Dale E . Stovall Dale E . Stovall ( born February 19 , 1944 ) is a retired Brigadier General in the United States Air Force who figured prominently in several search and rescue operations during the Vietnam War . A member of the 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron based in Thailand , on June 2 , 1972 , he recovered Maj . Roger Locher from deep inside North Vietnam , the furthest any airman was ever rescued from inside enemy lines . For his efforts in rescuing Locher , Stovall was awarded the Air Force Cross , which described how " he willingly returned to this high threat area , braving intense ground fire , to recover the downed airman from deep in North Vietnam . " . Stovall was also recognized with the 1973 Jabara Award for Airmanship , two Silver Star awards and two Distinguished Flying Cross awards for other combat rescues among the 12 successful rescue missions he accomplished during his tour in Southeast Asia . Stovall retired from the Air Force as a Brigadier General on June 1 , 1993 . Background . Stovall was born in Toppenish , Washington and graduated from the U . S . Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs , Colorado , in the class of 1967 . Rescue of Roger Locher . During the initial phase of Operation Linebacker in June 1972 , an American F - 4D was shot down by a North Vietnamese Shenyang J - 6 . Pilot Maj . Robert Lodge refused to eject , but his weapons officer Roger Locher was able to get out of the aircraft . Locher landed , unseen by either friendly or enemy forces , only from Hanoi , North Vietnam . Maj . Locher evaded capture and covered over , gradually losing and his strength . On June 1 , 1972 , his 22nd day behind enemy lines , he was finally able to contact a flight of American jets overhead , calling , " Any U . S . aircraft , if you read Oyster 1 Bravo , come up on Guard " . Lt . James Dunn and others , including Steve Ritchie in one of the F - 4 aircraft overhead , heard his radio call and remembered Locher ' s call sign . When the aircraft answered , Locher calmly responded , " Guys I ' ve been down here a long time , any chance of picking me up ? " His transmissions left some Americans who did not hear his call in doubt about the authenticity of his message , and they believed that the NVA may have manipulated a POW into impersonating him , setting a trap for the would - be rescuers . Rescue operation . Capt . Stovall , based at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Navy Base in Thailand responded , piloting a HH - 53 from the 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron along with a rescue force consisting of several A - 1E s and another HH - 53 . As they neared Locher ' s position , the A - 1 Skyraiders and HH - 53C helicopters came under attack from two MiGs , surface - to - air missiles and gunfire . The rescue force successfully dodged the missiles and eluded one MiG in a narrow canyon , but were eventually driven back by the enemy fire and failed to get through to Locher on that day . On June 2 , 1972 , General John Vogt , commander of the 7th Air Force canceled the entire strike mission set for Hanoi on that day . He sent a task force of 119 aircraft including Stovall piloting his HH - 53 rescue helicopter , bombers , and an array of F - 4 escorts , EB - 66 s , A - 1Es , F105G Weasels , and KC135 tankers to get Locher out . " We shut down the war to go get Roger Locher , " Stovall later said . Capt . Ronald E . Smith in an A - 1E guided Capt . Stovall to Locher ' s position . Only when Locher rose out of the jungle canopy riding the jungle penetrator were all of the Americans sure it was him . Despite their proximity to Yen Bai airfield , no aircraft were lost during Locher ' s rescue . Citations . Silver Star . Capt Stovall was recognized on several occasions for his bravery during the Vietnam War . He received the Silver Star for actions on March 2 , 1972 . The citation reads in part : Three months later , on June 27 , 1972 , he was instrumental in recovering another air man for which he was awarded the Silver Star with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster : Air Force Cross . For his flights on two days deep inside North Vietnam on June 1 and 2 , 1972 , to rescue Maj . Lochar , Stovall received the Air Force Cross on November 22 , 1972 : Distinguished Flying Cross . On April 13 , 1972 , Stovall he assisted in rescuing a Marine pilot for which he received the Distinguished Flying Cross . The citation reads in part : Stovall was recognized again six months later on December 6 , 1972 and received the Distinguished Flying Cross with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster . Peace time awards . During peace time he was recognized with the Defense Superior Service Medal , the Legion of Merit , and the Legion of Merit with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster .