Celebrating Heroism
by Lt. Gen. Clarence E. McKnight, Jr.
Against the backdrop of random violence in our streets and predatory attacks on police, it was refreshing to me to read in The Washington Times that a retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel named Charles Kettles was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Obama on July 11.
Col. Kettles was a helicopter pilot. He led several birds carrying reinforcements and evacuating wounded who were ambushed in combat operations near Duc Pho in May 1967. Kettles, who is now my age - 86 - helped rescue more than 40 soldiers.
President Obama recounted in detail exactly how Col. Kettles comported himself that day. He repeatedly returned to a landing zone under heavy enemy fire. During the final evacuation mission, he was informed that eight soldiers who were providing cover fire had been left behind, so he returned to the zone without artillery or tactical aircraft support.
At that point, Kettles and his crew were the only target the enemy had to deal with and they let him have it. As he landed mortar fire shattered the windshield and damaged the main motor blade. Meanwhile small arms fire raked the helicopter fore and aft. Badly damaged and now 600 pounds overweight, Kettles skipped his bird across the ground to pick up enough speed for takeoff. Just as his helicopter got airborne, another mortar shell hit the tail, causing it to fishtail violently, knocking one soldier overboard. But somehow that soldier managed to hold on to a skid as Kettles flew them all to safety.
"I couldn't make this stuff up," Obama joked. "This is like a bad Rambo movie. You're listening to this, you can't believe it." But, of course, the President said he did believe it. "Entire family trees made possible by the actions of this one man," he said.
Kettles received the Distinguished Service Cross at the time, but many years later some people in his hometown of Ypsilanti, Michigan, re-opened his case in quest of further recognition. After a five year review, the Pentagon agreed a higher recognition was in order and Congress subsequently passed legislation waiving the time limit for the award.
For his part, Col. Kettles said there were some 74 pilots and crew members serving on that mission. He called all the attention he was getting "a lot of hubbub, but I'll survive." Obama had the last word. "Let me say this hubbub is richly and roundly deserved," he said.
By and large, Vietnam vets never received the recognition and credit they deserved. It is a tough, tough thing to serve and put your life on the line in an unpopular war. But somehow this great nation continues to produce heroes like Col. Kettles, and we should all thank God for them. Our freedoms are dearly bought. I salute Col. Kettles and his fellow soldiers for their patriotism and courage.
Lt. Gen. Clarence E. "Mac" McKnight, Jr., (USA-Ret) is the author of "From Pigeons to Tweets: A General Who Led Dramatic Change in Military Communications," published by The History Publishing Company.