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Vietnam War veteran seeks recognition for medevac comrades
By
Jul 30, 2003, 02:45

Courtesy the EMS House of DeFrance http://www.defrance.org

A retired medical evacuation pilot who helped rescue more than 2,000 wounded soldiers during the Vietnam War asked lawmakers Tuesday to make his fellow Dustoff crew members eligible for the Army's Combat Medical Badge.

Thousands of helicopter ambulance crew members in Vietnam, organized in medical evacuation units that were known by the radio call sign Dustoff, were credited with pulling hundreds of thousands of wounded soldiers out of battle, often at great risk to themselves. Since they were not specifically assigned to ground combat units, Dustoff crew members were denied the combat badge under Army regulations.

Committee Retired Army Chief Warrant Officer John Travers of Harrisburg, Pa., told the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee about fellow crew members who risked their lives every day to save wounded soldiers.

"Typical of them was Kevin Donaughue, a medic who I personally watched jump from my aircraft, under extremely intense fire, and run through a mine field to retrieve a wounded soldier and bring him back to our aircraft, all while AK-47 rounds exploded around him," Travers testified.

The Army's reluctance to award the badge to Dustoff crew "can only be described as a slap in the face by the Army we served so loyally," Travers said.

Travers flew 955 missions in Vietnam between 1970-71 and helped rescue 2,045 wounded soldiers.

Lt. Gen. John M. LeMoyne, the Army's deputy chief of staff, said Dustoff crew members were not required to work for at least 30 consecutive days in daily battle with ground infantry, which disqualifies them for the combat badge. The Army reviewed and upheld that policy in 1987 and as recently as last February, he said.

"Since inception, the intent of the Department of the Army regarding this requirement has been that medical personnel must be personally present and under fire in order to be eligible for the awarding of the badge," said LeMoyne, who also served in Vietnam.

He added: "My emotions are with you."

Senate Veterans' Affairs Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., repeatedly challenged LeMoyne to defend the policy, telling the general: "I think you have your toughest assignment today."

Specter said he plans to introduce legislation that would force the Pentagon to make Dustoff crew eligible for the Combat Medical Badge.

"This is something the Congress of the United States ought to decide," Specter said. "And then the commander in chief will have to decide if he agrees with Congress."

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