Chester E. Eckerman - Colonel, Retired USAF, veteran of World War II, Korean War, & Vietnam War. He flew 56 combat missions in World War II, 97 helicopter rescue missions in Korea, and was in country 361 days in Vietnam. He began his career in 1942 when it was the Army Air Corps as a private and retired in 1975 after 33 years of service as a Colonel. Recipient of Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Metal, Vietnam Service with 3 Campaign Stars, Republic of Korea Metal, Meritorius Service Metal, Presidential Unit Citation with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, American Campaign Metal, National Defense Service Metal, USAF Longevity Service Award with 4 Bronze Stars, United Nations Service Metal, Air Medal with 11 Oak Leaf Clusters, USAF Outstanding Unit Award with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters, European-African Mid-East Campaign with 4 Battle Stars, Korean Service with 3 Battle Stars, Armed Forces Reserve Metal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Metal. He is my Uncle and I salute him.
