Colonel Injured in Air Show Crash Was Decorated Pilot in Vietnam War

The Marine Corps colonel who was critically injured while attempting to perform a loop maneuver in his F/A-18 fighter jet when it went down Sunday is a much decorated Vietnam war veteran with over 4,000 hours of flight experience, Marine officials said.

Col. Jerry Cadick, a 26-year Marine veteran, is the recipient of numerous awards and citations for his combat flying in Vietnam, including 11 Strike/Flight Air Medals, a Presidential Unit Citation and a Meritorious Unit Commendation, said Sgt. Debra Braganini, a spokeswoman for the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

Cadick’s highest acclaim is a Single Mission Air Medal he won in Vietnam after he flew three bombing runs in a one-man air raid on enemy forces near Con Thein in October of 1967, according to a press report from Cadick’s hometown newspaper, the Evansville (Indiana) Courier Press.

Cadick enlisted in the Marines in 1962 and was trained at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, graduating as honor man, the highest rated graduate of his class, Braganini said. He then reported to U.S. Navy Flight training as a Marine Aviation Cadet and graduated No. 1 from the U.S. Naval School of Preflight, where he was appointed Regimental Commander, according to a biography released by the El Toro Marine base.

Cadick was sent to Vietnam where he flew numerous combat flights with the Marine Aircraft Wing in Da Nang. He returned to the United States as a flight instructor at the Advanced Jet Training Naval Air Station in Beeville, Tex., according to the biography.

His duties in the Marines have ranged from operations officer at the Marine Corps Air Station in Beaufort, S.C., to executive officer at the 1st Marine Air Wing in Iwakuni, Japan, according to the biography.

After selection for the College Degree Completion Program, Cadick earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and graduated summa cum laude , according to the biography.

Cadick, who is the commanding officer of El Toro’s Marine Aircraft Group 11, Third Marine Aircraft Wing, and his wife, Vicky, are residents of Evansville but presently live in San Clemente, Braganini said.