Richard Overton Hunziker

General
Richard Overton Hunziker
Born (1916-07-06)July 6, 1916
Los Angeles, California
Died May 29, 1971(1971-05-29) (aged 54)
Topatopa Mountains, California
Ashes in the Pacific Ocean
Allegiance  United States
Service/branch  United States Air Force
Rank Major general
Service number 18059512
Battles/wars World War II - Mediterranean Sea
Awards Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star
Legion of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with 13 oak leaf clusters
Commendation_Medal
Distinguished Unit Citation
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 8 battle stars
French Croix de guerre with palm and star
Spouse(s) Margaret Bailard

Richard Overton Hunziker (6 Jul 1916 – 29 May 1971) was a decorated World War II fighter pilot and later United States Air Force major general. He played a significant role in the Cold War and commanded operations at Project Crested Ice.[1]

Early life and career

Richard Hunziker was born to Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Philip Hunziker and graduated from Tucson High School in 1935. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 1948 and received the UA Alumni Military Service Award in 1969.[2][3] Richard married Margaret Bailard, also a University of Arizona alumni.

U.S. Air Force

World War II

65th Fighter Squadron Emblem
65th Fighter Squadron Emblem, depicted on Hunziker's P-47

Hunziker enlisted on 6 Jan 1942 in the Army Air Forces and received his commission at Moore Field as second lieutenant and pilot's wings later that year.[4] During World War II, he flew 203 combat missions as a P-40 Warhawk and P-47 Thunderbolt pilot with the 65th Fighter Squadron, part of the 57th Fighter Group, over Africa, Italy, Sicily, Malta and Corsica. On Palm Sunday, 18 Apr 1943, Second Lieutenant Hunziker was a rookie on his second combat mission, flying the P-40F 'No 61' as wingman for his squadron commander over North Africa. Hunziker became separated from his commander but shot down his first plane, a Junkers Ju 52.[5] On 12 Jan 44, Hunziker claimed another kill, a Messerschmitt Bf 109.[6][7] Hunziker was a jet rated pilot with more than 6,800 flying hours and held the senior missileman badge.[8] In May 1944, Captain Hunziker was named commander of the 65th Fighter Squadron, stationed at Alto airfield, Corsica.[9]

Cold War

Seal of the U.S. Air Force
Seal of the U.S. Air Force

After the war, Hunziker commanded fighter and bomber groups and then wings. In June 1948, he was assigned to U.S. Air Forces in Europe as a squadron commander and deputy commander, 36th Fighter Group, and commander of the 86th Fighter Group in Germany. From 6 Mar-18 Oct 1951, Col. Hunziker commanded the 86th Fighter-Bomber Group (assigned to the 86th Fighter Wing) stationed for at least part of the time at Giebelstadt AB, Germany.[10] In November 1951, Hunziker was assigned to the Strategic Air Command (SAC) as director of operations, 42nd Air Division, Bergstrom AFB, Texas.[11] From 4 Aug 1952 to 22 Apr 1954, Col. Hunziker commanded the 12th Fighter-Escort Wing (renamed the 12 Strategic Fighter Wing during Hunziker's command). During this period, the 12th provided fighter escort and air defense for SAC bomber forces, was stationed at Bergstrom AFB but was deployed at Misawa AB, Japan, 15 May-10 Aug 1953.[12] In May 1954, Hunziker assumed command of the 506th Strategic Fighter Wing at Dow AFB, Maine and transferred the wing to Tinker AFB, Oklahoma on 20 March 1955.[11]

Hunziker graduated from the National War College in 1958 and became director of material for the SAC's Second Air Force at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. In July 1960, Col. Hunziker assumed command of the 21st Air Division at Forbes AFB, Kansas[13] and then the 821st Strategic Aerospace Division at Ellsworth AFB, SD. From Aug 1962 to Jan 1965, he was deputy commander of the 1st Strategic Aerospace Division at Vandenberg AFB, California. In January 1965, he resumed command of the 821st Strategic Aerospace Division, Ellsworth AFB. In July 1965, General Hunziker was assigned to SAC headquarters at Offutt AFB, Nebraska and was named deputy chief of staff for material in Oct 1966.[8] He was named deputy inspector general for inspection and safety with headquarters at Norton AFB in May 1968.[11]

General Hunziker is perhaps best known publicly for directing Project Crested Ice, recovering four nuclear weapons lost during a 1968 B52 crash in Greenland and attempting to remediate the surrounding area. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for this effort.[2][8] In May 1968, Hunziker became the Air Force's Deputy Inspector General for Inspection and Safety.

Personal life

Richard and Margaret Hunziker had two sons, John Richard Hunziker and Russell Lawrence Hunziker.

Retirement

General Hunziker retired on 1 Sep 1969 at the former Norton Air Force Base, San Bernardino County, California.[8] On 29 May 1971, Hunziker was flying his Cessna 182, returning Margaret and him from Calexico to Santa Barbara, when the small plane crashed on Tapa Mountain, near Hines Peak in the Topatopa Mountains. Both Richard and Margaret were killed. The plane remains intact and undisturbed at the crash site.[2] [14]

Notes

  1. ↑ "Hunziker, Richard O. (Richard Overton), 1916-1971". Full Person Authority Record. U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Retrieved 21 Sep 2014. Richard Overton Hunziker (b. July 6, 1916, Los Angeles, Calif.-d. May 29, 1971), U.S. Air Force officer and pilot, received his commission and pilot's wings in 1942 after graduating from university. During World War II, he served as a P-40 and P-47 fighter pilot in Africa, Italy, France, Sicily, Malta, and Corsica with the 57th Fighter Group, completing more than 200 combat missions. Following the War, he was a squadron and deputy commander, 36th Fighter Group, and commander, 86th Fighter Group in Germany. During the 1950s, General Hunziker was assigned to the Strategic Air Command in various locations. In the 1960s, he was commander of the 21st and 821st Strategic Aerospace Divisions (SADs), and deputy commander of the 1st SAD. He became deputy inspector general for inspection and safety in 1968 and retired the following year.
  2. 1 2 3 "Hunziker Air Search Expanded" (jpg). Tucson Daily Citizen. Tucson, AZ. 2 June 1971. p. 18. Retrieved 31 Aug 2014 – via Newspapers.com. Source of widely used photograph.
  3. ↑ "Military Awards Will Be Given to 2 UA Alumni" (jpg). Arizona Daily Star. Tucson, AZ. 22 May 1969. p. 11. Retrieved 24 Apr 2016 – via Newspapers.com. Two generals who are graduates of the University of Arizona will receive Alumni Military Service Awards at the ROTC Joint Commissioning ceremony May 31. They are Air Force Maj. Gen. Richard O. Hunziker, deputy inspector general at Norton Air Force Base, San Bernardino, Calif., and Army Brig. Gen. Jefferson J. Irvin ***. Hunziker, a fighter pilot in World War II and a 1948 graduate of the UA, has commanded two Strategic Air Divisions.
  4. ↑ "Richard O Hunziker : Enlistment Record from WW2". World War 2 U.S. Army Enlistment Archive. Crafted Knowledge. Retrieved 21 Sep 2014.
  5. ↑ Molesworth, Carl (2011). 57th Fighter Group - First in the Blue. Aviation Elite Units. 39. Osprey Publishing. p. 44. ISBN 9781849083379. Retrieved 21 Sep 2014. Also, page 53 shows a photo of his plane: "P-47D-15 42-75724 Joanne of Capt Richard O Hunziker,65th FS, Amendola, Italy, April 1944". Page 94 displays a photo with the caption: "Maj Richard O Hunziker points to the 'Thunderbomber' design he painted on the tail of his P-47D 'No 61' 42-75724. Hunziker fought a long war in the 57th FG, scoring a victory during the Palm Sunday 1943 mission shortly after joining the 65th FS, and continuing to fly until VE Day. He was promoted to group operations officer in the summer of 1944." In April 1943, the 57th Fighter Group was still with the 9th Air Force.
  6. ↑ "Honor Roll 57th Fighter Group 1941- Jul 45". RAF 112 Squadron. 23 Feb 2010. Retrieved 22 Sep 2014.On 18 Apr 43, Hunziker (Service #O-664187, 65 fighter squadron, 57th fighter group, 9th air force) downed a Junkers Ju 52. By the date of his second kill (12 Jan 44) the 57th Fighter Group has been re-assigned to the Twelfth Air Force. On 7 Jun 44, Hunziker was flying with William Swartz in a P-47D-16-RE Thunderbolt (same squadron, group, and air force), when Swartz was killed in action.
  7. ↑ Bernstein, Jonathan (2012). P-47 Thunderbolt Units of the Twelfth Air Force. Combat Aircraft. 92. Osprey Publishing. p. 89. ISBN 9781849086721. Retrieved 21 Sep 2014..
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Gen. Hunziker retires, ends 28 year Air Force career" (jpg). Redlands Daily Facts. Redlands, CA. 28 August 1969. p. 3. Retrieved 31 Aug 2014 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ Robertson, Patsy (30 Jul 2009), "65 AGGRESSOR SQUADRON (ACC)", U.S. Air Force Fact Sheet, Maxwell AFB, AL: Air Force Historical Research Agency
  10. ↑ Robertson, Patsy (27 Apr 2010), "86 OPERATIONS GROUP (USAFE)", U.S. Air Force Fact Sheet, Maxwell AFB, AL: Air Force Historical Research Agency
  11. 1 2 3 "MAJOR GENERAL RICHARD O. HUNZIKER". Retrieved 24 Apr 2016.
  12. ↑ Robertson, Patsy (23 Apr 2007), "12 FLYING TRAINING WING (AETC)", U.S. Air Force Fact Sheet, Maxwell AFB, AL: Air Force Historical Research Agency
  13. ↑ "Document Detail for IRISNUM= 00463699". Retrieved 23 Sep 2014. ON 16 JUL 60, COL RICHARD O. HUNZIKER ASSUMED COMMAND OF 21 AD
  14. ↑ "Hunziker bodies recovered from plane" (jpg). Redlands Daily Facts. Redlands, California. 8 Jun 1971. p. 5. Retrieved 14 Sep 2014 – via Newspapers.com. The bodies of Maj. Gen. Richard O. Hunziker and his wife, Margaret, were recovered from their crashed airplane late yesterday and memorial services will be held tomorrow in Santa Barbara. Hunziker left Calexico Saturday at 3:12 p.m. in his own Cessna 182 and crashed in the mountains about 15 miles north of Santa Paula about 4:30 p.m.

External Sources

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