DONALD L. RISSI, LTCOL, USAF
Donald Rissi '55
Lucky Bag
From the 1955 Lucky Bag:
DONALD LOUIS RISSI
Collinsville, Illinois
Collinsville, Illinois claims the distinction of having sent a favorite son to Navy Tech. To while away those idle hours between Sunday night and Saturday noon, Don followed his hobby of photography and somehow read all of the usual literary masterpieces that seemed to find their way into Mother Bancroft. Dragging, though, was his main occupation. The two burning desires of Don's life are a flying career and a gleaming black Jaguar roadster. Always taking full advantage of a free ride, Don was one of the very few who qualified as a "minimum effort" student.
He was also a member of the 1st Battalion staff (winter).
DONALD LOUIS RISSI
Collinsville, Illinois
Collinsville, Illinois claims the distinction of having sent a favorite son to Navy Tech. To while away those idle hours between Sunday night and Saturday noon, Don followed his hobby of photography and somehow read all of the usual literary masterpieces that seemed to find their way into Mother Bancroft. Dragging, though, was his main occupation. The two burning desires of Don's life are a flying career and a gleaming black Jaguar roadster. Always taking full advantage of a free ride, Don was one of the very few who qualified as a "minimum effort" student.
He was also a member of the 1st Battalion staff (winter).
Loss
Donald was killed in action on December 18, 1972 when his B-52 Stratofortress bomber was shot down over Vietnam.
Other Information
From the Vietnam Virtual Wall:
The "Christmas bombing" of North Vietnam began on the night of 18/19 Dec 1972 with a total of 129 B-52 bombers directed against a number of high-value targets in and around Hanoi. The operation consisted of three waves of heavy bombers spaced several hours apart. B-52G tail number 58-0201 (340th Bomb Sqd, 72nd Strat Wing) was in the first wave and was targeted against the Yen Vien railway yard 2 miles north of Hanoi but was struck by two SA-2 surface-to-air missiles before bomb release. Three of the crewmen were able to escape the burning aircraft, but three were not:
- LtCol Donald L. Rissi, Collinsville, IL
- Capt Robert J. Thomas, Miami, FL
- SMSgt Walter L. Ferguson, Detroit, MI
Their remains were repatriated on 23 August 1978. The other three crewman were captured and released with the other American POWs in early 1973. They were Major Richard E. Johnson, Captain Robert G. Certain, and Captain Richard T. Simpson.
From researcher Kathy Franz:
Donald graduated from Collinsville High School in 1949. The yearbook wrote: His personality is different, but he's very likeable.” He played football in his sophomore and junior years.
When his remains were repatriated, The Orlando Sentinel of August 26, 1978, printed a story by Charlie Jean. The following quotes by Donald's wife were included:
“I knew from the day I married him that it could happen,” she said. “I am not embittered, absolutely not. He was a good military man who did his job well and enjoyed it.”
“At least he died doing something really important.”
Only because of a series of coincidences, Mrs. iaid, was her husband flying over Hanoi that December day when he and his crew of five were shot down.
She said he had flown fighter plane combat missions and completed his year's tour of duty in February 1972, but then a B-52 crew needed a replacement pilot for six weeks.
“'I'll go take his place,'” she said her husband decided.
“Then two days before he was due to come home the crew that was going to replace them didn't get there.
“And even on that morning . . . . He flew one of three planes in a cell. The first two planes didn't get off. They had trouble of some kind. The other two planes finally got off and they got back. He didn't.
“I guess it was just his time to go. But we are not embittered, absolutely not. We are really proud of him. That was his job and he knew it could happen.”
From the September 1973 issue of Shipmate:
LCol. Donald Louis Rissi, USAF, was reported killed in action in North Vietnam as of 18 December 1972.
Born in St. Louis, Ill., he graduated from the Naval Academy in 1955. He was sent to pilot training at Mission AFB, Texas, and then to Reese AFB, Texas. In 1961 he attended Squadron Officers' School at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. He served as aircraft commander in several squadrons and later attended the Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB. He was sent to Misawa AFB, Japan and was an F-4 pilot until 1970.
In 1971 he was sent to Puchat AFB, South Vietnam, where he flew 88 combat missions. Later that year he was sent to Ton San Nhut to the Command Post. In 1972 he was sent as a temporary replacement on a crew in Guam. He was due home on 17 December but was delayed, and on 18 December was the aircraft commander of the first B-52 shot down over Hanoi. He was listed as Missing in Action until the last POWs were repatriated. At that time, during debriefing, it was learned that LCol. Rissi had been killed while ejecting from his plane.
Surviving is his widow, Joan, 1643A Sycamore Dr., Blytheville AFB, AR 72315; his daughter. Donna; and four sons, Patrick, Mark, Stephen and Thomas. He is also survived by his parents, Frank L. Rissi and Delia Rissi.
Photographs
From the Lucky Bag
From the September 1973 issue of Shipmate.
From his high school yearbook
From The Orlando Sentinel on August 26, 1978
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Thomas Moore '55 was also in 1st Company.
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