Bud day, vietnam pow and mccains cellmate, posthumously promoted to brigadier general. George everette bud day 24 february 1925 27 july 20 was a united states air force officer, aviator, and veteran of world war ii, korean war and vietnam war. Day, a medal of honor recipient and combat pilot with service in world war ii, korea. Air force colonel george bud day american fallen soldiers. He was a pow at the hanoi hilton and a bunk mate of john mccains. The vietnam veterans legacy foundation was created by a group of vietnam combat veterans and pows with the specific idea of turning around the image of the vietnam veteran. He served 30 months in the south pacific during ww ii as an enlisted member with the us marine corps.
Day tells his story, from the fastpaced life of an air force pilot to his capture and subsequent incarceration by. After being shot down in 1967, day persistently defied his captors, for which he was mercilessly tortured. Bud day, a true american hero, passed away at age 88. As of 2016, he is the only person to be awarded both the medal of honor and air force cross. They commenced torturing me again with 3 6 or 9 strokes of the fan belt every day from about july 11 or 12rhto 14 october 1969. Facebook is showing information to help you better understand the purpose of a page. Surrounded by family, colonel george day died at his home in shalimar florida. He quit high school to join the marines in 1942 and served. The major issue in the swiftboat stories is, and always has been, what john kerry did in 1971 after he returned from vietnam. John mccains cellmate, has died at the age of 88, his widow said. George bud day is one of the most highlydecorated airmen in usaf history. George day was born on february 24, 1925 in sioux city, iowa, usa as george everett day.
Some days, 24 hours is too much to stay put in, so i take the day hour by hour, moment by moment. Usaf captain bud day, 1956 serving first as a marine for 30 months in the pacific islands during wwii, bud day later became a pilot and joined the national guard. In his book duty, honor, country, day recalled one barbaric beating early in his capture. George everette day was born february 24, 1925, the second child and only son of john edward and christine day. Bud day is a veteran of more than 35 years military service. On july 27, 20, colonel george bud day, a true american hero, passed away at the age of 88. He was named george for his fathers brother and everette for one of his mothers brothers. I can handle a piece of fear, depression, anger, pain, sadness, loneliness, illness. Coram helped cement my placement of the colonel in a small, select group of truly great men this nation has produced. George bud day, a medal of honor recipient who spent 5 12 years as a pow in vietnam and was arizona sen. It was to be melted down into a statue for returning prisoners of war, i just found the letter mr.
He came back to the us and earned a law degree, then continued in the air force flying fighter jets in korea and eventually vietnam. Bud day is the nations most highly decorated soldier since general douglas macarthur. See more ideas about medal of honor recipients, medal of honor, american heroes. George bud day, medal of honor recipient and air force pilot who was shot down over vietnam and suffered over five years of brutality at the hanoi hilton where he was imprisoned with john mccain, has passed away at the age of 88. A veteran of three wars and the first commander of the misty facs, col. Colonel bud day served 30 months in the south pacific during ww ii as an. The book understandably is hawkish, making everything about war and warriors noble and righteous.
Day received the medal of honor and air force cross for his determined and selfless. He was married to doris and doris marlene sorensen. John sandman, a member of the 185th and a key figure in the naming of the bud day airfield, spoke about how col. Bud day usafret talks about richard nixons efforts to bring the pows home, and why he asked the 37th president to reaward him with the medal of honor. Sign up for free today, and start reading instantly. Col george day advanced to the rank of brigadier general. George day advanced to the rank of brigadier general u. George bud day, a medal of honor recipient who spent 5.
The following is a letter to joe scarborough and john oneil from medal of honor recipient and former pow colonel bud day. Shop for colonel bud day related autographs, signed photographs, historical documents and manuscripts from the worlds largest. John mccains cellmate, has died at the age of 88, his widow said sunday. Days conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the u. Bud and his wife doris celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary in may, and on the afternoon of his death she said, he would have died in my arms if i could have picked him up. Of the passing of such extraordinary patriots as george bud day, gen. George patton once wrote, it is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Air force has posthumously promoted medal of honor recipient col. Day was airborne over north vietnam on a forward air control mission when his fi00 was hit by enemy ground fire. Colonel day has written a book telling of his experiences in.
Bud day was senator john mccains cellmate in the hanoi hilton. Colonel bud day served 30 months in the south pacific during ww ii as an enlisted member with the us marine corps. Day was born in sioux city, iowa, on february 24, 1925. George bud day was posthumously advanced to the rank of brigadier general during a heritage to horizons summer concert series at the air force memorial in arlington, virginia, june 8, 2018. George bud day considered death a welcome possibility once or twice. It is equally humbling, as readers are surrounded by col day s unwavering strength and endless achievements.
Corams biography of colonel col retired george bud everette day is empowering. Day, i wore a bracelet with george day name on it for a few years, when mr. Service member since general douglas macarthur, having received some seventy decorations, a majority for. Marine corps from 1966 to 1971, including a tour in vietnam in 196667. The life and wars of colonel bud day, by robert coram. George everette day, known as bud, was born on feb. George bud day, medal of honor recipient and former prisoner of war, poses in midland, texas, in 2007 after being inducted into the american combat airman hall of. Day, george everette bud national aviation hall of fame. George bud day was honored june 8 during a heritage to horizons summer concert series at the air force memorial in arlington. Bud day was americas most decorated living hero, said king. Bud received the medal of honor and every available combat medal.
Vietnam prisoner of war and medal of honor recipient george day wrote this letter in 1990 on stationery from spangdahlem air base in germany about his upcoming book return with honor. In 1957 usaf captain george bud day came tdy from flying f84s at weathersfield, uk to etain ab, france to check out in the f100. Sometimes a reader is not really sure where a book stands you wont have that problem with this book. George bud day waves to the crowd at the republican national convention in st. Misty 1, col bud day, died on july 27, 20, and was buried at barrancas national cemetery at nas pensacola, florida. Day earned more than 70 medals for his service as an enlisted marine in world war ii and an.
Day should serve as an inspiration to all future airmen. On july 27, 20 america lost a great patriot and hero. He attended college after ww ii on the gi bill, acquiring a b. The navy awarded john mccain 17 medals and commendations as a naval airman and prisoner of war. George bud day considered death a welcome possibility once or twice while he was a pow at the hanoi hilton in north vietnam. America has lost one of its greatest, most inspiring military heroes and patriots. George bud day an lcms member and one of the most highly decorated military officers in u. George everett bud dayborn february 24, 1925 is a retired u. He joined the marines and fought in world war ii just after high school. He received the moh for evading capture for 10 days after being shot down.
Jul 29, 20 george everette day, known as bud, was born on feb. Bud day, but we can emulate some of his best qualities. George day colonel united states air force shot down. Air force colonel and command pilot who served during the vietnam war. Robert coram admitted it was difficult to be objective since he too had such great admiration for colonel bud day.
George day was released on march 14, 1973, and three years later both he and stockdale were awarded the medal of honor by president gerald ford. Goldfein presided over the concert and opened the series by thanking day and those who. The colonel is right at the top with george washington and ronald reagan. The late day, who received the medal of honor and the air force cross, will be among the 31 veterans. He quit high school to join the marines in 1942 and served with an antiaircraft battery on johnston island in the. Day was the subject of an august 2012 profile in the lutheran witness, 10 minutes with.
Bud day hunting with congressman steve king in iowa. Jul 27, 20 on july 27, 20, colonel george bud day, a true american hero, passed away at the age of 88. John mccain in vietnam, speaks out on the character and heroism of the man who must be elected the next president of the united states. Get free and bargain bestsellers for kindle, nook, and more. Bud day, vietnam veteran who received the medal of honor. Robert corams american patriot is the life story of air force medal of honor recipient george bud day.
George bud day was posthumously advanced to the rank of brigadier general during. Bud day, an air force fighter pilot who received the medal of honor for his valor during 5 1 2 years as a prisoner of war in vietnam, where he befriended his cellmate, the future. Bud returned to practicing law and wrote two books. His right arm was broken in 3 places, and his left knee was badly sprained. In a military career spanning 34 years and three wars, day received nearly 70 decorations and awards of which more than 50 are for combat. Air force honors vietnam hero who served in 3 wars, was john. Bud served through world war ii, the korean war, and vietnam. He was also a prisoner of war, and recipient of the medal of honor and air force cross. George everette bud day 24 february 1925 27 july 20 was a united states air force. Colonel george bud day, a medal of honor recipient, spent five years and seven months as a pow in viet nam. I break the task, the challenge, the fear into small, bitesize pieces.
He miraculously survived a nochute ejection the 1950s. The life and wars of colonel bud day 2015316067393. Jun 12, 2018 air force hero and medal of honor recipient col. George bud day is a 2016 enshrinee of the national aviation hall of fame. George day advanced to the rank of brigadier general medal of honor recipient col. Robert corams american patriot, the life and wars of colonel bud day, successfully introduces its readers to a real american war hero. Now a full colonel, he decided to remain in the air force, hoping he could. Colonel george bud day was posthumously advanced to the rank of brigadier general. Day was forced to eject from his aircraft over north vietnam when it was hit by ground fire. He was among americas most highly decorated servicemen, having received nearly 80 medals and awards, more than 50 for combat exploits.
In the end he stared it down, endured the brutality for 67 months and never betrayed his comrades or country. George day advanced to the rank of brigadier general. Buda day would later be awarded this countryas highest military awardathe medal of honor. During ejection from the stricken fighter his right arm was broken in three places and his left knee was badly sprained. He was assigned to the 562nd fbs where i was a first lieutenant also upgrading in the bird from f86s. A veteran of three wars serving as an enlisted marine in world war ii and a fighter pilot in the korean and vietnam wars, day earned 70 decorations, including more than 50 for actions in combat. Bud day was one of the nations most decorated service members, but he never forgot his roots. George bud day, received a hug during a memorial service for day at the emerald coast convention center on okaloosa island, fla. Bud day, vietnam pow and mccains cellmate, posthumously. Mccain pow cellmate speaks out on mccains heroism youtube.
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