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Duane D. Hackney
Duane D. Hackney (June 5, 1947 – September 3, 1993) was a United States Air Force pararescueman. He was the most decorated enlisted man in USAF history and the recipient of 28 decorations for valor in combat and more than 70 awards and decorations in all. He served in the Air Force from 1965 to 1991, retiring as a chief master sergeant. A recipient of the Air Force Cross, he was the first living enlisted man to receive the medal, and at the time of its award he was its youngest recipient. Early lifeDuane Hackney was born on June 5, 1947, in Flint, Michigan. He graduated from Beecher High School in 1965.[1] Military careerHackney enlisted in the United States Air Force on June 18, 1965, and was trained as a pararescue specialist. Vietnam War
Three days after arriving in Vietnam, Hackney flew his first combat mission. Somewhere on that mission, a .30-caliber slug buried itself in his leg. To avoid being grounded by the medics, he had one of his PJ friends remove the slug with a probe. That incident set the tone for the more than 200 combat missions he was to fly during his three and a half years of Vietnam duty. Five times in the months ahead, his helicopters were shot down. He did not recall how often he went down into the jungle looking for survivors or how many lives his medical training helped him save. He was awarded four Distinguished Flying Crosses, not for flying a certain number of missions but for specific acts of heroism, and 18 Air Medals. Then came the Air Force Cross, for which he was the first living recipient, the Silver Star, the Airman's Medal, the Purple Heart, and several foreign decorations. Hackney's most celebrated mission was on February 6, 1967, when two HH-3 helicopters, Jolly Green 05 and Jolly Green 36, launched from the 38th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron at Udorn Air Base, Udorn, Thailand. They were attempting the recovery of a downed O-1F pilot, Nail 65, near the Mu Gia Pass, North Vietnam. After Airman Hackney made one unsuccessful trip to the ground in search of the pilot, both Jollys returned to base due to foul weather. Later in the day, the helicopters launched again and located the survivor. Airman Hackney was lowered to the ground, and after securing the survivor into the Stokes litter, both were lifted out. No sooner did they reach Jolly 05's door when ground fire erupted. As they raced to exit the area, the helicopter was hit with a 37 mm anti-aircraft round and caught fire. With complete disregard for his own welfare, Airman Hackney removed his parachute and placed it on the survivor. He moved to grab another one from storage as the helicopter was hit by a second round. In an instant, it exploded, just as Airman Hackney slipped his arms through the harness. He was blown out of Jolly 05 by the explosion. Hanging from the harness, he pulled the ripcord and the chute opened just as he hit the trees, where he fell a further 80 feet and came to rest on a ledge in a crevasse. He narrowly avoided capture while enemy troops jumped across the crevasse. Jolly 36 immediately made a run in to locate any survivors and found only burning wreckage, with Hackney waving his arms for pickup. He was the only survivor. Hackney went on to receive more than 70 individual awards, becoming the most decorated enlisted man in United States Air Force history.[2] He was the winner of the Cheney Award for 1967. The Cheney Award is given annually to a member of USAF for an act of valor, extreme fortitude, or self-sacrifice in a humanitarian interest performed in conjunction with aircraft.[3] Upon his return from Vietnam in 1967, Hackney was deployed to the 41st Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Squadron at Hamilton Air Force Base, in Marin County, California. Shortly after the awarding of his Air Force Cross on September 9, 1967, Hackney made a guest appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. In 1991 he retired as a chief master sergeant. Death and legacyDuane D. Hackney died of a heart attack on September 3, 1993. He was 46 years old. In June 2006, the training facility at Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio was renamed the Hackney Training Complex. The facility has space to train up to 1,200 people, and a staff of 50. His widow, Carole Hackney Bergstrom, said about the dedication: "I just wish he could see this. I think he'd really be proud of what he did. He would tell you, 'All this stuff wasn't necessary. I was just doing my job.'"[4] In 2009, Hackney was inducted into the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame.[5] Military awards and decorations
Air Force Cross citationThe text of Hackney's Air Force Cross citation reads:
References
PublicationsThe Pararescue Association. (1996). Airman Second Class Duane D. Hackney, p. 112: Fine Books Publishing Company, LLC. Charlotte, NC. Library of Congress Number 94-061879 External links |
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