AF leaders honor Cold War era flyers

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OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. (ACCNS) --  Its been more than 43 years since their ordeal ended, but two 55th Wing Airmen were finally recognized for their heroism Sept. 13 in Washington, D.C.

Retired Colonels John McKone and Bruce Olmstead were awarded the Silver Star by Secretary of the Air Force, Dr. James Roche, and Air Force Chief of Staff, Gen. John Jumper, during the annual Air Force Association conference opening ceremony.

I couldnt imagine a better venue, Secretary Roche said during the ceremony attended by hundreds of current and retired Airmen, Air Force civilians and defense contractors. The men and women here today understand the awesome effects of air and space power; you also understand the omnipresent danger, even during peacetime.

Secretary Roche went on to say the security of the United States often depended on those who endured unspeakable hardship in silence and whose sacrifice occurred without public knowledge. He called Colonels McKone and Olmstead quiet exemplars.

Without speaking a word of their ordeal, Dr. Roche said, they have lived our core values: integrity...service before self...excellence in all we do.

It was July 1, 1960. Two months prior, Air Force pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union during a reconnaissance mission. The Soviets labeled him a spy and were using the incident for every ounce of propaganda possible.

Then-Captains McKone and Olmstead were members of the 343rd Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing. During a routine mission north of Murmansk, Russia, a Soviet MiG fighter shot down their RB-47 over international waters in the Artic Ocean.

Three crewmates, Maj. Eugene Posa and Captains Oscar Goforth and Dean Phillips died in the shoot-down. Another crewmate, Maj. Willard Palm, succumbed to the icy artic waters after ejecting from the aircraft.

Colonels McKone and Olmstead also ejected, and after six grueling hours in one-person dingys were picked up by a Russian fishing boat, and sent to Moscow. The Russians imprisoned them in solitary confinement at the infamous Lubyanka KGB prison and accused them of espionage.

The colonels managed to resist all Soviet efforts to obtain confessions through interrogations, trickery and threats of death. After 208 days, they were unexpectedly released to the American Embassy Jan. 25, 1961 on the condition the U.S. government wouldnt use the occasion for any propaganda purposes of its own. This prevented the award of any decorations to the crew at the time.

Today there is no more Soviet Union due in large part to the sacrifice of Airmen like Colonels McKone and Olmstead, Majors Palm and Posa, and Captains Phillips and Goforth, Dr. Roche said during the ceremony. We no longer need to be circumspect in recognizing the tremendous valor exhibited by these two men and their crewmates.

Im extremely honored and feel rather humbled to receive such an award, Colonel McKone said after the ceremony. Its just wonderful to be recognized by the Secretary of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and I just feel very humbled.

During their imprisonment, both men dealt with hunger, lack of sleep, constant interrogations and, in the case of Colonel Olmstead, constant physical pain from a broken back suffered while ejecting. Both men said unequivocally that if they had it all to do again, they would absolutely do it.

I felt very strongly about the mission then, and I do today, Colonel McKone said. I think its extremely important and vital to our countrys national defense.

Colonel Olmstead said he thought there werent many commanders today who would go to war without the 55th Wing.

This was a tremendous honor, Colonel Olmstead said. Actually though, it was more about the 55th Wing than it was about me or Colonel McKone. Theyve been in business a long time and are in business even as we speak here today. Im proud of all those people and Ill wear this medal proudly in their honor.