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James Robinson "Robbie" Risner (January 16, 1925 – October 22, 2013) was a general officer and professional fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. Risner was a double recipient of the Air Force Cross, the second highest military decoration for valor that can be awarded to a member of the United States Air Force. He was the first living recipient of the medal, awarded the first for valor in aerial combat during the Vietnam War, and the second for gallantry as a prisoner of war of the North Vietnamese for more than seven years. Risner became an ace in the Korean War, and commanded a squadron of F-105 Thunderchiefs in the first missions of Operation Rolling Thunder in 1965. He flew a combined 163 combat missions, was shot down twice, and was credited with destroying eight MiG-15s. Risner retired as a brigadier general in 1976. At his death, Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark A. Welsh III observed: "Brig. Gen. James Robinson "Robbie" Risner was part of that legendary group who served in three wars, built an Air Force, and gave us an enduring example of courage and mission success...Today’s Airmen know we stand on the shoulders of giants. One of ‘em is 9 feet tall…and headed west in full afterburner."〔(A true airpower giant ), AF.mil. Retrieved 24 October 2013〕 ==Childhood== Risner was born in Mammoth Spring, Arkansas in 1925,〔Sherwood (1998), p. 14.〕 but moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1931. His father was originally a sharecropper, then during the Great Depression became a day laborer for the Works Progress Administration.〔 By the time Risner entered high school, his father was self-employed, selling used cars.〔 Risner worked numerous part-time jobs in his youth to help the family, including newspaper delivery, errand boy and soda jerk for a drug store,〔 for the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce at age 16, as a welder, and for his father polishing cars.〔 Risner had a religious upbringing as a member of the 1st Assembly of God Church. He wrestled for Tulsa Central High School, where he graduated in 1942.〔Baird and Goble (1994), p. 484.〕 In addition to a love of sports, Risner's interests were primarily in riding horses and motorcycles.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「James Robinson Risner」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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