Roland David Guidry

Roland David Guidry for his outstanding 26-year U. S. Air Force career as a pilot and commander in USAF Special Operations. Colonel Guidry is a Vietnam War veteran with over 4,500 hours flying time. In November 1970 he participated in the Son Tay POW Camp Raid as a C-130 supporting pilot. Although the North Vietnamese (NVA) had relocated the Son Tay POWs in July, the POWs now knew they were not forgotten and their treatment by the NVA improved significantly. In April 1980 Colonel Guidry commanded the 8th Special Operations Squadron and piloted the lead C-130 on Operation Eagle Claw - the Iranian Hostage Rescue mission. Although the mission had to be aborted, it led to the support and build-up of U. S. special operations forces and improved the integration of special operations among the services. Colonel Guidry led the training of USAF and USA aviation units for hostage rescue and counterterrorism operations from 1980-1983 when the Grenada rescue mission occurred. Colonel Guidry was inducted into the Air Commando Hall of Fame in 2008.