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Harding served as an instructor pilot and aerial demonstration pilot at
Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, until September 1962. He flew with the
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Harding then returned to
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Harding is a
Command pilot and Master parachutist in the USAF. He has over 8,000 flight hours and flown aircraft such as
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1465:"Brookville Native, Vietnam War Hero Jim Harding Served as Honorary Captain at Penn State Football Game Saturday"
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After landing began clearing enemy foxholes. He killed three North
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pilot Major Clyde D. Smith and bombardier/navigator, 1st Lt. Scott D. Ketchie, who were shot down over
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Harding returned to the U.S. in July 1967 and served as an
Instructor with Squadron Officer School at
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from
January to November 1971, and then returned to combat in Southeast Asia as the Commander of the
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His other decoration include the Royal Thai
Supreme Command Forward Badge (1st Class) of Thailand.
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combat squadron commander. Harding is one of the top 25 most decorated
American veterans.
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rifle. He successfully evaded capture by the North
Vietnamese and was rescued by
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After retiring from the Air Force, James served as
Commander of several
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276:. On graduation he was commissioned, on June 9, 1956, through the
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328:. He served as an Instructor with Squadron Officer School at
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Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
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Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States)
1416:"LIFE IS TRULY A 'GIFT FROM GOD' - Baptist & Reflector"
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Written descriptions of his medal awards can be read here:
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in Thailand, where he flew another 154 combat missions in
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and flew a total 596 missions, all in propeller aircraft.
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He served as squadron commander for a 400-person unit at
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United States Air Force personnel of the Vietnam War
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16:Retired US Air Force colonel and pilot (born 1934)
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1190:(second ribbon required for accouterment spacing)
406:He was shot down in Vietnam in 1972 northeast of
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1225:w/ Valor device and 3 bronze oak leaf clusters
1392:"Colonel James C. harding, USAF Retired - Bio"
268:team. He turned down an offer to play for the
332:from 1967 to 1971, when he began training at
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1265:Air Force Overseas Short Tour Service Ribbon
441:After Vietnam, Harding then served with the
1574:Recipients of the Gallantry Cross (Vietnam)
1441:"War hero learned to be a lifesaver at PSU"
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1272:Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon
1146:w/ 1 silver and 3 bronze oak leaf clusters
363:1972 mission to rescue Major Clyde D. Smith
215:and pilot. He served two tours, during the
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280:program which he passed with distinction.
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343:, until January 1971. Harding attended
238:Harding was born on June 27, 1934, in
1303:Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
1284:Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
425:, the others with the dead soldier's
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1524:People from Brookville, Pennsylvania
1504:Military personnel from Pennsylvania
503:football game on November 14, 2017.
272:, as well as an opportunity to work
453:, where he served until June 1976.
394:. The rescue effort is depicted in
1112:Air Force Master Parachutist Badge
324:, of which 101 missions were over
255:Bachelor of Science in Agriculture
208:(born June 27, 1934) is a retired
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1554:Recipients of the Legion of Merit
1277:Air Force Longevity Service Award
470:Air Force Junior ROTC detachments
193:Air Force Junior ROTC detachments
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1514:United States Air Force colonels
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257:. While at university he played
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128:1st Special Operations Squadron
118:1st Special Operations Squadron
1280:w/ 4 bronze oak leaf clusters
1243:National Defense Service Medal
1234:w/ 2 bronze oak leaf clusters
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1180:w/ 4 silver oak leaf clusters
1166:w/ 3 bronze oak leaf clusters
1159:and 1 bronze oak leaf cluster
242:, one of five children into a
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1549:Recipients of the Silver Star
1211:w/ 1 bronze oak leaf cluster
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1105:Air Force Command Pilot Badge
345:Air Command and Staff College
334:Air Command and Staff College
251:Pennsylvania State University
1238:Air Force Recognition Ribbon
1208:Air Force Commendation Medal
1198:w/ 1 bronze oak leaf cluster
1564:Recipients of the Air Medal
1539:American Vietnam War pilots
1499:People from Rockland, Maine
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1215:Presidential Unit Citation
1143:Distinguished Flying Cross
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162:Distinguished Flying Cross
1321:James Harding - Recipient
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371:A-1E Skyraider of 1st SOS
177:Meritorious Service Medal
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497:Penn State Nittany Lions
263:Penn State Nittany Lions
240:Brookville, Pennsylvania
65:Brookville, Pennsylvania
35:Colonel James C. Harding
1420:Baptist & Reflector
1296:Vietnam Gallantry Cross
501:Rutgers Scarlet Knights
451:Randolph Air Force Base
274:International Harvester
224:Lackland Air Force Base
210:United States Air Force
86:United States Air Force
1308:Vietnam Campaign Medal
1231:Combat Readiness Medal
507:Awards and decorations
447:England Air Force Base
410:and just south of the
402:Shoot-down and evasion
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341:Maxwell Air Force Base
330:Maxwell Air Force Base
294:MacDill Air Force Base
1445:The York Daily Record
1255:Vietnam Service Medal
416:North Vietnamese Army
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357:Douglas A-1 Skyraider
198:Royal Saudi Air Force
92:Years of service
1471:. November 14, 2017.
458:Shaw Air Force Base
318:Cessna O-1 Bird Dog
1579:Shot-down aviators
1469:exploreClarion.com
1362:"James C. Harding"
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298:313th Air Division
114:313th Air Division
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59:June 27, 1934
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1448:. Retrieved
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1424:. Retrieved
1422:. 2017-02-27
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1399:. Retrieved
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1369:. Retrieved
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1163:Purple Heart
1157:Valor device
1129:w/ 2 bronze
525:O-1 Bird Dog
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380:A-6 Intruder
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172:Purple Heart
134:Battles/wars
1489:1934 births
1152:Bronze Star
1126:Silver Star
537:A-7 Corsair
312:Vietnam War
217:Vietnam War
196:Advisor to
167:Bronze Star
152:Silver Star
138:Vietnam War
41:Nickname(s)
1483:Categories
1450:2017-12-16
1426:2017-12-16
1401:2017-12-16
1390:Neal, LB.
1371:2017-12-16
1327:References
1289:award star
517:F-86 Sabre
464:Later life
423:.38 pistol
234:Early life
226:and as an
72:Allegiance
55:1934-06-27
1195:Air Medal
1184:Air Medal
1177:Air Medal
431:U.S. Army
181:Air Medal
95:1956–1979
437:Post war
408:Qui Nhơn
266:football
261:for the
246:family.
124:Commands
80:Service/
482:Germany
474:Florida
306:Okinawa
259:lineman
213:colonel
104:Colonel
535:, and
488:, and
478:Hawaii
144:Awards
82:branch
67:, U.S.
1287:w/ 1
490:Italy
486:Texas
529:U-10
513:T-33
499:vs.
322:U-10
320:and
183:(40)
110:Unit
100:Rank
49:Born
1155:w/
472:in
445:at
427:SKS
412:DMZ
351:at
304:in
300:at
292:at
174:(4)
169:(2)
164:(9)
159:(2)
154:(3)
44:Jim
1485::
1467:.
1443:.
1418:.
1394:.
1380:^
1364:.
1351:^
539:.
531:,
527:,
523:,
519:,
515:,
492:.
484:,
480:,
476:,
418:.
398:.
359:.
336:.
308:.
57:)
1453:.
1429:.
1404:.
1374:.
53:(
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