« Back to Blog

Latest Medal of Honor Recipient, Chief Master Sergeant Richard L. Etchberger, United States Air Force

Waring Hills Sep 24, 2010

Chief Master Sergeant Richard L. Etchberger, United States Air Force

Air Force Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt) Richard L. Etchberger was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Barrack Obama on  21 September 2010. A native of Hamburg, Pennsylvania, “Etch”  was President of his Senior Class and well liked in his small town when he joined the United States Air Force (USAF) shortly after graduation in 1951.

In 1967 “Etch” and more than three dozen USAF technicians accepted a top-secret mission in Laos to help in the Vietnam war effort. They would be sent to Phou Pha Thi mountain in northeastern Laos to run an advanced radar at top-secret Lima Site 85, guiding U.S. attack aircraft on missions over North Vietnam.

"Etch" with a USAF radar behind him.

Due to the secrecy however, they were discharged from the USAF and put on the payroll of the Lockheed Corporation. The standard CIA rule of plausible denial would be invoked if anything went wrong, and of course, something did go wrong. In early 1968, the North Vietnamese became aware of the poorly protected radar site and planned an attack to take it out.

On 11 March 1968, the attack began and quickly overran the site. Etch retreated to a cliff side outcropping, where he fought off the enemy through the night, kicking grenades they rolled down on his position over the cliff. One of the survivors of that fight, John Daniel, tells the story of that night…

[vodpod id=Video.4507221&w=425&h=350&fv=mediaId%3D71d70947a4d4485bb8498f6f2ad0c258%26amp%3BplayerForm%3DDelvePlayer]
John Daniel talks about Chief Master Sgt. Richa…, posted with vodpod

When the rescue chopper came, Etchberger lifted two of his wounded buddies into a sling to be hoisted aboard. He bear-hugged the last survivor and they went up together. As the chopper lifted off, a North Vietnamese soldier unloaded his AK-47 into the bottom of the Huey and one round penetrated the thin aluminum floor  and fatally wounded CMSgt Etchberger. He was 35.

Because civilians can’t receive the Medal of Honor, the Air Force granted a waiver restoring Etchberger’s active-duty rank in the 1980s and eventually the nation learned his story this past Tuesday.

Read more on CMSgt Etchberger here…

Read the Air Force blog story on the medal presentation ceremony here.

« Previous Post

New National Education Report on Patriots Point

Next Post »

Yorktown Crew Members Meet and Greet, 02 October!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

  • Active Duty / Retired Military (ID required)
  • $19
  • Buy Now
  • Active Duty Military In Uniform
  • Free
  • In Person
  • Veterans / Teachers / First Responders
  • $21
  • Buy Now

COVID-19 Notice

Due to health safety measures related to COVID-19, structured, in-person education programs have been suspended. Please consider booking a guided or self-guided tour for your group.

More Information

COVID-19 Notice

Due to health safety measures related to COVID-19, our overnight camping program has been suspended. Please consider joining our exclusive list to be among the first to learn when the program relaunches.

Interested in booking a day group visit to see our museum? Discounted rates for 10+ people.

More Information