Jack Columbus Rittichier (August 17, 1933 – June 9, 1968) was the highest-ranked American Coast Guard officer killed during the Vietnam War and the first Coast Guardsman killed in action during the Vietnam War. On June 9, 1968, Rittichier and three Air Force crewmen took off in their Sikorsky MH-53 to rescue a Marine Corps pilot who had been shot down near the border with Laos. While attempting this rescue, his helicopter was stuck with heavy ground fire and exploded while attempting to land.