Clifton Cushman
Encyclopedia
Clifton Cushman was an American
athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metre hurdles.
He competed for the United States in the 1960 Summer Olympics
held in Rome
, Italy
in the 400 metre hurdles where he won the silver medal.
, North Dakota
in 1956. Cushman was an outstanding athlete while running in track for the Redskins, breaking and setting many records. In 1990 Cushman was inducted into the Grand Forks Central Athletic Hall of Fame. Randy Heuther of Lisbon High School, ND broke Cushman's record in the hurdles, but then was stripped of the title after a wind-aided controversy.
His biggest achievement during his college career was during the 1960 season where Cliff Cushman became an Olympian, competing in the 1960 games in Rome. Cushman finished second overall with a time of 49.6 seconds in the 400 meter hurdles.
Just hours after the meet, Cushman wrote a letter to the youth of his hometown of Grand Forks asking them to not feel sorry for him but instead to set goals for themselves.
.
, Lang Son
Province, North Vietnam
. Capt. Cushman's call sign was "Devil 2." The flight arrived in the target area on schedule and immediately checked in with the airborne battlefield command and control center (ABCCC). Devil flight was directed to begin their bomb runs on the bridge.
At 1530 hours, Devil Lead made his pass on the target followed in order by the rest of his flight. After pulling off the target, Capt. Cushman radioed that he had been hit by anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) fire and he had a fire warning light. Devil 3 asked if he could steer, Cliff Cushman replied he had "lost his stability, augmentation and aircraft power."
Devil Lead observed 37 mm AAA fire bursting to the left and rear of Devil 2 (Cushman), and told Capt. Cushman to break right. Lead then saw his afterburner light and simultaneous torch of flames coming from the right aft section of Devil 2 (Cushman)'s aircraft. Devil Lead then observed Cushman's aircraft break into several burning parts. He also saw Cliff Cushman's ejection seat arcing up and to the front of the falling wreckage. They could not find the body of Cliff Cushman anywhere. Because of the rough landscape it was nearly impossible for anyone to gain radio control. Cliff Cushman was immediately listed Missing in Action.
On November 6, 1975, Cliff Cushman was officially declared dead.
Surviving family members were spouse Carolyn Cushman and son Colin Cushman.
His wife said after being informed of her husband's status: "Somewhere in Vietnam he's running the biggest race of his life. It's like watching a race in which Cliff is running - only you can't see the finish tape. He's in excellent physical condition. Cliff also has a very deep faith in God. What better combination could there be?"
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metre hurdles.
He competed for the United States in the 1960 Summer Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
held in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in the 400 metre hurdles where he won the silver medal.
High school
Cliff Cushman was a graduate of Grand Forks Central High School in Grand ForksGrand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 52,838, while that of the city and surrounding metropolitan area was 98,461...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
in 1956. Cushman was an outstanding athlete while running in track for the Redskins, breaking and setting many records. In 1990 Cushman was inducted into the Grand Forks Central Athletic Hall of Fame. Randy Heuther of Lisbon High School, ND broke Cushman's record in the hurdles, but then was stripped of the title after a wind-aided controversy.
College
After high school Cliff attended the University of Kansas where he again broke and set many track records. In 1959 Cliff took second place in the 400-meter hurdles providing Kansas with their back bone to reach their first NCAA Championship. In the next year he was named captain of the Jayhawks, in this same season he also earned most outstanding performer honors at the Kansas Relays, as well as winning the national title in the 400 meter hurdles. Again helping to provide the Jayhawks with that back bone needed to defend the NCAA Championship.His biggest achievement during his college career was during the 1960 season where Cliff Cushman became an Olympian, competing in the 1960 games in Rome. Cushman finished second overall with a time of 49.6 seconds in the 400 meter hurdles.
Race to the Gold Medal
In 1964 Cliff Cushman hoped to compete again in the Olympics. But his hopes of winning a medal were lost when he stumbled over a hurdle at the final U.S. Olympic trial meet in Los Angeles.Just hours after the meet, Cushman wrote a letter to the youth of his hometown of Grand Forks asking them to not feel sorry for him but instead to set goals for themselves.
U.S. Air Force
After Cushman's successful career at the University of Kansas, he joined the United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
.
Cushman's Death
On September 25, 1966 Captain Clifton E. Cushman was the pilot of the #2 F-105D in a flight of three that was conducting an afternoon combat mission to bomb a railroad bridge located on the northeast railroad line approximately one mile north-northeast of Kep MiG base and 29 miles northeast of Bac GiangBac Giang
Bắc Giang is a city in Vietnam. It is the capital of the Bac Giang province. Its name, deriving from Sino-Vietnamese, means "north of the river." Bac Giang was formerly a sister city with Madison, Wisconsin, United States....
, Lang Son
Lang Son
Lạng Sơn , sometimes Langson, is a city in far northern Vietnam, is the capital of Lang Son province. It is accessible by road and rail from Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital, and it is the northernmost point on National Road 1A.-History:...
Province, North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
. Capt. Cushman's call sign was "Devil 2." The flight arrived in the target area on schedule and immediately checked in with the airborne battlefield command and control center (ABCCC). Devil flight was directed to begin their bomb runs on the bridge.
At 1530 hours, Devil Lead made his pass on the target followed in order by the rest of his flight. After pulling off the target, Capt. Cushman radioed that he had been hit by anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) fire and he had a fire warning light. Devil 3 asked if he could steer, Cliff Cushman replied he had "lost his stability, augmentation and aircraft power."
Devil Lead observed 37 mm AAA fire bursting to the left and rear of Devil 2 (Cushman), and told Capt. Cushman to break right. Lead then saw his afterburner light and simultaneous torch of flames coming from the right aft section of Devil 2 (Cushman)'s aircraft. Devil Lead then observed Cushman's aircraft break into several burning parts. He also saw Cliff Cushman's ejection seat arcing up and to the front of the falling wreckage. They could not find the body of Cliff Cushman anywhere. Because of the rough landscape it was nearly impossible for anyone to gain radio control. Cliff Cushman was immediately listed Missing in Action.
On November 6, 1975, Cliff Cushman was officially declared dead.
Surviving family members were spouse Carolyn Cushman and son Colin Cushman.
Always Remembered
Grand Forks Central High School named its football stadium after him, Cushman Field. His picture is displayed in GFC's gymnasium, and his name is mentioned in almost every Hall of Fame cabinet. There are still records to be broken at GFC that Clifton Emmet "Cliff" Cushman set over 50 years ago.His wife said after being informed of her husband's status: "Somewhere in Vietnam he's running the biggest race of his life. It's like watching a race in which Cliff is running - only you can't see the finish tape. He's in excellent physical condition. Cliff also has a very deep faith in God. What better combination could there be?"