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Show 8 Hilltop ' v,; November '26. 1 997 Navy ship named after Air Force Medal of Honor recipient Sea Pride now called Steven Logan Bennett called the decision to rename the vessel after a Medal of Honor recipient "a great idea." He said, "It's a fitting tribute especially given the 50th anniversary of the Air Force during 1997." Born in 1946 in Palestine, Texas, Bennett served in the 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron of Pacific Air by Lisa Ryan Hilltop Times staff An ammunition ship used by Hill's Afloat Preposi-tione- d Fleet Program Management Team was recently named after Medal of Honor recipient Air Force Capt. Steven L. Bennett. The APFP Management Team, part of the Commodities Directorate, charters the ship from the Navy's Military Sealift Command. More than 60 Air Force munitions specialists have worked to process over 20.000 tons of munitions to be put into the Steven Logan Bennett, the Air Force's first container vessel. An Air Force pilot who flew in Vietnam, Bennett died r in an OV-1He was memowhile saving his rialized Nov. 20 during the ceremony at in Ocean facilities Terminal, Sunny Point, Military port a tribute It's a fitting especially given the 50th anniversary of the Air Force, back-seate- ship-namin- g Southport, N.C. Bennett is the Air Force's most recent Medal of Honor recipient. The container ship Sea Pride was renamed in his honor. As an ammunition preposition fleet ship, the Steven Logan Bennett will maintain munitions in the Mediterranean Sea where the Air Force can draw on them during a conflict. V Gen. Michael E. Ryan Air Force chief of staff Gen. Michael E. Ryan, Air Force chief of staff. Forces during the Vietnam War. He entered the Air Force in 1968, earning his pilot wings at Webb AFB, Bomber, forward air conTexas, then completed before to Vietnam and troller reporting fighter training " "' 1972. in early He had been in combat for just three months and already was awarded the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters before the mission which earned him the Medal B-5- of Honor. Bennett was piloting a light aircraft on an artillery adjustment mission along a heavily defended route. A large concentration of enemy troops was massing for an attack on a friendly unit. He asked for tactical air support but was told it was unavailable. Artillery support was denied because friendly troops were too close to the target. Bennett instead strafed the hostile positions and completed four passes. On the fifth, however, his aircraft was struck by a surface-to-air missile, severely damaging the left engine and left main landing gear. He told his back-sea- t observer to prepare for ejection, but the observer said his parachute had been shredded by the force of the missile. Bennett knew if he ejected with his one remaining good parachute, the observer had no chance to survive. He decided to ditch the aircraft in the Gulf of Tonkin, crewman had ever survived knowing that no OV-1such an attempt. The impact of the water caused the aircraft to cartwheel and severely damaged the front cockpit, making escape for Bennett impossible. The observer made his way out and was rescued. The Medal of Honor was presented posthumously by President Gerald R. Ford to Bennett's wife in 1974. Some information provided by Air Force News Service. 0 EARLY BIRD-GIFGUIDE 6SF USAA 2 Start Shopping Now And Save. Be The First 0) The Preferred To "catch" These Popular Gift Ideas... Financial Services Company For The t U.S. Military i J&B Hobbies - 1581 Wash. Blvd.Ogden Open Mon.-Fr- l. 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