The Wings of Freedom Foundation honored prisoners of war and those missing in action with its Second Annual “Tribute to Heroes” on Saturday, Sept. 19. The event was in observance of American POW/MIA Recognition Day, which falls on the third Friday each September.
As far as Foundation Founder Trevor McIntyre is aware, the event he organizes is the only one of its kind in North Georgia. This year, the tribute was moved to the lawn in front of the Maj. Leon Davenport Veterans Building.
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North Georgia News — serving Union County since 1909.
New in 2026 was the search and rescue display. Featuring supplies that a Vietnam-era pilot may have employed such as radios and a parachute, the most poignant part of the display was actual audio from the rescue of downed F-105 pilot Lt. James DeVoss.
Shot down over the Ho Chi Minh Trail on his 71st combat mission in 1969, DeVoss managed to survive with two broken legs, a broken arm and puncture wounds from being impaled on bamboo. McIntyre found a recording of the rescue on YouTube and ripped the audio onto a CD to share with others.
Although DeVoss was lucky enough to come back home, many of his brothers in arms either never returned or languished for years in prison camps. Included in McIntyre’s spread was the story of Col. Richard P. Keirn, who spent eight years total in captivity, having been captured first in World War II and then again in Vietnam.
First shot down over Germany during his first mission in World War II, Keirn spent 236 days as a prisoner of war. In 1965, he was shot down over North Vietnam, where he spent a grueling seven years and eight months in captivity before finally being released on Feb. 12, 1973.
“That’s kind of what we do, is find pieces of history like that and preserve them just to make sure the sacrifices are not forgotten of these guys,” McIntyre said.
That sentiment was one shared by Wayne Badertscher, who brought a 1943 Willys MB Jeep. Badertscher originally purchased it in 1981 from a scrap metal pile on a base in Kodiak, Alaska, and the vehicle has gone through several restorations.
Admittedly, Badertscher knows very little about its history but has been able to confirm that, as of the 1950s, it was still in service on Kodiak. The rest of its background has been lost to time, but Badertscher made sure the Jeep runs “better than” a new car.
Perhaps the most impressive addition to Wings of Freedom’s program this year was the piece of living history that briefly stopped at the tent. Lt. Col. Dale Noble, who will turn 101 this year, only recently started talking about his service, according to his son Greg.
Noble dropped out of high school during his senior year to enlist in the Army and subsequently went on active duty in December of 1942. He joined the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment and was instructed to complete his training in England in 1944. Due to that, he narrowly missed his unit’s parachute drop onto Normandy.
On Sept. 17, 1944, Noble experienced his first combat mission and parachuted into Holland to help secure a railroad bridge near Veghel. A surprise attack by the SS Panzer Divisions resulted in the near annihilation of British forces and 661 casualties in the 501st.
Later, the 501st served as the lead combat team when it came to halting German forces at the Battle of the Bulge. Noble specifically was part of the fire brigade and ultimately suffered injuries when a rocket exploded 15 feet away.
Having been injured may have saved his life in the long run. When the rest of his platoon was tasked with moving mines, he was prohibited from the task. An explosion ended up killing or injuring about half of their number.
By the end of the war, Noble was required to stay in Germany as part of the occupation. He returned home in 1945 and mustered out of the Army in 1946.
As for his involvement in Wings of Freedom’s “Tribute to Heroes,” Noble enjoyed the opportunity to take photos with people who approached him and thanked him for his service.
Over 80,000 Americans remain missing in action across all conflicts.
