^{57TH MEDICAL DETACHMENT: DEACTIVATION CEREMONY}

26 JANUARY 2007

YOUR HISTORY and YOUR FUTURE

"YOU WILL NOT FAIL"

GOOD MORNING.

MY FATHER WAS MAJOR CHARLES KELLY.

I CARRY HIS NAME AND SPEAK FOR HIM TODAY.

IT’S AN HONOR TO BE HERE, BECAUSE, IN MY OPINION, YOU ARE THE FINEST EXAMPLE OF MEN AND WOMEN THAT EXIST IN THE ARMY TODAY. WE ARE AT WAR AND YOU ARE OPERATING AT PEAK PERFORMANCE IN A PROFESSION THAT FEW UNDERSTAND OR APPRECIATE OUTSIDE OF THE MILITARY COMMUNITY. YOU ARE COHESIVE, DEDICATED, SELFLESS AND ARE THE STANDARD BEARER FOR ARMY AIR MEDICAL EVACUATION.

IN THE MOVIE, "ENTER THE DRAGON," BRUCE LEE’S NEMESIS SAYS, "WE FORGE OUR BODIES IN THE FIRE OF OUR WILL". THIS UNIT, AS IT STANDS THIS DAY HAS BEEN FORGED IN THE FIRE OF YOUR COMPASSION, IN THE ADVERSITY THAT FACES EVERY AMERICAN SOLDIER AND IN THE TOIL OF WAR. WE ARE AT WAR AND AMERICANS SOLDIERS DIE ALMOST DAILY.

I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME THINGS THAT I HAVE SHARED WITH NO ONE ELSE ABOUT MY FATHER AND THE HISTORY OF THE 57TH. THIS IS THE UNVARNISHED TRUTH. IT COMES DIRECTLY FROM HIS DIARIES AND FROM HIS LAST LETTER MEANT FOR HIS FAMILY. AS MEMBERS OF THE 57TH YOU ARE FAMILY.

I WANT YOU TO KNOW THESE THINGS BECAUSE HISTORY WILL BE YOUR BEST GUIDE TO THE FUTURE.

THE 57TH MEDICAL DETACHMENT BECOMES INACTIVATED TODAY.. I GUESS SOMEBODY DECIDED IT’S TIME TO REINVENT THE WHEEL. AND WITH MY APOLOGIES TO ANYONE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THAT DECISION. I CANNOT AGREE. IT’S A BAD IDEA BECAUSE IT’S TOO RISKY RIGHT NOW. IF IT AIN'T BROKE, LETS DON'T FIX IT. WE’RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A WAR. NOW, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE MUST REORGANIZE AND STREAMLINE THE ARMY. CHANGE IS THE ONLY THING THAT IS CONSTANT IN THIS WORLD AND OUR ARMED FORCES WILL HAVE TO OPERATE DIFFERENTLY IN THE FUTURE. WE MUST BE SWIFT, WE MUST BE VERSATILE AND WE MUST BE ABLE TO WIN ANY CONFLICT IN ANY CORNER OF THE WORLD, IN MULTIPLE THEATERS AT ONCE. OUR ENEMIES ARE CUNNING AND MORE POWERFUL THAN WE THOUGHT. THEY ARE NOT CONSTRAINED BY MORALS AS WE ARE AND THEY HIDE DEEP IN THE GROUND OR TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR FREE COUNTRY AND BLEND IN AMONG US. CHANGE IS VITAL TO OUR FUTURE… I JUST DON’T AGREE WITH THIS PARTICULAR CHANGE.

THIS DETACHMENT IS THE STANDARD BEARER, THE ICON OF AIR MEDICAL EVACUATION OPERATING IN A TIME OF WAR, WITH A HISTORY AND LEGACY THAT IS ONE OF THE GREATEST UNTOLD WARTIME STORIES THAT EXISTS. IT WILL BE A MOVIE ONE DAY, A SCRIPT IS UNDERWAY RIGHT NOW, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? I'VE HEARD THAT BEFORE... IT DOESN’T MATTER. THIS IS NOT ABOUT MOVIES OR GLORY; THIS IS ABOUT THE LIVES OF SOLDIERS ON THE BATTLEFIELD. SOME OF THE CHANGES YOU FACE HAVE BEEN TRIED BEFORE WITH THIS VERY UNIT. SOME OF THE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS YOU FACE ARE THE ONES MY FATHER WRESTLED WITH.

HE FOUGHT IN WORLD WAR II, JOINING THE ARMY AT AGE 15. HE SERVED WITH THE U.S. ARMY INVASION FORCES IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES: ENGLAND, FRANCE, BELGIUM, HOLLAND AND GERMANY. AT SOME POINT, HE WAS WOUNDED, SHOT IN THE LEG. DURING HIS STAY AT AN ARMY HOSPITAL A NURSE CARED FOR HIM WITH WHAT MUST HAVE BEEN GREAT COMPASSION. SHE GAVE HIM THIS CROSS WHICH HE WORE UNTIL THE SPOKE HIS LAST WORDS… "I’LL LEAVE WHEN I HAVE YOUR WOUNDED".

HE LATER SERVED AS A COMBAT MEDIC AND WORE THAT BADGE PROUDLY. THE SAME BADGE THAT EACH OF YOU DESERVE TO WEAR.

HE LEFT THE ARMY AFTER W.W.II. BUT IN 1952, REINVESTED AND LEARNED TO FLY, BECAUSE HE WAS A SOLDIER AT HEART.

I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND SOME THINGS ABOUT MY FATHER. HE WAS NOT PERFECT, HE HAD MANY FLAWS AND HE MADE MANY MISTAKES. DURING THAT PERIOD THAT HE SERVED OVERSEAS WITH U.S. INVASION FORCES, HE WAS COURT MARTIALED THREE TIMES. IN NOVEMBER OF 1958, 6 YEARS AFTER RE-ENLISTING, HE SERVED AS A CAPTAIN COMMANDING 56TH MEDICAL DETACHMENT. STATIONED IN... FORT BRAGG. A BOARD OF INQUIRY WAS CONVENED, HERE AT FORT BRAGG BECAUSE HE HAD NEGLECTED TO MENTION THOSE THREE COURT MARTIALS WHEN HE RE-ENLISTED IN 1952. AT THE END OF THE NEARLY 100 PAGE RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT HE BE DISCHARGED FROM THE ARMY. IN FEBRUARY OF 1959, THE SECOND BOARD OF REVIEW, CONVENED AT THE PENTAGON, RECOMMENDED THAT HE NOT BE DISCHARGED. HE WAS ALLOWED TO STAY IN THE ARMY. I'D SAY THAT WAS A GOOD CALL. THE ARMY GETS SOME THINGS RIGHT, DON'T THEY?

HE CRASHED AT LEAST ONE FIXED WING AIRCRAFT. DURING THAT BOARD OF INQUIRY, WHEN ASKED THE REASON FOR THE CRASH, HE SIMPLY STATED… "PILOT ERROR"

HERE'S SOMETHING NOT IN THE OFFICIAL RECORD.

ANOTHER TIME SOMEBODY WANTED AN INTERESTING PICTURE TO SEND HOME TO THEIR WIFE. SO HE STOOD UNDER A HOVERING HELICOPTER, APPEARING TO BALANCE IT ON ONE FINGER. THAT PICTURE WAS NOT DEVELOPED. NO ONE WAS INJURED BUT THE AIRCRAFT….. DID NOT SURVIVE. AS YOU MIGHT KNOW THE ARMY FROWNS UPON SUCH THINGS.

HE CARRIED A CARD WITH HIM. IT SAYS "I AM AN AVIATOR, I WILL NOT DRINK, IF I DO DRINK, I WILL NOT GET DRUNK, IF I DO GET DRUNK, I WILL NOT FALL DOWN, IF I DO FALL DOWN, I WILL FALL ON MY FACE SO THAT NO ONE CAN SEE MY WINGS."

DURING HIS TIME IN VIETNAM, HE WOULD NOT DRINK EVEN ONE BEER BECAUSE HE DID NOT WANT TO COMPROMISE THE MISSION IN ANY WAY.

I TELL YOU HIS FLAWS, BECAUSE WE TEND TO MAKE OUR HEROES PERFECT AND THEY NEVER ARE.

HE ENDED UP IN KOREA, AS COMMANDER OF THE 54TH MED DETACHMENT.

HERE ARE SOME ENTRIES FROM HIS DIARY IN KOREA, THE YEAR WAS 1960, ONE YEAR AFTER HE WAS ALMOST ELIMINATED FROM THE ARMY. HE FLEW THE H 13'S WITH PATIENT LITTERS... ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT.

JAN 2ND

THE WATER SYSTEM BECAME INOPERATIVE DUE TO THE COLD.

JAN 3RD

GEN CAUGHY PAID THE UNIT A VISIT TODAY. I GAVE HIM THE USUAL SPEECH. NOT ENOUGH MEN AND NOT ENOUGH FLYING TIME. STILL NO WATER. WE ARE HAULING WATER. WE ARE NOT EQUIPPED FOR THIS. IT SNOWED TODAY.

JAN 4TH

STILL NO WATER

JAN 5TH

STILL NO WATER. KEEPING WARM AND CLEAN TAKES ALL THE MEN IN THE UNIT. WE HAVE TO HAUL THE WATER AND THE DIESEL OIL. I HAVE TWO MEN IN THE HOSPITAL. I DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH MEN.

MARCH 10TH

RECEIVED A LETTER FROM JESSIE. SHE WANTS TO KNOW WHO GAVE ME A SUBSCRIPTION TO PLAYBOY MAGAZINE. I DON’T KNOW WHO DID IT, BUT I CANT PROVE THAT TO HER. I THINK I AM IN TROUBLE.

MARCH 16TH

THE SURGEON GENERAL OF THE ARMY WAS HERE TODAY. THE I CORPS COMMANDER GENERAL RYAN WAS WITH GENERAL HEATON. GENERAL RYAN ASKED ME IF WE WERE GOING TO GET THE UH1-A’S. I TOLD HIM YES, IF THE GENERALS DID NOT TAKE ALL OF THEM. HE LAUGHED. HE IS ALRIGHT.

MARCH 19TH

HAD TWO EMERGENCY EVACUATIONS TODAY. THE FIRST ONE DIED. HE WAS THE FIRST PATIENT THAT I HAVE LOST.

APRIL 16TH

I STARTED MY CHECKOUT IN THE UH- 1A TODAY. IT IS A FINE HELICOPTER. I MISSED CHURCH TODAY. IT IS ONE OF THE FEW TIMES THAT I HAVE MISSED. I WILL TRY TO GET THERE NEXT SUNDAY.

MAY 21ST

I HAD A ROUGH FLIGHT THIS MORNING. I TOOK OFF AT 0400 HOURS. IT WAS SOLID OVERCAST, BUT I GOT ON TOP. I COULD SEE THE MOUNTAIN TOPS. IT WAS CLEAR AT THE PICK UP SITE. I STARTED BACK AND GOT OVER MY UNIT BUT COULD NOT FIND A HOLE IN THE FOG. I FOUND A HOLE TWO MILES FROM MY UNIT AND CALLED FOR AN AMBULANCE TO MEET ME ALONG THE ROAD. I LOADED THE PATIENT ON THE AMBULANCE AND THEN HOVERED TO MY UNIT.

SEPTEMBER 19TH

I HAD A RADIOGRAM. I HAVE A SON. (THAT’S ME, I WAS BORN SEPTEMBER 15TH)

OCTOBER 21ST

LOST MY TEMPER ABOUT THE TARMAC TODAY AND WAS CUSSIN THE ORDERLY ROOM AT THE TOP OF MY VOICE. A RED CROSS DOUGHNUT GIRL CAME IN AND I DID NOT SEE HER. MY UNIT MAY NOT GET ANY MORE DOUGHNUTS.

OCTOBER 29TH

FLEW DOWN TO SEOUL WITH CAPT GARDNER. WE DISCUSSED THE NEW UH-1-A’S. THE 49TH IS TO GET THEM AND WE ARE TO GET THE 49TH’S H 19’S I DON’T CARE. IF I GET ANY TYPE OF HELICOPTER WITH A CAPABILITY OF CARRYING A PATIENT INSIDE, I WILL PUT THE 49TH OUT OF BUSINESS.

NOV 2ND

CONTINUING ENGINE PROBLEMS, ALMOST HAD TO SET THE AIRCRAFT DOWN. WE SEEM TO FACE THE SAME PROBLEMS, NOT ENOUGH FLYING HOURS, POOR COMMUNICATIONS, MAINTENANCE PROBLEMS WITH OLD AIRCRAFT. PAPERWORK SEEMS TO BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN PATIENT EVACUATION.

NOV 3RD

POOR CONDITIONS TODAY. ARTILLERY FIRE OVER EVACUATION ROUTES, SLOW AIRCRAFT AND POOR COMMUNICATIONS CONTINUE TO HAMPER OUR OPERATIONS. DURING AN EVACUATION, WHERE A PATIENT HAD LOST A FOOT, THE ENGINE AGAIN STARTED RUNNING ROUGH. ALMOST HAD TO SET DOWN. I WISH THAT I HAD A CHANCE TO FLY SOME OF THE GENERALS AS PATIENTS. I BET THAT WE WOULD GET SOME NEW AIRCRAFT THEN.

NOV 14TH

WE EVACUATED 14 PATIENTS TODAY. I ENJOYED IT.

NOV 18TH

WE NEED MORE FLYING HOURS. WE HAVE ALMOST USED UP OUR ALLOCATION FOR THIS QUARTER AND WE HAVE OVER A MONTH LEFT TO GO. REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO FLY EVACUATIONS UNTIL ORDERED TO STOP.

NOV 21ST

WE EVACUATED FIFTEEN PATIENTS TODAY. WE NEED MORE FLYING HOURS.

NOV 28TH

WE FLEW TEN EVACUATIONS TODAY. THIS MAKES A TOTAL OF 66 FOR THE MONTH. WE RECEIVED AN ADDITIONAL 80 FLYING HOURS. IT WAS A CALCULATED RISK. I FELT THAT IF WE FLEW A LOT OF EVACUATIONS THEY WOULD HAVE TO GIVE US SOME MORE HOURS. IF I HAD BEEN WRONG WE WOULD HAVE BEEN GROUNDED FOR A MONTH. SUCH IS THE LIFE OF A MEDICAL AVIATION UNIT COMMANDER.

NOV 30TH WE FLEW 70 EVACUATIONS THIS MONTH. I THINK THAT IS A RECORD.

FAST FORWARD TO JANUARY OF 1964: FOUR YEARS AFTER HIS ARMY CAREER ALMOST ENDED. MY FATHER LEFT FOR VIETNAM TO TAKE COMMAND OF THE 57TH MEDICAL DETACHMENT. HE WOULD FINALLY HAVE A UNIT THAT HAD THE HEY-- A UH1 BROVO MODEL. THEN HE WAS TOLD THAT THE 57TH WAS ABOUT TO BE DISBANDED. THAT SOUNDS FAMILIAR DOESN'T IT? IT HAD BEEN DECIDED THAT DEDICATED AIR AMBULANCE UNITS WERE NOT NECESSARY. THE PLAN WAS TO USE PORTABLE RED CROSSES ON GENERAL SERVICE AIRCRAFT TO EVACUATE THE WOUNDED. THEY WANTED THE 57TH’S FIVE HUEY HELICOPTERS. FIVE HELICOPTERS TO COVER ALL OF VIETNAM. .

BEFORE HE OFFICIALLY TOOK COMMAND, HE WAS CO-PILOT ON A MISSION IN WHICH A TRANSPORT HELICOPTER CRASHED IN THE OCEAN. THEY ALMOST BEAT THEM TO THE WATER. THE MEN WERE STRUGGLING TO GET THEIR BOOTS OFF. MY FATHER WANTED TO SET THE SKIDS ON THE WATER SO THAT THE MEN COULD CLIMB ABOARD, BUT THE PILOT WOULD NOT LET HIM. EVERY ONE OF THE SOLDIERS DROWNED. MY FATHER WATCHED THIS WITH ANGUISH … WHAT NO ONE KNEW IS THAT MY FATHER DID NOT KNOW HOW TO SWIM. PEOPLE OFTEN SAID THAT HE WAS FEARLESS. THAT WASN’T TRUE... HE DIDN'T SHOW HIS FEARS BECAUSE HE CONSIDERED IT A BAD EXAMPLE AS AN OFFICER. FEAR IS CONTAGIOUS... IT CAN CRUSH OR CRIPPLE A SOLDIER.

SO HIS FIRST DAYS IN VIETNAM BEGAN. THEY WANTED HIS HELICOPTERS; HE ALREADY KNEW THAT HE WOULD PROBABLY NEVER EXCEED THE RANK OF MAJOR BECAUSE OF HIS PAST COURT MARTIALS AND OUTSPOKENNESS. BY THE WAY, I READ THE BOARD PROCEEDINGS LAST NIGHT WHICH CONTAINED HIS OFFICER EFFICIENCY REPORTS. NEARLY EVERY REPORT IS OUTSTANDING. THE EXCEPTIONS DO FOLLOW A COMMON THREAD. FOR EXAMPLE "AT TIMES HE IS OUTSPOKEN AND DOES NOT ACCEPT CRITICISM OR DECISIONS FROM HIGHER HEADQUARTERS." ANOTHER ONE STATES "SOMEWHAT TEMPERAMENTAL AND INCLINES TO BE HYPERCRITICAL. " ANOTHER REPORT: "HE IS KEENLY INTERESTED IN HIS PROFESSION BUT HAS ON OCCASION SHOWN RELUCTANCE TO ACCEPT IDEAS, SUGGESTIONS OR CRITICISM FROM HIS SUPERIORS."

THEY WANTED HIS HUES. HE WASNT THERE TO FURTHER HIS CAREER, AND BY THIS TIME HE WAS OVERWHELMED WITH THE IRRATIONAL WAY THAT POLITICIANS WERE INVOLVED WITH MILITARY OPERATIONS. AND HE HAD JUST WATCHED SIX MEN DROWN THAT HE BELIEVED HE COULD HAVE SAVED.

THESE TYPES OF CIRCUMSTANCES COULD WOUND OR CRIPPLE ANYONE. IT COULD MAKE THEM TOO CAUTIOUS OR LEAD THEM TO MEDIOCRITY. OR IT COULD BE THE FIRE THAT FORGES A SOLDIER INTO SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT MORE THAT JUST A SOLDIER.

HERE’S WHAT HE DID.

HE HAD A PHONE INSTALLED BY HIS BED. WHEN A CALL FOR EVACUATION CAME, THIS IS THE PHONE THAT RANG, DAY OR NIGHT. HE FLEW EVERY MISSION THAT HE COULD HIMSELF. HE WAS TOLD NOT TO FLY AT NIGHT. HE CONSIDERED IT SAFER SO, HE DID. OFFICIAL ARMY POLICY WAS NOT TO FLY INTO HOT ZONES, BUT HE ALWAYS DID. HE CAREFULLY TRAINED HIS BRAND NEW PILOTS RIGHT OUT OF FLIGHT SCHOOL, ONE STEP AT A TIME, CAREFULLY AND METHODICALLY. ERNIE SYLVESTER CAN ATTEST TO THAT FACT. ERNIE PROBABLY HAD MORE FLIGHT TIME WITH MY FATHER THAN ANYONE ELSE IN VIETNAM. THE NEWSPAPER REPORTS CALLED HIM CRAZY KELLY OR MADMAN KELLY. HE WAS FAR FROM EITHER. HE WAS CAREFUL AND CALCULATING, BUT THE CIRCUMSTANCES DEMANDED THAT RISKS BE TAKEN. HE MAY HAVE BEEN RECKLESS AS A YOUNGER SOLDIER, BUT AT THIS TIME, HE KNEW THAT THE STAKES WERE ENORMOUS. HE WAS NOT RECKLESS BUT HE HAD TO BE BOLD. HE HAD TO SAVE LIVES AND HE HAD TO PRESERVE THE 57TH IF HE COULD .

HE HAD TO GET THE NUMBERS OF EVACUATED UP. HE BEGAN TO FLY A ROUTE AT NIGHT, OF REMOTE BASES, SHOPPING FOR BUSINESS. HE USUALLY FLEW ALONE, LEAVING AROUND MIDNIGHT AND RETURNING JUST BEFORE DAWN. WHEN HE FLEW WITH ERNIE SYLVESTER, HE GAVE ERNIE THE TASK OF MAPPING THE LANDMARKS FOR NIGHT FLIGHTS ON THEIR REGULAR ROUTE. HE SOON EXCEEDED HIS ALLOWED FLIGHT HOURS AS USUAL AND AFTER A HEATED EXCHANGE WITH HIS SUPERIORS, LEFT THE MEETING WITH A WAIVER FOR HIMSELF. IN THE MONTH OF JUNE HE LOGGED 147 HOURS, 40 OF THOSE AT NIGHT.

WHEN HE WASN’T FLYING, HE WAS IN MEETINGS WITH HIS SUPERIORS ARGUING FOR MORE RESOURCES AND INSISTING THAT ANOTHER DETACHMENT WAS NEEDED.

AND HE CONTINUED TRAINING HIS PILOTS, SETTING A PERSONAL EXAMPLE AND RESCUING THE WOUNDED.

TO THIS POINT, NO ONE HAD BEEN KILLED ON A MEDICAL EVACUATION MISSION. MY MOTHER TOLD ME THAT HIS GREATEST FEAR WAS THAT HE WOULD GET ONE OF HIS MEN KILLED BECAUSE OF THE AGGRESSIVE TACTICS HE WAS INSTILLING IN THEM. HE ALSO TOLD HER THAT IF HE WERE TO BE KILLED, HE HOPED IT WOULD NOT BE AT NIGHT, BECAUSE HE KNEW THAT NIGHT FLYING WAS SAFER AND HE DID NOT WANT TO JEOPARDIZE THIS PRACTICE.

WHEN REPORTERS STARTED WRITING ABOUT THE RESCUE MISSIONS HE TOLD THEM TO WRITE ABOUT HIS MEN, NOT HIMSELF.

AND SO, HE DID RAISE THE NUMBERS, ARGUED WITH HIS SUPERIORS CONSTANTLY AND TRAINED HIS MEN, BECAUSE HE KNEW HE WOULD BE LEAVING THEM SOON. HE WAS CONSIDERING OPERATING FROM SAIGON. CAPTAIN BRADY WOULD BE IN CHARGE OF THE AIRCRAFT AT SOC TRANG. THIS WOULD ALLOW MY FATHER TO CONTINUE TO CAMPAIGN FOR ANOTHER MEDICAL DETACHMENT. FROM THERE HE COULD BETTER WAGE THE BATTLE TO STOP THE PLAN TO USE PORTABLE RED CROSSES.

ON 1, JULY 1964 CAPTAIN BRADY TOOK COMMAND OF THE 57THS, AIRCRAFT BECAUSE THAT WAS THE DAY THAT MY FATHER SPOKE HIS LAST WORDS.. THE WORDS THAT ARE YOUR CREED. I WILL LEAVE WHEN I HAVE YOUR WOUNDED. ERNIE SYLVESTER IS THE ONE THAT PICKED MY FATHER UP WHEN HE WAS SHOT DOWN. ERNIE... THANK YOU FOR THAT. CAPTAIN BRADY SLEPT IN MY FATHERS BED THAT NIGHT AND THE FOLLOWING DAY A SUPERIOR CALLED HIM INTO HIS OFFICE AND SHOWED HIM THE BULLET THAT HAD PASSED THROUGH MY FATHERS HEART AND LODGED IN THE FRAME OF HIS AIRCRAFT. HE SAID, ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO BE MORE CAREFUL NOW? CAPTAIN BRADY TOOK THE BULLET AND SAID, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO KEEP FLYING EXACTLY THE WAY THAT KELLY TAUGHT US.

FEAR COULD HAVE LED TO MEDIOCRITY, BUT THAT DID NOT HAPPEN. THE MEN OF THE 57TH UPHELD THE STANDARDS THAT HAD BEEN SET. DURING BRADY’S TWO TOURS IN VIETNAM, HE PERSONALLY EVACUATED OVER 5000 CASUALTIES AND WAS AWARDED THE MEDAL OF HONOR DURING A PARTICULARLY BUSY DAY IN 1968. IF YOU ASK HIM, HE WOULD PROBABLY SAY IT WAS JUST ANOTHER ROUTINE DAY FOR A DUSTOFF PILOT. KINDA BUSY THOUGH. I THINK HE WENT THROUGH FOUR AIRCRAFT THAT DAY. FOUR YEARS EARLIER THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ALMOST THE ENTIRE INVENTORY OF DUSTOFF AIRCRAFT IN VIETNAM.

THERE WAS NO MORE TALK OF PORTABLE RED CROSSES AND THE 57TH WAS NOW SAFE. IN OCTOBER OF 1964 THE 82ND MED DETACHMENT ARRIVED IN COUNTRY. THEY THEN TRANSFERRED SIX MEN FROM EACH UNIT INTO THE OTHER UNIT. THE NEW ARRIVALS WERE TOLD -THIS IS HOW WE DO THINGS-THIS IS HOW KELLY FLEW AND THIS IS HOW WE WILL CONTINUE TO FLY. WE FLY ANYTIME, ANYWHERE AND WE DO NOT LEAVE WITHOUT THE WOUNDED. THEY WERE CAREFULLY TRAINED AND THE STANDARDS WERE KEPT IN PLACE.

AT THE HEIGHT OF THE VIETNAM WAR THERE WERE 283 MEDICAL EVACUATION AIRCRAFT IN SERVICE, AND FOR THE MOST PART THEY FOLLOWED THIS STANDARD. AND FOR THE LAST 43 YEARS THE 57TH HAS BEEN THE STANDARD BEARER OF THIS EXCELLENCE. I TAKE NOTHING AWAY FROM THE OTHER MEDICAL DETACHMENTS AND MEAN NO DISRESPECT TO THEM, BUT TO ME THE 57TH REPRESENTS THE FATHER THAT I DID NOT KNOW. I KNOW HIM NOW FROM THOSE THAT SERVED WITH HIM AND FROM HIS WRITINGS. AND I SEE IN YOUR EYES THE DEDICATION OF PROFESSIONAL SOLDIERS THAT IS BORN FROM HISTORY, COMPASSION, PERSONAL COURAGE AND DISCIPLINE.

AND TODAY, I CAN SAY TO YOU, ESPECIALLY YOU, THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE 57TH, …THE LAST OF THE ORIGINALS, THAT YOU ARE A SHINING EXAMPLE OF THAT STANDARD. YOU HAVE UPHELD THAT TRADITION SET BY THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE YOU AND I DARE SAY EVEN IMPROVED UPON THEM. MY FATHER WOULD BE VERY, VERY PROUD OF YOU. I THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF HIM AND OF MY FAMILY.

YOU WILL FACE CHALLENGES DURING THIS TRANSITION, MAYBE SOME OF THE SAME ONES MY FATHER FACED. IN ONE OF HIS LETTERS, HE WROTE: "THE IMPORTANCE OF WINNING A BALL GAME HAD MORE IMPORTANCE THAN THE FACT THAT MY UNIT WAS INEFFECTIVE BECAUSE ALL OF MY HELICOPTERS WERE GROUNDED AND FIELD MAINTENANCE DOES NOT WORK ON WEEKENDS." I KNOW NOTHING LIKE THAT WOULD OCCUR TODAY. OUR ARMY IS FAR SUPERIOR THAN IT WAS IN MY FATHER'S ERA. BUT THERE WILL BE OBSTACLES AND UNCERTAINTIES. SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SIMPLY FACE THE FUTURE AS THE EXCELLENT SOLDIERS THAT YOU ARE. LET ADVERSITY AND FEAR, IF IT EXISTS IN YOU, NOT WEAKEN YOU, BUT MAKE YOU STRONGER, LET THOSE THINGS CONTINUE TO FORGE YOU INTO A BETTER SOLDIER, A BETTER AVIATOR, WITH AN EVEN STRONGER MIND AND SPIRIT THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE.

THE 57TH IS INACTIVATED TODAY. BUT YOU ARE THE ORIGINALS… THE LAST OF THE BEST. CARRY THAT WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO AND WHATEVER YOU DO, BECAUSE ONE DAY, ONE OF YOU MAY BE SEATED AT THE TABLE WHERE THESE POLICY DECISIONS WILL BE MADE. I’LL LOOK FORWARD TO THE RE-ACTIVATION CEREMONY WHEN THAT DAY COMES. TOMORROW ONE OF YOU MAY DO ONE THING OR MAKE ONE COMMENT THAT IS SO ON POINT THAT IT MAY CHANGE THE COURSE OF HISTORY. OR YOU MAY JUST CONTINUE TO BE THE OUTSTANDING SOLDIERS THAT YOU ARE AND BY YOUR DEDICATION AND EXCELLENCE SLOWLY AND GRADUALLY INFLUENCE THE FUTURE OF MEDICAL EVACUATION. YOU MAY NEVER BE RECOGNIZED FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION. YOU YOURSELF MAY NOT KNOW THE IMPACT A SINGLE ACTION OR WORD MAY HAVE. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE WHO REMAIN UNKNOWN. MY FATHER IS AN ICON, AN EXAMPLE OF SACRIFICE AND EXCELLENCE, BUT HE IS NO MORE IMPORTANT THAN THOSE THAT CAME BEFORE OR AFTER HIM.

I HOLD YOU, THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE 57TH WITH THE VERY SAME REGARD I HOLD MY FATHER. YOU ARE SOLDIERS OF THE MEDICAL SERVICE CORPS. MY FATHERS GOAL WAS TO RETURN THE MSC TO THE POSITION OF HONOR THAT HE FELT IT HAD IN W.W.II. I THINK HE DID THAT AND I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE DONE YOUR PART TO MAINTAIN THAT STANDARD.

I WILL LEAVE YOU THE WORDS FROM HIS LAST LETTER.

"I HAVE LOVED MY COUNTRY AND I HAVE LOVED MY ARMY, THE REAL ARMY, OF MEN AND MACHINES AND IDEALS. BUT MY COUNTRY HAS FEET OF CLAY AND SO DOES MY ARMY, BUT NOT MY UNIT OR ANY UNIT THAT I HAVE COMMANDED."

"I AM OUT OF STEP WITH THE REST OF THE NATION AND THE ARMY. I HAVE ALWAYS LISTENED TO AN UNSEEN, UNHEARD DRUMMER. I HAVE ALWAYS FELT HANDS ON MY SHOULDERS GUIDING ME AND WHISPERING IN MY EARS, DIRECTING ME. THESE WERE THE SOLDIERS OF PAST WARS SPEAKING TO ME. I HEARD THEM AS A PRIVATE AND THEY CAUSED ME MUCH TROUBLE. I HEARD THEM AS A CIVILIAN TELLING ME THAT I BELONGED IN THE ARMY. AND I HAVE HEARD THEM AS AN OFFICER AND IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN QUIET. I HAVE DONE THE BEST THAT I COULD."

BURY ME IN A CIVILIAN CEMETERY WITH A SIMPLE WHITE CROSS. PLEASE PAINT ON IT, "HE KEPT FAITH"

AND SO HERE WE ARE. TOMORROW IS A NEW DAY, THE PAGES ARE BLANK. THE NEXT CHAPTER IS YOURS TO WRITE. IF THERE IS WEAKNESS IN THIS NEW SYSTEM, ROOT IT OUT. IF YOU FACE ADVERSITY AND FRUSTRATION, LET IT MAKE YOU STRONGER. WHEN YOU FEEL FEAR, REMEMBER THAT FEAR IS THE FURNACE THAT CAN DESTROY YOU OR FORGE YOU INTO A SWORD OF STEEL WITH A RAZORS EDGE. A MIGHTY WEAPON TO OVERCOME YOUR ENEMY WITH. YOUR ENEMY IS DEATH ITSELF. THAT’S WHY YOU FLY. SO THAT THOSE LAST LETTERS HOME…. AREN'T THE LAST. YOU WILL NOT FAIL! YOU ARE THE ORIGINALS. YOU ARE THE HEART AND SOUL OF DISTAFF. YOU ARE SOLDIERS. THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU ON YOUR JOURNEY THROUGH THIS ARMY AND THROUGH THIS LIFE.

KEEP THE FAITH!