Brigadier General Dan Cherry

DAN CHERRY

Edward Daniel "Dan" Cherry is Executive Vice President of Aviation Heritage Park, an educational facility in Bowling Green, Kentucky dedicated to inspiring the youth of today by exhibiting aviation artifacts that represent the stories and careers of distinguished aviators from South Central Kentucky. He is also the author of My Enemy, My Friend, a story of reconciliation from the Vietnam War. This book describes an intense dogfight that occurred on April 16, 1972 between Dan's F-4 Phantom and a North Vietnamese MiG-21 piloted by Nguyen Hong My. During this life or death air battle, Dan's Sparrow missile blew the right wing off of the MiG causing Hong My to eject. Thirty six years later, Dan Cherry and Nguyen Hong My met face to face for the first time since that fateful day. This is a war story for sure but more importantly, it is a story of forgiveness, closure, friendship and reconciliation.

Dan developed his leadership skills during his career as a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. He entered the Air Force in 1959 as an Aviation Cadet and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in 1960. His military credentials include flying 295 combat missions during the Vietnam War and shooting down a North Vietnamese MiG-21. He held the positions of Commander and Leader of the Air Force Thunderbirds; Commander of Moody Air Force Base, Georgia; Inspector General of the Pacific Air Forces; Commander of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing flying the F-16 and Commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service. He earned several military awards and decorations including the Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star with one oak leaf cluster, the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross with nine oak leaf clusters and the Air Medal with thirty four oak leaf clusters. He completed his service in the Air Force with the rank of Brigadier General. Dan has also served in Kentucky state government as Secretary of the Kentucky Justice Cabinet. He was inducted into the Kentucky Aviation Hall of Fame in October 2000.