5:1 Air Commando One, Final Bag Drag

On Tuesday, 29 June 2010, Congressman Robert Aderholt of Alabama and relative of Brigadier General Harry “Heinie” Aderholt paid tribute to Heinie in The House of Representatives. Heinie passed on 20 May 2010, almost 8 years to the day of his wife, Jessie’s passing. “Surrounded by family, loyal friends, and his devoted caregiver, Jamie Newman, Heinie passed away at his Okaloosa County, Florida home.” General Aderholt pioneered Air Force Special Operations and developed the first Air Commando Unit in the US Air Force in the 1960’s. A memorial ceremony in honor of Heinie was held at the Hurlburt Field Soundside Club, Friday, 02 July. In attendance were Airmen from throughout the Air Force, Medal of Honor Recipient Colonel George “Bud” Day, and General Norton Schwartz, Air Force Chief of Staff. Gen Schwartz stated, “with his passing, our nation has lost a storied member of the greatest nation, a visionary leader of combat air power, and a founding father of modern special operations.” “In the time we have today, it would be impossible to cover even the best of his wartime stories, his finest qualities, or his most notable accomplishments,” Gen Schwartz said.

It’s apparent that I too will not be able to note all of Heinie’s accomplishments or his career in a blog(reference video), yet I will give it my best to pay tribute to the legend.  Born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1920, he joined the military through the Aviation Cadet Program and graduated from pilot training as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army Air Corps in 1943. General Aderholt flew the B-17 and the C-47 during WWII and is also a Veteran of the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He began his career in the Air Special Warfare arena in 1948 upon his graduation from the Air Tactical School at Tyndall AFB and two years later, commanded a Special Air Warfare Detachment of the 21st Troop Carrier Squadron during the Korean War. With Air Intelligence Service Group, Tactical and Operations, Unconventional Warfare, and Special Warfare staff officer experience behind him, in 1960, he departed for Okinawa to become Commander of the 1095th Operational Evaluation Training Group. This is where Heinie was able to contribute to the pioneering of Special Air Warfare techniques.

General Aderholt assigned as a Special Advisor to the Commander of the US Air Force Special Air Warfare Center at Eglin AFB 1962-1964 contributed and participated in RAND Corporation studies, which resulted in the publication of the Single Integrated Attack Team Study. The study proposed a tactic for close air support in operations and in particular for the war in Vietnam, involving small aggressive ground units, closely supported by airborne visual reconnaissance and strike (SIAT, A Concept for Offensive Military Operations in South Vietnam).

There are other stories that Heinie was a part of that are left to be talked about in taverns and behind closed doors but the newspaper of the Hmong Community quoted him in their article: “However, Aderhold said of the Hmong,” "If we'd had a policy, they would not have been left behind. Whatever it took, we would have had a war plan to bring the airplanes in and kick the s-t out of whoever was there-or even if we had to threaten an atomic bomb and bring them out. But what about the Montagnards? What about the Tibetans? What about all the others??? Every country in Southeast Asia, we've betrayed ... Americans that knew the situation was over there wanted to win that war, wanted to see that the Hmong were not left behind (pg. 161)." You see, in all the internet writings, articles, and biographies of General Aderholt, the majority fail to mention that Heinie was part of the “bigger” picture in Vietnam. That a seemingly small community of people from Laos would recognize him in their online paper is something to note. The Hmong people were an integral part of the US Forces stationed in Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia—Hmong soldiers were trained to be pilots and flew for the Air Force. Aderholt skeptical, later accepted the Hmong as full fledged members of his team and operations.

Even after his service, Heinie was recognized by the noncommissioned officers of AFSOC by inducting him into the AFSOC Order of the Sword, the third person to be inducted. NCO’s recognized Heinie for his distinct service, leadership, that they hold him in high esteem and was deserving of the honor in 2001. It is unknown as to where his burial will take place—once I find this out, I will post.

Source Story: Air Force News, Air Force Bio

Photo Source: Heinie in the Jet, Heinie in his Blues