Stars of Our Flag
Maj William E. Cordero, USAF
Tony Cordero memorializes his late father's sacrifice, and reflects on the legacy of his Gold Star family
Embedded Files
Maj Cordero: A Sacrifice Remembered, a Legacy Honored
Maj William E. Cordero
United States Air Force
Campaign: Vietnam War
Years of Service: 1953–1965 (KIA)
Vietnam War
[1st Deployment: Nov 1963–Aug 1964]
1st Air Commando Squadron
[2nd Deployment: Aug 1964–June 1965]
13th Air Force
8th Bombardment Squadron
Maj Cordero in front row, second from right.
Military Awards
Distinguished Flying Cross
Purple Heart
Air Medal (with 2 OLC)
Air Force Commendation Medal (with 1 OLC)
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
National Defense Service Medal
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Vietnam Service Medal (with 1 Service Star)
Air Force Longevity Service Award (with 1 OLC)
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Medal w/Palm
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Maj Cordero's Final Mission
June 22, 1965 (29 years old)
KIA on a bombing sortie over North Vietnam
Role: Navigator
Callsign: JADE 22
Aircraft: B-57 Canberra
Pilot: Maj Charles K. Lovelace, USAF (KIA)
Maj Cordero and Maj Lovelace (JADE 22) Departed from Clark Air Force Base (no longer a U.S. AFB), near Luzon, in the Philippines
Maj Cordero and Maj Lovelace (JADE 22) First Arrived at Tan Son Nhut Air Base in Saigon (Now Known as Ho Chi Minh City), Republic of Vietnam
Maj Cordero and Maj Lovelace (JADE 22) then Proceeded to Da Nang Air Base, Republic of Vietnam
At Some Point during the Sortie, Maj Cordero and Maj Lovelace (JADE 22) Were Lost near Ban Nam On, Laos
A Gold Star Legacy
Tony Cordero: Learning He Is a Gold Star Son
Founding Sons and Daughters In Touch
"Sons and Daughters In Touch is dedicated to locating, uniting, and supporting America's Gold Star Children from the Vietnam War, and providing them with care, community, and connections."
Learn more about the incredible work that Sons and Daughters In Touch does by visiting: https://sdit.org
A Story Coin of Sacrifice and Remembrance
The front of the story coin depicts the names of Maj Cordero and Maj Lovelace; the B-57 Canberra bomber flying amidst a moonlit night; the aircrew’s callsign of JADE 22; the U.S. flag; and the flags of Santa Barbara, California and New Bern, North Carolina—where Maj Cordero and Maj Lovelace were originally from, respectively.
The back of the coin depicts the military decorations each airman was awarded posthumously (Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, Purple Heart), superimposed over the section of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (“the Wall”) that includes the airmen’s names (panel 2 East, Lines 15 & 16); the 8th Bomb Squadron insignia; and nine Gold Stars that identify the two wives and seven children left behind in the wake of the airmen’s ultimate sacrifice.
A Legacy of Gold Star Families
A Sacred Quest: Reaching Maj Cordero's Crash Site
America 250: The Cordero Gold Stars of Our Flag
The Cost of Selfless Service: A Beloved Son, Husband, and Father—Lost Too Soon
Maj Cordero with his father.
Maj Cordero with his wife, Tony Cordero's mother.
Maj Cordero with his son, Tony Cordero.
Mrs. Cordero, with her five children, including Tony Cordero (front, left).
Maj Cordero and Mrs. Cordero as Newlyweds
Maj Cordero—Forever Remembered and Honored
Maj Cordero and Maj Lovelace: Laid to Rest
Maj Cordero and Maj Lovelace's final resting place is in Section 46 of Arlington National Cemetery—the same section as the memorials to the crews of the space shuttles Challenger and Columbia.
In support of
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