Hilliard Almond Wilbanks★ Vietnam War Gold Star Veteran from Georgia
On February 24, 1967 Captain Wilbanks was declared a casualty of the Vietnam War. ★ He served with honor in the United States Air Force. ★ He is remembered by the people of Georgia. ★ May his positive example inspire us. Working together towards peace, mutual respect, and equality for all.
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Our displayed data concerning the life and military history of Hilliard Almond Wilbanks is a work in progress. We've assembled a list of elements we are in the process of researching and reviewing. This profile was last edited on 2020-01-21 07:14:23.
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Service Details
| This Profile ID | 305193 |
| Service ID | 3056748 |
| Name | Hilliard Almond Wilbanks |
| From | Cornelia, Habersham County, Georgia |
| Birth Date | July 26, 1933 |
| Casualty Date | February 24, 1967 |
| War | Vietnam War |
| Service Branch | Air Force |
| Rank | Captain |
| Specialty | Pilot |
| Unit/Group | 7th Air Force, 505th TCG, 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron |
| Casualty Type | Died through hostile action .. air crash on land |
| Location | South Vietnam, Lam Dong province |
| Burial | Fayette Methodist Cemetery, Fayette, Mississippi |
| Notable Awards |
★ Medal of Honor
★ Distinguished Flying Cross
★ Air Medal
★ Purple Heart |
| Remembered | Hilliard Almond Wilbanks is buried or memorialized at Fayette Methodist Cemetery, Fayette, Mississippi.  Hilliard is honored on the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial in Washington DC. Name inscribed at VVM Wall, Panel 15e, Line 88. |
Additional Details
Wilbanks joined the Air Force in 1950, and was an air policeman with the Strategic Air Command during his first four years of service. He was then accepted into the aviation cadet program, and became a commissioned officer in June 1955. After serving as an instructor for a few years, he qualified as a fighter pilot in the early 1960s.He arrived in Vietnam in April 1966 as a forward air controller with the 21st Air Support Squadron. He piloted a Cessna O-1E Bird Dog, with a top speed of about 105 mph. By February 24, 1967 he had flown 487 combat missions and had earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and 17 Air Medals. He had spotted numerous enemy forces and directed uncounted fighter strikes against them, saving hundreds of allied lives. He was within two months of returning home to his wife and four small children. Late in the afternoon of the February 24, 1967, Wilbanks was in the air above the Central Highlands, about 100 miles north of Saigon. He discovered hostile units concealed on two hilltops. The Rangers were on foot, making their way through a tea plantation that gave them little or no cover. They were walking into a trap. With no air support close by and no radio communication with the Rangers, he sacrificed his life to alert the Rangers of the danger. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. |
Commendations + Awards
Please note this might not be a complete or completely accurate accounting. For some awards we use probability factors based on known service details. Thanks for your understanding.
★ Medal of Honor
★ Distinguished Flying Cross
★ Air Medal
★ Purple Heart
★ United States Aviator Badge Air Force
★ National Defense Service Medal
★ Vietnam Campaign Medal
★ Vietnam Service Medal
★ Air Force Presidential Unit Citation
★ Vietnam Gallantry Cross
Notable Reference Sources
These are typically links to pages on external sites that have provided specific nodes of information. In most cases the information has some assurance of being crowd-sourced and vetted by a community of users.Georgia Gold Star Veterans Gallery
Honoring the men and women of Georgia who gave their all for their country. May their example of courage and sacrifice be our guide. To be strong and responsible in our lives as citizens of the world. 
Through honest daily actions, we honor them.
Through honest daily actions, we honor them.
Georgia was home to over 10,422 American Gold Star veterans from 4 wars of the 20th Century. Some significant statistics:
Georgia was home to over 10,422 American Gold Star veterans from 4 wars of the 20th Century. Some significant statistics:
• 1,541 World War I
• 6,513 World War II
• 783 Korean War
• 1,585 Vietnam War
• 173 Prisoners of war
• 1,610 Missing in action
• 19 Pearl Harbor casualties
• 84 D-Day Normandy casualties
• 10 Medal of Honor recipients
• 6,513 World War II
• 783 Korean War
• 1,585 Vietnam War
• 173 Prisoners of war
• 1,610 Missing in action
• 19 Pearl Harbor casualties
• 84 D-Day Normandy casualties
• 10 Medal of Honor recipients
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