Full U.S. Air Medal Ceremony - The Day the Swedish Air Force Viggen Saved the SR-71 Blackbird

This is the full recording of the official presentation of United States Air Medals to three Swedish Airforce 37 Viggen Combat Aircraft Pilots.
In 1987, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird flown by Lt. Cols. Duane Noll and Tom Veltri was a day they will not forget. The SR-71experienced engine trouble, losing power in one of the plane’s powerful Pratt & Whitney J58-1 afterburning turbofan engines, the aircraft entered Swedish airspace over Gotland violating swedish air space.
The Viggens, piloted by Swedish air force Col. Lars-Eric Blad, Majs. Roger Moller and Krister Sjoberg, and Lt. Bo Ignell, caught up with the SR-71—perhaps the only time in history an aircraft has ever intercepted a SR-71. Once they noticed it was flying on just one engine, the Air Medal citation says, they “decided to render support to the aircraft by defending it from any potential third-party aircraft that might have tried to threaten it. The pilots then accompanied the aircraft beyond the territorial boundaries and ensured that it was safely recovered.”
The events of that day we're only declassified in 2018.
Sweden's air force pilots attending on the day of the ceremony are:
Col. Lars-Erik Blad, Maj. Roger Moller, Maj. Krister Sjober.
The U.S. Air Force citation goes on to say the Swedish air crew was prepared to defend the SR-71 from “third parties,” but the complexity of the Cold War means the truth was probably a little more nuanced.
The SR-71 reconnaissance missions were highly classified and the full truth may never be fully known or indeed what could have happened if the Viggens hadnt arrived when they did. It is known that a Soviet MiG-25PD “Foxbat” high-speed interceptor based in East Germany was sent to try and intercept the Blackbird.
Video by Senior Airman Kelly OConnor
100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

Check out my other video: The day the Swedish Air Force Saab 37 Viggen saved the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird: https://youtu.be/y5Z2Bb-wnls

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