Arthur Cormier

Art Cormier enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on April 23, 1954, and was trained in manpower management. He served an overseas tour in West Germany from May 1955 to November 1957, then briefly went into the Air Force Reserve before going back on active duty and serving at Suffolk County AFB, New York, from February 1958 to February 1960. From February 1960 to February 1961, Sergeant Cormier was stationed at Minot AFB, North Dakota, and then went to Andrews AFB, Maryland, where he served as a Manpower Management Specialist with the 1001st Air Base Wing until March 1962. His next assignment was as a Manpower Management Specialist with Headquarters Command at Bolling AFB, Washington, D.C., from March 1962 to January 1963, followed by service as a Personal Equipment Supervisor with the 1001st Operations Group and 1001st Support Squadron at Andrews AFB from January to April 1963. Sergeant Cormier next completed Pararescueman Training, and then served as a Pararescueman with the 48th Air Rescue Squadron at Eglin AFB, Florida, from March 1964 to October 1965, deploying once during this time to Southeast Asia. He then served as a Pararescueman with Detachment 5 of the 38th Air Rescue Squadron at Udorn Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, from October 1965 until the helicopter he was aboard was shot down during a rescue mission over North Vietnam on November 6, 1965. He was immediately captured.

Pre-Capture Photograph: Joint Base San Antonio Department of Defense