Dustoff No Compromise! No Rationalization! No Hesitation! Fly the Mission!

By Steven Dale Vermillion

Book Overview

Dustoff is a compliation of stories regarding my experiences flying a US Army unarmed medical evacuation helicopter in Vietnam during 1969. This book has a touch of history on the development of... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0974125601
• ISBN13: 9780974125602
• Release Date: October 2003
• Publisher: Wild 'N Woolly Publishing
• Length: 278 Pages
• Weight: 0.96 lbs.
• Age Range: 14 years and up

Customer Reviews

A Rotory Wing Pilot's"Must Read"

Having been a Dustoff Medic in Vietnam approximately a year earlier than when the Author was there, I only wish I could have flown with this man. The book is a "must read" for some of the Dustoff Pilots of today and for medical personnel and crew chiefs this book encompasses everything that needs to be communicated to a pilot during a hot mission. This book sets the benchmark for what it takes to fly unarmed medical evacuation under fire. It requires, instant analysis of the situation, concern for the crew and flying ability like no other pilots in the Army today. The book is written with a lot of technical information that may be hard to understand bv the layman, but when you really get into this book it all falls in place and you become engrossed in every mission as if you were on it yourself. I cannot believe that anyone would give this book anything other than 5 stars!!!

Great look at the History of Dustoff Misions in Vietnam

Author and former Dustoff helicopter pilot, Steve Vermillion, writes from his personal experience the real history of the men who crewed on those unarmed helicopters that made an art out of medical evacuations in combat. "Dustoff" which was the official radio call sign originated in Vietnam for those Army helicopters that picked up the wounded in the combat zone. Most often they came under fire and without guns - could not return any fire. There mission was clear--go in and get the wounded and be damned about everything else. When you read their stories you can see why there are several Dustoff pilots who have been awarded the Medal of Honor. If the truth be known, there could have been dozens more who certainly earned that honor and were never recognized. Villmillion tells his story, and that of his unit, with lots of background history on how the unit formed and a lot of insider information. This whole book is a remarkable tale of heroes, death, fellowship and courage. I flew in Nam as a crew-chief door-gunner on a Huey - and we had a pair of M-60 machine guns blasting away from the ship as we landed in those hot LZs. The Dustoff crews had a rotary wing and a prayer! Nothing but God and luck prevented most all of them from being killed or wounded. My hat has always been off to them--they are all my heroes! The author himself is a decorated pilot with a Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross and a load of other awards. This book is all about those fearless men that flew in that elite company of aviators. I cannot more strongly encourage you to read this history and discover how real men in the worse of times showed so much class and courage. The book is well written and researched and is suitable for mature readers.

The "WUP, WUP, WUP" of Hueys fills the air again

Dustoff is the self-published memoir of a 20-year-old US Army Warrant Officer's year of combat helicopter pilot MEDEVAC duty in Vietnam (1969-70). It provides a highly decorated pilot's fascinating perspective on one of the most dangerous and important combat support functions of the war, always told in a modest manner that discusses command politics and leadership issues as well as the combat evacuation adventures. The author, who went on to an Army career that culminated in the rank of Lt. Colonel, also gives an overview of combat medical evacuation history, philosophy, and techniques; provides a memorial chapter naming more than 200 soldier/airmen who died in Vietnam MEDEVAC operations; presents a technical section with diagrams on the UH-1 helicopter and its rescue hoist. The book is interestingly and well illustrated with period black & white snapshots, presumably taken by the author and his comrades, that give readers a feel for what it looked like. Larger scale maps would have helped to better follow the "war stories". The text would have benefited from additional proofreading and editing. The book includes a "bonus" CD recording of radio conversations from one of the author's actual 1969 combat MEDEVAC mission. It really makes the incident "come alive" for readers with no such experience, and author seems INCREDIBLY cool in an incredibly stressful situation where he and his crew are hoisting wounded GIs out of the jungle in the middle of a night firefight. I recommend this book highly as an example of the kind of military memoir that all veterans - not just those with such distinguished combat records as Lt. Col. Vermillion - should prepare for their families and friends. It is a good read for anyone interested in what it was like in Vietnam, Army helicopter aviation or military medical support operations.