MEDEVAC
15th Med\15th FSB
Mike Bodnar
307B N Main
Copperas Cove, TX 76522 1704
254-542-1961
e-mail: mbodnar27@juno.com
This column has achieved field grade status in the fact
that there are major error corrections to note from the last
issue of the Saber. They are immediately as follows:
There was a photo of three MEDEVAC crewmen, i.e. Mike
SMITH, LT Dennis SCHMIDT, and LT Steve MODICA. The caption
read incorrectly. Gunner Mike SMITH is still very much alive
as noted in the beginning of the last Saber issue. It is
Dennis SCHMIDT and Steve MODICA who are deceased since
Vietnam; R.I.P.
I flew with both LT SCHMIDT and LT MODICA quite a lot.
LT SCHMIDT somehow liked me enough to take me up in the co-
pilot's seat with him at Song Be to show me how to fly a UH-
1B, with or without a gunner or crew chief, I do not
remember.
I understand that is what the pilots did with any E.M.
if they liked them enough. At the time I could not have cared
less about the thrill of piloting a UH-1B but I went along
with the experience which ended as quickly as it had started
while I felt the squish of the flight controls.
I do not know what I had done to impress LT SCHMIDT for
him to like me enough to do that with me. At that period the
only person that I was trying to impress was the Grim Reaper.
I do remember getting into some kind of, at that age,
rare dissertation, in the MEDEVAC crew members tent at Song
Be and holding LT SCHMIDT's attention. That could have been
what did it. LT SCHMIDT was not easily impressed and he was a
hard-core soldier as well as an excellent pilot having
been promoted from Warrant Officer.
LT MODICA wrote an article which appeared in various
places in Army publications called, "MEDEVAC Meadows" about
when his aircraft got shot down during the Cambodian
Incursion but in Vietnam up by Katum in War Zone C. That was
also when we had our only combat K.I.A. while I flew on
MEDEVAC from January until July of 1970. That casualty was
door gunner Gary L. TAYLOR.
That was also when the Congressional Medal of Honor was
won by then SFC Louis R. ROCCO who was in MACV and flying out
with LT MODICA's crew to ARVNs who were to be medically
evacuated. That date of incident was 24 May 70 and only one
combat K.I.A. during those six months was an indication of
good FIRST TEAM work.
Back on earth; SNORE mentions that, "We made it to the
History Channel! Retired pilot and a friend to us all, Hank
"Oakie" TUELL [COL ret.] was recently seen on national
television telling the story of MEDEVAC and the Vietnam
experiences of crew members and their plight in rescuing and
caring for the injured."
I flew with then LT TUELL a lot and I knew him to be, as
well as an excellent pilot, a consummate professional who
never said anything to anyone except in the line of duty, and
in the line of duty he led by example. He was most popularly
known as "Okie" because he was from Oklahoma but I see that
everyone spells it "Oakie."
There were actually two "Okies" in MEDEVAC when I was
there. Then LT TUELL was "Little Okie" and CW2 Phillip "Big
Okie" GIBBONS who DEROSed in February 70 was the other and
"shorter" because he had been in country longer "Okie." My
first mission on MEDEVAC out of Phouc Vinh, a hoist, was with
both "Okies" as pilots. Gunner Tim KIRWAN should remember
that one.
LT TUELL had the notable bad habit of chewing tobacco
EVERYWHERE that he went probably because of his Oklahoma
heritage. I feel guilty because I worked for the supplier;
I picked that stuff in the Connecticut River Valley for a
summer job when I was younger.
Of course "Oakie" did not think that it was a bad habit
and literally "passed it around" to everyone in MEDEVAC as a
sort of cultural exchange. I saw his fellow pilots and crew
members of every ethnic and cultural background chomping on
the same "Oakie" chaw when it came time to "party."
My opinion was that was one foul wad of junk, and
getting shot at was enough partying for me! In consideration
for the crew chiefs LT TUELL always had a number ten G.I.
can-not G.I. number ten-next to him by his pilot's seat. We
had enough to do to clean up the blood, gunpowder, and battle
damage.
Next, SNORE mentions that the 1st Cav Air Ambulance
Platoon motto for MEDEVAC: SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE
is being imitated and his exact comments are, "In case you
missed it the Air Force's Elite Recovery Group in the Balkans
has adopted our logo almost to a 'T': THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE."
If imitation is the highest form of tribute then that
must be a tribute to the originals, who of course are the
FIRST TEAM's MEDEVAC. Not believing some coincidence I would
testify to the 1st Cav MEDEVAC's long legend and honorable
reputation.
The only coincidence that I will believe is the fact
that another correction to the last Saber issue is the
publication error of that same motto at the end of the
column, incorrectly printed the way that our new heroic U.S.
military rescue team is using their motto and not the way
that it was in the FIRST TEAM: SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE.
I specifically mention this because as in the combat
arms whom we were a vital life line for, our motto meant
everything to us. We busted our butts and many gave their
lives, or went home with holes in them that they were not
born with, to get to those combat soldiers and keep them
ALIVE!
SNORE also wanted to add, after their MEDEVAC\15th Med
Reunion, "Welcome back from Vegas, had a great time and wish
to thank everyone who attended and made this a very exciting
week. I would also like to thank John TABOR once again for
the fine job and all the hard work he did in setting up
everything. Mr. RAMSEY will be the Reunion Chairman for the
3rd Annual Reunion in San Antonio, TX."
Other mail from the cyber red nylon mail bag: Paul
STROESSNER <FIRSTCAV1@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>of Warwick, RI, just
wanted to send a "thank you" to MEDEVAC for "your help" in
Phan Thiet, July, 1966-July, 1967. Paul also says, "I served
with the 2\7."
Our own John TABOR from Waxahachie, TX
<JTABOR@AZMAIL.NET jtabor?@bjservices.com>adds his comments:
"LZ Vegas was a BLAST, I hope everyone enjoyed it as much as
I did. I've started my countdown to LZ San Antonio. I hope we
see more new faces there as we did this year in Vegas.
Crayton MORRIS <CGHTM@AOL.COM>of Portland, OR
says, "WOW! after all these years I didn't know there was
the "15th Medical Bat. Org."...I was a chopper pilot for a
short time (July and August, 1966) before being transferred
to C Trp. 1\9th Cav-1st Air Cav Div. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!
I have some slides of our base headquarters at An Khe if
anyone is interested."
Gail MONCIVAIS from Clark Summit, PA writes again to
say: "At the time of my original posting I has having trouble
with the Windows 98 program. Since then a softpack has been
installed and my e-mail has straightened out. I have e-mailed
people all over and even from the women's Web site. You can
contact me at <GMM347@AOL.COM>and I will answer this time. I
receive so much e-mail now I have to go in every few days and
clean out things I have already answered.
I was in 15th Med from February 78-Feb 79. My oldest son
was born at Fort Hood while I was on active duty. I was
stationed at HQ & A Company because the original unit I was
assigned to had shipped to Germany with their assigned unit
for maneuvers. I was due to deliver so I was transferred."
Jimmy G. DILLARD <DOC2CAV7@NETDOOR.COM>of Pontotoc, MS
writes and is looking for old friends from Tay Ninh and Phouc
Vinh. Jimmy served with A 2\7th Cav Oct 69 through Oct 70.
He adds, "Any response appreciated." GARRYOWEN from and to
Jimmy!
Art JACOBS <AJVALKYRIE@AOL.COM>writes from Lawrence,
MA, "I was a Warrant Officer with the 15th Med in 1968. My
call sign was MEDEVAC 21. I arrived in January of 1968. I was
CPT Jake MAST's co-pilot at LZ ENGLISH. Then I went
north and was CPT Ray KINNARD's co-pilot at LZ SHARON. MAJ
GOODMAN, our platoon leader, made me an AC (aircraft
commander), and on my first day as AC (7 April) with CPT Ron
CLAUER as my co-pilot, got shot in the foot during a MEDEVAC
mission northeast of EVANS.
When I returned to duty I was an AC at LZ JANE and then
went back to EVANS. On 24 July, I lost three different
aircraft during hoist missions with 1LT Steven BEALS (K.I.A.
26 November), CPT Ron CLAUER, and WO Paul HUSTON. I was shot
in the arm on that third mission, we lost our engine, and
crashed in the jungle. WO James MAGIN again was in the
aircraft that came out to get us.
Our CO, LTC Guthrie TURNER was on board that ship. I
never forgot what it meant to see how much he cared about the
MEDEVAC Platoon. I was classmates with WO James DORAN (K.I.A.
with BEALS), both in flight school (67-17) and the Medevac
School at Fort Sam Houston.
I would like to hear from other members of 15th Med,
especially those who were there in 1968, and, those who were
in the MEDEVAC Platoon."
My comments are in the next sentence. Thank you for
everything Art: SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE
Chuck EASTERLING <BIDDY@FROGNET.NET>1-740-989-2033,
says that he was with Co. B 15th Med. Bn. 1st Cav. Div. from
Dec.66-Dec67 and was glad to find fellow 15th Med. He says
that he has been looking for a long time. Chuck is also
searching for a fellow comrade from the same company: the
Company Clerk by the name of Jack DRAKE from CA. If anyone
has info please contact Chuck, who says that he spoke to
someone from his old unit very recently for the first time
since 1967 through contact with us; and found Jim SCHLAAK.
"It was great talking to him, I appreciate his time."
Lee DORSEY <CLDORSEY@EROLS.COM>, Bel Air, MD, "178th,
179th, B\228(Cav), and the 362nd ASHC(Cav) all Hook and
mostly Cav," spent 3 tours in Nam, two were with the Cav, and
he says, "I look at every [Web] site that pertains to the
Cav. I have a close friend from high school and we met in Sin
City one Sunday in 67. We still meet on Sunday after church.
I was in B\228 ASHC (Hook Unit) and I can't tell you how good
it made me feel to see you guys run to our bird to take care
of our wounded. Bless You and All Of Yours." Thanks for the
benediction Lee, here is mine: FIRST TEAM!
Lastly, Louis RIVERA-LUGO, C Co 15th Med, called on June
10th, was a 91ZULU and the First Sergeant for, as he
remembered, "Charging Charlie," in Quan Loi. I repeat, the
First Sergeant; and Louis says from 1969 to 1971. Louis says
that he enjoyed the command of "Colonel" MCNANEY, and is
looking forward to seeing him, if not at this year's reunion,
then I would think at the 2000 Reunion because it will be
where Louis lives by Ft. Bragg.
Louis says that he remembers MEDEVAC pilots "Oakie,"
whom Louis says had a degree in biology, and Mr. ZEPP. If you
would like to contact Louis you can call the 1st Cav
Association at 1 800 234 9313 for his information.
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
