yesterday was Veterans Day and you probably all heard the definition of a
probably all heard the definition of a
probably all heard the definition of a veteran is someone who has at some point
veteran is someone who has at some point
veteran is someone who has at some point in their life written a check payable to
in their life written a check payable to
in their life written a check payable to the United States of America and the
the United States of America and the
the United States of America and the amount of up to including his or her
amount of up to including his or her
amount of up to including his or her life let me take you on an actual
life let me take you on an actual
life let me take you on an actual mission with me it may have been a
mission with me it may have been a
mission with me it may have been a Tuesday or perhaps Sunday it’s hard to
Tuesday or perhaps Sunday it’s hard to
Tuesday or perhaps Sunday it’s hard to remember since there are no weekends in
remember since there are no weekends in
remember since there are no weekends in war what I do remember it was another
war what I do remember it was another
war what I do remember it was another hot muggy day late 1970 in Vietnam my
hot muggy day late 1970 in Vietnam my
hot muggy day late 1970 in Vietnam my callsign in Vietnam was dust off three
callsign in Vietnam was dust off three
callsign in Vietnam was dust off three four and we are first up meaning we
four and we are first up meaning we
four and we are first up meaning we would be launched for the next medical
would be launched for the next medical
would be launched for the next medical evacuation mission in our area of
evacuation mission in our area of
evacuation mission in our area of operation usually multiple times a day
operation usually multiple times a day
operation usually multiple times a day and night the mission horn sounded we
and night the mission horn sounded we
and night the mission horn sounded we were off the whole crew is now sprinting
were off the whole crew is now sprinting
were off the whole crew is now sprinting to the helicopter within two minutes we
to the helicopter within two minutes we
to the helicopter within two minutes we are airborne the mission came across the
are airborne the mission came across the
are airborne the mission came across the radio one us critical hoist required
radio one us critical hoist required
radio one us critical hoist required coordinates Yankee tango three two zero
coordinates Yankee tango three two zero
coordinates Yankee tango three two zero one two zero contact tango two two on
one two zero contact tango two two on
one two zero contact tango two two on for 7.30 those words on the radio meant
for 7.30 those words on the radio meant
for 7.30 those words on the radio meant there was an injured American soldier
there was an injured American soldier
there was an injured American soldier needing to be extracted out of the
needing to be extracted out of the
needing to be extracted out of the jungle of Vietnam and taken to a medical
jungle of Vietnam and taken to a medical
jungle of Vietnam and taken to a medical facility for treatment the callsign for
facility for treatment the callsign for
facility for treatment the callsign for the unit in the jungle was tango two to
the unit in the jungle was tango two to
the unit in the jungle was tango two to the pickup zone was about forty miles
the pickup zone was about forty miles
the pickup zone was about forty miles east of our location we need to clear a
east of our location we need to clear a
east of our location we need to clear a route through the artillery fire bases
route through the artillery fire bases
route through the artillery fire bases making those radio calls the flight path
making those radio calls the flight path
making those radio calls the flight path was good when we were in the general
was good when we were in the general
was good when we were in the general vicinity at a safe altitude from
vicinity at a safe altitude from
vicinity at a safe altitude from small-arms fire we radioed tango 2 to
small-arms fire we radioed tango 2 to
small-arms fire we radioed tango 2 to asking about the situation the status of
asking about the situation the status of
asking about the situation the status of the patient and enemy contact tango 2 –
the patient and enemy contact tango 2 –
the patient and enemy contact tango 2 – this is Dustoff 3 for pop smoke this
this is Dustoff 3 for pop smoke this
this is Dustoff 3 for pop smoke this many was to mark his position with a
many was to mark his position with a
many was to mark his position with a smoke grenade –
smoke grenade –
smoke grenade – two cherry I radio back to tango to to
two cherry I radio back to tango to to
two cherry I radio back to tango to to as the red smoke fill traded up through
as the red smoke fill traded up through
as the red smoke fill traded up through the jungle canopy we use kool-aid
the jungle canopy we use kool-aid
the jungle canopy we use kool-aid flavors to identify the smokes color
flavors to identify the smokes color
flavors to identify the smokes color crew briefing done approach path
crew briefing done approach path
crew briefing done approach path selected the crew ready we made a rapid
selected the crew ready we made a rapid
selected the crew ready we made a rapid descent from our current altitude down
descent from our current altitude down
descent from our current altitude down to the top of the jungle canopy things
to the top of the jungle canopy things
to the top of the jungle canopy things begin to progress rapidly from this
begin to progress rapidly from this
begin to progress rapidly from this point on one radio we were talking to
point on one radio we were talking to
point on one radio we were talking to gunships in the area on the second radio
gunships in the area on the second radio
gunships in the area on the second radio we were talking to tango – – and as we
we were talking to tango – – and as we
we were talking to tango – – and as we approached the treetops of the jungle
approached the treetops of the jungle
approached the treetops of the jungle the crew went hot mic so we didn’t have
the crew went hot mic so we didn’t have
the crew went hot mic so we didn’t have to press the little talk button to
to press the little talk button to
to press the little talk button to communicate with each other since we
communicate with each other since we
communicate with each other since we couldn’t land to pick up the injured
couldn’t land to pick up the injured
couldn’t land to pick up the injured American we were abusing our hoist to
American we were abusing our hoist to
American we were abusing our hoist to lower a cable and jungle penetrator down
lower a cable and jungle penetrator down
lower a cable and jungle penetrator down to the ground to bring the wounded
to the ground to bring the wounded
to the ground to bring the wounded soldier up to the helicopter hovering
soldier up to the helicopter hovering
soldier up to the helicopter hovering around the top of the jungle looking for
around the top of the jungle looking for
around the top of the jungle looking for the remaining smoke filtering through
the remaining smoke filtering through
the remaining smoke filtering through the jungle canopy we were talking to
the jungle canopy we were talking to
the jungle canopy we were talking to tango – tui is giving us directions to
tango – tui is giving us directions to
tango – tui is giving us directions to his location and then the under suitable
his location and then the under suitable
his location and then the under suitable sound of an ak-47 rang out to prove
sound of an ak-47 rang out to prove
sound of an ak-47 rang out to prove shouted we’re taking fire we’re taking
shouted we’re taking fire we’re taking
shouted we’re taking fire we’re taking hits and tango – – shouted get out of
hits and tango – – shouted get out of
hits and tango – – shouted get out of here dust off three four
the mission changed in an instant the
the mission changed in an instant the warning lights in our cockpit began to
warning lights in our cockpit began to
warning lights in our cockpit began to come on and the pressure gauges began to
come on and the pressure gauges began to
come on and the pressure gauges began to fall below acceptable limits we needed
fall below acceptable limits we needed
fall below acceptable limits we needed to find a place the land before we
to find a place the land before we
to find a place the land before we crashed into the jungle the arteries of
crashed into the jungle the arteries of
crashed into the jungle the arteries of our Huey were severed leaking engine oil
our Huey were severed leaking engine oil
our Huey were severed leaking engine oil transmission in hydraulic fluid and fuel
transmission in hydraulic fluid and fuel
transmission in hydraulic fluid and fuel the mission now was to get my crew to
the mission now was to get my crew to
the mission now was to get my crew to safety a couple thousand metres away was
safety a couple thousand metres away was
safety a couple thousand metres away was a clearing and we headed for it the
a clearing and we headed for it the
a clearing and we headed for it the engine could quit at any moment so each
engine could quit at any moment so each
engine could quit at any moment so each minute counted we had no idea it was
minute counted we had no idea it was
minute counted we had no idea it was occupied by the Vietcong or not it was
occupied by the Vietcong or not it was
occupied by the Vietcong or not it was our only choice Mayday Mayday Mayday
our only choice Mayday Mayday Mayday
our only choice Mayday Mayday Mayday dust off three four going down west of
dust off three four going down west of
dust off three four going down west of Yankee tango three two zero one two zero
Yankee tango three two zero one two zero
Yankee tango three two zero one two zero Mayday Mayday Mayday dust off three four
Mayday Mayday Mayday dust off three four
Mayday Mayday Mayday dust off three four going down
going down
going down was transmitted over the emergency
was transmitted over the emergency
was transmitted over the emergency frequency
what seemed like an eternity after
what seemed like an eternity after making our emergency landing and that
making our emergency landing and that
making our emergency landing and that clearing other helicopters were now
clearing other helicopters were now
clearing other helicopters were now circling overhead another American
circling overhead another American
circling overhead another American troops surrounded us until we could
troops surrounded us until we could
troops surrounded us until we could safely be extracted out about an hour
safely be extracted out about an hour
safely be extracted out about an hour later thousands of these missions were
later thousands of these missions were
later thousands of these missions were conducted just like this one day after
conducted just like this one day after
conducted just like this one day after day night after night and good weather
day night after night and good weather
day night after night and good weather were bad by 21 and 22 year old young man
were bad by 21 and 22 year old young man
were bad by 21 and 22 year old young man just like you and me it just didn’t stop
just like you and me it just didn’t stop
just like you and me it just didn’t stop these crews from doing their mission the
these crews from doing their mission the
these crews from doing their mission the great words of John Fitzgerald Kennedy
great words of John Fitzgerald Kennedy
great words of John Fitzgerald Kennedy are so true today a nation reveals
are so true today a nation reveals
are so true today a nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces
itself not only by the men it produces
itself not only by the men it produces but also by the men at honors the medic
but also by the men at honors the medic
but also by the men at honors the medic remembers these are the heroes of the
remembers these are the heroes of the
remembers these are the heroes of the Vietnam War and their names are carved
Vietnam War and their names are carved
Vietnam War and their names are carved on a black granite wall in Washington DC
there are over 50 8,300 heroes on that
there are over 50 8,300 heroes on that wall whose check was cashed with their
wall whose check was cashed with their
wall whose check was cashed with their life in honor of Veterans Day and every
life in honor of Veterans Day and every
life in honor of Veterans Day and every other day I salute my fellow veterans
other day I salute my fellow veterans
other day I salute my fellow veterans for your service to our great country
”
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