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Team Goodfellow honors Medal of Honor recipients

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Anne Gathua
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  With the sound of F-22 Raptors flying overhead May 7, the ceremony dedicating two visiting officer quarters to Cols. Leo K. Thorsness and George E. "Bud" Day began.

The two Medal of Honor recipients, their wives, Gaylee Thorsness and Doris Day, and 16 Vietnam veteran aviators, and several other dignitaries were part of the ceremony hosted by Col. Thomas Geary, 17th Training Wing commander.

"We are honored to have you with us today," Colonel Geary said. "Team Goodfellow is a joint force training base with the world's best firefighting and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance professionals. We have a proud history that is exemplified in the men being honored here today. The buildings being dedicated will serve as a reminder to all future warriors of the legacy of valor and sacrifice they have inherited. Thank you for being a part of our history."

Stationed here as a student in 1953, Colonel Thorsness recalled his experience with nostalgia and said he was thrilled to be back.

"Thank you Goodfellow for the phenomenal job," he said. "You went above and beyond. It's wonderful to be here."

While deployed to Vietnam, Colonel Thorsness flew the F-105 Thunderchief on Wild Weasel missions to counter Soviet-built surface-to-air missiles. These Wild Weasel missions were vitally important but extremely dangerous.

On one such mission April 19, 1967, the colonel earned the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty, his citation noted. Colonel Thorsness was shot down, captured, tortured, denied medical attention and held as a Prisoner of War for six years in the Hanoi Hilton.

Colonel Day thanked the servicemembers for their presence at the ceremony.

"I am grateful to have this remarkable recognition, to the Air Force for providing great training and to my God," he said. "I am fortunate to live in the best country in the world."

A former flying training wing operations officer at Goodfellow, Colonel Day served two tours as a fighter-bomber pilot during the Korean War flying the F-84 Thunderjet. After Korea came Vietnam where the colonel was assigned as the first commander of Detachment 1, 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Phu Cat Air Base. The squadron, also known as Mistys was responsible for flying F-100 Super Sabre aircraft into high threat areas for Fast Forward Air Control missions.

On one of his missions Colonel Day was hit by ground fire forcing him to eject. The colonel was captured, interrogated and severely tortured. He was a POW for five years and seven months.

On March 4, 1976, President Gerald Ford awarded Colonel Day the Medal of Honor for his bravery while a captive in North Vietnam.

Colonel Day is the most decorated military officer since Gen. Douglas MacArthur and holds, among others, 50 medals earned in combat.

"Present Arms," Colonel Geary commanded the crowd in honor of the two heroes. The servicemembers and veterans in the audience, regardless of rank, saluted bringing the ceremony to an end, but history forever etched.