Barry Ronal Delphin, Class of 1958

From Heroes of the United States Naval Academy:

Barry Ronal Delphin was born April 21, 1940 in West Greenwich, Rhode Island to Eugene Garrood and Mary Albro Delphin. He grew up in Clearwater, Florida and graduated from Clearwater High School where he was class President. He was appointed to the United States Naval Academy from Florida. Midshipman Delphin graduated 596 of 789 midshipmen from the United States Naval Academy on June 6, 1962 and commissioned in the United States Air Force.

On June 7, 1962, 2nd Lieutenant Delphin married Phyllis Douglas at the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis Maryland. Together they had two children, daughter Kletia and son Casey.

2nd Lieutenant Delphin was assigned pilot training with the 3560th Pilot Training Wing at Webb Air Force Base, Big Spring, Texas.

In 1964, 1st Lieutenant Delphin was assigned to 4514th Combat Crew Training Squadron (CCTS), 4510th Combat Crew Training Squadron (CCTW) at Luke Air Force Base, Litchfield Arizona flying the F-100 Super Sabre.

1st Lieutenant Delphin made a deployment to Germany. While in Germany, he requested to fly combat missions in Vietnam.

Captain Delphin arrived in South Vietnam in December 7, 1966.

Captain Delphin was assigned to 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, 7th Air Force in Phan Rang Air Base, Republic of Vietnam.

On March 20, 1967, Captain Delphin was conducting a close air support mission near Lai Khe, north of Saigon, in his F-100D (tail number 55-2912). His aircraft was struck by automatic weapons fire and crashed before he could eject.

Captain Delphin was assigned as one of two aircraft for the night alert shift at Phan Rhang Air Base. The other pilot assigned was Major Darrel B. Couch, USAF (Ret). Captain Delphin told Couch about a book he was writing about his war experience. They were scrambled late at night after each had gone to bed. An artillery battery of the First Infantry Division was under attack and wanted an alert flight loaded with cluster bombs (CBU-2). Captain Delphin and Couch scrambled.

Everything was uneventful until they arrived at the target. The flare aircraft was low on flares and could only drop one flare at a time or they would run out before they could get the strike completed. They had a middle thin cloud deck at about 7,000 feet and ground fog was forming. Friendly and enemy positions combined with ordnance that required a long straight through low level pass at 250 feet, dictated all weapons delivery passes be made on the same heading. Couch made the first pass and had to abort due to visual problems from the fog and almost flying into the ground. Couch told Delphin of the visual problems and cautioned him to keep instruments in his crosscheck. The forward air controller (FAC) cleared Delphin for his first pass. He lined up and called in hot. That was his last radio call and they could not see him visually, but at night, that was not that unusual. Couch thought perhaps Delphin had radio failure. Couch continued his pattern for his next pass. Just as Couch was rolling wings level, Dolphin crashed directly in front of his aircraft. Couch flew through the top of the fire ball from the crash. The NVA Battalion attacking the artillery battery must have thought they had a mid-air collision for they did a frontal charge at the battery. Couch’s next CBU pass was directly on the charging line and the attack was broken, but not over. After expending all his ordnance, Couch passed the target to the next fighter flight. Although Captain Delphin was killed their mission was successful as the artillery battery was saved.

He has a memorial in Florida.

Photographs

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  Class President Clearwater High School Yearbook; via Heroes of the United States Naval Academy

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  Cropped group photo of the 4514th CCTS, 4510th CCTW, Luke AFB, early 1964; via Heroes of the United States Naval Academy

Silver Star

From Home of Heroes:

Synopsis:
The President of the United States takes Pride in presenting the Silver Star Medal (Posthumously) to Barry Ronal Delphin (63798), Captain, U.S. Air Force, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against a hostile force during an air mission in the Republic of Vietnam. Captain Delphin distinguished himself by intrepid actions on while serving with 614th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 35th Tactical Fighter Wing, 7th Air Force. His unquestionable valor in close combat is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself,