pounds, was installed in the foyer of the USAF Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base in October 1984. [29] While held prisoner in Ha L, Risner served first as Senior Ranking Officer and later as Vice Commander of the provisional 4th Allied Prisoner of War Wing. 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. They told Risner there were only three people they would rather have as a captive: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara or Dean Rusk. Risner was born in Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, but moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1931. 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. Guards stormed into the cellblock and hauled Risner and two other organizers to certain torture. 51-2824, nicknamed Ohio Mike and bearing a large cartoon rendition of Bugs Bunny as nose art, in which he achieved most of his aerial victories. Heavy ground fire struck Risner's F-105 in its air intakes when he popped up over a hill to make his attack. [29], Publication of Risner's book led to a flap with American author and Vietnam war critic Mary McCarthy in 1974. James R. Risner. [31] After publication of the book, McCarthy strenuously attacked both Risner (deeming him "unlikeable") and Risner's credibility in a review. [36], A nine-foot bronze statue of Risner, sculpted by Lawrence Ludtke and mounted on a five-foot pedestal of black granite, was commissioned by Perot and dedicated in the Air Gardens at the Air Force Academy on November 16, 2001. It was a reminder of the generals strong leadership among the POWs. This page was last edited on 25 December 2022, at 21:40. On August 5, 1952, A flight of four F-86 Sabres launched and encountered 14 MiG-15s. Tragically, Joe Logan didn't make it; he became tangled in his parachute lines and drowned. [7] Risner was often assigned to fly F-86E-10, AF serial no. 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. In a brief dogfight Risner shot down one to score his first "kill", on August 5, 1952. [16], During his tour of duty at George Air Force Base, Risner was selected to fly the Charles A. Lindbergh Commemoration Flight from New York to Paris. I did not ask God to take me out of it. He was among the first group of American prisoners released from captivity, on February 12, 1973, and pronounced himself ready to fly again after three good meals and a good nights sleep. Risner received the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal and the POW Medal for his actions while in captivity. 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. Following the war, Risner raised quarter horses in Texas and became executive director of the Texans War Against Drugs. Bri. 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. Donations made to the CALS Foundation are tax-deductible for United States federal income tax purposes. Robinson Risner, Air Force Ace and POW, Dies at 88. Washington Post, October 29, 2013. He was promoted to the grade of Brigadier General in May 1974. 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]. 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. A miniature replica, also donated by Perot, is presented to each year's recipient as a personal memento. For the next 7 and a half years Robbie absorbed levels of torture and abuse those three could likely never have grasped, let alone endured. Has been corrected. James Robinson Risner: Mini Bio (1) [3] In addition to a love of sports, Risner's interests were primarily in riding horses and motorcycles.[1]. A miniature replica, also donated by Perot, is presented to each year's recipient as a personal memento. On the afternoon of April 3, the strike package of Rolling Thunder Mission 9 Alpha consisted of 79 aircraft, including 46 F-105s. 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. [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. 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 inside China. 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. [15] On February 18, 1965, as part of an escalation in air attacks directed by President Lyndon B. Johnson that resulted in the commencement of Operation Rolling Thunder, the 67th TFS began a tour of temporary at Korat RTAFB, Thailand, under the control of the 2nd Air Division. Flying came easily to the gifted trainee, which led to a coveted assignment flying fighters after graduation. "[51], The chapter squadron of the Arnold Air Society for Southern California, based on the AFROTC detachment of California State University, San Bernardino, is named for Risner. Gen. James Robinson Risner. All Rights Reserved. 16 of those carried AGM-12 Bullpup missiles, while another 30 carried eight 750-pound bombs each, half of which were designated for the railroad and highway bridge. 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. He was the first living recipient of the medal,[2] awarded the first for valor in aerial combat during the Vietnam War, and the second for gallantry as a prisoner of war of the North Vietnamese for more than seven years. Person. Risner was later transferred to Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico in February 1974 to command the 832d Air Division, in which he flew the F-111 Aardvark fighter-bomber. Subsequently, he served as commander of the 34th Fighter-Day Squadron, also at George Air Force Base. In June, when the 336th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, also at Kimpo, sought experienced pilots, he arranged a transfer to 4th Fighter Wing. Risner died in his sleep October 22, 2013, at his home in Bridgewater, Virginia three days after suffering a severe stroke. His five sons had been ages 3 to 16 when he was shot down and imprisoned.[33]. answer explanation . Gender. Robinson Risner was born on January 16, 1925 in Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, USA. McCarthy, Mary (March 7, 1974). Later that same month, Robbie was featured on the cover of Time magazine. He 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. Near Cho Do, Lt. Logan bailed out, after radioing to Risner, "I'll see you at the base tonight." part by a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Sustaining the Humanities through the American . On August 12, 1965, U.S. Air Force and Navy air units received authorization to attack surface-to-air missile sites supplied to the North Vietnamese by the Soviet Union. [n 12] 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. Yet all he did, remained in a military framework, based on the core principle that each were fighting men with a code of honor that must be upheld. Risner became an ace in the Korean War, and commanded a squadron of F-105 Thunderchiefs in the first missions of Operation Rolling Thunder in 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. As a lieutenant colonel, Risner was the highest-ranking prisoner at Hoa Lo for most of the nearly eight years he was there and was subjected to particularly brutal treatment, being held in a darkened, solitary cell for three years and shackled for weeks at a time. On Feb. 12, 1973, he was among the first group of prisoners to be released from North Vietnam. Campbell, John M., and Hill, Michael (1996). 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. (Capt. On these dates Colonel Risner led two successive operations against vitally important and heavily defended targets. He also had his right arm ripped from its socket. He subsequently received training in the F-80 Shooting Star at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. 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. [17] 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 that rescued his wingman. As his jailers dragged him to another period of solitary confinement, he could hear his fellow prisoners break into The Star-Spangled Banner. I felt like I was nine feet tall and could go bear hunting with a switch, Risner said later. Risner stayed in radio contact with the rescue helicopter. Following the war, in 1957, he was chosen to fly an F-100F Super Sabre to commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of Charles Lindberghs ground-breaking transatlantic flight. His second Air Force Cross wasnt pinned to his chest until after he returned from the prison camp when it was awarded for his leadership as a POW. Thank you for pointing this out. 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 CALS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. [4], In addition to a love of sports, Risner's interests were primarily in riding horses and motorcycles.[3]. The object of the maneuver was to push Logan's aircraft to the island of Cho Do off the North Korean coast, where the Air Force maintained a helicopter rescue detachment. He next served on the joint staff of Commander-in-Chief, Pacific (CINCPAC) in Hawaii. Honor or memorial gifts are an everlasting way to pay tribute to someone who has touched your life. Risner flew 108 missions in Korea and was credited with the destruction of eight MiG-15s, his final victory occurring January 21, 1953. [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. Timothy A. Kinnan in 1977. He flew a combined 163 combat missions, was shot down twice, and was credited with destroying eight MiG-15s. They were 60 miles from friendly territory and he knew his fellow pilot would never make it. 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. Chawkins, Steve. 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. Veteran of: U.S. Army Air Forces 1943-1946 . Little Rock, AR. He was promoted to brigadier general in May 1974. Courtesy of the National Air and Space Museum. I did not ask God to take me out of it. He actually had his cast removed to fly his first mission. 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 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. [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. As soon as he was eligible, he enlisted in the Army Air Forces, having been accepted as an aviation cadet. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. James Robinson Risner Nickname(s) Robbie Born (1925-01-16)January 16, 1925 Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, U.S. Died October 22, 2013(2013-10-22)(aged 88) Bridgewater, Virginia, U.S. He radioed Joe to shut down his engine. Risner joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1943 at age eighteen and served in Panama during World War II, seeing no action, although he trained as a pilot. 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. He would pay a terrible price for that leadership when the guards would catch him communicating, but they couldnt stop him. 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. "We were lucky to have Risner. He wrestled for Tulsa Central High School, where he graduated in 1942. [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. 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