More detail on this person: The following Hall
of Fame nomination resulting in Harlan C. Nupen
being inducted in the South Dakota Aviation Hall
of Fame. This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site:
03/10/2024
Copyright © 1998 - 2024 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association
South Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame, 424 Aviation
Place, Spearfish, SD 57783
April 25, 2004
Dear Sirs,
Please accept this nomination of Harlan C. Nupen
for the South Dakota Aviation
Hall of Fame. I hope to show within this letter,
and the accompanying documents, that Harlan
Nupen was a devoted pilot and a servant of freedom
who constantly showed personal courage,
professional excellence and a total commitment to
his country and fellow man.
Harlan was born in Hudson, South Dakota on
October 30, 1936. He grew up on
a farm just west of Lake Norden where hard work
and being a 'man of your word' was instilled
within him. It was during his college years at
South Dakota State University where others saw
within Nupen qualities of leadership and military
potential. With encouragement from professors and
friends he joined the Arnold Air Society, an
advanced Air Force ROTC organization.
Upon graduation from college, Nupen entered active
duty in the United States
Air Force and received his pilot training at Vance
Air Force Base near Enid, Oklahoma. Throughout
the next eight years he was trained to fly KC-97
Refuelers, KC-135s, B-52 Bombers and ultimately
the air machine that brought out the defining
moments in his life, the UH-1F Huey Helicopter.
UH-1s were the backbone of Air Assault forces
during the Vietnam War. The
20th SOS (Special Operation Squadron) Green
Hornets were the only unit that used these types
of helicopters in Vietnam. Both the UH-1F and
UH-1P helicopters were equipped with 7.62mm
mini-guns and rockets. This SOS unit, of which
Nupen was a part, was sometimes used for
classified missions into Laos and Cambodia. Due to
the classified nature of their missions, these
Huey's carried no markings other than their serial
numbers and a Green Hornet insignia on the tail
boom. (See the photograph enclosed.)
Before being assigned to Vietnam in 1967, Nupen
completed a considerable
number of aerial flights into the rugged and
hazardous terrain within the Rocky and Glacier
Mountains. It was during this time he learned what
his tent mates in Vietnam referred to as "coming
in low, hot and close to the trees." During his
command within the 20th Special Operation
Squadron, he taught this technique to new pilots
coming into the unit. According to Nupen's
colleagues, it saved the lives of many pilots,
gunners and soldiers.
Nupen was awarded his first Distinguished Flying
Cross for extraordinary achievement during the TET
Offensive of 1968. On February 1st, Nupen and his
crew were awakened by an enemy invasion of Ban
Me Thuot. He commandeered a Jeep and fought his
way to the helicopter pad. Nupen and another
gunship were able to lift off and see entire
sections of the city were occupied by the enemy.
An entire city block, containing approximately 125
Marines, was completely surrounded and was sure
to be overrun. With extremely accurate rocket
launches and repeated mini-gun passes, through
heavy automatic weapons fire, Nupen and the
second gunship were able to drive the enemy from
the area and were given full credit for saving the
lives of the US troops.
Nupen's second Distinguished Flying Cross was
awarded while flying in support
of a long range reconnaissance patrol. The patrol
came under heavy attack and was surrounded by
the hostile forces. Nupen didn't realize that both
mini-guns on on the airship were malfunctioning
until they were in full attack position. Despite
this malfunction, he flew in over the enemy making
it look like he was going to fire on them and drew
the gun fire towards him. These dry firing passes
changed the attention of the enemy away from the
patrol. Learning that the hostile force was within
100 meters of the troops, Nupen made a highly
accurate rocket pass that disorganized the hostile
force and allowed another helicopter to land and
rescue the men.
Nupen completed over 1500 sorties during his one
year term in Vietnam, including assisting in a
rescue of a downed F-100 pilot in Cambodia. Nupen
often wrote of his devotion to country and his
mission in Vietnam. One letter stated, "...when
I'm airborne on a mission, (I think) of what I'd
miss if I didn't come back...It's great incentive
to fly and fight my best."
In 1971 Harlan Nupen and his brothers initiated a
memorial scholarship fund at
South Dakota State University honoring the schools
graduates killed in the Vietnam War and all men
and women who served in Southeast Asia. This
scholarship, still in existence today, selects
it's freshman recipients based on their actions of
patriotism and need.
During the 1972 flood in Rapid City, Nupen flew
many search and rescue missions for those caught
up in the disaster and he shuttled numerous local,
state and national dignitaries over the damaged
flood area.
Harlan Nupen retired from active military duty in
1978 at Ellsworth Air Force
Base. During his 20 year military career he earned
and was awarded the following medals and
citations:
Distinguished Flying Cross with one oak leaf
cluster
Air Medal with twelve oak leaf clusters
Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf
clusters
Presidential Citation
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with Valor and
two oak leaf clusters
Air Force Longevity Service Award with four oak
leaf clusters
National Defense Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Vietnam Service Medal with nine bronze stars
Meritorious Service Medal
Combat Readiness Medal with three oak leaf
clusters
RVN Cross of Gallantry with Palm and four bronze
stars
Vietnam Campaign Medal
After a stellar career in the Air Force, Nupen
became part owner of the
Rushmore Range where he acted as a
Marksmanship Instructor for rifle, pistol and
shotgun. He was committed to teaching young and
old the true meaning of the 'right to bear arms'
concept and the proper manner to handle this
responsibility. He was a lifetime member of both
the National Rifle Association and the South
Dakota Shooting Sports Association. Nupen
participated in and won numerous area
competitions.
Harlan also continued his academic education and
in 1980 obtained a Master's Degree in Education,
with a major field of study in Counseling,
Guidance and
Personnel Services from South Dakota State
University. At this time he opened Black Hills
Counseling and began accepting patients. The
business operated until his death in 1988.
Harlan C. Nupen passed away on May 1, 1988 and
his interment is at Black Hills National Cemetery,
Sturgis, South Dakota.
With his exemplary Air Force flying career, and
his continued efforts to promote good citizenship
and patriotism in those around him, Harlan C.
Nupen is a worthy candidate for the South Dakota
Aviation Hall of Fame.
Thank you for your consideration,
Valerie Praytor, Daughter of Harlan C. Nupen
Harlan C. Nupen served in Vietnam from November
19, 1967 through November 2, 1968 as Sq Pilot
UH-1F, 20 Heli Sq, Nha Trang AB, RVN (PACAF).
The unit was redesignated as the 20 Special
Operations Sq in 1968. (This information was
provided from the National Personnel Records
Center.) From Vietnam he was assigned to Clark
AFB in the Philippines as Wg Pilot and then
Senior Coordinator of the 6200 ABWg. We lived on
Clark AFB for two years.
Harlan passed away on May 1, 1988 of a heart
attack.
Obituary:
Services for Harlan C. Nupen, 51, Rapid City, will
be 10 a.m. Friday at Osheim-Catron Funeral Home
with the Rev. Tim Purcell officiating.
Nupen died Sunday, May 1, 1988, at Bryant. Burial,
with military honors, will be in Black Hills
National Cemetery near Sturgis. Visitation at the
funeral home will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday. A
memorial fund has been established for his
children.
He was born Oct. 30, 1936, at Hudson to Clarence
and Honore Nupen. He grew up and attended
schools at Bryant, Hayti and Lake Norden.
He served in the Air Force from August 1958 to
August 1978. Nupen retired with the rank of
Lieutenant Colonel. During his military service he
was stationed at McDill Air Force Base in Florida,
Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Michigan, Sheppard
Air Force Base in Texas, Ellsworth Air Force Base
in South Dakota, in Vietnam in 1967 and 1968, and
Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. He
returned to Ellsworth in 1970.
Nupen was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Air Medal with 12
Oak Leaf Clusters and the Vietnam Service Medal
with 9 Bronze Stars. He was a member of the
National Rifle Association and the American
Legion. Nupen also collected coins.
He married Colleen Brown in 1958. They divorce in
1983. He married Dora Dallas in 1986.
Survivors include his wife, Dora of Rapid City;
four sons, Jamie Nupen, Jonathan Nupen, Joshua
Nupen and Jeremy Nupen, all of Rapid City; three
daughters, Valerie Wynn of Joplin, Mo., Monae
Johnson of Rapid City and Amber Davids of Huron;
five brothers, Howard of Lakewood, Calif.,
Clifford of Kent, Wash., Arnold of Hayti, Curtis
of Piedmont and Larry of Aberdeen; and six grand
children.
He was preceded in death by his parents and one
brother.
From: Valerie Praytor