Foil: 6 Panel: Distinguished Flying Cross Society Column: 3 Line: 32

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

COL., USA, (Ret.) Sam Raines served in the U.S. Army for more than 30 years (1965-1995). His background included Special Operations, Aviation, and Combat Engineering. He is a rated pilot in 13 different fixed and rotary wing aircraft and qualified as a high altitude parachutist during his career. He served multiple combat tours in Vietnam, later operated in over 70 foreign countries during military service, and was a Brigade Commander in the 1991 Gulf War. He is a highly decorated combat veteran. He culminated his career serving at the White House as Director, Presidential Contingency Programs, directly supporting former Presidents Bush and Clinton (1992-1995). Sam Raines earned his first Distinguished Flying Cross as a Captain in August 1968 while flying a light armed fixed wing aircraft for over ten consecutive hours of intense combat in the Republic of Vietnam. At the time of his retirement he had earned 30 oak leaf clusters to the Air Medal for combat operations and three awards of the Air Medal for Valor.