At last……

       

Richard Etchberger holds the Medal of Honor that was presented posthumously to his father Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Richard L. Etchberger, by President Barack Obama during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2010. Etchberger received the honor for his heroic actions in combat in Laos on March 11, 1968, after deliberately exposing himself to enemy fire in order to put his wounded comrades in rescue slings permitting them to be airlifted to safety.… Read more » 

              

Above, step-son Steve Wilson, and sons Corey and Richard Etchberger (l-r), react as they receive their father’s Medal of Honor during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington. Etchberger earned The Medal for his heroic actions in combat in Laos on March 11, 1968, after deliberately exposing himself to enemy fire in order to put his wounded comrades in rescue slings permitting them to be airlifted to safety.… Read more »

Above, Robert Etchberger, left, places a wreath a at memorial to his brother with John David, one of the men of the 1st Combat Evaluation Group the chief saved in Laos. The darker circle under Richard Etchberger's name was left blank in case his Air Force Cross is upgraded to a Medal of Honor.

       

At left are Etchberger’s parents with a photo of their son early in his Air Force career.

For more details on Chief Etchberger’s action, see my post on Lima Site 85

and…

Air Force Time story.