Dale E. Stovall
For his efforts in rescuing Locher, Stovall was awarded the Air Force Cross, which described how "he willingly returned to this high threat area, braving intense ground fire, to recover the downed airman from deep in North Vietnam."."[9] His transmissions left some Americans who did not hear his call in doubt about the authenticity of his message, and they believed that the People's Army of Vietnam may have manipulated a POW into impersonating him, setting a trap for the would-be rescuers.The citation reads in part:[1] ...Captain Stovall with superior airmanship and personal courage, repeatedly volunteered to fly as co-pilot of an HH-53C helicopter into an extremely hostile area in the rescue of a downed airman.During this period, Captain Stovall, voluntarily and at great risk to his own life, repeatedly penetrated an extremely hostile and heavily defended area to effect the rescue of a downed American airman.Braving intense anti-aircraft artillery, he defiantly orbited his aircraft for over forty minutes in this extremely hostile area to assist in the successful recovery of the downed pilot.Stovall was recognized again six months later on December 6, 1972, and received the Distinguished Flying Cross with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster.
ToppenishWashingtonUnited States of AmericaUnited States Air ForceBrigadier GeneralVietnam WarAir Force CrossSilver StarDistinguished Flying CrossJabara Awardsearch and rescue40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery SquadronRoger LocherNorth VietnamSoutheast AsiaToppenish, WashingtonU.S. Air Force AcademyOperation LinebackerShenyang J-6weapons officerevaded captureSteve RitchiePeople's Army of VietnamNakhon Phanom Royal Thai Navy BaseThailandJohn Vogt7th Air ForceEB-66sF-105G WeaselsYên Bái Air Baseoak leaf clusterDefense Superior Service MedalLegion of Merit"V" deviceMeritorious Service MedalAir MedalAir Force Presidential Unit CitationAir Force Outstanding Unit AwardNational Defense Service Medalservice starArmed Forces Expeditionary MedalVietnam Service Medalcampaign starsAir Force Longevity Service Awardbronze starAir Force Training RibbonRepublic of Vietnam Gallantry CrossRepublic of Vietnam Campaign Medal