MEDEVAC
15th MED\15th FSB
Mike Bodnar
307B N Main
Copperas Cove, TX 76522 1704
254-542-1961
e-mail: mbodnar27@juno.com
http://ascca.ecorp.net
Http://communities.msn.com/15thMEDASSOCIATION/_whatsnew.msnw
the new site: http://15thmedassociation.org
William MEEKS <MEEKS_W@MSN.COM>, Troutdale, OR comments in
the Guestbook: "1st time in this Web site, looks good. Have
not heard from anyone in a year, would like to hear from
you."
The following was printed in the NY Times:
"November 4, 2002 Richard ROCCO, Medal of Honor Recipient, Is
Dead at 63, By RICHARD GOLDSTEIN
"Richard ROCCO, an Army medic in the Vietnam War who received
the Medal of Honor for rescuing severely wounded fellow
crewmen from the wreckage of a downed helicopter under enemy
fire, died on Thursday at his home in San Antonio. He was 63.
"The cause was cancer, his wife, Maria, said.
"On May 24, 1970, Mr. ROCCO, a sergeant, was aboard a medical
evacuation helicopter [MEDEVAC] that was shot down on a
mission to remove wounded South Vietnamese troops besieged
near the village of Katum.
"'We started taking fire from all directions,' he recalled in
a 1998 interview with The American Forces Information
Service.
"'The pilot was shot through the leg. The helicopter spun
around and crashed in an open field, turned on its side and
started burning. The co-pilot's arm was ripped off and it was
just hanging.'
"Mr. ROCCO suffered back injuries, a broken hip and a broken
wrist, and the other four crew members were shot.
"'I guess I was going on reflexes,' he said. 'I jumped out
and pulled the pilot out first. I looked for cover and saw a
big tree lying on the ground. I dragged him to the tree,
knowing that any time I was going to get shot.'
"Mr. ROCCO went back to the helicopter and carried the co-
pilot, the crew chief and another medic to cover, one at a
time, crossing 20 yards of open ground under a hail of fire,
his hands and face burned by flames engulfing the helicopter.
"The next day, two American helicopters [MEDEVACs] were shot
down trying to evacuate the crewmen, who had called in
artillery and air strikes on their own position to turn back
an assault by North Vietnamese troops. But all five crew
members were rescued on that second day. 'They didn't have
time for litters or anything else,' Mr. ROCCO recalled.
'They just threw us into the helicopter and took off.'
"The commander of the First Cavalry Division visited Mr.
ROCCO at a hospital and told him he had been recommended for
the Medal of Honor. But he heard nothing more about that
until 1974, when he was stationed at Fort Campbell, KY, and
was told he would receive the medal, the nation's highest
award for valor.
"Mr. ROCCO had not known that the co-pilot he saved, Lt. Lee
CAUBARREAUX, had been lobbying in his behalf.
"In March 1971, while Mr. CAUBARREAUX was preparing for a
medical retirement in Texas, the Medal of Honor
recommendation was mailed to him by a warrant officer in the
First Cavalry Division awards office in South Vietnam who
had found it in a desk drawer.
"Mr. CAUBARREAUX appealed to Army authorities to approve the
award, then recounted Mr. ROCCO's exploits to Senator Russell
LONG of Louisiana, Mr. CAUBARREAUX's home state. Those
efforts finally prevailed when President Gerald R. FORD
presented the Medal of Honor to Mr. ROCCO on Dec. 12, 1974.
"Louis Richard ROCCO, a native of Albuquerque, retired from
the Army as a chief warrant officer in 1978 after 22 years of
military service. He re-enlisted in 1991, in the Persian Gulf
War, and spent six months at Fort Sam Houston, TX, recruiting
medical personnel.
"Mr. ROCCO worked extensively as a veterans counselor. He
also spoke to schoolchildren about drug abuse on behalf of
Vietnam Veterans of America.
"In addition to his wife, Mr. ROCCO is survived by his sons
Roy, of Simi Valley, CA, and Brian, of San Diego; a daughter,
Theresa DUBOIS of Carson City, NV; his mother, Lita ROCCO
of Hemet, CA; a brother, Clyde, of San Antonio; four sisters,
Sandra SCHMIDT and Gayle ROCCO both of Hemet, Mary ROCCO of
San Jacinto, CA, and Diane CALDERON of Las Vegas; and five
grandchildren.
"Mr. CAUBARREAUX, the helicopter co-pilot, his shattered arm
having been saved by doctors, told The American Forces
Information Service in 1998 that if not for Mr. ROCCO 'We
would have burned to death in the helicopter.'
"'I can't screw in a light bulb with my arm,' Mr. CAUBARREAUX
said,' but I can still hug my wife.' Copyright The New York
Times"
The following pertinent essay, by a military doctor, was
forwarded to me by '68-'69 C 2\7 Cav 1st Plt. Sergeant Jerry
"Snuffy" ARMSTRONG:
"I am a doctor specializing in emergency medicine in the
emergency departments of the only two military Level One-
trauma centers. They are both in San Antonio, TX and they
care for civilian emergencies as well as military personnel.
San Antonio has the largest military retiree population in
the world living here, because of the location of these two
large military medical centers. As a military doctor in
training or my specialty, I work long hours and the pay is
less than glamorous.
"One tends to become jaded by the long hours, lack of sleep,
food, family contact, and the endless parade of human
suffering passing before you. The arrival of another
ambulance does not mean more pay, only more work.
"Most often, it is a victim from a motor vehicle crash. Often
it is a person of dubious character who has been shot or
stabbed. With our large military retiree population, it is
often a nursing home patient.
"Even with my enlisted service and minimal combat experience
in Panama, prior to medical school, I have caught myself
groaning when the ambulance brought in yet another sick,
elderly person from one of the local retirement centers that
cater to military retirees. I had not stopped to think of
what citizens of this age group represented.
"I saw 'Saving Private Ryan.' I was touched deeply. Not so
much by the carnage in the first 30 minutes, but by the
sacrifices of so many. [writer's note: a fictional movie but
no doubt well depicted] I was touched most by the scene of
the elderly survivor at the graveside, asking his wife if
he'd been a good man. I realized that I had seen these same
men and women coming through my emergency dept. and had not
realized what magnificent sacrifices they had made. The
things they did for me and everyone else that has lived on
this planet since the end of that conflict are priceless.
"Situation permitting, I now try to ask my patients about
their experiences. They would never bring up the subject
without the inquiry. I have been privileged to an amazing
array of experiences, recounted in the brief minutes allowed
in an emergency dept. encounter. These experiences have
revealed the incredible individuals I have had the honor of
serving in a medical capacity, many on their last admission
to the hospital.
"There was a frail, elderly woman who reassured my young
enlisted medic, trying to start an IV line in her arm. She
remained calm and poised, despite her illness and the
multiple needle-sticks into her fragile veins. She was what
we call a 'hard stick.' As the medic made another attempt, I
noticed a number tattooed across her forearm. I touched it
with one finger and looked into her eyes. She simply said
'Auschwitz.' Many of later generations would have loudly and
openly berated the young medic in his many attempts. How
different was the response from this person who'd seen
unspeakable suffering.
"Also, there was this long retired colonel, who as a young
officer had parachuted from his burning plane over a Pacific
island held by the Japanese. Now an octogenarian, his head
cut in a fall at home where he lived alone. His CT scan and
suturing had been delayed until after midnight by the usual
parade of high priority ambulance patients. Still spry for
his age, he asked to use the phone to call a taxi, to take
him home, then he realized his ambulance had brought him
without his wallet.
"He asked if he could use the phone to make a long distance
call to his daughter who lived 7 miles away. With great pride
we told him that he could not, as he'd done enough for his
country and the least we could do was get him a taxi home,
even if we had to pay for it ourselves. My only regret was
that my shift wouldn't end for several hours, and I couldn't
drive him myself.
"I was there the night Msgt. Roy BENAVIDEZ came through the
emergency dept. for the last time. He was very sick. I was
not the doctor taking care of him, but I walked to his
bedside and took his hand. I said nothing. He was so sick, he
didn't know I was there. I'd read his Congressional Medal of
Honor citation and wanted to shake his hand. He died a few
days later.
"The gentleman who served with MERRILL's Marauders, the
survivor of the Bataan Death March, the survivor of Omaha
Beach, the 101 year old World War I veteran, the former POW
held in frozen North Korea, the former Special Forces medic -
now with non-operable liver cancer, the former Vietnam Corps
Commander. I remember these citizens.
"I may still groan when yet another ambulance comes in, but
now I am much more aware of what an honor it is to serve
these particular men and women. I am angered at the cut
backs, implemented and proposed, that will continue to decay
their meager retirement benefits.
"I see the President and Congress who would turn their back
on these individuals, who've sacrificed so much to protect
our liberty. I see later generations that seem to be totally
engrossed in abusing these same liberties, won with such
sacrifice.
"It has become my personal endeavor, to make the nurses and
young enlisted medics aware of these amazing individuals when
I encounter them in our emergency dept. Their response to
these particular citizens has made me think that perhaps all
is not lost in the next generation.
"My experiences have solidified my belief that we are losing
an incredible generation, and this nation knows not what it
is losing. Our uncaring government and ungrateful civilian
populace should all take note. We should all remember that we
must 'Ear n this.'
"Written By Cpt. Stephen R. ELLISON, M.D."
(If you send this story along to friends, please include the
author's name. Thank you!)
Ron STRUB <REDHOT_RON@HOTMAIL>of LaCrescent, MN, Co C, 15th
MED '65-'66, writes, "Just wanted to say Happy Veteran's Day
and a big thank you of all the 1st Cav soldiers from
yesterday & today."
Joe KELLY <JFK2559@AOL.COM>from Walden, NY tells us, "Medic
11\69-4\70 with A 1\7 & from 5\'70 to 11\'70 flew on
MEDEVAC."
Kelley GODSIE <KLELY@HOTMAIL.COM>signed the Guestbook: "My
father is Norvell GODSIE who served his country well." Ike
GODSIE was a MEDEVAC crew chief while I was with the Air
Ambulance Platoon in '70. Although I had flown with him quite
a lot I never knew his first name and we always just called
him GODSIE. I assume he is Kelley's father. He was a great
MEDEVAC crew chief and someone with whom you would like to be
on his good side, i.e. good 1st Cav personnel. I had posted a
photo of him in a previous Saber issue.
Albert H. CLAY <AHC@DIRECWAY.COM>of Sequim, WA signs in as
"B Co 15th. MED - '66-'67 Ssg."
Samuel H. ARMES <ARMES71@AOL.COM>, Clinton, TN, writes to
say: "I served proudly with the 15th MED Bn. 1st Cav Div.
from May '63 to June '64. What a great division to belong to.
I was with D Co as motor Sgt. and asst. motor Sgt. Would
like to hear from James (Jim) ADAMS, James D. LEE, Ssg.
DANIELS, Ssg. NAPIER. ALSO: LACKY, CARTER, WHALEN, HAMM,
TODD, THOMPS ON SP/5 LACY AND John JOHNSTON from New Orleans.
If any of you fellows are out please drop me a line. I think
of you guys a lot. P.S. I am a proud member of the 1st Cav
Assn."
Bruce S. LEWY <LEWY153@COX.NET>from Southern California
signed the Guestbook, "Nice site. While not an "airdale" or
even a 'doggie,' I have and had many friends in the Army,
some in the Cav. Though a Marine, I did work with 229th
AHC for a short time in '68. Have a friend, Sam "Snake"
ROMERO, formerly with B Co, 2\12th, 1st Cav and 15th MEDEVAC
who lives in San Juan Capistrano, CA. He doesn't have
Internet access, but his phone number is: (949)481-2538, and
would appreciate hearing from anyone from the 15th. He served
in Nam from May '67-May '68, with a Cpt. PONDS and a Lt.
Dwyane J. CAROT, as a helo crewman. Things have been rocky
for him the past few years. Bigfootmarine."
David FLOYD <TAMPARED*&^@WIKTEL.COM>who was at Tay Ninh,
Quan Loi, & LZ Jamie wrote: "Several A 2\7 troopers are
seeking a Medic we knew as David NELSON who served as company
Medic for A 2\7 in 1969. He may have changed his name at some
point in his life during or after his tour of duty in Nam."
Corky WALSH MEDEVAC454 of Eugene, OR writes, "Just proud that
I served with the 1st Cav and flew in MEDEVAC '67-'68 in
Vietnam."
D.P. REAP <ES347FAN@HOTMAIL.COM>of Newnan, GA says, "I was a
member of the Cav in Vietnam, and at Ft. Hood. In Vietnam, I
was in the 229th AHB, at Hood, I was in the 15th MED Bn. Was
a real eye opener for some to see a pair of Cav patches
adorning my uniforms. I retired in 1988."
Floyd THOMPSON <SR71US@AOL.COM>directed a message to Henry
LAND, for us to read, "I was nicknamed Medic Tango and was
the heaviest of the Medics. I'm from Boston. I flew with
MEDEVAC from Jan '68 thru July '69. I had Rick FREEMAN as a
crew chief for many months in Quang Tri and LZ Stud. While
flying out of Quang Tri I had a B-40 rocket go up our exhaust
that didn't explode. Remember hearing about that?
"I remember a mission where we had 3-4 birds shot down on a
nasty hoist mission. Some of the pilots were wounded. It was
flown from Headquarters Company I believe. Were you one of
the pilots?
"I also flew with Danny TOOTHMAN <MEDEVAC19>, Gil Moran
<MEDEVAC20) name?
I'm also in contact with the first sergeant Gordon RUSSELL
too. He is in Georgia; retired of course.
Henry LAND replied: "Floyd THOMPSON, Cpt. Hook is alias for
Henry LAND, MEDEVAC pilot Aug '67 to Mar '68 when I got shot
on a hoist mission near the 'Rock Pile' near Caison. My
'cherry' peter pilot flew us back to Camp Evans where the
main rotor seized on the MEDEVAC pad and had to be hoisted
out by a 'Hook'(shit). W/2 Roger BADERSCHNEIDER later took
the mission. I got a Purple Heart and a hook to replace my
right hand for this aerial action. Hope this helps. Live in
Tangerine, FL."
More along these lines, "FYI, Gunner Murray GIBBS. I was with
Cpt. Hook (Henry LAND) MEDEVAC 449, replacing his gunner that
day when Henry got shot. When we got back the rotor did
freeze immediate upon landing. I got on my MEDEVAC 447 and
flew back out with W0 BADERSCHNEIDER to do that hoist
mission."
William D. BURNS <BBURNS@ALAWEB.COM>from Geneva, AL
signs in, "Served in A Co, 15th MED. Left Ft. Benning in Aug,
'65. In Nam from 9\'65 until 8\'66. Interested in hearing
from other Medics who may have served during that time
period."
Bob MCKINLEY <USARETBOB@AOL.COM>of Largo, FL said, "Happy
Holidays to all you guys. Hope to see you all again soon."
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
