More detail on this person: Donald Backlund
was born on November 20, 1949, in Kenosha,
Wisconsin. He entered the U.S. Air Force Academy
in 1967 and graduated and was commissioned a 2d
Lt on June 9, 1971. Backlund then received an Air
Force Institute of Technology assignment to
Indiana University for graduate studies. He then
attended Undergraduate Helicopter Training and
was awarded his pilot wings in May 1973. Lt
Backlund was assigned to the 40th Aerospace
Rescue and Recovery Squadron at Nakhon Phanom
Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, where he flew HH-53C
Jolly Green Giant helicopters from May 1973 to
June 1975. During this time, Capt Backlund
participated in the SS Mayaguez incident, the
evacuation of American personnel in Cambodia, and
the evacuation of American personnel in South
Vietnam, all in May 1975. He then served as an
instructor pilot and flight examiner with the
1551st Flying Training Squadron at Hill AFB, Utah,
and Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, from June 1975
until he was killed in a flying accident on August
29, 1979. Maj Backlund was buried at the Air Force
Academy Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
His Air Force Cross Citation reads:
The President of the United States of America,
authorized by Section 8742, Title 10, United
States Code, awards the Air Force Cross to First
Lieutenant Donald R. Backlund for extraordinary
heroism in military operations against an opposing
armed force as a Helicopter Aircraft Commander on
15 May 1975. On that date, while engaged in the
recovery of the SS Mayaguez and crew, Lieutenant
Backlund, exhibiting superb airmanship, placed a
contingent of United States Marines aboard the
destroyer escort, USS Holt. He then successfully
landed several United States Marines on Koh Tang
Island despite intense ground fire. After
escorting his wingman to the USS Coral Sea,
Lieutenant Backlund then returned to Koh Tang
Island and successfully recovered a group of
United States Marines and airmen althrough
encountering heavy, constant ground fire. Through
his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and
aggressiveness in the face of an opposing armed
force, Lieutenant Backlund reflected the highest
credit upon himself and the United States Air
Force.
From:
http://www.veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?r
ecordID=431
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 07/12/2023
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