- SURNAME
Cormier
- FORENAME
Arthur
- UNIT
38 Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron (3 A.R.R. Group)
- RANK
Staff Sergeant
- NUMBER
12454730
- AWARD
Silver Star
- PLACE
North Vietnam 1965
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
from West Orange,New Jersey
born 24.10.1934 Rumford,Maine
pararescueman
POW 6.11.1965 North Vietnam - 12.2.1973
awarded D.F.C. as Staff Sergeant
awarded oak leaf cluster to Silver Star 1967 as First Lieutenant (POW)
awarded Legion of Merit as Captain
Art Cormier was born in 1934 in Rumford, Maine, and grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, and Lincoln Park, New Jersey. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on April 23, 1954, and was trained in manpower management. He served an overseas tour in West Germany from May 1955 to November 1957, then briefly went into the Air Force Reserve before going back on active duty and serving at Suffolk County AFB, New York, from February 1958 to February 1960. From February 1960 to February 1961, Sgt Cormier was stationed at Minot AFB, North Dakota, and then went to Andrews AFB, Maryland, where he served until March 1963. Sgt Cormier next trained as a Pararescueman, first serving at Eglin AFB, Florida, followed by two tours in Southeast Asia. His helicopter was brought down over North Vietnam during his second tour, on November 6, 1965, and he was taken as a Prisoner of War. After spending 2,655 days in captivity, he was released during Operation Homecoming on February 12, 1973. Cormier was promoted through the ranks to Senior Master Sergeant (E-8) during the time he was a POW, and was granted a direct commission as a 1Lt by the President of the United States in May 1974. Lt Cormier completed his degree at Long Island University in June 1975 and was then assigned to Pease AFB, New Hampshire as the base fuel management officer. He served at Hahn AB, West Germany, from March 1977 to July 1980, and then at RAF Mildenhall in England until July 1983. Capt Cormier's final assignment was at Altus AFB, Oklahoma, where he served from July 1983 until his retirement from the Air Force on November 1, 1984.
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