These Stories of Valor are part of an ongoing oral history program of the Honor Project to ensure the experiences of our combat wounded and those who gave their all in the service of America are remembered for generations to come.
In 1966, Hackford flew as an F-105 pilot with the 469th TFS at Korat AB in Thailand where he flew 112 missions over North Vietnam; 36 as a Wild Weasel pilot. He returned to the U.S. as an instructor pilot, but was soon retired from flying due to injuries sustained in his shoot down over Laos in 1966.
Read MoreA member of the prominent Dockweiler family of Los Angeles, he attended Loyola High School before attending the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating 10th in his class in 1924. He later received a master of science degree in naval construction from MIT.
Read MoreI was on my first tour in Vietnam as a “Phantom” F-4 backseat pilot, assigned to the 558 Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS), 12th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW), Cam Rahn Bay AB, Republic of Viet Nam (RVN). I was scheduled to be on 15-minute day alert on 3 Sep 1968.
Read MoreStaff Sergeant Jonathon L. Porter, United States Army, heroically distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous conduct in the face of the enemy during an indirect fire attack while serving as the Weapons Sergeant for Operational Detachment-Alpha 1326, Special Operations Task Force-West, Nahr E Saraj District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan,
Read MoreMichael Pirga enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force in 1922 where he proudly served until 1957. On December 7, 1941 when Pearl Harbor came under attack, then Sergeant Pirga was in his barracks. He was buried under the collapsed building and had to be dug out by his comrades.
Read MoreDaniel Carmona was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1967, and served until 1969 with the 173rd Airborne Brigade. On November 1, 1968, SP4 Carmona's company was on an early morning mission. Carmona's platoon was moving along a trail, with Carmona third in line, when they encountered a booby trap.
Read MoreMichael Perron enlisted into the U.S. Army in 2002 and served for more than four years as a member of the 10th Mountain Division and the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Division. While serving in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom, SGT Perron received shrapnel wounds when a suicide bomber struck his platoon.
Read MoreWalter Kaczmarek enlisted in U.S. Marine Corps in June 1967 and served for nearly two years as a member of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division, including a tour in Vietnam where he was awarded two Purple Hearts.
Read MoreJames Reeff enlisted into the U.S. Marine Corps in May 1964, serving for the next four years, including a tour in Vietnam. In August 1965, Reeff was wounded in action while serving as part of Operation Starlite.
Read MoreOriginally from New York, John Grand enlisted into the U.S. Army in December 1955 and served for the next seven years before being commissioned in June 1962 and continuing to serve another 14 years. Grand did two tours in Vietnam with A and C companies, 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division operating in the Delta and Plain of Reeds areas of operations.
Read MoreSteven "Gus" Gustuson enlisted in the Navy in August 1965 and served for the next four years including deployments during Operations Sea Lords and Giant Slingshot.
Read MoreKen Teunissen was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1969 and later enlisting and serving for nearly a decade, including time in Vietnam and Berlin, Germany. In February 1970, Teunissen was providing cover fire when he suffered a shrapnel wound to his leg.
Read MoreWilliam "Billy" Dobbs enlisted in the Army in 1986, joining with the 2nd battalion, 20th Special Forces Group, serving as a Paratrooper. He later served with 101st Airborne Division, where he taught Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Warfare. In total, Dobbs served for 23 years, including Desert Storm.
Read MoreJames Battles enlisted the Army National Guard in 1991, serving for the next 23 years as a member of the 45th Infantry Division, including a deployment to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2011-12.
Read MoreJohn "Todd" Swanson enlisted into the U.S. Army in October 1967, serving for the next two years, including a tour in Vietnam.
Read MoreLuis Martinez enlisted into the U.S. Air Force in November 1996, serving for nearly 16 years as a member of the 820th Red Horse Squadron and the 99th Civil Engineering Squadron, including tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. In February 2009, while deployed to Tikrit, Iraq, Martinez was wounded when the vehicle he was traveling in struck an IED.
Read MorePatrick Burgess enlisted into the U.S. Army in June 1967, right after high school. Because he was only 17 years old, his father had to sign for him.
Read MoreNathaniel Loomis enlisted in the Idaho Army National Guard in 1998, and later attended the United States Military Academy from 2002 to 2004. He commissioned to Warrant Officer in the Idaho Army National Guard in 2016, where he is currently serving with B Co, 145th BSB, 116th CBCT.
Read MoreGlenn Boche was drafted into the U.S. Army in April 1969 and served with the 22nd Infantry Regiment, the 25th Infantry Division, while in Vietnam.
Read MoreWalter Schley enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1966 and served for more than 30 years.
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