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military operations against an opposing armed force during August 1967, while a
Prisoner of War in North Vietnam. Ignoring international agreements on treatment of prisoners of war, the enemy resorted to mental and physical cruelties to obtain information, confessions, and propaganda materials. Lieutenant Colonel Keirn resisted their demands by calling upon his deepest inner strengths in a manner which reflected his devotion to duty and great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.
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260:, in the first loss of a US aircraft to a Vietnamese SAM. Keirn ejected successfully from his stricken aircraft and was captured. His bombardier/navigator Captain Roscoe H. Fobair failed to eject and was killed; his remains were recovered in 2001. During his captivity, Keirn was one of 52 Americans forced to participate in the
985:
The
President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 8, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lieutenant Colonel Richard P. Keirn, United States Air Force, for gallantry and intrepidity in action in connection with
264:, a propaganda event held in July 1966 in which U.S. POWs were marched through the streets of Hanoi and brutally beaten by North Vietnamese civilians. He was released on 12 February 1973 as a part of
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was shot down on his first mission and he was held as a prisoner of war in Nazi
Germany from 11 September 1944 to 5 May 1945.
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279:, and served as Assistant Director and as Director of Operational Services, Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Headquarters
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Upon return to the United States, Keirn returned to flying status with the Air Force, flying both the
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Captain Keirn volunteered for duty in
Vietnam and in July 1965 deployed with the
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Colonel Keirn's major military awards and decorations include:
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before returning to the active Air Force in
December 1956.
183:. He was one of two United States service members to be a
1047:
Gradual
Failure: The air war over North Vietnam 1965–1966
287:, South Carolina, from 23 April 1975 to 30 June 1976.
1178:
Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France)
1118:
United States Air Force personnel of the
Vietnam War
290:
951:Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
874:(second ribbon required for accouterment spacing)
195:and was the first US airman to be shot down by a
1099:
870:European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
858:European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
1173:World War II prisoners of war held by Germany
1043:
980:Date of Action: August 15 – November 15, 1967
252:#63-7599 was shot down by a North Vietnamese
230:Following World War II, Keirn served in the
223:flight officer during World War II, Keirn's
1123:American prisoners of war in World War II
965:
1100:
932:Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
1017:
1015:
817:Air Force Presidential Unit Citation
1133:Military personnel from Akron, Ohio
1023:"Valor awards for Richard P. Keirn"
971:Lieutenant Colonel Richard P. Keirn
256:45 miles (72 km) northeast of
214:
175:(29 July 1924 – 22 May 2000) was a
13:
235:164th Fighter Interceptor Squadron
207:Keirn was born on 29 July 1924 in
14:
1189:
1148:Recipients of the Legion of Merit
1012:
915:Air Force Longevity Service Award
248:, Thailand. On 24 July 1965, his
1168:United States Air Force colonels
901:Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
826:Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
807:Joint Service Commendation Medal
737:
730:
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977:Prisoner of War (North Vietnam)
789:and 3 bronze oak leaf clusters
291:Military awards and decorations
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1037:
995:Keirn was married with a son,
918:w/ 4 bronze oak leaf clusters
891:National Defense Service Medal
820:w/ 2 bronze oak leaf clusters
796:w/ 4 bronze oak leaf clusters
246:Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base
242:47th Tactical Fighter Squadron
199:(SAM) during the Vietnam War.
1:
1153:Recipients of the Silver Star
1050:. DIANE Publishing. pp.
1044:Van Staaveren, Jacob (2002).
1005:
776:w/ 2 bronze oak leaf cluster
221:United States Army Air Forces
202:
93:United States Army Air Forces
1163:Vietnam War prisoners of war
812:Air Force Commendation Medal
7:
1138:Recipients of the Air Medal
909:w/ 4 bronze campaign stars
10:
1194:
922:Armed Forces Reserve Medal
879:World War II Victory Medal
773:Distinguished Flying Cross
148:Distinguished Flying Cross
990:
861:w/ 1 silver and 2 bronze
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179:and fighter pilot in the
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33:
25:
18:
751:USAF Command Pilot Badge
73:Florida Memorial Gardens
884:Medal for Humane Action
853:American Campaign Medal
848:Army Good Conduct Medal
232:Ohio Air National Guard
181:United States Air Force
97:United States Air Force
988:
958:Vietnam Campaign Medal
841:Combat Readiness Medal
197:surface-to-air missile
997:professional wrestler
983:
906:Vietnam Service Medal
831:Prisoner of War Medal
103:Years of service
1076:"MIA Mystery Solved"
966:Silver Star citation
266:Operation Homecoming
285:Shaw Air Force Base
219:While serving as a
1158:Shot-down aviators
1128:Aviators from Ohio
954:w/ Palm and Frame
173:Richard Paul Keirn
63:Melbourne, Florida
1080:Los Angeles Times
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153:Bronze Star Medal
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1025:. Military Times
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768:oak leaf cluster
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277:RF-4C Phantom II
215:Air Force career
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20:Richard P. Keirn
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763:Legion of Merit
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281:Ninth Air Force
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185:prisoner of war
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143:Legion of Merit
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1082:. 1 April 2001
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60:(aged 75)
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273:O-2 Skymaster
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82:United States
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44:July 29, 1924
36:
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24:
17:
1084:. Retrieved
1079:
1070:
1046:
1039:
1027:. Retrieved
994:
984:
945:
938:
896:service star
873:
836:service star
834:w/ 1 bronze
793:Purple Heart
787:Valor device
766:w/ 1 bronze
294:
270:
250:F-4C Phantom
239:
229:
218:
206:
189:World War II
172:
171:
125:World War II
121:Battles/wars
58:(2000-05-22)
56:May 22, 2000
1113:2000 deaths
1108:1924 births
1086:1 September
1029:1 September
1000:Steve Keirn
782:Bronze Star
758:Silver Star
262:Hanoi March
209:Akron, Ohio
193:Vietnam War
164:Steve Keirn
139:Silver Star
129:Vietnam War
47:Akron, Ohio
26:Nickname(s)
1102:Categories
1006:References
925:w/ silver
203:Early life
79:Allegiance
40:1924-07-29
942:with Palm
800:Air Medal
160:Relations
106:1942–1976
946:(France)
191:and the
87:Service/
177:colonel
115:Colonel
1058:
991:Family
275:, and
135:Awards
89:branch
69:Buried
894:w/ 1
258:Hanoi
254:SAM-2
166:(son)
1088:2016
1056:ISBN
1054:–4.
1031:2016
225:B-17
111:Rank
53:Died
34:Born
1052:163
785:w/
244:to
155:(2)
150:(3)
145:(2)
29:Pop
1104::
1078:.
1014:^
283:,
268:.
211:.
1090:.
1064:.
1033:.
42:)
38:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.