TSgt Allen J. Avery

[rr01]

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheet...1236&page=1

Forty years to the day that he died on a mission to save LtCol Iceal Hambleton {Bat~21}, TSgt Al Avery is interred with his fellow crewmembers buried in 1997. At the time of the original services in '97 it was thought all the crew were together but subsequent improvements in the identification process showed this to not be true. As the result a final ceremony took place today on a hillside overlooking the nation's capital, a place he never intended to be but in a spot made especially for him and his crew. Rest in peace my friend, those of us who have survived you have never forgotten all the other things we did prior to your early date with immortality.

Posted below are two of Al's many citations:

 

AVERY, ALLEN J.(First Award)Citation:The President of the United States takes Pleasure in presenting the SilverStar Medal to Allen J. Avery, Staff Sergeant, U.S. Air Force, for gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force as Rescue Specialist on an HH-3E helicopter in Southeast Asia on 5 October1968. On that date, Sergeant Avery volunteered to attempt the extremely hazardous extraction of a Special Forces team after their insertion helicopter had been shot down and the team surrounded by hostile forces. Enroute to the distress site he learned that a rescue helicopter had been shotdown while attempting the extraction, fatally injuring two crew members. Despite low cloud cover, which prevented the use of fighter escort, Sergeant Avery, with complete disregard for his own personal safety, penetrated the hostile area and directed his helicopter to a hover adjacent the burning crash site.During the prolonged hover, Sergeant Avery provided accurate suppressive machine gun fire and assisted in the rescue of the two crash survivors and the six surviving team members. By his gallantry and devotion to duty,Sergeant Avery has reflected great credit upon himself and the United StatesAir Force.

 

*AVERY, ALLEN J.(Second Award) Citation:The President of the United States takes Pride in presenting an Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Silver Star Medal (Posthumously) to Allen J.Avery, Technical Sergeant, U.S. Air Force, for Technical Sergeant Allen J. Avery distinguished himself by gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force near Quang Tri City, Republic of Vietnam, on 6 April 1972. On that date, Sergeant Avery was flying as a Pararescue Specialist of an HH-53C Rescue Helicopter that was attempting to rescue the survivors of a downed United States aircraft from certain death or capture by hostile armed forces. Flying into a heavily defended area, the aircraft encountered severe ground hostile fire rendering the aircraft uncontrollable at an extremely low altitude.By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Sergeant Avery has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

[uplandmod]

Glad he's at rest....

[Jack's Son]

R.I.P. ....... :salute:

[FriscoHare]

R.I.P., sir. :salute: