Leaderboard

Just found this while messing around on computer. Since I was one of the loadmasters I want to say these are four of the most wonderful guys that I'm proud to call them my "Brothers" Ralph Bemis.

Photo taken at Tan Sun Nhut shortly after the 1972 rescue and later printed in the Airlifter Newsletter. Several of those who were rescued are not in the picture because they were evaced to 3rd Field Hospital for injuries.

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2017/04/19/vietnam-war-heroes-honored-silver-star-45-years-amazing-rescue/ Spc. Leonard “Bruce” Shearer of Indianapolis, Chief Warrant Officer Robert Monette, Capt. Robert Frank, and Spc. John DesLauriers saved five men from a burning plane, WTHR reported. They followed a burning C-130 transport plane that crashed near Saigon in 1972 when they took enemy fire, returned fire of their own, and pulled five men from the burning plane into their Army UH-1H “Huey.” All of the men, including two men who were rescued by a nearby helicopter, survived. “We did these sorts of things in the air cavalry all the time, the difference this time being it was recognized and documented,” Frank told Stars and Stripes. “Heroic things were done every day. Sometimes somebody would see it, other times they wouldn’t.” Shearer made multiple jumps from the helicopter to the burning C-130 below while DesLauriers battled North Vietnamese soldiers. “We were running on fumes,” Monette said. “We were critically low on fuel. But we weren’t going any place until we had the guys on board.” After nearly five decades and several attempts to get medals for the heroes, they were honored with the Silver Star on the 45th anniversary of the rescue. The Silver Star is the third-highest military honor.