Fred Vann Cherry (1928 - 2016)

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Col. Fred Cherry was a Prisoner of War for 2671 days during the Vietnam War.

Biography

Col. Fred Cherry served in the United States Air Force in the Korean War
Service started: 1952
Unit(s): 310th Fighter-Bomber Squadron; 407th Strategic Fighter Squadron
Service ended: 1953

Col. Fred Cherry served in the United States Air Force in the Vietnam War
Service started: Nov 1955
Unit(s): 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron
Service ended: 1981

Birth and Early Life

Fred Vann Cherry was born on 24 March 1928 in Nansemond County (now Suffolk), Virginia, USA. ^[1] His parents were John Thomas Cherry (1891-1939) and Leolia Burgess (1891-1970).

Fred grew up in the Jim Crow segregated South. He described his parents as poor dirt farmers.

Known Siblings

All children born in Virginia, USA.

1. Lemuel T. Cherry born about 1906.
2. Beulah Cherry born about 1910.
3. Cora Cherry born about 1912.
4. John Thomas Cherry Jr. born about 1915.
5. Bernice Cherry born about 1920.
6. Clara M. Cherry born about 1923.
7. James Cherry born about 1925.

Marriage and Family

He married Shirley Ann Brown on 31 July 1954 in Great Falls, Montana. They divorced with the final decree on 11 June 1973 as soon as Fred returned from incarceration in North Vietnam. He applied while he was still in Macomb Grow Medical Center at Andrews Air Force Base recovering. There were years of highly publicized major court battles over moneys that Fred felt the government shouldn't have given to her since she had deserted him soon after he was missing and had a child with another man.

Children of the Cherry-Brown Marriage

1. Donald Doran Cherry born 8 February 1954. He married Isabelle Regina Silmon on 31 March 1973 in Portsmouth, Virginia. They divorced on 2 February 2005 in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
2. Deborah Gale Cherry born 5 September 1957. She married Robert Lee Jones (born 10 December 1954) on 4 June 1976 in Alexandria, Virginia.
3. Cynthia Lynn Cherry born 25 October 1960. She married Bienvenido Luke Leon (b. 6 November 1960) on 27 August 1982 in Alexandria, Virginia.
4. Fred Cherry Jr.

Education

He graduated from Virginia Union University in Richmond, Independent Cities, Virginia in June 1951 with a degree in biology.

He attended the National War College in Washington, D.C. when he returned from incarceration in North Vietnam from February 1973 to June 1974. From there he went to Defense Intelligence School from June 1974 until June 1975.

Military Service

Fred served in the Korean War, the Cold War and the Vietnam War. He had flown more than 50 combat missions over North Korea and another 50 in Vietnam. He wanted to fly since he was a very young boy with his eyes always to the sky. He tried many times to enlist in the United States Navy but the recruiters just weren't ready for a black flyer. He enlisted on 29 June 1951 in the Aviation Cadet Training Program of the United States Air Force and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant on 25 October 1952 at Webb Air Force Base in Big Spring, Howard, Texas and awarded his pilot wings.

Lieutenant Cherry completed F-84 Thunderjet Combat Crew Training and served with the 310th Fighter-Bomber Squadron of the 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing at Teagu, Air Base in South Korea from January to December 1953.

From there he went to the 407th Strategic Fighter Squadron until August 1955. By then he had reached the rank of Captain and served with the 515th Strategic Fighter Squadron at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Cascade, Montana until June 1957. The following assignment was as a ferry pilot with the 1737th Ferry Squadron at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware until February 1958. Next he was assigned in February 1958 to the 458th Fighter-Bomber Squadron (which was later redesigned as the 458th Tactical Fighter Squadron) at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma until April 1959.

He deployed with the unit to Ramstein Air Base in West Germany until February 1959. Captain Cherry served as a gunnery instructor pilot with the 4515th Combat Crew Training Squadron at Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Maricopa, Arizona until February 1961.

He was a F-100 Sabre and F-105 Thunderchief pilot with the 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron in Japan at the Itazuke Air Base and the Yokota Air Base from February 1961. This is the group he was with when he was forced to eject over North Vietnam while flying on temporary duty in Southeast Asia.

Prisoner of War from 22 October 1965 to 12 February 1973.

Major Cherry was flying an F-105D Thunderchief. When he ejected at about 400 feet going over 600 miles an hour, he broke his left ankle, left wrist and crushed his left shoulder. This was what the enemy concentrated on working over during his torture sessions. Fred was captured almost immediately. Descriptions of his imprisonment include routine torture 3 to 4 times every day for 93 straight days, 702 days in solitary confinement with the longest continuous period lasting for 53 days. The enemy tried to brainwash him with their discussions of how blacks like him were so mistreated in the United States. When they couldn't break his will and he was close to death due to infection in all of the wounds, they decided to punish him by throwing him in a 10 x 10 foot filthy cell with a white southern man named Porter Halyburton. It didn't work out the way the Vietnamese thought as for eight months Halyburton diligently changed and cleaned as best he could the infected wounds. He saved his life. The men became life long friends. After eight months of living together and depending on each other, in the summer of 1966 the enemy took Halyburton away to another cell. They both have stated that they cried when separated as they had become so close. Halyburton has said that it was one of the saddest days of his life. They didn't see each other again until they met at a military hospital at Clark Air Base in the Philippines when they were released from captivity and on the way home.

Due to the injuries he sustained both from his ejection and the beatings he sustained in prison, he could not fly when he returned to the United States. His last assignment was as a joint staff officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency from June 1975 until 1 September 1981.

He was flown out on C-141 Tail number 60177 from Gia Lam Airport, Hanoi, North Vietnam at 12:30 hours and arrived at Clark Air Base, Philippines at 1625 hours.

Fred's homecoming was less than joyful. His wife had deserted him for another man almost as soon as he was reported missing in October 1965. She had a child with that man and she cleaned out Fred's savings. There were highly publicized legal proceedings for years while Fred tried to get the government to return the money he felt that they shouldn't have been giving the woman. His sister Beulah had even called and told government officials what was going on and they still gave her his money.

Military Honors

AIR FORCE CROSS CITATION:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, United States Code, takes pleasure in presenting the Air Force Cross to Colonel Fred Vann Cherry (AFSN: 0-2225916/AF-13416845), United States Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam from 15 August 1967 to 15 November 1967. During this period, Colonel Cherry demonstrated his extremely strong personal fortitude and maximum persistence in the face of severe enemy harassment and torture, suffering critical injuries and wounds. Through his extraordinary heroism and willpower, in the face of the enemy, Colonel Cherry reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

SILVER STAR CITATION:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Major Fred Vann Cherry (AFSN: 0-2225916/AF-13416845), United States Air Force, for gallantry in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force as Pilot of an F-105 Thunderchief of the 35th Tactical Fighter Squadron, in action over North Vietnam on 22 October 1965. On that date, Major Cherry led a flight of F-105's against a heavily defended Surface-to-Air (SAM) Missile site deep within hostile territory. Leading the way for the others to follow, Major Cherry courageously rolled in for a low level attack in the face of a veritable wall of anti-aircraft fire and dropped his bombs squarely on target. By his gallantry and devotion to duty, Major Cherry has reflected great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

1. Air Force Cross.
2. Silver Star Medal.
3. Legion of Merit with 1 Bronze Cluster.
4. Distinguished Flying Cross with 1 Bronze Cluster.
5. Bronze Star Medal with V Device and 1 Bronze Cluster.
6. Purple Heart with 1 Bronze Cluster.
7. Meritorious Service Medal.
8. Air Medal with 2 Bronze Clusters.
9. Air Force Commendation Medal.

The full ribbon set is available here.

Retirement from the United States Air Force

Colonel Cherry retired from the Air Force on 1 September 1981 after serving his country for 29 years.

Later Life and Other Accomplishments

He and his friend Porter Halyburton were the subjects of a book by James S. Hirsch entitled Two Souls Indivisible:The Friendship That Saved Two POWs in Vietnam which discusses his experiences in captivity and his deep and abiding friendship with fellow Prisoner of War Porter Halyburton.

He was featured in a public television documentary which was narrated by Tom Hanks entitled Return With Honor. Vietnam fighter pilots held as POWs were the focus of the film.

President Ronald Reagan commissioned him to serve on the Korean War Veteran's Memorial Advisory Board.

He received the Award for Outstanding Service to the Military Community from The Tuskegee Airmen.

Death and Burial

Col. Cherry died on 16 February 2016 in a hospital in Washington, District of Columbia, USA at the age of 87. His heart gave out after an operation. He and his long time companion Deborah Thompson lived in Silver Spring, Maryland. There was a memorial service on 24 February at Union Baptist Missionary Church in Suffolk, Virginia.

Buried on 1 July 2016 in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Arlington, Virginia. Find A Grave: Memorial #158480527.

Plot: Section 55, Grave 1931.

He was given a full military honors ceremony due to his status as a Prisoner of War and full Colonel.

Sources

• Vietnam War, Casualties Returned Alive, 1962-1979.
• Veteran Tributes.
• Military Times.
• Virginia Birth Records.
• 1930 US Federal Census on 5 April in Sleepy Hole, Nansemond, Virginia. ^[2]
• 1940 US Federal Census on 29 April in Sleepy Hole, Nansemond, Virginia. ^[3]
• Virginia Divorce Records.
• Wikipedia.
• NamPow Org. [1]
• Stars and Stripes, article by Bart Barnes published in the Washington Post,20 February 2016.
• Hirsch, James S. Two Souls Indivisible: The Friendship That Saved Two POWs in Vietnam. Boston & New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004.
• Find A Grave Index.

Footnotes

1. ↑ Birth: Most records say Suffolk, Virginia, but this is from his birth records and Nansemond County changed from Nansemond Independent City 1972-1974, then to Suffolk in 1974.
2. ↑ 1930: Cherry, John 41, married at 16, born North Carolina, farm laborer, head; Leola 40, born North Carolina (?), wife; Beulah, 20, daughter; Cora 18, daughter; John Thomas 15, son; Bernice 10, daughter; Clara M. 7, daughter; James R. 5, son; Freland (should be Fred Vann) 2, son.
3. ↑ 1940: Cherry, Leora 48, widow, head, pick up jobs farm labor; Claira 17, daughter, farm labor; James 15, son; Fred 12, son.

Acknowledgements