Forty-four years after he was listed as missing in action, Air Force Master Sgt. James Calfee received a posthumous Silver Star medal for heroism he displayed during the Vietnam War. The narrative of Calfee’s actions describes how he and his comrades with the Barksdale Air Force Base, La.-based 1st Combat Evaluation Group were deployed to Laos in 1968. From their forward base, known as Lima Site 85, the unit operated tactical-air navigation and radar-bombing control systems that enabled U.S. aircraft to conduct all-weather raids into North Vietnam. To deploy them, the Air Force skirted an international law that barred U.S. military presence in Laos by technically discharging them first; they then were hired by Lockheed Corp. as contractors. While deployed at Lima Site 85, the unit was targeted by enemy troops. At first, because they were technicians, they were not issued assault rifles. CIA agents responsible for their safety eventually issued M16s to them, as the fight to oust them intensified. In March 1968, their position came under attack by North Vietnamese commandos. Calfee first earned a Bronze Star for his actions. He was shot in the face while helping comrades board a rescue helicopter. A comrade, Chief Master Sgt. Richard Etchberger, also earned a lower award for heroism. The award to Etchberger, who was among the 10 airmen killed in the attack, recently was upgraded to the Medal of Honor. Four airmen who survived the attack were transferred to other units, and were not called upon to recount their experiences there for years. Calfee’s family uncovered many heretofore-unknown facts about the mission and presented them to Air Force officials, paving the way for the upgrades of honors.
