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 Last Update: Thursday, April 17, 2008

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Air Force Cross Recipient
 

Attention to orders. Citation to accompany the award of the Air Force Cross to Major Philip J. Conran



 


The Air Force Cross is presented to Philip J. Conran, Major, U.S. Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force as Aircraft Commander of a CH-3E helicopter at a classified location in Southeast Asia on 6 October 1969. On that date, while attempting to rescue the crew of a downed helicopter, Major Conran's aircraft was hit by intense hostile ground fire and he was forced to make a crash landing in the vicinity of the other aircraft. Once on the ground, he successfully evacuated his aircraft and assumed a major role in defending the crash site against an overwhelming hostile force until rescue was possible six hours later. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of hostile fire, Major Conran reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

 

Note: Major Conran was assigned to the 21st Special Operations Squadron. He was flying a CH-3 using the callsign "Knife 62." Another CH-3 (Knife 61) was attempting to infil friendly indigenous troops into an STOL site in Laos. When Knife 61 landed to do the infil, it was disabled by enemy fire and it's crew abandoned the aircraft and joined the troops they had just infiltrated. Major Conran then attempted to rescue the downed crewmembers and was shot down during the attempt. Read more about his Air Force Cross mission  HERE.       You will have to use your browsers back button to return here.
   

 
 

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