To commemorate Veterans Day 2023, Lancaster Bible College | Capital Seminary & Graduate School recognizes and honors all those who have bravely served in our country’s Armed Forces, including LBC | Capital Adjunct Professor of Bible Dr. Edgar Hardesty.

LBC | Capital Adjunct Professor of Bible Dr. Edgar Hardesty is pictured at the DaNang AFB in front of one of the rescue choppers.

Dr. Hardesty served as Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force from 1966-1970, specializing in weapons, munitions and aircraft release systems. With the war in Vietnam escalating, Dr. Hardesty was on loan from his home base in Mississippi to bases in Guam, Thailand and Okinawa.

His fourth and final year in the service was spent in Vietnam assigned to DaNang Air Force Base (AFB) as the weapons non-commissioned officer for the squadron known as the “Jolly Green Giants,” a nickname given to them because of their mission of rescuing pilots shot down in battle and extracting deeply inserted Special Ops teams. The Green Giant vegetable canning company had adopted the squadron, running an ad at the time that featured a green giant reaching down into a valley and picking out the best sprouts.

Dr. Hardesty on the first day he arrived at the DaNang AFB, still in his stateside uniform.

By the time Dr. Hardesty left Vietnam in September 1969, his small 100% volunteer outfit had over 360 saves to their credit, were highly decorated and saw a great deal of combat near their base. Their squadron motto was: “That Others May Live.”

Thank you, Dr. Hardesty, and all veterans—especially Lancaster Bible College students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends—for your dedication and service to our great nation!