Info Sheet - Ronald A. Radcliffe
Army Aviation News Article below Click Here
Stars & Stripes Newspaper Article below Click Here and Comments by Bruce Riddle
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Ronald A. Radcliffee was born on February 13, 1944, in Lincoln, Nebraska, to David and Elizabeth Radcliffe. He lived in Lincoln until his parent's divorce prompted a move to Chicago, Illinois, where he attended school until midway throughout his high school years.
On the day he turned 17, Ronald dropped out of high school and enlisted in the U.S. Army, departing for basic training as an infantryman. After nearly six years in the army, Radcliffe was selected for Officer Candidate School and was sent to Ft. Benning, Georgia, to complete the training and obtain his commission.
Graduating as an infantry officer on May 2, 1968, he chose to fly helicopters and was sent to flight school at Ft. Rucker, Alabama.
Radcliffe was deployed to Vietnam and by February 1972, was serving with Troop F, 4th Cavalry Regiment stationed at Long Binh. Troop F had been created out of Troop D, 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment upon the departure of its parent unit, the 25th Infantry Division, from Vietnam.
He is a highly decorated U.S. Army veteran and aviator recognized for his extraordinary heroism during the Vietnam War. He was recently inducted into the Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA) Hall of Fame in April 2024.
See the many stories of his heroism.
Info below was from the book "African American War Heros" by James A. Martin:
His awards: The Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, six Distinguished Flying Crosses, 4 Purple Hearts, 2 bronze Stars, 2 Army Commendation Medals, 1 Air Metal with “V” device, 58 Air Medals for flying over 1900 hours of combat assault flight time in Vietnam, 2 Vietnamese Crosses of Gallantry one with palm, The Vietnam Service Medal, The Vietnam Campaign Medal, and The Chicago Medal of Merit from Mayor Daley in 1972
Following his service, he held leadership roles in the private sector, notably as a Vice President for international military sales at Pratt & Whitney.
The Distinguished Service Cross Citation.
Army Aviation News Article - 1973
Frank Dillion found this article on the inside back cover of an Aviation Magazine in 1973
More on Ron Radcliffe by Bruce Riddle:
...... Before Quang Tri, from Lai Kay, Radcliffe was sent to the Cambodian border to recon. He reported back that he had found fresh tank tracks of Russian T-76 and T54's exiting a water hole. No one believed him. He drew a picture of what the tracks looked like to prove his point. The man was an amazing scout!
........Upon exiting Cambodia on a recon flight Riddle was just ahead of Radcliffe and saw 37mm explosions about 200 feet above his aircraft. Radcliffe responded that the 37mm could not shoot any lower than that. So he turned around very low level and took out the 37mm gun. He took the data plates off the dead 37 and gave them to Riddle. Russian markings and all. Over the years someone stole them from him. What a scout!