Medal of Honor recipient General Bud Day: A Siouxland hero

George Everette “Bud” Day’s 13-foot-tall bronze sculpture greets guests at the Sioux Gateway Airport/Brigadier General Bud Day Field entrance. Who was Bud Day? George Everette “Bud” Day of Siouxland is the only person to earn the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Air Force Cross, the Air Force’s highest honors. With more than 70 decorations, Day is the nation’s most decorated officer since General Douglas MacArthur. Sioux City added his name to the airfield on May 25, 2002. Day unveiled his sculpture seven months later on the 60th anniversary of his initial military enlistment. Day earned his highest honors as a prisoner of war in the Vietnam War. His personal bravery and fierce resistance inspired his fellow prisoners, including Day’s cellmate, the eventual Senator John McCain. 

Siouxland is an hour and a half northwest of Omaha, Nebraska, and 1:15 southeast of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The Sioux Gateway Airport (SUX) offers round-trip flights to Chicago and Denver.

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Table of contents

Posthumous promotion | Growing up | Return to Siouxland | Return to war | Shot down | Escape attempt | POW | Activist wives | Operation Homecoming | Veterans’ healthcare battle | Passing | Legacy | Eat and stay

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A posthumous promotion to general

The 5-foot-9 Day died in 2013 as a colonel after a long illness. McCain ensured Day’s posthumous promotion to brigadier general with the National Defense Authorization Act, effective March 27, 2018. A carved granite bar on his airport sculpture covered his colonel engraving with a brigadier general’s rank.

Related: Visit the National D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia.

“[Hunting] developed [Day’s] determination or just plain stubborness.” — Jeri Day, his second cousin

Bud Day grows up in Siouxland

Day was born on February 24, 1925, in Sioux City, Iowa. From early childhood, he hunted small game to feed his family. Day also enjoyed playing basketball. While the neighborhood boys shot hoops, Doris Sorensen brought them water. Day dropped out of high school shortly before his 1942 graduation and joined as an enlisted Marine, serving on a battery on Johnston Island.

Bud Day returns to Siouxland

After the war, he returned to Siouxland and married Sorensen on August 26, 1949. He nicknamed her Viking because of her Norwegian heritage. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree at Morningside University, then a college, and his juris doctor at the University of South Dakota.

Day joined the Army Reserve after the war. He later transferred to the Iowa Air National Guard. The Air Force called him to active duty in 1951. He received a direct commission as a second lieutenant, he serving two tours as an F-84 Thunderjet pilot during the Korean War. By 1967, he had logged more than 5,000 flying hours, 4,500 of them in fighters. That included two tours in the F-100 Super Sabre. Day planned to retire after 20 years of service in 1968. Then, he volunteered for a year in Vietnam.

I thought about this issue of getting captured. If I got captured, I was determined I was going to escape and do my best to follow the code. — Bud Day

Bud Day shot down over Vietnam

On August 26, 1967, the Seventh Air Force ordered a sortie over an SA-2 missile site in a fruit orchard west of Fingers Lake near the Demilitarized Zone. Then-Major Day was in the two-seat F-100fs’s back seat on Captain Corwin Kippenhan’s check ride. The 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron from Phu Cat Air Base, South Vietnam, had the call sign Misty, Day’s favorite song.

Day’s 65th sortie into North Vietnam would be his last. The missile site’s 37-mm gun struck their plane, and both pilots punched out. Day landed in trees, breaking his right arm in three places and injuring his knee and an eye. Both Kippenham and Day punched out. A rescue helicopter picked up Kippenham but missed Day. For days, the Vietnamese villagers beat him. A medic wrongly set his broken arm and casted it. On August 30, the villagers hung him by his feet from a tree for most of the day.

Escape attempt

Day’s guards became inattentive. They believed that the barefoot, injured Day could not escape. They were wrong. Day evaded capture for nine days, surviving by eating raw frogs. He crossed the Ben Hai River into South Vietnam with the aid of a bamboo log float. He was two miles from a Marine base at Con Thien when the Viet Cong (VC) captured him. His captors shot him in the left thigh and left hand. The VC carried him in a stretcher across the river, where the North Vietnamese Army, “The V,” took over. He endured days of torture on a forced march to the Hoa Lo — Hanoi Hilton — prison. 

Day in Vietnamese captivity

Despite continued beatings and torture, Day continued his resistance to enemy interrogation. Serious injuries were a bonus for the torturers, Day said. “The Bug” was the New Guy Village’s chief torturer. He and his two assistants, “Straps and Bars” and “Jake,” had killed at least five Americans. Under these unspeakable conditions, the Code of Conduct evolved. When a POW had reached the breaking point, lying to stop torment became acceptable. 

Psychological torment continued when physical torture was absent. The V endlessly played antiwar propaganda, including collaborators’ statements.

Eventually, the camp moved him, McCain, and Air Force Major Norris Overly to “The Plantation,”  where Overly nursed them back to better health. The Vietnamese left McCain to die, but Overly and Day refused to let him. Later, McCain wrapped Day’s arm in bamboo and rags and squeezed the bones together. Finally, Day’s useless arm began to heal. “

Overly gained release as a propaganda stunt. He brought a note to Day’s wife in 1968. Until then, the V had not acknowledged Day’s captivity. Over 1,500 service members are still missing from the Vietnam War. Overly’s news ensured that Day would not be abandoned. The torture continued until after North Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh died in 1969. Conditions then improved. 

I wasn’t brave at first; I was petrified, but I got the nerve, got up, and went on. — Doris Sorensen Day

The activist wives reset POW treatment

Doris Sorenson Day was not idle while her husband suffered. Instead, she became active in the POW community in the United States. She was the Phoenix area coordinator for the National League of Families of American Prisoners in Southeast Asia. The Lyndon Johnson Administration had told the families to keep quiet about their service member’s plight. The families struggled to receive their POW’s paychecks, and the government initially excluded them from a savings plan for combat troops. 

In response, a small group of West Coast Navy families began to meet in 1966, and the organization spread across the country and all military branches. The organization devised the iconic metal bracelets bearing the names of POWs and MIAs (missing in action), along with the black-and-white POW/MIA flag. Letters flooded embassies in France and Sweden. The incoming Nixon Administration embraced the publicity. Perhaps the POW/MIA issue could unite the country, they thought. Beyond Ho Chi Minh’s death, The National League’s publicity improved the POWs’ treatment. McCain said, “Our treatment changed dramatically. It went from bad—in my case, solitary confinement—to being with 25 others… it was a decision made by the Politburo. It was not gradual.”

The families’ efforts changed the way Americans perceive war casualties. Americans tolerate service members’ dying in action, but they refuse to accept missing Americans. The women altered how Americans value POWs. The military now fights to minimize its people’s liability to capture. When the US pulled out of Afghanistan in 2021, it left not a single POW or MIA. 

Operation Homecoming

Finally, on February 12, 1973, The V began releasing the American POWs in order of capture. Day’s “Freedom Day” was March 14. During Operation Homecoming, a C-141 flew the POWs from Hanoi to Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. After 2,028 days of imprisoned silence, Day called his wife. “She came through strong and clear. She was well. The children were well. They were as anxious to see me as I was to see them. All of the important things in my existence were in order.” The Air Force promoted him to lieutenant colonel and then colonel.

Colonel Day reunited with Doris and their children at March Air Force Base in California. “That was the happiest day of my life,” Doris said. “We just couldn’t stop talking, and he had missed so much.” 

Recovering from his ordeal required a year. However, his arms and hands never recovered from the torture. He then returned to flight status, becoming vice commander of the 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

He accepted the Medal of Honor from President Gerald Ford during a White House Ceremony on March 4, 1976, along with Lieutenant Thomas R. Norris, Captain Lance P. Sijan, who received the Medal posthumously, and Rear Admiral James B. Stockdale. Sijan and Stockdale were also POWs. Day requested that former President Richard Nixon present the Medal again in 1977.

A warrior for veterans’ healthcare

Day retired from the Air Force in 1977. He then practiced law, wrote two memoirs, and advocated for veterans’ health care benefits. One day in 1996, a bureaucrat at Eglin Air Force Base told him his veterans benefits became invalid at age 65. Instead, he had to use Medicare. The incensed attorney sued the federal government for breach of contract. “This is basically about the honor of the United States,” Day said. The courts ruled against Day’s class action lawsuit. However, Day rattled Congress enough for it to pass the TRICARE for Life military insurance program in 2001. “The program is “95 percent of the loaf,” Day said. But, “that’s not what was promised us.”

Bud Day passes away; Siouxland holds memorial service

Day died July 23, 2013, at his home in Shalimar, Florida, surrounded by his children, grandchildren, and wife, Doris. He is buried at the Barrancas National Cemetery, Pensacola, Florida.

Siouxland held Bud Day’s memorial service on August 3, 2013, at the 185th Air Refueling Wing Air National Guard Base in Sioux City.

Bud and Doris Day’s lasting legacy in Siouxland

Bud Day’s legacy lives on in Siouxland through various memorials and tributes:

1. Siouxland Freedom Park honors Bud Day and other veterans

Meditate on war’s sacrifices at the 55-acre Siouxland Freedom Park in South Sioux City, Nebraska. A replica of the Korean War Memorial and the only exact half-scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., grace the park. Of the Vietnam War’s 58,272 fallen service members, 130 came from Siouxland. 

The park also features Nebraska’s first Freedom Rock, which honors Siouxland’s military history (PDF). On one side are Lieutenant Jarvis Offutt, Omaha’s first pilot to die in combat; Day; Lieutenant Warren Brown, the only 185th Air National Guard pilot killed in the Vietnam War; and General Bobbi Doorenbos, Iowa’s first female combat pilot. The other side honors Siouxland’s fallen in other wars, including Sergeant John R. Rice. Rice was buried in Arlington National Cemetery after the Sioux City Memorial Park Cemetery rejected the Ho-Chunk war hero’s burial there.

The John Douangdara Dog Park honors Master-at-Arms John Jet Li Douangdara. The South Sioux City native and his War Dog Bart died with 29 other service members when their helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan on August 6, 2011. Look for Petty Officer Douangdara and Bart’s statue. The park has separate large and small dog sections, a dog-friendly water fountain, and a shade shelter.

Roxie’s reliable report: Brown’s memorial stands near Day’s airport statue.

The park also includes walking trails, lighting, and a 30×60 foot American flag, flying from a 150-foot-high flagstaff. A gazebo, picnic tables, and playground are nearby.

Related: The Wall’s southeastern arm points directly to the Sergeant Floyd Monument. The Corps of Discovery member was the first American soldier to die west of the Mississippi River.

2. Brigadier General Bud and Doris Day Interpretive Center in Siouxland

Experience Siouxland veterans’ stories at the Day Interpretive Center in Freedom Park. Travel through the Military Life Cycle: Enlistment/Induction, Life in Uniform, Leaving Home, Coming Home, and finally Reintegration and Adjustment.

3. Mid-America Museum of Aviation and Transportation

A Vietnam exhibit at the Siouxland museum holds Bud Day memorabilia. His white service uniform displays 43 service ribbons, including the Medal of Honor. Many of them have insignia indicating multiple awards.

Roxie’s reliable report: On July 19, 1989, United Flight 232 crash-landed on Sioux City Airport’s Runway 22. The plane suffered a catastrophic failure of the tail-mounted engine. Its shrapnel shredded the airplane’s hydraulic lines. Captain Al Haynes‘ skill and a series of miracles saved 184 lives that day. The museum stands on that former runway and its largest exhibit tells the heroic story of the plane’s crew, passengers, and Siouxland’s first responders who helped them.

4. Bud Day display at the Sioux City Airport Terminal

Inside the airport, a large display showcases Day’s jaw-dropping medal collection, memorabilia, and a moving photograph of Bud and Doris Day’s long-awaited reunion.

5. Bud Day Center, Morningside University

Morningside University, Day’s alma mater, founded the Colonel Bud Day Center for Civic Engagement in 2015. The center focuses on civic awareness and citizenship activities on campus and in the Sioux City area. The center is affiliated with Morningside College’s Department of Economics, Political Science, and Sociology.

6. Bud Day Chair of Honor, Siouxland Expo Center

Siouxland student Jacob McGowan unveiled the permanent Chair of Honor in 2020, honoring Bud Day at the Siouxland Expo Center. McGowan intends to place the Chairs of Honor in stadiums and theaters in the region. Locations include City Hall.

7. Siouxland Veterans Memorial Bridge

Honor Bud Day and all veterans when you cross the Siouxland Veterans Bridge, visible from Freedom Park. It opened in 1981, connecting Sioux City, Iowa, to South Sioux City, Nebraska. It’s part of US Highway 20, America’s longest highway, spanning the nation’s longest river, the Missouri.

8-9. Flag Park and Veterans Memorial Park

A pair of Siouxland parks also honor veterans like Bud Day. Flag Park in South Sioux City, Nebraska, flies 50 flags to honor those who served in Desert Storm. Veterans Memorial Park in North Sioux City, South Dakota, includes a small memorial wall and flags beside benches and landscaping.

Bud Day: A Siouxland symbol of hope and hourage

Bud Day’s story is a testament to the human spirit’s ability to overcome adversity. His courage, resilience, and unwavering commitment to his country have left an enduring legacy. As we visit these local places, we can connect with his story and honor his memory. By understanding his sacrifices, we can appreciate the freedoms we enjoy today and strive to live up to the ideals he embodied.

Where to eat and stay

The Courtyard by Marriott (ad) has the Col. Bud Day Meeting Room. Numerous eateries and a cinema are within easy walking distance.

Cross the street to Marto Brewing. At the brewery, start with the enormous Bavarian pretzel with Pilsner cheese sauce and IPA mustard. For the entreé, choose the Steak Diablo: burrata cheese, marinara, jalapenos, caramelized onions, calabrese peppers, 6 oz wood-fired CAB sirloin, and pecorino romano. Enjoy s flight of beers. Visit often because the drink menu is ever-changing.

Hawk’s Coffee Shop is across Interstate 29 from the airport. They serve breakfast all day, a big plus. Why waste breakfast delights at the groggiest time of day? Choose four drinks on their Flight Board. I mostly chose coffee-based drinks, but don’t limit yourself. Try the Raspberry Cinnamon Toast, sprinkled with powdered sugar and whipped cream, and the Gourmet Breakfast Sandwich: egg, Muenster cheese, and butter on an everything bagel. 

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