Richard Whitesides graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Class of 1959. Captain Howard Cody, Pilot of a B-26 and his navigator, First Lieutenant Atis Lielmantis, were both shot down on the mission for which he received the Air Force Cross, and were awarded posthumous Air Force Crosses while listed as missing in action. Captain Whitesides was the only of the three Air Force Cross recipients to survive, but before it was presented he was lost during a mission on March 26, 1964, near Khe Sanh. Captain Whitesides’ remains were reported recovered on 22 April 22, 2015 by a joint US/Vietnamese search team, and he was buried at the U.S. Military Academy Cemetery in West Point, New York.
Sponsored by:
Richard
Lebrou
Whitesides
MIA (RVN) KIA
January 14, 1937
–
November 24, 1963
Cemetery:
U.S. Military Academy Post Cemetery
Awards Received
-
Air Force Cross
-
Air Force Cross
Service:
United States Air ForceRank:
CaptainBatallion:
19th Tactical Air Support SquadronRegiment:
34th Tactical GroupDivision:
Bien Hoa Air Base, VietnamAction Date:
November 24, 1963
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, United States Code, takes pride in presenting the Air Force Cross (Posthumously) to Captain Richard Lebrou Whitesides (AFSN: 55637), United States Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force as an Advisor-Pilot of an L-19 aircraft of the 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron, 34th Tactical Group, Bien Hoa Air Base, Vietnam, in action on 24 November 1963 in the Republic of Vietnam. On that date, while piloting his unprotected aircraft, Captain Whitesides directed strikes time after time against heavily fortified Viet Cong positions and marked them for destruction. Even after his aircraft was partially disabled, Captain Whitesides remained in the area, and clearly pointed out the Viet Cong large gun emplacements, which led to their destruction by cover aircraft. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of hostile forces, Captain Whitesides reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.