The "MEDIC" & "CREWCHIEF" DUSTOFF Personified It's been said that when DUSTOFF pilots are flying, they talk about women -- and when they're with women, they talk about flying --- But when they tell war stories of the "You Had To Be There" calibre, the subject usually locks in on the feats of their grungy MEDIC and CREWCHIEF. As DUSTOFF pilots in Vietnam, our task was to insure that timely medical care was delivered to the wounded; a job that was probably helped along by having a bent for foxy flying and being a button short --- The "medical care" we "delivered" was a different story -- --- Our "Medic and Crewchief team" aboard was the precious cargo for whom the wounded watched and prayed -- Through the plexiglass we've watched them ---- and we've watched the wounded watch them --- with litter and weapon in hand, trudge through waist-deep rice paddies, through tangled jungle growth, up rocky mountainsides, hang from skids with outstretched hand, jump to watery depths, tear into burning cockpits, hug a jungle penetrator as it takes them through triple canopy -- all too often under withering enemy fire. We've watched both as they've emptied clips into treelines, bunkers and jungled hideouts -- buying altitude -- before turning to continue tending the wounded, halt hemorrhage, close a sucking chest, start fluids, calm hysteria, breath life, cuddle babies maimed. As their wounded were off-loaded to definitive care-- we've watched the "thumbs up" as their tired eyes and muddy faces grin at a life given -- and too often we've watched a sudden stiffness -- a desperation -- as they carefully -- almost reverently -- slide a lifeless litter from the hold --- then resignation --- then --"clear on the right"! -- and back to the job -- Leaving the flightline at mission's end, we've turned and watched both - in searing heat or monsoon storms and dead of night -- tie the blade, check the damage, hose the red from their rotten smelling station -- refit gear and ammo, and begin the tedious and demanding postflight or the too-often twenty five hour inspection. -- And we get the "high sign" as we yell, "We'll save chow!" Then as we trot back to the flight line as quickly as we'd left, we watched their fatigue unveil as we yelled, "Wind'er up! - got C's on board?" -- and we watched them suck-it-up -- again -- and scurry to lift off -- again -- to save a poor soul -- again -- again -- and again ---- As a DUSTOFF pilot, it has been my greatest honor to serve with this awe-inspiring team and be a part of it. SiSimmons

"DUSTOFF" THE CALL SIGN The DUSTOFF call sign was acquired by the 57th Medical Detachment (Helicopter Ambulance) in January, 1964, ironically and quite appropriately/proudly, by way of medical necessity. The occasion was a bloody two-day operation, west of Saigon, near the Cambodian border in early Jan 1964 that churned out many casualties throughout a day and night of battle. At the time, all combat units utilized randomly selected call signs controlled by the Navy Support Activity, Vietnam and were changed periodically in accordance with Signal Operating Instructions (SOI) in the interest of security. The call sign of 57th Med Det (HA) on that day and at that time, per the SOI, happened to be "DUSTOFF". Fighting was heavy, casualties were mounting, evacs were continuous and communication between the evac helicopters and ground commanders was ever-running. At the time that the code changeover was ordered to occur in accordance the SOI, the major ground commander as well as the medevac aircrews became concerned that due to the battlefield chaos that included some loss of communications between units, switching to a new call sign may jeopardize evacuation. At the request of the ground commander, the 57th Med Det commander, MAJ Lloyd Spencer, agreed immediately to delay the call sign changeover while also requesting a temporary exception to the SOI from the approving headquarters. The exception was approved for a specified period (probably for 24 hours or possibly until the time of the next call sign change, per the SOI). After the operation, MAJ Lloyd Spencer and MAJ Charles Kelly discussed the call sign dilemma and determined that a permanent aeromedical evacuation call sign would help avoid possible future mission impairment and more closely conform to the spirit of the Geneva Convention. (At the time, MAJ Spencer was outgoing commander - MAJ Kelly, incoming commander, assuming command on 11 Jan 64) Within a few days, in concert with ground unit commanders, MAJ Spencer requested and received official approval for the permanent call sign change to "DUSTOFF". (The above is based on my recollection of the circumstances which necessitated the first use of "DUSTOFF" as a call sign in nonconformance with an SOI -- which precipitated it's adoption on a permanent basis. At the time, I was the detachment 2nd Lieutenant who was "detailed" to manage the aircrew "SOIs".) SiSimmons

THE HOOD

SSGT CARTER Flight Medic Extraordinaire 57th Med Det (Hel AMB) 1964

Mock,  Brady,  Simmons,  Sylvester   (aka, "Kelly's Krazies") at CaMau 57th Med Det (Hel AMB) 1964

DUSTOFF Flight Destinations

Your flight plan to destination ------" DUSTOFF " ------ is approved Depart heading 082 --- Climb to and maintain 45 feet --- Contact Delta DUSTOFF on FM 57.00     Click here For MAIN PHOTO PAGE

(Referring to the mission audio tapes to follow)

PILOT, CW2 DELBERT "DEL" LIVINGSTON, 82nd Med Det (Hel Amb), aka, "DUSTOFF 82", WITHIN DAYS AFTER THIS PARTICULAR MISSION (below), CAUGHT A 30 CAL ROUND THAT ENTERED HIS ARMPIT AND EXITED HIS NECK ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE --- (ABOUT THE WORST TRAJECTORY YOU COULD WISH) -- "DEL" MADE IT -- EVAC'D TO JAPAN AND BACK TO THE WORLD
1969

MONITOR "DUSTOFF 82" (CW2 "Del" Livingston) on DUSTOFF MISSION Contact "DUSTOFF 82" at FM "Nr10"   Click here

TO< BR> MAJ CHARLES L. KELLY MEMORIAL FOUNDER OF DUSTOFF

TO CPT TEMPERILLI EARLY SAVIOR OF DUSTOFF

TO DUSTOFF 57TH MED DET (HEL AMB) - 1962/1963

TO DUSTOFF ARCHIVES

TO 57TH MED DET (HEL AMB)- 1964 DUSTOFF Main Photo Page

TO DUSTOFF 57TH MED DET (HEL AMB) - 1964 DUSTOFF Picture Gallery Room 2

TO DUSTOFF 57TH MED DET (HEL AMB) - 1964 DUSTOFF Picture Gallery Room 2a

TO DUSTOFF 57TH/82ND MED DET (HEL AMB) - 1964/1965 DUSTOFF Picture Gallery Room 2b

TO DUSTOFF 57TH/82ND MED DET (HEL AMB) - 1964/1965 DUSTOFF Picture Gallery Room 2c

TO DUSTOFF 57TH/82ND MED DET (HEL AMB) - 1964/1965 THE DUSTOFF BOOK

TO DUSTOFF 82ND MED DET (HEL AMB) - 1968/1969/1970

TO DUSTOFF 82ND MED DET (HEL AMB) - 1964/1965 /TD>

TO DUSTOFF 45TH MED CO (AIR AMB) - 1969/1970

TO FLATIRON

TO DUSTOFFOLKS ON THE INTERNET

TO DUSTOFF Bibliography

TO DUSTOFF (future page stuff)

TO DUSTOFF REUNION '99

TO DUSTALES /A>

TO DUSTOFF VIETNAM MEMORIAL

TO DUSTOFF VISITORS TO SIMMONSPORT

Note: I'm working on a "paddy" background for this site -- CLICK HERE for work in progress

DON'T FORGET TO RETURN HERE AND CHECK OUT THE LINKS BELOW

---

DUSTLINKS

• Vietnam Helicopter Crew Members Association

• DUSTOFF Association Homepage

• PADDY CONTROL Det 3, 619th TCS, Cantho

• 498th Air Ambulance, An Son, Vietnam
• Dustoff Photo Project
• 57th Medical Company (AA)
• 82nd Medical Company (MAST) Home Page
• 15th Medical Detachment (HA),Grafenwoehr, Germany
• Dustoffheroes
• VIETNAM DUSTOFF ASSOCIATION
• 120th AVIATION COMPANY "RAZORBACKS
• 121st AHC Association
• Mississippi Vietnam Veterans Memorial
• ARMY Homepage
• MG Patrick Brady - Medal of Honor Citation
• CW4 Michael Novosel - Medal of Honor Citation

                  

MY SIMMONS FAMILY STUFF

This is my son, SP4 William "ROJJ" Simmons 1St Cav Div Desert Storm ROJJ's WebpageClick here

This is my brother, William aka CPT Bill "Doc" Simmons Flight Surgeon 557th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 12th TFW Cam Ranh Bay KIA (F4-C Crash), 3 Sep 1966 MEMORIAL TO WILLIAMClick here

This is Me - Back When LTC Armond "Si" Simmons AUS (now retired)

In Memory of My Grandfather ROBERT THOMAS "THOM" MICHELBERRY SIMMONS September 15, 1836 ~ December 10, 1916 LIEUTENANT FORTIETH ALABAMA INFANTRY REGIMENT CONFEDERATE STATES ARMY MEMORIAL TO RTM SIMMONS Armond C. Simmons

SI-EDITORIAL VET SPEAK A GRASP FOR EQUAL TIME

SIMMONSPORT MY HOME PAGE

SI-EDITORIAL VET SPEAK A GRASP FOR EQUAL TIME

"QUOTES -- FROM ALTITUDE"

"BECAUSE I FLY" I laugh more than other men I look up and see more than they I know how the clouds feel What it's like to have the blue in my lap, to look down on birds, to feel freedom in a thing called the stick... who but I can slice between God's billowed legs and feel then laugh and crash with His step Who else has seen the unlimbed peaks? The rainbow's secret? The real reason birds sing? Because I Fly, I envy no man on earth -Anonymous

"LIVE LIFE" Flyers have a sense of adventures yet to come, instead of dimly recalling adventures of long ago as the only moments in which they truly lived. -- Richard Bach, 'A Gift of Wings.'

TRIVIA Who is the only pilot in aviation history to have flown combat with two (2) - I say, two (2) - aviators who became Medal of Honor winners? ANSWER:      Si Simmons Ahem! the obvious question arises --- What combat expertise/flying skills/heroics did Si Simmons impart, if any, to these honored two, that may have lent to their attaining this prestigious honor? Say whut? -- ahem -- another question? --- Did these two attain this honor in spite of having flown combat with Si Simmons? Never mind ---

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Click here to check out Michael Shapiro's

"FIELDS OF FIRE"
A fiction novel about an infantry platoon in Vietnam
based on his experiences -
Michael was a rifleman in the 1st Division,18th Infantry, November 1967 – October 1968.
The novel is about a racially mixed group of young men.
focusing on the humor and the friendships.

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