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Contact Info
Home Town Tarrytown, New York
Last Address Panama City Beach, Florida
Date of Passing Aug 27, 2016
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
His AF Cross citation: Awarded for actions during the Vietnam War
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 Major Herbert D. Kalen (AFSN: 0-56767), United States Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an armed enemy of the United States as an Aircraft Commander of an HH-3E Rescue Helicopter of the 40th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, 3d Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Group, as part of an all-volunteer joint U.S. Army and Air Force raiding force in the Joint Chiefs of Staff-directed heliborne assault mission to rescue United States military personnel held as prisoners of war at Son Tay prison in North Vietnam, on 21 November 1970. On that date, Major Kalen volunteered to rescue and extract United States military personnel held as Prisoners of War deep inside the territory of North Vietnam. Major Kalen was faced with the most intense counter-air environment in the history of aerial warfare involving surface-to-air missiles. He masterfully executed the complicated maneuvers to evade the enemy's air defense systems. Knowing that a grave danger existed in that the guards within the Prisoner of War compound may have been alerted, he valorously, fearlessly and successfully flew the helicopter with an assault group into the compound yard, knowing that he must crash-land the helicopter in an area much too small for safe landing. Once the landing was completed, he further assisted the assault group in its ground operation mission. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of the enemy, Major Kalen reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force. General Orders: Department of the Air Force, Special Order GB-985 (December 15, 1970)
Later, 50 CH-3Es were modified for combat rescue missions with armor, defensive armament, self-sealing fuel tanks, a rescue hoist and in-flight refueling capability. They were redesignated HH-3Es and used extensively in Southeast Asia under the nickname "Jolly Green Giant."
USAF variants served in numerous air rescue squadrons and aerospace rescue and recovery squadons of the Military Airlift Command (MAC), rescue squadrons of the Air Combat Command (ACC) and other USAF major commands world-wide. The aircraft was also used by a number of Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard rescue squadrons. All USAF HH-3Es, to include Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard, were retired in the 1990s and replaced by the current HH-60G Pavehawk.
CH/HH-3 Jolly Green Giant HH-3F Pelican Specifications Main rotor diameter 62 ft. Fuselage Length 73 ft. 0 in. Height 18 ft. 1 in. Weight 22,050 lbs. loaded Armament Provisions for two .50-cal. machine guns Engines Two General Electric T58-GE-5 turboshaft engines of 1,500 hp. each Crew Three Cost $796,000 Maximum speed 177 mph. Cruising speed 154 mph. Range 779 miles with external fuel tanks Service Ceiling 21,000 ft.
