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Cranston Fine Arts  Aviation Art and Artists Modern Era Pilot Signatures United States D to L  Fisher, Bernard |
[UP] - Day, George - DeCarlo, Jeff - Dietz, William - Driscoll, Willie - Ferraro, Jan - Fisher, Bernard - Floyd, Howard - Foster, Hook - Gabreski, Gabby - Gilliland, Robert - Goldfein, Dave - Graham, Richard - Hartmann, Jack - Hearn, Chris - Heller, Edwin - Hunt, Pete - Jerakis, John - Kane, John - Kearns, William - Kittinger, Joe - Knight, William - Lafferty, Daniel - Lane, Mike |
USAF Colonel Bernard F Fisher
Bernie Fisher was born in San Bernardino, California in 1927. Shortly after his birth his family moved to Clearfield, Utah where the he spent his youth. In March of 1945 Fisher joined the Navy. With the end of WW 11, Bernie was discharged from the Navy, and he attended Boise Junior College, and the University of Utah. In 1951 Fisher graduated from Utah and in 1953 he received an Air Force ROTC commission. He entered the Air Force's Primary Flying School at Marana, Arizona, and later attended Basic Flying School at Williams AFB in Arizona, Instrument School at Moody AF13 in Georgia, and Day Fighter School at Tyndall AF13 in Florida. At Tyndall Fisher trained on the F-80. His first operational assignment was with the 42nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron at O'Hare Field in Chicago, flying the F-86 Sabre. Fisher attended Squadron Officer School at Maxwell AF13 in Alabama, and in 1955 was assigned to Japan as a member of the 339th Fighter Interceptor Squadron. Following his completion of Interceptor Controller School, Fisher was assigned to the 801st AC&W Squadron in Montana. By 1961 Fisher was flying the F-101B with the 29th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, and in 1963 was transferred to the 319th where he piloted the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. During this assignment he performed two successful dead stick landings with the F-104 after experiencing engine failures at altitude. This unusual feat earned Fisher the Air Medal. In early 1965 following his promotion to Major, Fisher volunteered for duty in Vietnam. His primary assignment in Vietnam was to train Vietnamese Air Force pilots in the Al-E Skyraider. However, many combat mission ensued, including the daring rescue mission in the A Shau Valley in March of 1966, for which Fisher was awarded the Medal of Honor. In August of 1966 Fisher was reassigned to the 496th Fighter Interceptor Squadron in Germany where he flew the Convair F-102. Fisher commanded the 525th FIS and the 87th FIS where he flew the F-106. His final assignment with the Air Force prior to his retirement was as Air Guard Group Adviser to the 191st FS in Boise, Idaho. Col. Fisher flew for a commuter airline for several years while working his family farm in Idaho. His many decorations, awards, and medals include the Distinguished Flying Cross, the World War 11 Victory Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon, the National Defense Service Medal, the Combat Readiness Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, to name only a few. Married to the former Realla Jane Johnson, Colonel Fisher has six sons, three of whom have served in the United States Air Force. The Fishers lived in Kuna, Idaho. Bernie Fisher died on 16th August 2014.
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| Medal of Honor |
| USAF Colonel Bernard F Fisher - Signed Aviation Art |
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| Text for the above items : |
Downed but not Forgotten by Stan Stokes. Douglas Aircraft delivered to the Navy Test Center an aircraft for testing in April 1945. This aircraft would prove to be the last of the great single engine propeller driven warbirds. Its simplicity of maintenance, excellent flight characteristics, and overall performance were all rated very good to excellent. In May, with WW II still underway the Navy entered a production order for 600 aircraft. In 1946 the aircraft was renamed the Skyraider. Powered by a 2,500 HP R-3350-24W engine turning a 4-bladed 13.5 foot prop the AD-1 Skyraider was capable of carrying 4,000 pounds of bombs and/or wing loaded rockets. Improvements continued with future variants, and when equipped with a 3,020 HP power plant, the Skyraiders payload capacity increased to a whopping 6,500 pounds, with a top speed of 328 knots. As one of the largest single engine propeller aircraft ever built, the Skyraider saw plenty of action during the Korean conflict. The AD-6 variant was produced in quantity (713), and saw plenty of service in Vietnam with the Navy, Marine Corps., USAF, and Vietnam Air Force. Despite the availability of high performance jet aircraft, the Skyraider proved its value on numerous occasions in Vietnam by providing close in support of ground troops. Colonel Bernard Fisher is depicted in Stan Stokes painting during a mission in the A Shau Valley on March 10, 1966. A US Special Forces camp had faced several days of heavy attack by a large force of North Vietnamese troops, who had brought in ack-ack guns in anticipation of Air Force support. The monsoon season was still underway, and the North Vietnamese knew that this would also hinder American air support. Jet aircraft were of little use due to the low ceilings, and an AC-47 gunship and helicopter had both been downed while making low passes. A1-E Skyraiders from the 1st Air Commando Squadron at Pleiku were scrambled to support the Special Forces. During the second day in support of the A Shau battle, one Skyraider, piloted by Col. Dafford Jump Myers, was severely damaged, and in flames. The only alternative was an emergency landing on the airstrip in the lower-valley camp. Fisher, guided the stricken aircraft in for a belly landing. Failing to jettison his 300 gallon drop tank, Myers Skyraider landed in a ball of flame as it skidded down the make shift runway. Myers successfully escaped the burning wreckage, but was within yards of enemy ground forces. Fisher and several other Skyraiders made several low passes laying down strafing fire and dropping ordnance. With any chance of helicopter rescue many minutes away, Col. Fisher took matters into his own hands and landed his own aircraft on the damaged and refuse-laden landing strip, successfully rescuing his downed comrade. Fishers Skyraider received 19 bullet holes, and for his heroic efforts Col. Fisher became the first USAF officer to receive the Medal of Honor in Southeast Asia. Col. Fisher now resides in Idaho. |
Citation for the Medal of Honor :
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. On that date, the special forces camp at A Shau was under attack by 2,000 North Vietnamese Army regulars. Hostile troops had positioned themselves between the airstrip and the camp. Other hostile troops had surrounded the camp and were continuously raking it with automatic weapons fire from the surrounding hills. The tops of the 1,500-foot hills were obscured by an 800 foot ceiling, limiting aircraft maneuverability and forcing pilots to operate within range of hostile gun positions, which often were able to fire down on the attacking aircraft. During the battle, Maj. Fisher observed a fellow airman crash land on the battle-torn airstrip. In the belief that the downed pilot was seriously injured and in imminent danger of capture, Maj. Fisher announced his intention to land on the airstrip to effect a rescue. Although aware of the extreme danger and likely failure of such an attempt, he elected to continue. Directing his own air cover, he landed his aircraft and taxied almost the full length of the runway, which was littered with battle debris and parts of an exploded aircraft. While effecting a successful rescue of the downed pilot, heavy ground fire was observed, with 19 bullets striking his aircraft. In the face of the withering ground fire, he applied power and gained enough speed to lift-off at the overrun of the airstrip. Maj. Fisher's profound concern for his fellow airman, and at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Air Force and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.
| USAF Colonel Bernard F Fisher Aircraft details |
 Delta Dart Manufacturer : Convair Built : 340 | Delta Dart F-106 |
 Sabre Manufacturer : North American Built : 11787 | Sabre The North American Aviation F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet Fighter. The F-86 Sabre is best known for its role during the Korean War role where it was pitted against the Soviet MIG 15. With speeds often nudging the sound barrier, and performing combat manoeuvres at 600 m.p.h. imposing crushing G-forces, the F-86 pilots ran up a spectacular kill ratio of 8:1 against the MiGs. Although developed in the late 1940s and outdated by the end of the 1950s, the Sabre proved adaptable and continued as a front line fighter in air forces until the last active front line examples were retired by the Bolivian Air Force in 1994. More than 7,800 Sabres aircraft were built between 1949 and 1956, in the United States, Japan and Italy. It was by far the most-produced Western jet fighter, with total production of all variants at 9,860 units. |
| USAF Colonel Bernard F Fisher Squadron details |
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