- SURNAME
Hunt
- FORENAME
Russell Melvin
- UNIT
20 Special Operations Squadron (14 S.O. Wing)
- RANK
Sergeant
- NUMBER
- AWARD
Air Force Cross
- PLACE
Laos 1967
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 28.8.1946 Pond Gap,West Virginia
entered service 21.8.1964
Sheppard AFB,Texas (helicopter mechanic training)
4500 Organizational Maintenance Squadron February 1965 - May 1966
606 Air Commando Squadron May 1966 - February 1967
20 SOS February - May 1967
flight engineer/aerial gunner
6200 Organizational Maintenance Squadron May 1967 - 13.12.1968 (left USAF)
USAFR 1968-70
honorable discharge 20.8.1970
CITATION:
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Air Force Cross to Russell M. Hunt, Sergeant, U.S. Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force as a mechanic on a UH-1 helicopter of E Flight, 20th Special Operations Squadron, SEVENTH Air Force, in action in the Republic of Vietnam on 31 March 1967. On that date, Sergeant Hunt's aircraft was shot down while participating in the evacuation of a beleaguered party of American and Allied ground forces. Despite painful injuries and continuous hostile fire, Sergeant Hunt rendered aid to increasing numbers of wounded personnel. When hostile actions forced a movement of the ground party, Sergeant Hunt assisted in carrying his mortally wounded aircraft commander in an exhausting trek to a designated landing zone. In the landing area, Sergeant Hunt again exposed himself to the hostile field of fire to give manual landing directions to the recovery helicopters, refusing evacuation until all seriously wounded personnel had been airlifted from the scene. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of hostile forces, Sergeant Hunt reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
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