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Chief
Warrant Officer (CW3), (later CW4) Michael J. Novosel was a "man for
all seasons." As a DUSTOFF pilot - that almost legendary breed of
helicopter flier whose record in rescuing wounded men during battle
is one of the proudest chapters in the Vietnam War -he was one of
the best. He was credited with evacuating more than 2,200 wounded
persons and "extracting" some 5,500 wounded soldiers and Vietnamese
in all. His 60 Oak Leaf Clusters to his Air Medal, his three
Distinguished Flying Crosses, and his Purple Heart denote a
remarkable man. At age 48, he became the oldest member of the Army
to receive the Medal of Honor, the award being made for his repeated
bravery in the face of heavy Viet Cong gunfire while he extracted 29
wounded South Vietnamese soldiers during 2 1/2 desperate hours of
flying on 2 October 1969. Always displaying the technical competence
of the true professional, Michael J. Novosel dedicated his life to
aviation, to the military services, and to his country. CW4 Michael
J. Novosel was inducted into the DUSTOFF Hall of Fame on 17 February
2001. |
