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. He was forced to eject when the aircraft, on fire, pitched up out of control. He was eulogized by Perot and General Welsh with fellow former POWs and current members of the 336th Fighter Squadron among those in attendance. James Robinson "Robbie" Risner was born in 1925 in Arkansas, to a sharecropping family struggling to make ends meet. In his book, Risner attributes faith in God and prayer as being instrumental to his surviving the Hanoi prison experience. They were 60 miles from friendly territory and he knew his fellow pilot would never make it. Risner stayed in radio contact with the rescue helicopter. Rate and review titles you borrow and share your opinions on them. Male. Correll, John T. Nine Feet Tall. Air Force Magazine, February 2012, pp. Joe, a strong swimmer, landed close to shore, and the chopper tried to blow him in with the rotors. He also had his right arm ripped from its socket. [22] Again he attempted to fly to the Gulf of Tonkin, but ejected when the aircraft, on fire, pitched up out of control. On one occasion, Risner became lost in the fringes of a hurricane on a flight to Brownsville, Texas. 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. 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. "[47], Perot helped Risner to later become the Executive Director of the Texans' War on Drugs, and Risner was subsequently appointed by President Ronald Reagan as a United States Delegate to the fortieth session of the United Nations General Assembly. [15], 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. In July 1973 assigned to the 1st Tactical Fighter Wing at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, where he became combat ready in the F-4 Phantom II. As storm clouds gathered over Southeast Asia in 1964, Risner arrived in the region, as if on cue, to take command of a fighter-bomber squadron in preparation for the larger war nearly everyone saw coming. He subsequently received training in the F-80 Shooting Star at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. [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. [4], In addition to a love of sports, Risner's interests were primarily in riding horses and motorcycles.[3]. His second wife, Dorothy Risner, was the widow of an American soldier who died in the war. [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]. Local man to be inducted into the Arkansas Military H.O.F. The two had met, apparently at McCarthy's request,[30] when McCarthy visited Hanoi in April 1968. Kiley, Frederick, and Rochester, Stuart I (1999). Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Tragically, Joe Logan didn't make it; he became tangled in his parachute lines and drowned. This guy had balls of steel. Online at http://articles.latimes.com/2013/oct/30/local/la-me-robinson-risner-20131031 (accessed December 16, 2017). One Year After Saigon's Fall, Eight Ex-P.O.W.s Try to Cope with a Changing U.S. Obituary For: Brigadier General Robinson Risner, "USAF Weapons School Robbie Risner Award", "Nomination of United States Representatives and Alternate Representatives to the 40th Session of the United Nations General Assembly", Celebrated pilot and Vietnam POW dies at 88. Gender. . Risner flew the Spirit of St. Louis II on Lindberghs same route, completing the flight in one-fifth of the time it took the earlier flier and establishing a new transatlantic record of six hours and thirty-seven minutes. [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. 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. [6] Risner was often assigned to fly F-86E-10, AF serial no. All, however, held him in awe. [18], On March 22, 1965, flying F-105D 624233, Risner was hit by ground fire while leading two flights of F-105s attacking a radar site near Vinh Son. [8], 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. List of aircraft of the Malaysian Armed Forces. He died on October 22, 2013 in Bridgewater, Virginia, USA. As a leader of the POWs, Risner set up committees, assigned tasks and helped set up communication systems through tapping, scraping walls and even coughing. Arriving at Kimpo in the middle of the night, he joined his flight which was on alert status. [16], In August 1964, Lieutenant Colonel Risner took command of the 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron, an F-105D Thunderchief fighter-bomber unit based at Kadena AB, Okinawa, and part of the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing. "[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. Risner's exploits earned him an awarding of the Air Force Cross and resulted in his being featured as the cover portrait of the April 23, 1965 issue of Time Magazine. James Robinson Risner. His father was originally a sharecropper, then during the Great Depression became a day laborer for the Works Progress Administration. When he passed out from pain, the ropes were briefly loosened until the ordeal could start yet again. He flew a combined 163 combat missions, was shot down twice, and was credited with destroying eight MiG-15s. Risner retired as a brigadier general in 1976. SURVEY . 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. (Davis, p. 43), Risner is quoted as identifying the airfield as "Tak Tung Kau". Special thanks to the Department of Arkansas Heritage. He wrestled for Tulsa Central High School, where he graduated in 1942. Veteran of: U.S. Army Air Forces 1943-1946 . [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. He worked a series of jobs during his school years, contributing his earnings to the family funds. 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. (Risner, p. 10; Campbell and Hill, p. 87), Ironically, Risner's portrait was featured that month in a, Kiernan said of McCarthy herself: "She just about always had the right position. 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. In his words: To make it, I prayed by the hour. [20][n 6], On March 22, 1965, while leading two flights of F-105s attacking a radar site near Vinh, North Vietnam, Risner was hit by ground fire when he circled back over the target. His five sons had been ages 3 to 16 when he was shot down and imprisoned.[33]. 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.[5]. 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. Risner spent more than three years in solitary confinement. Because of the Time cover story, he would become one of the highest-profile U.S. prisoners of the Vietnam War. 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. 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 (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. Subsequently, he served as commander of the 34th Fighter-Day Squadron, also at George Air Force Base. He maneuvered his aircraft over the Gulf of Tonkin, ejected a mile offshore, and was rescued after fifteen minutes in the water. TogetherWeServed.com Inc. All Rights Reserved | Not a U.S. Government Website. 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. On 10 March 2018, Risner was named the Class Exemplar for the United States Air Force Academy's Class of 2021. 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. 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. . Your email address will not be published. Only one Bullpup could be guided at a time, and on his second pass, Risner's aircraft took a hit just as the missile struck the bridge. He actually had his cast removed to fly his first mission. Gen. James Robinson Risner. One of 'em is 9 feet tall and headed west in full afterburner. Buried Arlington National Cemetery Allegiance United States Service/branch United States Army Air Forces United States Air Force Years of service 1943-1946 1951-1976 Rank The idea was to push the plane to reach the United Nations rescue base of Cho Do. Obituary from the. He had been beaten up and starved, thrown for months into a dark cell crawling with rats, held immobile with his legs pinned in stocks, and strapped with ropes so tightly that his right arm was torn from its socket. [17], From August 1960 to July 1961, he attended the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. The 67th TFS ended its first deployment to Korat on April 26 but returned from Okinawa on August 16 for a second tour of combat duty over North Vietnam. 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. White. In civilian life, Risner tried a succession of jobs, training as an auto mechanic, operating a gas station, and managing a service garage. 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. Martin, Douglas. 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. [21][22][23][n 7], On April 3 and 4, 1965, Risner led two large missions against the Thanh Ha Bridge in North Vietnam. Subsequent to that said he received his first Air Force Cross in April 1965 for leading air strikes against a strategicbridge in North Vietnam. He was the first living recipient of the medal,. J. 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. They told Risner there were only three people they would rather have as a captive: Lyndon Johnson, Robert McNamara or Dean Rusk. program[21] and raised quarter horses, and later in San Antonio. 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. In the early days he was generally held in that small cell block mentioned earlier, and since most new prisoners were held there temporarily, after initial interrogation and torture sessions, Risner used brief moments of guard absence to induct new men into his POW command. When forced to make a statement against the war, he did so with mispronounced words and a heavy German accent, bringing further punishment from his captors. 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. He subsequently received training in the F-80 Shooting Star at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. Risner . He was a guiding presence, a behavior yardstick, and he managed to achieve this without direct contact. He was captured by North Vietnamese while still trying to extricate himself from his parachute. H&S's and Risner's accounts "differ radically". Tags: Topics: Question 47 . McCarthy, Mary (March 7, 1974). It was automatic, almost subconscious. One of 'em is 9 feet tall and headed west in full afterburner. He was the fifth of seven children. 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. alternatives . Race & Ethnicity. 72201. 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. The first recipient of the Risner Award was Capt. [26] Again he attempted to fly to the Gulf of Tonkin, but ejected when the aircraft, on fire, pitched up out of control. 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. Risner died at his home in Bridgewater, Virginia, on October 22, 2013, following a series of strokes. [16], In July 1956, he was transferred to George Air Force Base, California as operations officer of the 413th Fighter Wing. Robbie Risner was born on January 16, 1925, in Mammoth Spring, the son of sharecroppers Grover W. Risner and Lora Grace Robinson Risner. The nine-foot bronze statue of Robinson Risner, sculpted by Lawrence M. Ludtke and mounted on a five-foot pedestal of black granite, commemorates Risner and other POWs who were punished for holding religious services in their room at the Hanoi Hilton on February 7, 1971, in defiance of North Vietnamese authorities. 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. (1925 - 2013) (RIP) James Rob. "[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. 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. In June, when the 336th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, also at Kimpo, sought experienced pilots, he arranged a transfer to 4th Fighter Wing through the intervention of a former OKANG associate. Risners leadership was on display when he organized a forbidden worship service in 1971. 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. [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. 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. He would participate in reunions of airmen, and at one in the 1990s he met a Russian MiG pilot who had served in Korea. Timothy A. Kinnan in 1977. His story of being imprisoned drew wide acclaim after that war's end. I did not ask God to take me out of it. A miniature replica, also donated by Perot, is presented to each year's recipient as a personal memento. It was automatic, almost subconscious. He flew his badly damaged aircraft over heavily fortified hostile territory before successfully landing at a friendly airfield. 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. 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. It was largely thanks to the leadership of Risner and his Navy counterpart, Commander (later Vice Admiral) James Stockdale, that the POWs organized themselves to present maximum resistance. 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. Related Entries. [18] He was part of the first group of prisoners released in Operation Homecoming on 12 February 1973 and returned to the United States. [10][14][15], Risner was commissioned into the Regular Air Force and assigned to the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Cannon Air Force Base, Clovis, New Mexico, in March 1953, where he became operations officer of the 81st Fighter Bomber Squadron. 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. This project is funded in part by a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Sustaining the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan grant award. In October, Robinson Risner was promoted to Major and named Operations Officer of the 336th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. U.S. Air Force pilot James Robinson Risner, a 2015 inductee into the Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame. Read our Privacy Policy. He received his FIRST Air Force Cross when he was shot down and rescued, becoming the FIRST LIVING recipient of the new award. Robinson Risner, Self: Return with Honor. (Tillman, "Frances Kiernan"). 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. Gen. James Robinson "Robbie" Risner was part of that legendary . Survivors include his wife of 36 years, the former Dorothy Miller Williams, of Bridgewater; six children; a sister; and 14 grandchildren. He was previously married to Dorothy Miller Williams and Kathleen Shaw. 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. A miniature replica, also donated by Perot, is presented to each year's recipient as a personal memento. Risner, in a battle damaged aircraft, diverted to Da Nang Air Base for landing. When he and two other organizers were hauled away for being behind his comrades singing The Star Spangled Banner and God Bless America, Risner said, I felt like I was nine feet tall and could go bear hunting with a switch.. After two attempts, Risner was forced to discontinue when leaking fuel and hydraulic fluid covered his canopy and threatened to stall his own engine. Thompson, Warren E., and McLaren, David R. (2002). 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. 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. During their defense of the bombers, Risner's flight overflew the MiG base at Antung Airfield, China. 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]. The Passing of the Night: Seven Years as a Prisoner of the North Vietnamese, Code of Conduct for American Fighting Men. [28][31], Risner spent more than three years in solitary confinement. 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. LBJ Cup . At his death, Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark A. Welsh III observed: "Brig. 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 . Risner flew 108 missions in Korea and was credited with the destruction of eight MiG-15s, his final victory occurring January 21, 1953. 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. [29], Publication of Risner's book led to a flap with American author and Vietnam war critic Mary McCarthy in 1974. His aerial skill and heroic actions set an example for the others to follow. 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. 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]. Ungraded . Risner in 1973 after being released as a POW by the North Vietnamese, Risner's call sign this date was "John Red Lead". [28] He was on his 55th combat mission at the time. In June, when the 336th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, also at Kimpo, sought experienced pilots, he arranged a transfer to 4th Fighter Wing. answer . [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 day after his arrival, he returned to Korea when he learned that MiGs were operational. However, he refused to be diverted from his primary mission of completing the destruction of the assigned targets. U.S. Air Force Academy receives $3.5 million gift for Character and Leadership Development, The Brigadier General James Robinson Risner Squadron, Risner, James Robinson "Robbie" RIP 10/22/2013, Retired AF general was senior ranking POW at Hanoi Hilton, USAF photo of Risner during Operation Homecoming, "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, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Robinson_Risner&oldid=1129520797, 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, United States Air Force personnel of the Vietnam War, Recipients of the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States), United States Air Force personnel of the Korean War, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. [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. [25] While held prisoner in Hoa Loa, Risner served first as Senior Ranking Officer and later as Vice Commander of the provisional 4th Allied Prisoner of War Wing. [56], General Risner received the following awards and decorations:[16][57]. James R. Risner. 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. On these dates Colonel Risner led two successive operations against vitally important and heavily defended targets. 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. F-80 Shooting Star at Shaw Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark A. Welsh III observed ``... 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