FORT RUCKER, Ala. –Fort Rucker leaders, family members and Soldiers gathered April 10 at Hanchey Army Airfield to recognize retired Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael Hedgpeth, Army Civilian Professional, whose actions saved lives and exemplified the highest standards of Army Aviation.
“Every steady hand and every clear mind in moments of crisis comes from above,” Chaplain Dane Rinehart said as he opened the ceremony. “When others might have faltered, he stood firm. When the situation demanded more, he gave more, and because of that, lives were protected.”
The chaplain closed his invocation by highlighting the meaning behind the recognition, stating, “Excellence is not accidental. It is forged through faith, character and commitment.”
The ceremony marked only the fourth time the prestigious Broken Wing Award has been presented within the 1st Battalion, 14th Aviation Regiment, since 1996. The award recognized Hedgpeth’s actions during a training flight with Capt. Abdullah Al-Kuwari of Saudi Arabia on April 2, 2024, when their aircraft struck a black vulture.
According to officials, the impact rendered continued flight impossible. Through exceptional crew coordination and airmanship, the pair-maintained control and executed an emergency landing in an open field, ensuring the safety of all aboard.
“They maintained calm, deliberate decision-making under immense pressure,” the ceremony narrator said. “Their professionalism, situational awareness and unwavering focus directly contributed to a successful outcome and preservation of life.”
The Broken Wing Award, unique to Army aviation, originated informally among pilots during the Vietnam War in 1968 to recognize peers following aircraft accidents.
“It was started on the flight line by pilots for pilots,” said Col. Dennis Hill, commander of the 110th Aviation Brigade. “I would imagine that a Broken Wing Award bestowed on you by your peers probably carried more pride and more weight than many formal decorations.”
Hill said that although the award took time to process, its presentation during Army Aviation Branch Week was significant. He noted that the ceremony highlighted the mastery of emergency procedures, which is the first and last thing an aviator learns.
“What we’re recognizing today is that mastery,” Hill said.
Describing Hedgpeth as one of the most capable aviators he has ever known, Hill emphasized the severity of the incident.
“When a 27-pound bird hits your tail rotor, it might as well have been an RPG,” Hill said. “That’s really what he was dealing with. All that experience and calm under pressure came to a head that day.”
In his remarks, Hedgpeth credited his faith as the foundation for his response.
“First and foremost, I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for His presence every day in my life,”
Hedgpeth said. “It was important that day, and it’s important to me every day.”
He said the outcome reflected a deep preparedness for unexpected moments. “Luck is what happens when opportunity meets preparedness,” he said, crediting his mentors for instilling the discipline and high standards that guided him.
Hedgpeth also praised his co-pilot’s critical role. “If he had not been there, not present, not professional, I don’t think I’d be standing here today,” he said.
Hedgpeth concluded by thanking his family and colleagues for their support.
“It means the world to me for you all to be here and see a little bit of what we do,” he said. “Thank you for your professionalism and for defending our nation.”
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