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January 17, 2008
MEDEVAC Crews - DUSTOFF
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In a scene all too familiar to US Servicemen past and present, a UH-60 MEDEVAC Helicopter, always call signed Dust-off, evacuates US Army Paratroopers and Afghan Army soldiers who were ambushed near Forward Operating Base Bella in November.
The team of soldiers, comprised of Paratroopers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade, soldiers from the Afghan National Army, and two Afghan interpreters, had traveled less than 2 miles on foot to a nearby town of Aranas in the mountainous Nuristan Province. They set out early in the morning for what was supposed to be a positive and productive day of Shuras with local government officials and elders from surrounding villages. The terrain was unforgiving and impossible to pass in vehicles. The distance was short, yet time consuming to navigate, especially on foot and with the weight the modern day soldier carries. After the day's activities were finished in Aranas, the combined team set out for their return foot march back to Forward Operating Base Bella. The mountains of the area, scattered with cliffs and valleys, offered a hideout for Taliban insurgents who waited for the opportune moment to attack the team of US and Afghan Soldiers returning to base.
As a result of the attack by Taliban fighters, the combined team of Paratroopers and Afghan Soldiers sustained great loses. At that point, and after the area was secured, Dust-off leaped into action, and conducted what ended up being a 31 hour medical evacuation mission consisting of multiple lifts and eight separate air crews. The crews’ undying determination and commitment to their missions would not allow them to give up on their tasks.
Consider this scenario: The Crew Chief operates the hoist, as he pulls a casualty into the aircraft. This is a one person operation that is difficult to perform when the casualty is in a SKED, especially when the casualty has the added weight of body armor and equipment. The Medic rides the hoist to the ground and back up, time and time again. Imagine performing this operation 20-25 continuous times wearing Night Vision Goggles (NVGs), the Crew Chief continuing to advise the pilots of aircraft drift and rotor clearance as the mountain side is dangerously close. He ensures the hoist is ready for the next lift and watches the Medics hand and arm signals as he also directs the positioning of the aircraft. It becomes apparent this task is physically exhausting and difficult to master in routine conditions, let alone this punishing-unforgiving terrain at night.
The cabin of the aircraft becomes crowded, and the difficulty the Crew Chief and the Medic have maneuvering recovered personnel inside becomes increasingly challenging. Dust-off has a crew of 4: Pilot, Copilot, Crew Chief, and Medic. During one of the earlier MEDEVAC missions the previous night, Dust-off, with its normal crew of 4, extracted 8 casualties, and 1 non-injured soldier in a single lift for a total of 13 on board. That operation was conducted under zero-lunar-illumination NVG conditions with no supplemental lighting used in the rear of the aircraft due to the tactical situation, adding dramatically to the level of difficulty.
Dust-off departed the pick-up (PZ) zone after 31 combined hours of medical evacuation, and without further incident. Dust-off was PZ clean.
Had this mission not been captured by the AH-64 gun cameras, this would have been another example of selfless service occurring in this battle space on a daily basis that we never get to hear about and from countless service members across the spectrum; Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and our Civilian brethren included.
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Wild Thing's comment........
In the Vietnam War DUSTOFF helicopter was a Huey marked with a distinctive red cross on a white background on the nose, top, bottom, and sides. It identified their mission, and distinguished the ship from helicopters with different missions. It also provided Charlie (the enemy in Vietnam) with a more-than-adequate aiming point!
That is still the same today....it announces to the enemy in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Please say a prayer for our soldiers that give and give so unselfishly for us. Thank God for our troops and our Veterans.
A special thank you to Captain Dave, he reads this blog and also comments on here sometimes. He is a dear friend and was a Dustoff pilot, DUSTOFF22 in Vietnam.
After each of the shows with Bob Hope, when I would go on to see more of the troops, it was the Dustoff pilot that would give me a ride many times to go further in country to visit our troops. What an honor it was to meet them and get to know them.
Perhaps the mission of DUSTOFF and MEDEVAC is best said by author John L. Cook in his book "Rescue Under Fire".
It was written about the heroes in the Vietnam War........
"There is no question that these were truly
exceptional men, performing on an exceptional
level throughout the war. There were other intangibles
that went into building the DUSTOFF legacy,
creating an environment that drove these men to a
level of performance far above what could reasonably
be expected. While many of their peers back in the states
were dodging the draft, burning the flag, and protesting
the war, the DUSTOFF crews simply kept flying missions,
aware that their efforts were being jeered by an uninformed
and ungrateful public at home. In spite of all this, they
kept doing what had to be done. Perhaps this is the
ultimate expression of courage, honor and dedication
which defined the men of DUSTOFF.
In the end, however, nothing can fully
explain these truly magnificent men."
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Posted by Wild Thing at January 17, 2008 02:55 AM
Comments
Miss airlifting six UH-60 Blackhawks in our C-5 Galaxy during the Gulf War and Somalia... What a beautiful aircraft the UH-60 is...Their crews are heroric, big time!
Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at January 17, 2008 05:35 AM
For all of our Men and Women, bravely serving our Country, a heartfelt THANK YOU!!!
Posted by: BT in SA at January 17, 2008 07:52 AM
It makes me so proud of the 3 years I spent in Army Aviation. Aviation has since become a legitimate combat branch of the Army. In my unit we referred to ourselves as the Tree top Air Corps, because we flew so low.
DustOff got it's call sign from a Warrant Officer pilot in Vietnam named Kelly. Kelly was later killed in action and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. God Bless Dustoff crews.
Posted by: TomR at January 17, 2008 12:11 PM
I can't give the Dustoff pilots and crew enough praise for their unswerving courage, they often came in under intense enemy fire where no gunship would venture, they stayed in the hot zone rescuing the wounded until they themselves either prevailed or perished. Thank you Captain Dave, God bless you and all those past and present Dustoff crews.
Posted by: Jack at January 17, 2008 12:40 PM
Especially the medevac's
Posted by: Mark at January 17, 2008 03:08 PM
And much praise for the guys of the 25th Med at Cu Chi.
Posted by: Rhod at January 17, 2008 04:42 PM
It's too bad that Hollywood is trying to brainwash the public with anti-war and anti-Administration box office disasters when they have a wealth of true patriot and hero stories like this for the taking.
I echo my Thank You to these warriors for a job well done from a grateful and appreciative citizen.
Posted by: Les at January 17, 2008 06:52 PM
Darth, yes there crews are fantastic.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 17, 2008 11:44 PM
Tom thank you so much and for sharing about the Tree top Air Corps, and also about Kelly.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 17, 2008 11:47 PM
Jack, I agree so much.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 17, 2008 11:49 PM
BT in SA, well said.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 17, 2008 11:55 PM
Rhod, thanks for mentioning them too.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 17, 2008 11:56 PM
Les, I agree so much. What awesome people with tremendous stories that could be shared and to turn a deaf ear to them when they are available is a tragedy among other things.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 17, 2008 11:57 PM
Mark, Amen!!
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 17, 2008 11:58 PM
Sorry guys, Kelly was a Major not a Warrant Officer, but he was probably influence by we Warrants.
Posted by: chris at January 26, 2008 07:51 PM
