"Killer scouts" and other pilots from Hill Air Force Base whose daring helped win the Persian Gulf war earlier this year have been presented with medals.
Forty-five pilots from Hill's 388th Tactical Fighter Wing were singled out for medals, which were awarded in a ceremony at the base last week.The Distinguished Flying Cross was earned by 24 Hill fliers. Twenty-five Air Medal awards were given, four of them to men who also won the flying cross.
The Distinguished Flying Cross is awarded for unusual acts of heroism or extraordinary achievement in aerial flight. The Air Medal is given for meritorious achievement while in flight, or specific acts of heroism above and beyond what is expected of professional airmen.
"The 388th flew some of the most demanding and dangerous missions during the gulf war," said Capt. Jennifer Fay of the wing's public affairs office.
The unit developed tactics for the newest high-technology weapon in the pilot's arsenal, the Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) system. This night-vision system saw its first combat missions during Operation Desert Storm.
Also, 388th pilots developed and flew "killer scout" missions, the only unit in the theater to do so, she said. "These missions involved up to five hours in the combat zone, the most time for any pilots, while directing up to 124 air strikes per sortie," Fay said.
The following decorations were awarded:
Distinguished Flying Cross: Lt. Col. Andrew D. Perona, Lt. Col. Terry R. Adams (retired), Lt. Col. Thomas G. Rackley, Lt. Col. Mark A. Welsh III, Maj. James D. Collins, Maj. Donald C. Moore, Maj. Ronald C. Olson, Capt. Jeffrey M. Arkell, Capt. Orlando L. Cisneros, Capt. Robert L. Craig, Capt. William O. Craig, Capt. Dean R. Fair, Capt. Robert B. Hertberg, Capt. Michael S. O'Grady, Capt. Phillip A. Oppenheimer, Capt. Douglas P. Podkin, Capt. Edward J. Rinke, Capt. Scott E. Rounds, Capt. Marcel T. Schmidt, Capt. George W. Stillman, Capt. Scobey G. Suddreth, Capt. Daniel L. Swayne, Capt. Gregory W. Tapay and Capt. Christopher P. Weggeman.
Air Medal: Lt. Col. Terry R. Adams (retired), Maj. Donald C. Moore, Capt. Jeffrey M. Arkell, Capt. Edward J. Rinke, Capt. Robin M. Adam, Capt. Lex Brockington, Capt. Stanley J. Colgate, Capt. John C. Colombo, Capt. Bruce P. Hamilton, Capt. Scott E. Hill, Capt. Stephen T. Lambert, Capt. Mark M. Lankford, Capt. Mark E. Miller, Capt. James E. Palmer, Capt. Eric Pell, Capt. James A. Riess, Capt. Randall E. Roberts, Capt. Thomas J. Schaub, Capt. Russ E. Smith, Capt. John W. Specht, Capt. Roland P. Wright, Capt. Timothy C. Bopp, Capt. Steven S. Ferris, Capt. William K. Perry and 1st Lt. Brett D. Hansen.
Four of the men honored - Perona, Bopp, Ferris and Perry - were not able to attend the ceremony and will receive their awards later.