THE WALL OF FACES

Warrant Officer Alfred James Gaidis, Served with the 237th Medical Detachment, 67th Medical Group, 44th Medical Brigade, United States Army Vietnam.

On May 10, 1970, a U.S. Army helicopter UH-1H (tail number 67-17673) from the 237th Medical Detachment was attempting a mountaintop medical evacuation ten kilometers (6.0 miles) southwest of Cam Lo in Quang Tri Province, RVN, when hostile groundfire forced the pilot to abort his final approach and attempt a go around. For his second approach, aircraft commander WO1 Alfred J. Gaidis “dropped to the deck” a couple miles out, then screamed up the hill with 120 knots of airspeed at treetop level to try and sneak past the enemy gunners. His aircraft was caught in a .51 caliber crossfire causing him to abort a second time. As Gaidis peeled off the mountain, fuel streamed from the helicopter. The gunships escorting the medivac radioed for him to immediately set the medivac down. Gaidis’ last transmission was “I think I can make it back” before the helicopter, now engulfed in flames, rolled inverted and crashed, killing all four crew members. The location where it went down on the north bank of the Cam Lo River was occupied by a column of infantrymen from D Company, 1st Battalion, 11th Infantry, 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division. The troopers had just bequeathed responsibility for Fire Support Base Fuller to an Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) unit and were making their way on foot to the Khe Gio Bridge. The flaming UH-1H hit the formation, killing two men, PFC James A. Blackmon and PFC Robert B. Luther. Both were posthumously promoted to Corporal. The lost medivac crew included Gaidis, pilot 1LT Phillip N. Shmitz, crew chief SP4 John A. Largent, and medic SP4 Charles A. Covey. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org, dustoff.org, and vhpa.org]

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. As long as you are remembered you will always be with us….

Warrant Officer Alfred James Gaidis was awarded the Silver Star Medal for his conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action. He served as a Helicopter Pilot and was assigned to the 237TH MED DET, 67TH MED GROUP, 44TH MED BDE.
See http://www.virtualwall.org/dg/GaidisAJ01a.htm

Dear WO Alfred Gaidis,
Thank you for your service as an Utility/Observation Helicopter Pilot with the Medical Brigade. Thank you for the lives you saved. Happy Halloween. It has been too long, and it's about time for us all to acknowledge the sacrifices of those like you who answered our nation's call. Please watch over America, it stills needs your strength, courage and faithfulness. Rest in peace with the angels.