Iceal Hambleton

Iceal E. Hambleton
Iceal "Gene" E. Hambleton
Nickname(s)	Gene
Born	(1918-11-16)November 16, 1918 Rossville, Illinois
Died	September 19, 2004(2004-09-19) (aged 85) Tucson, Arizona
Allegiance
Service/branch	United States Air Force
Years of service	1943–1945; c1953-1973
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel
Battles/wars	World War II Korean War Vietnam War
Awards	Silver Star Distinguished Flying Cross Meritorious Service Medal Air Medal Purple Heart

Lieutenant Colonel Iceal E. "Gene" Hambleton, USAF (November 16, 1918 – September 19, 2004) was a United States Air Force navigator and electronic warfare officer who was shot down over South Vietnam during the 1972 Easter Offensive. He was aboard an EB-66 aircraft whose call sign was Bat 21. As the ranking navigator/EWO on the aircraft, he was seated immediately behind the pilot, giving him the call sign "Bat 21 Bravo". He survived for 11½ days behind enemy lines until he was retrieved in a daring ground operation. His rescue was the longest and most costly search and rescue mission during the Vietnam War. He received the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal and a Purple Heart for his actions during this mission.

Hambleton served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during the last years of World War II without seeing any combat. Released from active duty at the end of the war, he retained a Reserve commission and was recalled back to active duty by the U.S. Air Force during the 1950s. During the Korean War, he flew 43 sorties as navigator in a B-29 Superfortress. He then worked during the 1960s on various USAF ballistic missile projects such as the PGM-19 Jupiter, Titan I ICBM and Titan II ICBM. From 1965 to 1971, Hambleton had commanded the 571st Strategic Missile Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson AZ and had also been the deputy chief of operations for his squadrons parent unit, the Strategic Air Command's 390th Strategic Missile Wing at Davis-Monthan AFB.