1967: Captain Hilliard A. Wilbanks (left, standing), 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron, flying an unarmed Cessna O-1 Bird Dog as a FAC near Dalat, South Vietnam. Wilbanks sacrificed his life providing air support to a forward element of South Vietnamese Rangers. Firing his rifle and dropping flares from the aircraft windows, he distracts enemy ground forces but is mortally wounded by ground fire, crashing between the enemy and the Rangers.
