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Albany County Executive Mike Breslin and the Honor-A-Veteran Committee commemorated Vietnam veteran Colonel Robert R. Craner at a ceremony on Saturday, May 20, 2006, at Craner Park in the City of Cohoes. |
Albany County Executive Mike Breslin and the Honor-A-Veteran Committee commemorated Vietnam veteran Colonel Robert R. Craner at a ceremony on Saturday, May 20, 2006, at Craner Park in the City of Cohoes.
Craner was born in the City of Cohoes in 1933. After graduating from Catholic Central High School, he enlisted in the United States Air Force. A career Air Force pilot, Robert served two tours of duty as a fighter pilot with the 37th Tactical Flight Wing Pacific Air Forces in Vietnam. While on his second tour piloting an F-100 on a top secret mission with the Mistys, he was shot down in December 1967 and was captured and imprisoned in Hanoi for nearly five and a half years.
He was released on March 14, 1973 and returned home to Cohoes to a heroes welcome. March 23, 1973 was declared "Lieutenant Colonel Robert R. Craner Day" in Cohoes and the former Devlin Street Park was renamed in his honor. He earned numerous medals and awards including the Distinguished Flying Cross, three Silver Stars, four Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts. Robert attended the College of the Holy Cross, where he majored in Russian Studies and then continued his service to his country as a military attaché with the American Embassy in Sofia, Bulgaria. He died suddenly of a heart attack on October 8, 1980.
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