Bud Day

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Col. George E. Day United States Air Force
Born February 24, 1925 (1925-02-24) (age 83)
Col. Day in dress uniform.
Nickname	Bud
Place of birth	Sioux City, Iowa
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Air Force United States Army United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1942-1977
Rank	Colonel
Battles/wars	World War II Korean War Vietnam War
Awards	Medal of Honor Air Force Cross Distinguished Service Medal Silver Star Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross Bronze Star (4) Purple Heart Air Medal (10) Prisoner of War Medal
Other work	Author, Return with Honor Partner, Day and Meade Law Firm

George Everett "Bud" Day (born February 24, 1925) is a former U.S. Air Force pilot who served during the Vietnam War. He is often cited as being the most decorated U.S. service member since General Douglas MacArthur, having received some seventy decorations, a majority for actions in combat. Day is a recipient of the Medal of Honor.

1 Biography
2 Honors
3 Citations for bravery
- 3.1 Medal of Honor citation
- 3.2 Air Force Cross citation
4 Awards and decorations
5 See also
6 Notes
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Biography

Day was born in Sioux City, Iowa, on February 24, 1925. In 1942 he quit high school and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He served thirty months in the South Pacific during World War II as a member of a 5-inch gun battery with the 3rd Defense Battalion on Johnston Island.

After the war, Day attended Morningside College on the G.I. Bill, earning a Bachelor of Science Degree, followed by law school at the University of South Dakota, receiving a Juris Doctor. Day passed the bar exam in 1949 and was admitted to the South Dakota bar. In later life Day was also awarded a Master of Arts degree from St. Louis University, a Doctor of Humane Letters from Morningside, and a Doctor of Laws from Troy State University. Day was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1977.

A member of the Army reserve, in 1950 he received a direct commission as a second lieutenant in the Iowa Air National Guard, and was called to active duty in 1951 to undertake pilot training. He served two tours as a fighter-bomber pilot during the Korean War flying the Republic F-84 Thunderjet. Promoted to captain, he decided to make the Air Force a career.

Anticipating retirement in 1968 and now a major, Day volunteered for a tour in Vietnam was assigned to the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing at Tuy Hoa Air Base in April 1967. At that time he had more than 5,000 flying hours, with 4,500 of them in fighters. On June 25, 1967, with extensive previous service flying two tours in F-100 Super Sabres he was made commander of Detachment 1, 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron, based at Phu Cat Air Base. Using the call sign Misty, the name of Day's favorite song, his detachment of 4 two-seat F-100's and 16 pilots became pioneer "Fast FACs": Forward Air Controllers over Laos and North Vietnam.

[edit] Prisoner of war

On August 26, 1967, Day was flying in the F-100s back seat for Captain Corwin "Kip" Kippenham in Misty 31, directing an air strike against a surface-to-air missile (SAM) site west of Dong Hoi, 20 miles north of the Demilitarized Zone in North Vietnam. Day was on his 65th mission and acting as check pilot for Capt. Kippenham, who was flying as aircraft commander for the first time. 37mm antiaircraft fire crippled the aircraft, forcing the crew to eject. In the ejection, Day's right arm was broken in three places when he struck the side of the cockpit, and he also experienced eye and back injuries.

Kippenham was rescued, but Day was unable to contact the rescue helicopter by survival radio and was quickly captured by North Vietnamese local militia. On his fifth night, when he was still within twenty miles of the DMZ, Day escaped from his initial captors despite his serious injuries. Although stripped of both his boots and flight suit, Day crossed the Demilitarized Zone back into South Vietnam, becoming the only U.S. prisoner to escape from North Vietnam. Within two miles of the U.S. Marine firebase at Con Thien and after 12-15 days of evading, he was captured again, this time by a Viet Cong patrol that wounded him in the leg and hand with gunfire.

Taken back to his original camp, Day was tortured for escaping, breaking his right arm again. He then was moved to several prison camps near Hanoi, where he was periodically beaten, starved, and tortured. In December 1967 Day shared a cell with Navy Lt. Cmdr. John S. McCain III who was even more seriously injured and emaciated. Air Force Major Norris Overly nursed both back to life, and McCain later devised a makeshift splint of bamboo and rags that helped heal Day's seriously atrophied arm. [1]

On March 14, 1973, Day was released after five years and seven months as a North Vietnamese prisoner. Within three days Day was reunited with his wife, Doris Sorensen Day, and four children at March Air Force Base, California. On 4 March 1976, President Gerald Ford awarded Day the Medal of Honor for his personal bravery while a captive in North Vietnam.

Day had been promoted to colonel while a prisoner, and decided to remain in the Air Force in hopes of being promoted to general. Although too weak to resume flying, he spent a year in physical rehabilitation and with 13 separate medical waivers, was returned to active flying status. He underwent conversion training to the F-4 Phantom II and was appointed vice commander of the 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

[edit] Retirement

After being passed over for nomination to brigadier general, Day retired from active duty in 1977 to resume his practice of law in Florida. At his retirement he had nearly 8,000 total flying hours, and 4,900 in single engine jets, and had flown the F-80 Shooting Star, F-84 Thunderjet, F-100 Super Sabre, F-101 Voodoo, F-104 Starfighter, F-105 Thunderchief, F-106 Delta Dart, F-4 Phantom II, A-4 Skyhawk, A-7 Corsair II, CF-5 Tiger, F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, and CF-18 Hornet jet fighters.

Following his retirement, Day wrote an autobiographical account of his experiences as a prisoner of war, Return with Honor, followed by Duty, Honor, Country, which updated his autobiography to include his post-Air Force years. Among other endeavors, Day filed a class action lawsuit against the United States government in 1996 on behalf of military retirees who were stripped of their Air Force medical care benefits and told to apply for Medicare. (Although winning the case in the district court in 2001, the judgment against the U.S. was overturned by the U.S. Court of Appeals in 2002).

[edit] Political advocate

During the 2004 U.S. presidential election, Day appeared in a Swift Boat Veterans for Truth advertisement, saying (referring to John Kerry): "How can you expect our sons and daughters to follow you when you condemned their fathers and grandfathers?" Following that election, Day signed on as President of the newly formed Vietnam Veterans Legacy Foundation.

[edit] Honors

On March 14, 1997, the new Survival School Building at Fairchild AFB was named in his honor.

In 2002, Sioux City Airport was renamed Sioux Gateway Airport/Col. Bud Day Field in his honor.

January 04, 2008 Retired Col. Bud Day was awarded Freedom Communications, Inc. Spirit of Freedom Award on behalf of the Northwest Florida Daily News.

[edit] Citations for bravery

[edit] Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Colonel (then Major), U.S. Air Force, Forward Air Controller Pilot of an F-100 aircraft. Place and date: North Vietnam, 26 August 1967. Entered service at: Sioux City, Iowa. Born: 24 February 1925, Sioux City, Iowa. Citation: On 26 August 1967, Col. Day was forced to eject from his aircraft over North Vietnam when it was hit by ground fire. His right arm was broken in 3 places, and his left knee was badly sprained. He was immediately captured by hostile forces and taken to a prison camp where he was interrogated and severely tortured. After causing the guards to relax their vigilance, Col. Day escaped into the jungle and began the trek toward South Vietnam. Despite injuries inflicted by fragments of a bomb or rocket, he continued southward surviving only on a few berries and uncooked frogs. He successfully evaded enemy patrols and reached the Ben Hai River, where he encountered U.S. artillery barrages. With the aid of a bamboo log float, Col. Day swam across the river and entered the demilitarized zone. Due to delirium, he lost his sense of direction and wandered aimlessly for several days. After several unsuccessful attempts to signal U.S. aircraft, he was ambushed and recaptured by the Viet Cong, sustaining gunshot wounds to his left hand and thigh. He was returned to the prison from which he had escaped and later was moved to Hanoi after giving his captors false information to questions put before him. Physically, Col. Day was totally debilitated and unable to perform even the simplest task for himself. Despite his many injuries, he continued to offer maximum resistance. His personal bravery in the face of deadly enemy pressure was significant in saving the lives of fellow aviators who were still flying against the enemy. Col. Day's conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Air Force and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Armed Forces.[2]

[edit] Air Force Cross citation

The Air Force Cross is presented to George Everett Day, Colonel, United States Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam from 16 July 1969 to 14 October 1969. During this period, Colonel Day was subjected to maximum punishment and torture by Vietnamese guards to obtain a detailed confession of escape plans, policies, and orders of the American senior ranking officer in the camp, and the communications methods used by the Americans interned in the camp. Colonel Day withstood this punishment and gave nothing of value to the Vietnamese, although he sustained many injuries and open wounds to his body. Through his extraordinary heroism and willpower, in the face of the enemy, Colonel Day reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force. [3]