TFH 6/20: First Lieutenant Charles E. Engle, USAFR

Charles Edwin Engle hailed from Carlos, Indiana and was born on February 8, 1945. He graduated from Purdue University and was commissioned in the United States Air Force Reserve through the ROTC program there.

Engle was sent to fly in combat during the Vietnam War with the active Air Force's 56th Special Operations Wing based in Thailand. On June 20, 1970, while flying as a Forward Air Controller and O-1 Bird Dog light aircraft pilot, Engle repeatedly put himself and his aircraft at extreme risk while covering a rescue mission for a shot-down comrade. For his courage, he was awarded the second-highest decoration for valor, the Air Force Cross.


From Military Times' Hall of Valor:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, United States Code, takes pride in presenting the Air Force Cross (Posthumously) to Captain [then First Lieutenant] Charles Edwin Engle, United States Air Force (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force as a Forward Air Controller and Pilot of an O-1 aircraft of the 56th Special Operations Wing, Udorn Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand, in action in Southeast Asia on 20 June 1970. On that date, while attempting to pinpoint a downed pilot's location, Captain Engle's aircraft was met with a hail of gunfire which severed the fuel line, drenching the aircraft and pilot. With complete disregard for his own safety, Captain Engle continued his efforts to suppress surrounding ground fire positions. When the pilot was located, a pickup was attempted. During the attempt, the rescue aircraft helicopter received heavy automatic weapons fire. Realizing that the rescue aircraft was in extreme danger of being shot down, Captain Engle, again with complete disregard for his own safety, dove his aircraft between the gun position and the helicopter, thereby allowing the helicopter to safely break away. After the ground fire was suppressed, other aircraft moved in for a successful pickup. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of the enemy, Captain Engle reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

Sadly, Engle received both his Air Force Cross and his promotion to Captain after he was killed in action on February 22, 1971. His name appears on Panel 05W, Line 130 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC.

His courage and skill as an airman also saw him decorated with the Silver Star and two Distinguished Flying Crosses.

Charles Engle, heroic American flyer, rests in peace in the Fountain Park Cemetery, Winchester, Indiana. The descendant of his Vietnam unit, the 56th Fighter Wing, currently trains the airmen of today in the flying and maintenance of the F-16 at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona.