What They Don’t Tell You About Being a DustOff MedEvac Crew Chief in Vietnam

What was it really like flying Dust Off medevac missions in Vietnam?In this powerful oral history, Kerry Cunningham, a DustOff medevac crew chief, shares what he experienced flying wounded soldiers out of combat zones during the Vietnam War, often under fire, often at night, and often with no margin for error.From being shot at during a “possible broken arm” call, to night hoist rescues in triple-canopy jungle, to the emotional toll of carrying the wounded and dying at just 19 years old, Kerry takes us inside the realities of Vietnam medevac missions.

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Chapters:

03:05 – Drafted at 19 years old

06:40 – Boot camp & early training

10:15 – Aircraft mechanic school

13:40 – Arriving in Vietnam

15:30 – Volunteering for DustOff

18:45 – What a DustOff crew chief actually does

22:30 – First medevac mission

27:10 – Night hoist rescues in the jungle

32:50 – Being shot at over a “broken arm”

37:40 – Losing friends in the air

42:15 – Carrying wounded enemy soldiers

46:50 – Agent Orange exposure

51:30 – The medics who saved lives

56:10 – Why Dust Off missions were different

01:00:45 – Leaving Vietnam (and going back)

01:07:20 – Coming home to protests

01:17:50 – Final reflections