Bernard Francis Fisher

Landing under fire to rescue a downed pilot at A Shau safely

Bernard Francis Fisher was born on 11 January 1927 in San Bernardino, California, and grew up in Utah. He entered the U.S. Navy in 1945, later served in the Idaho Air National Guard, and joined the U.S. Air Force in 1951. He became a fighter pilot and volunteered for service in Vietnam in 1965, serving with the 1st Air Commando Squadron.

Bernard Francis Fisher earned the Medal of Honor on 10 March 1966 during the battle at A Shau, Vietnam. An Air Force major, he saw another pilot crash-land on the damaged airstrip and decided to rescue him before enemy troops could reach him. Fisher directed his own air cover, landed and taxied through debris under heavy ground fire. He recovered the pilot, then accelerated down the short runway and escaped. Nineteen bullets struck his aircraft during the rescue.

President Lyndon B. Johnson presented his Medal of Honor at the White House on 19 January 1967. Fisher continued his Air Force career, including service in Germany, Minnesota and Idaho, before retiring as a colonel in 1974. In retirement he flew for a commuter airline, grew fruit trees and kept bees near Kuna, Idaho. He died on 16 August 2014, aged 87, and was buried at Idaho State Veterans Cemetery in Boise.

Medal of Honor citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. On that date, the Special Forces camp at A Shau was under attack by 2,000 North Vietnamese Army regulars. Hostile troops had positioned themselves between the airstrip and the camp. Other hostile troops had surrounded the camp and were continuously raking it with automatic-weapons fire from the surrounding hills. The tops of the 1,500-foot hills were obscured by an 800 foot ceiling, limiting aircraft maneuverability and forcing pilots to operate within range of hostile gun positions, which often were able to fire down on attacking aircraft. During the battle, Maj. Fisher observed a fellow airman crash land on the battle-torn airstrip. In the belief that the downed pilot was seriously injured and in imminent danger of capture, Maj. Fisher announced his intention to land on the airstrip to effect a rescue. Although aware of the extreme danger and likely failure of such an attempt, he elected to continue. Directing his own air cover, he landed his aircraft and taxied almost the full length of the runway, which was littered with battle debris and parts of an exploded aircraft. While effecting a successful rescue of the downed pilot, heavy ground fire was observed, with 19 bullets striking his aircraft. In the face of withering ground fire, he applied power and gained enough speed to lift-off at the overrun of the airstrip. Maj. Fisher's profound concern for his fellow airman, at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty, are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Air Force and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.