The Bronze Star Medal held a nice beautiful chocolate patina and was in a pristine plastic presentation case from the 1950s and 1960s era. It was eye catching, with the initials D.C.K. engraved on the back. This would have meant the recipient would have been unknown and lost to time. Except for the metal U.S. Air Force name tag to D. C. Kipfer with the Warfare Systems School insignia pointed to an exceptional Air Force Colonel’s Service that spanned from World War II through the Vietnam conflict. What initially looked to be a story of a singular wartime achievement instead told a story of a man whose contributions in Research & Development had greater strategic impact on the United States Air Force. This is Colonel Donald C. Kipfer’s story of service.
The Things We Leave Behind 