Dust Off: Army Aeromedical Evacuation in Vietnam

Drawing on its first experiments with helicopters in Korea, the Army in Vietnam came to rely almost entirely on the helicopler for medical evacuation. The Dust Off and Medevac helicopter ambulance units tested and perfected for medical use the Army's new helicopler, the UH- I (" Huey" Iroquois), and developed several new devices that helped save thousands of American lives between 1962 and 1973, The pilots of these helicopters displayed courage and devotion to duty that earned widespread respect from soldiers. This book explains early problems of medevac in Vietnam, recounts the valor of crews, and describes the movement of patients to in-theater Army hospitals. It also shows the effect that helicopters had on traditonal procedures. The widespread use of the helicopter for medical evacuation in America since the Vietnam War testifies to the broader issues raised by this study, and of the relevance of Army history to the civilian community.