James P. Fleming

Template:Short description Template:Infobox military person James Phillip Fleming (born March 12, 1943) is a former United States Air Force pilot who served in the Vietnam War. Born in Sedalia, Missouri, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for rescuing a six-man MACV-SOG reconnaissance team, stranded between heavily defended enemy positions, near Đức Cơ, Vietnam in 1968.

Early life

Born in March 12, 1943 in Sedalia, Missouri, Fleming entered military service at Pullman, Washington.

Military career

In 1968, Fleming was an aircraft commander of a UH-1F transport helicopter assigned to the 20th Special Operations Squadron at Ban Me Thuot East Airfield in the Republic of Vietnam. On November 26, a six-man reconnaissance team of Army Special Forces Green Berets had been lifted into Vietnam's western highlands, near the Cambodian border and about Template:Convert west of Pleiku. Hours later, they found themselves penned up next to a river, with enemy forces on the three remaining sides. The team leader's call for immediate evacuation was received by an Air Force forward air controller (FAC), Major Charles E. Anonsen, as well as Fleming's nearby flight of five UH-1s. All five helicopters, despite being low on fuel, headed toward the coordinates while the FAC briefed them on the situation.<ref name="usafbio">Template:Cite web</ref>

The Green Berets were taking heavy fire from six heavy machine guns and an undetermined number of enemy troops. As soon as the helicopters sighted the team's smoke, the gunships opened fire, knocking out two machine gun positions. One gunship was hit and crash-landed across the river, its crew picked up by another of the transports. A second transport, low on fuel, had to pull out of formation and return to base. There were only two helicopters left, Fleming's and one other that was almost out of ammunition.<ref name="usafbio"/>

Hovering just above the jungle treetops, Fleming inspected the only clearing near enough for the troops to reach and found it impossible to land there. He instead flew over the river and hovered just above the water, with his landing skids against the bank, hoping that the special forces troops would be able to run the few yards to his helicopter safely. In addition to exposing his aircraft to ground fire, this maneuver was a balancing act that required great piloting skill. After waiting for several minutes, the reconnaissance team radioed that they could not survive a dash to the helicopter. Fleming lifted his UH-1 out of range of the hostile fire.<ref name="usafbio"/>

The FAC directed the Green Berets to detonate their mines as Fleming made a last attempt to rescue them. As the mines exploded, he again lowered his helicopter to the river bank, balancing against it, giving the Green Berets an open cargo door through which to leap to safety. The enemy soldiers concentrated their fire on the UH-1. The Green Berets ran for the chopper, firing as they ran and killing three Viet Cong barely Template:Convert from the aircraft. As they leaped through the cargo door, Fleming once more backed the helicopter away from the bank and flew down the river to safety.<ref name="usafbio"/>

In a ceremony at the White House on May 14, 1970, President Richard Nixon presented the Medal of Honor to Fleming for his actions during the rescue. Fleming's other decorations include the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross and eight Air Medals.<ref name="usafbio"/>

Fleming remained in the air force, becoming a colonel and a member of the Officer Training School staff at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, before his retirement in 1996.<ref name="usafbio"/>

Awards and decorations

Fleming's decorations include:

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US Air Force Command Pilot Badge
Medal of Honor	Silver Star	Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross w/ "V" device	Meritorious Service Medal w/ 1 bronze oak leaf cluster	Air Medal w/ 1 silver and 2 bronze oak leaf clusters
Air Force Presidential Unit Citation w/ 1 bronze oak leaf cluster	Air Force Outstanding Unit Award w/ "V" device and 3 bronze oak leaf clusters	Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
Combat Readiness Medal	National Defense Service Medal w/ 1 bronze service star	Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Vietnam Service Medal w/ 4 bronze campaign stars	Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon	Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon
Air Force Longevity Service Award w/ 1 silver and 1 bronze oak leaf clusters	Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon	Air Force Training Ribbon
Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/ Bronze Star	Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross	Vietnam Campaign Medal

Medal of Honor citation

Air Force version of the Medal of Honor

Fleming's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

See also

• List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Vietnam War

External links

• Air Force pilot rescues Special Forces team – 11/26/1968