Risner was recalled to active duty in February 1951 while assigned to the 185th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the OKANG at Will Rogers Field in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. [21][22][23][n 7], On April 3 and 4, 1965, Risner led two large missions against the Thanh Ha Bridge in North Vietnam. Returned to Ha L Prison as punishment for disseminating behavior guidelines to the POWs under his nominal command, Risner was severely tortured for 32 days, culminating in his coerced signing of an apologetic confession for war crimes. & Latino Voices STARmeter Awards San Diego Comic-Con New York Comic-Con Sundance Film Festival Toronto Int'l Film Festival Awards Central Festival Central All Events. Risner's aircraft was at very low altitude flying at approximately 600mph,[23] approaching a site that was likely a decoy luring aircraft into a concentration of AAA. 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. Other articles related to "legacy ": X86 . (Thompson and McLaren, p. 67). Rob was born about 1948 and died January 25, 1975 in Oklahoma City, victim of a chronic lung condition. In addition to his two Air Force Crosses and two Silver Stars, his decorations included the Distinguished Service Medal, three awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross and two Bronze Star Medals. Risner . This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Joe, a strong swimmer, landed close to shore, and the chopper tried to blow him in with the rotors. Heavy ground fire struck Risner's F-105 in its air intakes when he popped up over a hill to make his attack. Early in the air war over North Vietnam, Robinson Risner led the first flight of Operation Rolling Thunder, a high-intensity aerial bombing of North Vietnam. 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. Risner's family life during and following his imprisonment was marked by several personal tragedies. 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 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. About; Blog; Contact Us; . Because of the Time cover story, he would become one of the highest-profile U.S. prisoners of the Vietnam War. [16] The following January he led a detachment of seven aircraft to Da Nang Air Base to fly combat strikes which included a mission in Laos on January 13 where he and his pilots were later on decorated for destroying a bridge, but Risner was also verbally reprimanded for losing an aircraft while bombing a second bridge not authorized by his orders. On August 5, 1952, A flight of four F-86 Sabres launched and encountered 14 MiG-15s. http://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/105823/brigadier-general-robinson-risner/ (accessed December 16, 2017). 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. Lyndon B Johnson Cup. His father was originally a sharecropper, then during the Great Depression became a day laborer for the Works Progress Administration. [4], In addition to a love of sports, Risner's interests were primarily in riding horses and motorcycles.[3]. (Davis, p. 43), Risner is quoted as identifying the airfield as "Tak Tung Kau". Risner, in a battle damaged aircraft, diverted to Da Nang Air Base for landing. On 4 April, he again led an attacking force of fighter aircraft on a restrike against the same target. Obituary from the. He would participate in reunions of airmen, and at one in the 1990s he met a Russian MiG pilot who had served in Korea. [42][43] After retirement he lived in Austin, Texas, where he worked with the D.A.R.E. 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 . Forces in Southeast Asia. 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 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. While undergoing hospital treatment in the Army, he met his future wife Catherine Shaw (Kathleen Shaw), she was a nurse from Ware Shoals, South Carolina, Risner and Shaw got engaged on a ship and were discharged and married the next month. He worked a series of jobs during his school years, contributing his earnings to the family funds. When the Korean War began, he wangled his way out of the Oklahoma Air National Guard and arrived in Korea on May 10, 1952, where he was assigned to the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron at Kimpo Air Base. Through his extraordinary heroism and willpower, in the face of the enemy, Lieutenant Colonel Risner reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force. [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. In the course of the operation, Colonel Risner's unit encountered the first MIG force committed in aerial combat against the U.S. Always it would make sense, be crisp and to the point. "[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. On Feb. 12, 1973, he was among the first group of prisoners to be released from North Vietnam. Tactics were revised in which "Hunter-Killer Teams" were created. He flew nearly every weekend, and on one occasion, became lost in the fringes of a hurricane on a flight to Brownsville, Texas. 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. On August 12, 1965, U.S. Air Force and Navy air units received authorization to attack surface-to-air missile sites. In his words: To make it, I prayed by the hour. 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. On the afternoon of April 3, the strike package of Rolling Thunder Mission 9 Alpha consisted of 79 aircraft, including 46 F-105s. In his book, Risner attributes faith in God and prayer as being instrumental to his surviving the Hanoi prison experience. Robinson Risner. With Risner we had spirituality. 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. Online at http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/28/us/robinson-risner-ace-fighter-pilot-dies-at-88.html?mcubz=3 (accessed December 16, 2017). [34], An interview with Risner appears in the 1968 4-chapter East German series Piloten im Pyjama by Walter Heynowski and Gerhard Scheumann. He was the first living recipient of the medal,. The trophy is permanently displayed at the United States Air Force Academy, with each winner's name inscribed. While undergoing hospital treatment in the Army, he met his first wife, Kathleen Shaw, a nurse from Ware Shoals, South Carolina. Pre-European Exploration, Prehistory through 1540, European Exploration and Settlement, 1541 through 1802, Louisiana Purchase through Early Statehood, 1803 through 1860, Civil War through Reconstruction, 1861 through 1874, Post-Reconstruction through the Gilded Age, 1875 through 1900, Early Twentieth Century, 1901 through 1940, World War II through the Faubus Era, 1941 through 1967, Divergent Prosperity and the Arc of Reform, 19682022, http://www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/105823/brigadier-general-robinson-risner/, http://articles.latimes.com/2013/oct/30/local/la-me-robinson-risner-20131031, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/28/us/robinson-risner-ace-fighter-pilot-dies-at-88.html?mcubz=3, https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/robinson-risner-air-force-ace-and-pow-dies-at-88/2013/10/29/ec759f3e-40ae-11e3-a624-41d661b0bb78_story.html, World War II through the Faubus Era (1941 - 1967). Encyclopedia of Arkansas The proud strains rang out of the 15-foot walls of the camp and reverberated outside in the streets of downtown Hanoi. He flew a combined 163 combat missions, was shot down twice, and was credited with destroying eight MiG-15s. 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,[28] in defiance of North Vietnamese authorities. The trophy is permanently displayed at the United States Air Force Academy, with each winner's name inscribed. . Risner was born in Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, but moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1931. 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. James Robinson Risner's F-86; While a guest of the communists, he suffered. [28][31], Risner spent more than three years in solitary confinement. He was promoted to the grade of Brigadier General in May 1974. Performing in the role of air coordinator, Colonel Risner arrived over the target area before the main strike force, evaluated the effectiveness of each strike, redirected subsequent strikes, and provided flak suppression against defenses that would hinder delivery aircraft in the performance of their mission. The statue was made nine feet tall in memory of Risner's statement, commenting on his comrades singing The Star Spangled Banner and God Bless America, that "I felt like I was nine feet tall and could go bear hunting with a switch. When a tribute gift is given the honoree will receive a letter acknowledging your generosity and a bookplate will be placed in a book. [3] By the time Risner entered high school, his father was self-employed, selling used cars. No matter how brutal the beatings, the next day he would be at it again. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship and aggressiveness, Colonel Risner reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force. (In reference to that remark, the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colorado, dedicated a nine-foot-tall statue of Risner in 2001.). It was a reminder of the generals strong leadership among the POWs. Robinson Risner was born on January 16, 1925 in Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, USA. What award is for the nation's best candidate program? View military histories of over 2 million, If you are a veteran, reconnect with people. 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. [45][46][n 13], A nine-foot bronze statue of Risner, sculpted by Lawrence M. 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. ", After several days of travel on foot and by truck, Risner was imprisoned in Hoa Lo Prison, known as the Hanoi Hilton to American POWs. [15], Risner is one of only four airmen with multiple awards of the Air Force Cross, a combat decoration second only to the Medal of Honor. The idea was to push the plane to reach the United Nations rescue base of Cho Do. I did not ask God to take me out of it. 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). However, after two weeks he was moved to Cu Loc Prison, known as "The Zoo", where he was confronted during interrogations with his Time magazine cover and told that his capture had been highly coveted by the North Vietnamese. He was a close friend of the billionaire businessman and onetime presidential candidate H. Ross Perot, who commissioned a statue of Robinson Risner, which was installed at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, on November 16, 2001. Robinson Risner, Air Force Ace and POW, Dies at 88. Washington Post, October 29, 2013. [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). He flew F-86s with the 50th Wing to activate Hahn Air Base, West Germany, where he became commander of the 81st FBS in November 1954. 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. For Risner, this moment came on Sept. 16, 1965, during a raid over North Vietnam when his F-105 Thunderchief was hit by ground fire. [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. He would pay a terrible price for that leadership when the guards would catch him communicating, but they couldnt stop him. They told Risner there were only three people they would rather have as a captive: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara or Dean Rusk. Risner's wingman was shot down in the opening pass, and the mission was in danger of collapsing when Risner took charge. Heavy ground fire struck Risner's F-105 in its air intakes when he popped up over a hill to make his attack. 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. I prayed he would give me strength to endure it. He often spoke at gatherings for veterans and Air Force pilots. [48] He was also inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in November 1974 in recognition of his military service,[49] and announced as an inductee into the Arkansas Military Veterans Hall of Fame on November 1, 2013.[50]. [44] He later moved to Bridgewater, Virginia. He wrestled for Tulsa Central High School, where he graduated in 1942. The 30th FS was based on a primitive airstrip without permanent facilities at Aguadulce, on the Gulf of Panama. Fighting a serious fuel leak and a smoke-filled cockpit in addition to anti-aircraft fire from the ground, he again nursed his crippled aircraft to Danang. 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. Related Entries. [16], From August 1960 to July 1961, he attended the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. 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.[5]. Additional support provided by the Arkansas General Assembly. At his death, Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark A. Welsh III observed: "Brig. He flew his badly damaged aircraft over heavily fortified hostile territory before successfully landing at a friendly airfield. 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. 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. [22] Again he attempted to fly to the Gulf of Tonkin, but ejected when the aircraft, on fire, pitched up out of control. 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. SURVEY . Subsequent to that said he received his first Air Force Cross in April 1965 for leading air strikes against a strategicbridge in North Vietnam. Jet fuel and hydraulic fluid spewed out from the wounded Sabre. It was according to him, the most gratifying period of his life. Campbell, John M., and Hill, Michael (1996). [32] He was a POW for seven years, four months, and 27 days. After his military career, Risner lived for many years in Texas, where he was executive director of an anti-drug program. Gen. James Robinson "Robbie" Risner was part of that legendary group who served in three wars, built an Air Force, and gave us an enduring example of courage and mission success Today's Airmen know we stand on the shoulders of giants. Required fields are marked *. Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. He flew his badly damaged aircraft over heavily fortified hostile territory before successfully landing at a friendly airfield. 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. 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. Arriving at Kimpo in the middle of the night, he joined his flight which was on alert status. ", Commander Everett Alvarez Jr. 1st U.S. pilot held as a Prisoner of War in Southeast Asia[30], After several days of travel on foot and by truck, Risner was imprisoned in Ha L Prison, known as "The Hanoi Hilton" to American POWs. [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. Perhaps his greatest act of rebellion was the organization of a forbidden church service in 1971. Risner was flying F-105D 62-4233 on March 22, 1965. In civilian life, Risner tried a succession of jobs, training as an auto mechanic, operating a gas station, and managing a service garage. His father was originally a sharecropper, then during the Great Depression became a day laborer for the Works Progress Administration. During their defense of the bombers, Risner's flight overflew the MiG base at Antung Airfield, China. [10][12], On September 21 he shot down his fifth MiG, becoming the 20th "jet ace". It was automatic, almost subconscious. Gen. James Robinson "Robbie" Risner was part of that legendary . H&S's and Risner's accounts "differ radically". Online at https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/robinson-risner-air-force-ace-and-pow-dies-at-88/2013/10/29/ec759f3e-40ae-11e3-a624-41d661b0bb78_story.html (accessed December 16, 2017). Campbell, John M., and Hill, Michael (1996). Robinson Risner, Self: Return with Honor. Robinson Risner was born on January 16, 1925 in Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, USA. On 10 March 2018, Risner was named the Class Exemplar for the United States Air Force Academy's Class of 2021. [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. He was captured and taken to the Hoa Lo Prisondubbed the Hanoi Hilton by its American prisonerswhere his captors waved the Time magazine in his face. [4], Risner had a religious upbringing as a member of the 1st Assembly of God Church. Creating an account gives you access to all these features. Morrocco, John, and Manning, Robert (1984). The two had met, apparently at McCarthy's request,[30] when McCarthy visited Hanoi in April 1968. Celebs. In 1946, Risner was involved in an off-duty motorcycle accident. [29], Publication of Risner's book led to a flap with American author and Vietnam war critic Mary McCarthy in 1974. Near Cho Do, Lt. Logan bailed out, after radioing to Risner, "I'll see you at the base tonight." Bri. J. [28] He was on his 55th combat mission at the time. James Robinson Risner. The day after his arrival, he returned to Korea when he learned that MiGs were operational. In his book, Risner attributes faith in God and prayer as being instrumental to his surviving the Hanoi prison experience. 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. The turbulence kept bouncing and separating the two jets, but Risner was able to re-establish contact and guide the powerless plane out over the sea. 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. Timothy A. Kinnan in 1977. Risner retired as a brigadier general in 1976. 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