thedrifter
04-03-06, 08:38 AM
Medal of Honor recipient Novosel dies at 83
Monday, April 03, 2006
BY REGGIE SHEFFIELD
Of The Patriot-News
Medal of Honor recipient Michael J. Novosel, who flew a B-29 in World War II before switching to Huey helicopters in Vietnam, has died. He was 83.
Novosel died yesterday at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., after a long fight with cancer.
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States. Novosel was one of three living winners from Pennsylvania. With his death, there are 113 living in the nation.
A plaque in the Soldiers and Sailors Grove on the grounds of the Capitol Complex bears his name.
Born in Etna, Allegheny County, in 1922, Novosel and his son, Michael Jr., were the only father-son "Dustoff," or medical evacuation, helicopter pilot team to serve together in Vietnam.
In his 1999 book "Dustoff," the elder Novosel recounted a question he asked his son in February 1970 after rescuing him and his crew. They had been shot down while retrieving wounded soldiers.
"You told me that your mother said for you to be careful while you're here. What's the matter, don't you listen to her anymore?" he recalled asking.
Less than a week later, Novosel was forced to eat his words when his son came to rescue him after his helicopter was damaged in a landing.
"He was an inspiration to all of us who flew Dustoff and to the kids who are flying Dustoff now in Iraq and Afghanistan," said John Travers, President of the Harrisburg Chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America.
"There is not a kid in Army aviation who does not know the name Michael J. Novosel," Travers said.
Novosel, who most recently lived in Florida, was a major supporter of the continuing effort started by the chapter to have the Army create the Combat Aeromedical Badge to recognize medics who served on helicopters.
Novosel flew under the call sign "Dustoff 88," completed 2,083 hours in 2,543 missions, and made 5,589 rescues during two tours of duty from 1966 to 1967 and from 1969 to 1970.
After flying B-29 bombers in the Far East in World War II, Novosel ended up in the Air Force Reserve.
Deeply affected by the assassination of President Kennedy in November 1963, Novosel left his rank as a lieutenant colonel in the reserve -- along with his wife, Ethel, their children and his job as a civilian pilot -- to take a significant drop in pay and rank to fly as an Army warrant officer.
His first flight duty was for the Green Berets, first in the Middle East, then in the Dominican Republic. He then went to Vietnam for his first tour in 1966. He was 43.
In his book, Novosel explains how, between missions, he kept to a steady diet of gin and tonics to help ward off malaria.
He received the Medal of Honor for his actions on Oct. 2, 1969, when Novosel rescued trapped and wounded Vietnamese soldiers in Kien Tuong province.
Flying low and slow in an unarmed Huey marked with big red crosses against a white background -- a perfect target -- Novosel performed 15 extractions; one involved hovering his helicopter backward into fire from automatic weapons.
"As a direct result of his selfless conduct, the lives of 29 soldiers were saved. The extraordinary heroism displayed by CWO Novosel was an inspiration to his comrades in arms and reflects great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army," the Medal of Honor citation reads in part. He was 47.
Upon his retirement in 1984, Novosel was the oldest Army pilot on active-duty flight status.
Last year, Novosel visited Harrisburg in May and threw out the ball to start the baseball game between the Harrisburg Senators and the Erie Seawolves at Commerce Bank Park.
In his book, Novosel describes the last night in January 1966 that he spent with Ethel before leaving for his first tour in Vietnam.
He had promised her that he would return safely, but she asked, "What if you don't?"
"'I know that it can't be guaranteed,' I replied quietly, 'but I'm coming back,'" he wrote. "'If I don't, then I suppose Arlington would be an appropriate place for an old soldier.'"
REGGIE SHEFFIELD: 255-8170 or rsheffield@patriot-news.com
Rest In Peace
Ellie
Monday, April 03, 2006
BY REGGIE SHEFFIELD
Of The Patriot-News
Medal of Honor recipient Michael J. Novosel, who flew a B-29 in World War II before switching to Huey helicopters in Vietnam, has died. He was 83.
Novosel died yesterday at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., after a long fight with cancer.
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States. Novosel was one of three living winners from Pennsylvania. With his death, there are 113 living in the nation.
A plaque in the Soldiers and Sailors Grove on the grounds of the Capitol Complex bears his name.
Born in Etna, Allegheny County, in 1922, Novosel and his son, Michael Jr., were the only father-son "Dustoff," or medical evacuation, helicopter pilot team to serve together in Vietnam.
In his 1999 book "Dustoff," the elder Novosel recounted a question he asked his son in February 1970 after rescuing him and his crew. They had been shot down while retrieving wounded soldiers.
"You told me that your mother said for you to be careful while you're here. What's the matter, don't you listen to her anymore?" he recalled asking.
Less than a week later, Novosel was forced to eat his words when his son came to rescue him after his helicopter was damaged in a landing.
"He was an inspiration to all of us who flew Dustoff and to the kids who are flying Dustoff now in Iraq and Afghanistan," said John Travers, President of the Harrisburg Chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America.
"There is not a kid in Army aviation who does not know the name Michael J. Novosel," Travers said.
Novosel, who most recently lived in Florida, was a major supporter of the continuing effort started by the chapter to have the Army create the Combat Aeromedical Badge to recognize medics who served on helicopters.
Novosel flew under the call sign "Dustoff 88," completed 2,083 hours in 2,543 missions, and made 5,589 rescues during two tours of duty from 1966 to 1967 and from 1969 to 1970.
After flying B-29 bombers in the Far East in World War II, Novosel ended up in the Air Force Reserve.
Deeply affected by the assassination of President Kennedy in November 1963, Novosel left his rank as a lieutenant colonel in the reserve -- along with his wife, Ethel, their children and his job as a civilian pilot -- to take a significant drop in pay and rank to fly as an Army warrant officer.
His first flight duty was for the Green Berets, first in the Middle East, then in the Dominican Republic. He then went to Vietnam for his first tour in 1966. He was 43.
In his book, Novosel explains how, between missions, he kept to a steady diet of gin and tonics to help ward off malaria.
He received the Medal of Honor for his actions on Oct. 2, 1969, when Novosel rescued trapped and wounded Vietnamese soldiers in Kien Tuong province.
Flying low and slow in an unarmed Huey marked with big red crosses against a white background -- a perfect target -- Novosel performed 15 extractions; one involved hovering his helicopter backward into fire from automatic weapons.
"As a direct result of his selfless conduct, the lives of 29 soldiers were saved. The extraordinary heroism displayed by CWO Novosel was an inspiration to his comrades in arms and reflects great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army," the Medal of Honor citation reads in part. He was 47.
Upon his retirement in 1984, Novosel was the oldest Army pilot on active-duty flight status.
Last year, Novosel visited Harrisburg in May and threw out the ball to start the baseball game between the Harrisburg Senators and the Erie Seawolves at Commerce Bank Park.
In his book, Novosel describes the last night in January 1966 that he spent with Ethel before leaving for his first tour in Vietnam.
He had promised her that he would return safely, but she asked, "What if you don't?"
"'I know that it can't be guaranteed,' I replied quietly, 'but I'm coming back,'" he wrote. "'If I don't, then I suppose Arlington would be an appropriate place for an old soldier.'"
REGGIE SHEFFIELD: 255-8170 or rsheffield@patriot-news.com
Rest In Peace
Ellie