Williams flew his first combat mission in February 1953. As a wingman in a flight of four Panthers, his role was to attack enemy supply lines, troops, and artillery positions.
Our inaugural Voices of Freedom story features Harold "Doug" McDougal, whose experiences stand as a testament to courage and service. Be sure to listen to his interview after reading the brief article about him.
On October 14, 1947, piloting the Bell X-1 rocket plane, he shattered the sound barrier, reaching a speed of Mach 1.06 (about 700 mph).
As they moved through the darkened landscape, the unit suddenly encountered enemy forces. Rather than retreat, Ackerman boldly led his men in pursuit of the withdrawing enemy, showing complete disregard for his own safety.
The harsh reality is that Vietnam veterans are still losing their lives due to the lasting effects of the war, even decades later. A prime example is Cpl. John Anthony—read more of his story on our website.
As they prepared to move, an enemy soldier emerged from concealment, hurled a hand grenade that landed near the group, and opened fire.
