Richard Etchberger
| Richard L. Etchberger | |
|---|---|
Chief Master Sgt. Richard L. "Dick" Etchberger in Southeast Asia
|
|
| Nickname(s) | "Dick" |
| Born |
March 5, 1933 Hamburg, Pennsylvania |
| Died | March 11, 1968 (aged 35) Laos |
| Place of burial | Saint Johns Cemetery Hamburg, Pennsylvania |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1951–1968 |
| Rank |
 Chief Master Sergeant
|
| Unit | Lima Site 85 |
| Battles/wars |
Vietnam War • Battle of Lima Site 85 † |
| Awards |
Medal of Honor Air Force Cross (Upgraded to the Medal of Honor) Purple Heart |
Richard Loy Etchberger (March 5, 1933 – March 11, 1968) was a senior non-commissioned officer in the United States Air Force who posthumously received the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the Battle of Lima Site 85 in the Vietnam War. The medal was formally presented to his three sons by President Barack Obama during a ceremony at the White House on September 21, 2010.
A native of Hamburg, Pennsylvania, Etchberger graduated from Hamburg High School in 1951. He joined the Air Force on August 31 of that year, and was promoted to Chief Master Sergeant on April 1, 1967.
During the North Vietnamese invasion of Laos and the Vietnam War, Etchberger was among a group of airmen hand-picked for a classified mission: manning secret radar facilities in the Kingdom of Laos. According to the 1962 International Agreement on the Neutrality of Laos, the U.S. was to have no military facilities in that country. As such, the selectees would officially become civilians employed by Lockheed Aircraft. Etchberger was deployed to Lima Site 85, used to direct bombing missions against targets in Laos and North Vietnam. The code name for this top secret mission was “Heavy Green.” The site was staffed by sixteen 'former' airmen, including Etchberger, two CIA agents, and one forward air controller. A large force of local guerrilla Laotian and Hmong fighters of the "U.S. Secret Army" also heroically defended, and heavily engaged, the base prior to, and during, the battle.
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