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'Portraits in Courage' highlights reservists' contributions

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Buffy Galbraith
  • 919th SOW Public Affairs
DUKE FIELD, Fla. --  Two Air Force reservists from here are among 15 heroes from around the Air Force featured in "Portraits in Courage" profiles.

Chief Master Sgt. Phillip Bahm, 919th Maintenance Group superintendent, and Senior Master Sgt. Dale Berryhill, 919th Operations Group airborne mission systems specialist, represent Air Force Reserve Command in this inaugural collection of vignettes. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley commissioned the book "to remind us all of the courage and sacrifice of America's Airmen."

"As the only special operations unit in the Air Force Reserve, the 919th Special Operations Wing deploys in numerous contingencies around the world," said Chief Bahm. "In my opinion, all special operators are courageous. We are proud, and it shows in what we do and how we do it."

"Ninety-nine percent of the Air Force doesn't know what's going on over there, and I think this book highlights individual accomplishments during the war," said Sergeant Berryhill.

Each vignette highlights America's Airmen and their distinguished service and actions that have significant scope and impact on the Air Force mission. The vignettes of the two Duke reservists are ones that encompass just that.

Despite obvious threats to his own life and those of his team, Chief Bahm led an aircraft recovery team on a dangerous daytime mission to recover an MC-130E Combat Talon I aircraft that was mired in the mud in Afghanistan during Operation Anaconda.

With only three hours to free the aircraft, Chief Bahm kept his team focused on the task while enemy mortar exploded close by. The threat intensified when a crowd of potentially hostile locals gathered in the distance, he said.

He stayed calm and saved the aircraft, which was later nicknamed "Mudpuppy."

"It's an honor to be in a book along with those Airmen," said Chief Bahm. "What I did was my job. It took the efforts of three other maintainers and the aircrew to perform such a monumental task."

While Chief Bahm and his team took on a daunting task on the ground, Sergeant Berryhill's story reflects 13 minutes of extraordinary heroism in the sky.

While supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom on May 19, 2003, Sergeant Berryhill risked his life to save his fellow crew members when a coolant gas-fed fire erupted with violent intensity just forward of his duty position. Without hesitation he battled the toxic fumes that began flowing throughout aircraft.

"The fire exploded and seemed to flow like a blow torch a thousand times stronger than a pressure washer," said Sergeant Berryhill. "I was the closest person near the fire and acted purely on instinct."

With no time to don personal protective gear, Sergeant Berryhill battled and eventually defeated the fire despite inhaling toxic fumes. Unable to see because of the smoke, he managed to navigate his communications systems panel by touch to coordinate a safe landing.

"I only had a small part in saving that aircraft because it was a group effort. It was an honor to be chosen but it was not a lone accomplishment," said Sergeant Berryhill.

Other Airmen featured in the book include pilots, security forces, tactical air control party operators and explosive ordnance disposal technicians.

They represent the dedication to duty and selfless acts of courage displayed everyday in the Air Force. General Moseley describes that courage in the preface of the book.

"At our core, we realize that while technology distinguishes our service today, technology does not define our service. Courage defines our service. It always has and always will." (Air Force Reserve Command News Service)