On this day in 1993, the Air Force and the nation lost one of its most decorated heroes of the Vietnam War—Duane D. Hackney. Known for his humility as much as for his courage, Hackney’s service defined what it means to risk everything for others.

Hackney enlisted in the Air Force straight out of high school, carrying with him one simple request: to save lives rather than take them. His son Jason later explained, “He asked that he be put in a situation where he could save lives rather than take them.” That request would lead him into the demanding, dangerous, and selfless world of pararescue.

As a pararescue jumper, Hackney quickly proved himself exceptional. His skill, calm under pressure, and determination in the face of chaos made him legendary. Over the course of his career in Vietnam, he participated in countless rescues, earning the Silver Star, four Distinguished Flying Crosses, 18 Air Medals, and the prestigious Cheney Award for valor. But the mission that defined him took place on February 6, 1967.

That day, Hackney was aboard a Sikorsky HH-3E “Jolly Green Giant,” call sign Jolly Green 05, searching for a downed pilot near Mu Gia Pass. Alongside Jolly Green 36, the crews scoured dense jungle terrain under constant threat from enemy anti-aircraft fire. The downed pilot, Capt. Lucius L. Heiskell, had gone radio silent to avoid capture, but later broke silence, giving the rescue crews a chance to act.

Hackney was lowered into the jungle by hoist to search for Heiskell. After hours of effort, he finally located the injured pilot, secured him, and lifted him into Jolly Green 05. Relief filled the crew—one life had been saved. But just as Hackney began treating Heiskell, enemy flak ripped into the helicopter. Smoke and fire filled the cabin, and Hackney instantly realized they were going down.

Without hesitation, Hackney stripped off his own parachute and strapped it onto Heiskell. He didn’t know if another chute was available or if he would survive, but he refused to let the pilot go unprotected. “I was bending over [Heiskell] doing a medical evaluation when flak hit us,” Hackney later recalled. “There was smoke and flames everywhere.”

Frantically searching in the chaos, Hackney managed to find another chute. He was buckling it on when another burst of fire struck, blasting him out of the helicopter. He fell nearly 250 feet, his parachute barely opening before he hit the trees. Miraculously, he survived.

The crew of Jolly Green 36 pulled him from the jungle, battered and burned but alive. Tragically, no one else aboard Jolly Green 05 made it out. Hackney carried that loss with him for the rest of his life.

May you like