| 2008 Jul-Aug |
MEDEVAC
15th MED\15th FSB
Mike Bodnar
13010 N Lakeforest Drive
Sun City, AZ 85351-3250
(623)972-4395
e-mail: mbodnar27@juno.com
Web site: http://15thmedassociation.com
Forum:
http://communities.msn.com/15thMEDASSOCIATION/_whats new.msnw
More from Larry MOSS, MEDEVAC crew chief '70, B 1-9 Cav '69,
1st Aviation '68-'69, (jorel611@yahoo.com): "I was nineteen
years old at the time I first arrived in Vietnam in the
summer of 1968. I left two years later, mentally much older
and sadder.
"I know for most, the Vietnam War is ancient history. But, in
light of the latest Iraqi War, my experiences in combat do
have relevance in today's world. Any soldier who has ever
seen the death of human beings in combat, and the death of
innocent civilians, can relate to what is happening today.
Different time, but same experience.
"So, I want to tell this story. This happened near the end of
my twenty-four months in Vietnam. I was serving as a flying
crew chief on a medical evacuation helicopter with the 15th
Medical Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division. I was at a forward
base near the Cambodian border (Quan Loi). Our mission was to
pick up the combat wounded and bring them back to the mobile
hospital for emergency treatment. Along with me, there was a
gunner, a medical corpsman, and two pilots on the Huey.
"We were alerted about 10 PM. An infantryman (from one of the
infantry battalions in the 1st Air Cav) had been injured by
shrapnel. We arrived in about fifteen to twenty minutes after
being alerted. When the injured soldier was put in our
chopper on a stretcher he was in bad shape. The shrapnel had
entered his back and punctured his lungs. His heartbeat was
weak to nonexistent. The Medic told me we needed to give him
CPR. We had to keep him alive for the twenty minute flight
back to the aid station, where the doctors could operate on
him.
"At night it is very dark in a helicopter. When you are
flying over hostile territory at low levels you don't want
to give the enemy a target, so the flying instruments are all
lit in red lights. Because of that, everything looked red.
"When the Medic started the CPR, he told me to breath in
about eight times a minute. That way if he did survive, he
would not have brain damage due to a lack of oxygen.
So, I started giving him mouth to mouth resuscitation. I felt
something warm and wet get on my face as I did this. As I
couldn't see anything in the dark, I didn't think too much
about it. For twenty minutes, the Medic and I worked on the
young infantryman trying to save his life. All the while I
was breathing in his lungs, I kept feeling a wet liquid get
on my face and chest as the Medic gave him CPR by beating on
his chest.
"We finally arrived at the aid station and delivered our
patient to the doctors. We thought he still had a faint
pulse. But, on a noisy chopper in the middle of the night it
was hard to tell.
"After the flight, I as the crew chief had to clean up the
chopper for the next flight, even if it was near midnight. At
the base you did have lights. Several minutes had passed and
the liquid on my face had congealed and started getting cold.
In the light at the landing pad I discovered the warm liquid
was the blood of the infantryman.
"The shrapnel had punctured his lung, so every time he
exhaled, some blood was coming out. And, as I was giving him
mouth to mouth resuscitation, I was getting it all over my
face, mouth, and chest. At the time I was actually doing
this, I was just trying to keep the young man alive. I didn't
have time to worry about it. But in the light of the landing
pad, and with the cold blood congealing on my face and chest,
I got sick and threw up. But, I had to get cleaned up in case
there was an emergency in the next few minutes. So, I didn't
have time to dwell on it. I had a job to do, and I did it.
"The young man did not survive. The doctors said he drowned
in his own blood. I did not even know his name. But to this
day, when I see human blood, I flash back to that experience.
Even in movies, bloody scenes affect me. On one level I know
the blood is fake, but on another level, my mind doesn't.
So, when you see the images of war on television, remember
the young men who have to experience it will need our support
when they return."
I got a call from Pete MORROW of Killeen, TX, who was in B
Co. 15th MED at Quan Loi and Song Be. He said he was also at
Bu Dop during the Cambodian Incursion in '70. Drafted and
made a quartermaster then, his son is now an E-7 in the 1st
Cav. Pete says he's looking for anyone who knew him.
"To 15th MED Bn. Assn. members: Please post the following
request in your Association newsletter, e-groups, Yahoo/MSN
groups and Reunion bulletins. Gotta get the word out to
capture more 'names.' The 15th MED Bn. had too many aircraft
(83), and too few personalized names (6), for history to
be satisfied. They must not be under-represented
in my forthcoming book.
"Helicopter 'nicknames' of the VN War is the subject
of a book I'm presently researching. During this
process I've documented six personalized names that
were displayed on various 15th MED Bn. in-country
aircraft: BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS, CHEAP THRILLS, FURGS
AND BEANS, HELL'S UGLY, LITTLE VIC DONTARIA, NEW
BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS, TIJUANA TAXI.
"I'm wondering if this number accurately reflects
the total output produced by crews of the 15th MED Bn.
who might have painted something special on the nose,
door, or fuselage of their Vietnam based 'copters.
"There has never been a comprehensive cataloging of
personalized 'names' before. This attempt will be the
first, and hopefully, the most complete tabulation of
Army 'copter nose-art nicknames ever. Therefore, it
is important that the published database (late 2009)
include all known 15th MED Bn. 'copter names as possible.
"I ask that you notify your members about this
project and that you forward their input to me.
Scanned photos are welcomed, but not necessary.
Sincerely, John BRENNAN, active member in the VHCMA
& 114th Avn. Co. Assn.; former SP5, 114th AHC, Vinh Long AAF,
1970-71, Mekong Delta. E-mail: <johnmailman@yahoo.com>."
John HAMM, SFC (ret.) D Trp (E Trp. Blues) 1-9th Cav.
'70-'71 <bustertucker@comcast.net>, e-mailed: "I have just
finished reading the Saber. I was mainly interested in the
9th Cav section but happened upon the 15th MED section. I got
to thinking-a dangerous thing for me, usually. I thought back
to Nov. 29th of 1970 in the jungle near the Dong Nhai River.
I was with D Trp. 1-9. We were working as Blues for E Trp. At
about 1300 we made contact with a pretty determined enemy
force resulting in several Cav casualties. We were MEDEVACed
from a pretty hot bomb crater. Thirty-seven years have not
erased the memory of that beautiful red cross on that Huey. I
just want to thank the 15th MED on behalf of all us gravel
agitators, and especially the crew of the bird who flew us
out of that crater on Nov. 29th.
"You probably don't get many letters of thanks; although, you
surely deserve them. I would be honored if you would publish
this letter for all of your members to read. If you have a
Reunion, I would be honored if I were allowed to attend for a
short time, just to shake a hand or two and say 'thanks'."
The following members are reported to be in the hospital
fighting illnesses: Bobby BROOKS, with a mild stroke; Randy
BREWER, has had several bouts of bronchitis, could now be
pneumonia; Charles WILLIAMS, due to complications with
Multiple Sclerosis. Member Jack ZORTMAN has passsed away,
from long time complications. For more information and
contacts, e-mail Webmaster\Past President 2003-2006
15th MED Association Murray GIBBS, MEDEVAC '67-'68
<gunnermadmur@neo.rr.com>.
Dan TOOTHMAN, "Fang," <DanMEDEVAC19@msn.com> e-mailed saying,
"I had the honor to serve with the 1st Cav in 1969. I was
diverted from a gunship assignment and was assigned to
MEDEVAC; call sign MEDEVAC 19; Jan '69-Jan '70. I flew many
exciting missions with the finest NCOs, EM, and officers in
the Army. It was a great tour. In an attempt to find one of
our old crew chiefs, Jack DAHLMANN, I sent an e-mail to
Murray GIBBS, relating a hoist mission on which Jack and I
were shot down on 5 Sep 69. He said you would probably want
to put it in the Saber.
"Our second patient hung in a tree when we started taking
hits from enemy fire. Jack had to unbuckle from his seat and,
standing in the doorway, helped operate the hoist and
returned fire with his M-60 at the same time. I don't
remember the Medic's name nor the gunner's, who was so new he
didn't have Nomex {Fire resistant flight clothing}.
"I have not received the Saber since 1971, but have read all
of your stuff on the 15th MED Website. You do good work.
"We had a total electrical failure flying to an emergency
landing site and went down on fire, and the engine quit at
the top of the trees. We didn't crash, but the patient, in a
rigid litter still under the helicopter, hit a tree snapping
the hoist cable and he didn't survive. He may have been dead
anyway as the ground unit told us he had three GSW's in the
chest and they had been giving him mouth-to-mouth for several
hours. But, that really doesn't change things from my point
of view."
Bill WALSH, MEDEVAC Medic '70, C 2-7 Cav '69-'70, Chicago
P.D. (ret.), e-mailed information about his motorcycle club
who ride for vets: "Again, the American Knights, including
Mikey G, led off the bikers on the run to Marsailles. Check
out the little film clip on the Website:
<http://cbs2chicago.com/local/illinois.freedom.run.2.753914.
html>."
'69 PSG Gordon RUSSELL <Grdnrussell1952@aol.com> responded
with information regarding a photo of him and Cpt. WOOD,
posted in this column. "Mike, little info on Cpt. WOOD. He
had over three thousand hours and was very good while on a
mission. I trusted him more than any other pilot we had at
the time. He lives in Weatherford, TX, and is very sick. I
stay in touch thru his wife."
Always remembering our 1st Cav troops on duty around the
world; over and out.
FIRST TEAM!
Garryowen,
Mike Bodnar C 2\7 Cav 1969
MEDEVAC 1-7\1970
SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE
15th MED\15th FSB
Mike Bodnar
13010 N Lakeforest Drive
Sun City, AZ 85351-3250
(623)972-4395
e-mail: mbodnar27@juno.com
Web site: http://15thmedassociation.com
Forum:
http://communities.msn.com/15thMEDASSOCIATION/_whats new.msnw
More from Larry MOSS, MEDEVAC crew chief '70, B 1-9 Cav '69,
1st Aviation '68-'69, (jorel611@yahoo.com): "I was nineteen
years old at the time I first arrived in Vietnam in the
summer of 1968. I left two years later, mentally much older
and sadder.
"I know for most, the Vietnam War is ancient history. But, in
light of the latest Iraqi War, my experiences in combat do
have relevance in today's world. Any soldier who has ever
seen the death of human beings in combat, and the death of
innocent civilians, can relate to what is happening today.
Different time, but same experience.
"So, I want to tell this story. This happened near the end of
my twenty-four months in Vietnam. I was serving as a flying
crew chief on a medical evacuation helicopter with the 15th
Medical Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division. I was at a forward
base near the Cambodian border (Quan Loi). Our mission was to
pick up the combat wounded and bring them back to the mobile
hospital for emergency treatment. Along with me, there was a
gunner, a medical corpsman, and two pilots on the Huey.
"We were alerted about 10 PM. An infantryman (from one of the
infantry battalions in the 1st Air Cav) had been injured by
shrapnel. We arrived in about fifteen to twenty minutes after
being alerted. When the injured soldier was put in our
chopper on a stretcher he was in bad shape. The shrapnel had
entered his back and punctured his lungs. His heartbeat was
weak to nonexistent. The Medic told me we needed to give him
CPR. We had to keep him alive for the twenty minute flight
back to the aid station, where the doctors could operate on
him.
"At night it is very dark in a helicopter. When you are
flying over hostile territory at low levels you don't want
to give the enemy a target, so the flying instruments are all
lit in red lights. Because of that, everything looked red.
"When the Medic started the CPR, he told me to breath in
about eight times a minute. That way if he did survive, he
would not have brain damage due to a lack of oxygen.
So, I started giving him mouth to mouth resuscitation. I felt
something warm and wet get on my face as I did this. As I
couldn't see anything in the dark, I didn't think too much
about it. For twenty minutes, the Medic and I worked on the
young infantryman trying to save his life. All the while I
was breathing in his lungs, I kept feeling a wet liquid get
on my face and chest as the Medic gave him CPR by beating on
his chest.
"We finally arrived at the aid station and delivered our
patient to the doctors. We thought he still had a faint
pulse. But, on a noisy chopper in the middle of the night it
was hard to tell.
"After the flight, I as the crew chief had to clean up the
chopper for the next flight, even if it was near midnight. At
the base you did have lights. Several minutes had passed and
the liquid on my face had congealed and started getting cold.
In the light at the landing pad I discovered the warm liquid
was the blood of the infantryman.
"The shrapnel had punctured his lung, so every time he
exhaled, some blood was coming out. And, as I was giving him
mouth to mouth resuscitation, I was getting it all over my
face, mouth, and chest. At the time I was actually doing
this, I was just trying to keep the young man alive. I didn't
have time to worry about it. But in the light of the landing
pad, and with the cold blood congealing on my face and chest,
I got sick and threw up. But, I had to get cleaned up in case
there was an emergency in the next few minutes. So, I didn't
have time to dwell on it. I had a job to do, and I did it.
"The young man did not survive. The doctors said he drowned
in his own blood. I did not even know his name. But to this
day, when I see human blood, I flash back to that experience.
Even in movies, bloody scenes affect me. On one level I know
the blood is fake, but on another level, my mind doesn't.
So, when you see the images of war on television, remember
the young men who have to experience it will need our support
when they return."
I got a call from Pete MORROW of Killeen, TX, who was in B
Co. 15th MED at Quan Loi and Song Be. He said he was also at
Bu Dop during the Cambodian Incursion in '70. Drafted and
made a quartermaster then, his son is now an E-7 in the 1st
Cav. Pete says he's looking for anyone who knew him.
"To 15th MED Bn. Assn. members: Please post the following
request in your Association newsletter, e-groups, Yahoo/MSN
groups and Reunion bulletins. Gotta get the word out to
capture more 'names.' The 15th MED Bn. had too many aircraft
(83), and too few personalized names (6), for history to
be satisfied. They must not be under-represented
in my forthcoming book.
"Helicopter 'nicknames' of the VN War is the subject
of a book I'm presently researching. During this
process I've documented six personalized names that
were displayed on various 15th MED Bn. in-country
aircraft: BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS, CHEAP THRILLS, FURGS
AND BEANS, HELL'S UGLY, LITTLE VIC DONTARIA, NEW
BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS, TIJUANA TAXI.
"I'm wondering if this number accurately reflects
the total output produced by crews of the 15th MED Bn.
who might have painted something special on the nose,
door, or fuselage of their Vietnam based 'copters.
"There has never been a comprehensive cataloging of
personalized 'names' before. This attempt will be the
first, and hopefully, the most complete tabulation of
Army 'copter nose-art nicknames ever. Therefore, it
is important that the published database (late 2009)
include all known 15th MED Bn. 'copter names as possible.
"I ask that you notify your members about this
project and that you forward their input to me.
Scanned photos are welcomed, but not necessary.
Sincerely, John BRENNAN, active member in the VHCMA
& 114th Avn. Co. Assn.; former SP5, 114th AHC, Vinh Long AAF,
1970-71, Mekong Delta. E-mail: <johnmailman@yahoo.com>."
John HAMM, SFC (ret.) D Trp (E Trp. Blues) 1-9th Cav.
'70-'71 <bustertucker@comcast.net>, e-mailed: "I have just
finished reading the Saber. I was mainly interested in the
9th Cav section but happened upon the 15th MED section. I got
to thinking-a dangerous thing for me, usually. I thought back
to Nov. 29th of 1970 in the jungle near the Dong Nhai River.
I was with D Trp. 1-9. We were working as Blues for E Trp. At
about 1300 we made contact with a pretty determined enemy
force resulting in several Cav casualties. We were MEDEVACed
from a pretty hot bomb crater. Thirty-seven years have not
erased the memory of that beautiful red cross on that Huey. I
just want to thank the 15th MED on behalf of all us gravel
agitators, and especially the crew of the bird who flew us
out of that crater on Nov. 29th.
"You probably don't get many letters of thanks; although, you
surely deserve them. I would be honored if you would publish
this letter for all of your members to read. If you have a
Reunion, I would be honored if I were allowed to attend for a
short time, just to shake a hand or two and say 'thanks'."
The following members are reported to be in the hospital
fighting illnesses: Bobby BROOKS, with a mild stroke; Randy
BREWER, has had several bouts of bronchitis, could now be
pneumonia; Charles WILLIAMS, due to complications with
Multiple Sclerosis. Member Jack ZORTMAN has passsed away,
from long time complications. For more information and
contacts, e-mail Webmaster\Past President 2003-2006
15th MED Association Murray GIBBS, MEDEVAC '67-'68
<gunnermadmur@neo.rr.com>.
Dan TOOTHMAN, "Fang," <DanMEDEVAC19@msn.com> e-mailed saying,
"I had the honor to serve with the 1st Cav in 1969. I was
diverted from a gunship assignment and was assigned to
MEDEVAC; call sign MEDEVAC 19; Jan '69-Jan '70. I flew many
exciting missions with the finest NCOs, EM, and officers in
the Army. It was a great tour. In an attempt to find one of
our old crew chiefs, Jack DAHLMANN, I sent an e-mail to
Murray GIBBS, relating a hoist mission on which Jack and I
were shot down on 5 Sep 69. He said you would probably want
to put it in the Saber.
"Our second patient hung in a tree when we started taking
hits from enemy fire. Jack had to unbuckle from his seat and,
standing in the doorway, helped operate the hoist and
returned fire with his M-60 at the same time. I don't
remember the Medic's name nor the gunner's, who was so new he
didn't have Nomex {Fire resistant flight clothing}.
"I have not received the Saber since 1971, but have read all
of your stuff on the 15th MED Website. You do good work.
"We had a total electrical failure flying to an emergency
landing site and went down on fire, and the engine quit at
the top of the trees. We didn't crash, but the patient, in a
rigid litter still under the helicopter, hit a tree snapping
the hoist cable and he didn't survive. He may have been dead
anyway as the ground unit told us he had three GSW's in the
chest and they had been giving him mouth-to-mouth for several
hours. But, that really doesn't change things from my point
of view."
Bill WALSH, MEDEVAC Medic '70, C 2-7 Cav '69-'70, Chicago
P.D. (ret.), e-mailed information about his motorcycle club
who ride for vets: "Again, the American Knights, including
Mikey G, led off the bikers on the run to Marsailles. Check
out the little film clip on the Website:
<http://cbs2chicago.com/local/illinois.freedom.run.2.753914.
html>."
'69 PSG Gordon RUSSELL <Grdnrussell1952@aol.com> responded
with information regarding a photo of him and Cpt. WOOD,
posted in this column. "Mike, little info on Cpt. WOOD. He
had over three thousand hours and was very good while on a
mission. I trusted him more than any other pilot we had at
the time. He lives in Weatherford, TX, and is very sick. I
stay in touch thru his wife."
Always remembering our 1st Cav troops on duty around the
world; over and out.
FIRST TEAM!
Garryowen,
Mike Bodnar C 2\7 Cav 1969
MEDEVAC 1-7\1970
SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE