Honors Vietnam War Hero Col. Bud Day, MISTY Pilots, And All
Vietnam Veterans
Medal of Honor recipients, Vietnam Veterans and POWs from around
the country will be celebrating the roll out and commemoration of
the F-100F Super Sabre jet, the first super sonic jet. This very
rare Vietnam icon will join the F-4 Phantom II, A-4 Skyhawk and
UH-1E "Huey" helicopter that the Collings Foundation flies in honor
of our Vietnam Veterans.
Col. Bud Day
No pilot was more skilled or accomplished than Bud Day,
particularly in Vietnam, where the unit he led was renowned for its
daring and successful missions into enemy airspace to destroy SAM
sites and rescue downed comrades. But on his sixty-seventh raid,
Day's F-100F jet was shot down over North Vietnam. He managed to
escape from the enemy forces that discovered him, and after and
epic three-week ordeal, he made it to South Vietnam. Just a few
miles away from safety and freedom, however, he was recaptured and
taken to the infamous Hanoi Hilton, where he quickly became one of
the leaders of the Americans held there. Those Americans included
such extraordinary figures as James Stockdale, Robbie Risner, Orson
Swindle and John McCain. And it was Bud Day who helped his fellow
soldiers survive in the most horrible conditions imaginable, who
never broke under torture, who never let them forget that they were
Americans, according to Robert Coram's book American Patriot.
The Collings Foundation's F-4 Phantom, TA-4 Skyhawk, UH-1E
"Huey" helicopter and now, the F-100F Super Sabre, represent some
of the most significant aircraft that served in the Vietnam War.
The organization flys these aircraft and make them accessible to
the general public to honor our Vietnam Veterans and to educate the
younger generations on America's longest war.
On March 29th the Collings Foundation will unveil the F-100F
Super Sabre newly painted in honor of Col. Bud Day's original
fighter. With a phenomenal backdrop of the Foundation's Wings of
Freedom tour, an AD-4 Skyraider and Vietnam Memorial aircraft, Col.
Day will fly again in "his fighter" for the first time since he was
shot down 43 years ago. In a very special event he will join an
honorary formation fly-over featuring the F-4 Phantom, TA-4
Skyhawk, T-33 Shooting Star and "Huey" helicopter. Joining him in
this honorary formation flight will be his son George Day. Other
Medal of Honor recipients such as James Flemming, Vietnam Veterans,
POWs and VIPs will make remarks commemorating this monumental
event.
The F-100F Commemoration, Vietnam Memorial fly-over and Wings of
Freedom Tour will be at Ellington Field in Houston-South located at
Collings Foundation - Houston facility, Challenger Seven Parkway.
Col. Bud Day's F-100F Commemoration Ceremony will start at 10:30
AM, Tuesday March 29th.
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