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8 November 1967 – 14 March 1973
The man: Richard Charles Brenneman was born at Mishawaka on 25 March 1942, graduated from Mishawaka High School in 1960, and became an Air Force fighter pilot. The Hall of Valor's header carries the tie in its two plainest words: "Born: Mishawaka, Indiana. Home: Mishawaka, Indiana." His Air Force service number was FV-3158661. No man in this section stands on a stronger combination of record and tie: four decorations in the register, each with its text, and a hometown that raised a marker to him. The register's four awards divide by kind, and the entry keeps the division visible: a Distinguished Flying Cross with Combat "V" and a Silver Star, which are valor awards; a Legion of Merit, which is a service decoration earned in prison; and the Prisoner of War Medal, which records the captivity itself.
The day he was lost — the Distinguished Flying Cross: On 8 November 1967, First Lieutenant Brenneman flew his first mission into North Vietnam. The citation: "The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross with Combat "V" to First Lieutenant Richard Charles Brenneman (AFSN: FV-3158661), United States Air Force, for heroism while participating in aerial flight while serving as an F-4D pilot with the 555th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand, in action against the enemy in hostile territory on 8 November 1967. On that date, Lieutenant Brenneman was flying his first mission into North Vietnam as the second element lead in a MiG screen for ingressing flights. After successfully countering a direct attack by hostile aircraft, his aircraft was hit by an air-to-air missile. All attacks by hostile aircraft were countered from reaching the strike force. Were it not for Lieutenant Brenneman's courageous and skillful efforts to remain in a protective cover position, the ingressing flights would have been endangered. The outstanding heroism and selfless devotion to duty displayed by Lieutenant Brenneman reflect great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Air Force." His aircraft went down that day, and the war's longest chapter of his life began.
The Silver Star, five days later: The second valor award was earned not in the air but in the prisons of North Vietnam, and it is dated 13 November 1967 — five days after the shootdown, in the first days of his captivity, when the new prisoners were being broken in. The citation: "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 Captain Richard Charles Brenneman (AFSN: FV-3158661), United States Air Force, for gallantry and intrepidity in action in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force, on 13 November 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. Captain Brenneman 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."
The Legion of Merit, and the distinction: For the longer conduct of the same captivity the register carries the Legion of Merit, dated to his service as a prisoner from November 1967 to November 1970: "for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam… His ceaseless efforts, by a continuous showing of resistance to an enemy who ignored all international agreements on treatment of Prisoners of War, in the extremely adverse conditions of the communist prisons of North Vietnam, demonstrated his professional competence, unwavering devotion, and loyalty to his country. Despite the harsh treatment through his long years of incarceration, he continued to perform his duties in a clearly exceptional manner which reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force." The Legion of Merit is a service decoration, and this section prints it as one; that a service decoration was earned by five years of resistance in a prison camp says more about the camp than about the medal's class. The fourth entry in the register is the Prisoner of War Medal, recording the captivity entire: 8 November 1967 to 14 March 1973, the day of his release.
The homecoming and the honors since: Mishawaka received him as few cities receive anyone. The city's own historic-marker programme — which carries a marker for him, and whose account this entry follows — records that more than two thousand well-wishers turned out and that a Community-Wide Tribute filled the Mishawaka High School gymnasium in April 1973. The marker's opening line is the city's verdict on its own record: "The most celebrated serviceman from Mishawaka during the Vietnam War was Capt. Richard Brenneman." The marker lists his Silver Star, his Legion of Merit, his Distinguished Flying Cross, and his Prisoner of War Medal. On his final rank the record disagrees with itself, and the disagreement is printed rather than settled: the city's marker programme styles him Colonel and dates his retirement from the Air Force to 1993; the POW Network's record of him gives his retirement rank as lieutenant colonel. Both statements stand as their sources give them.
Sources:
- Military Times Hall of Valor, record of Richard Charles Brenneman (hero 24132): Distinguished Flying Cross with Combat "V" citation entire; Silver Star citation entire; Legion of Merit citation entire; Prisoner of War Medal; born and home, Mishawaka, Indiana; born 25 March 1942; AFSN FV-3158661; held 8 November 1967 – 14 March 1973.
- City of Mishawaka, historic markers programme (mishawaka.in.gov): the Brenneman marker text — "most celebrated serviceman," Mishawaka High class of 1960, the decorations as listed, retired 1993 — and the homecoming account (2,000 well-wishers; Community-Wide Tribute, April 1973).
- POW Network biographical record of Brenneman (retirement as lieutenant colonel), printed beside the city's colonel without reconciliation.