Major Charles S. Kettles

                    (US Army)

 

On this day, 58 years ago,

on May 15, 1967,

Major Charles S. Kettles,

serving as Flight Commander

of the 176th Aviation Company (Airmobile) (Light), 14th

Combat Aviation Battalion,

Americal Division, led a darin and selfless rescue mission near

Duc Pho, Republic of Vietnam.

That morning, an airborne

infantry unit from

the 101st Airborne Division

had been dropped into

the Song Tra Cau river valley

on a search-and-clear

operation. As they advanced

through the valley, they were

suddenly ambushed by a large

North Vietnamese force,

estimated to be battalion-sized, entrenched in fortified bunkers

and tunnels. The enemy opened fire with automatic weapons,

machine guns, mortars, and

recoilless rifles. The American

troops were quickly pinned

0down, unable to move without drawing heavy fire.

Casualties mounted, and radio

calls for assistance went out.

 

Major Kettles, statione at

Duc Pho, received word of

the ambushed unit.

Understanding the dire

situation, he immediately

volunteered to lead a rescue

mission. Organizing a flight

of six UH-1D Huey helicopters,

he took off toward the hot zone. As they approached the landing area,

the helicopters came

under withering enemy fire.

Bullets ripped through the air,

and explosions from mortar

rounds shook the ground

below.

 

Kettles skillfully navigated his

helicopter through the barrage

and landed at the designated

spot. He kept the rotors turning while reinforcements

disembarked and his crew

loaded the wounded onto

the chopper. Enemy fire was

unrelenting, hitting several

of the helicopters and causing

damage. Despite the chaos,

Kettles remained calm, making

sure all the wounded were

safely aboard before lifting off.

One of the helicopters was hit

particularly hard and barely

made it out, but Kettles guided

them back to safety.

 

After returning to base, Kettles

received a second call for help.

The infantry commander

reported that the remaining

40 soldiers were still trapped

and taking heavy fire.

To make matters worse,

one of the helicopters that

had previously taken off had

been shot down upon

departure, leaving

four members of Kettles’ unit

stranded. Knowing the

situation was worsening,

Kettles again volunteered

to return to the landing zone.

He assembled another flight

of six helicopters, including

his own, and flew back

into the fight.

 

The second extraction was

just as hazardous as the first.

Enemy rounds pierced

the aircraft, and shrapnel

from nearby blasts pelted

the choppers. As the ground

troops loaded onto

the helicopters, Kettles stayed

on the ground, ensuring that

as many as possible could

board. Once the last soldier

was aboard, he lifted off again,

guiding the formation through

the intense enemy fire.

Just when they thought

the mission was complete,

Kettles received devastating

news over the radio.

Eight soldiers had been left

behind, unable to reach

the helicopters during

the evacuation.

Without hesitating, Kettles

made the decision to go back

alone. He turned his aircraft

around and returned to

the landing zone by himself.

As he approached, every enemy gun in the area focused on

his lone helicopter.

Bullets struck the fuselage,

shattering the windscreen and

sending fragments flying.

One round hit the fuel tank,

but the self-sealing feature

kept it from leaking.

 

Landing amid the gunfire,

Kettles held his position while

the eight stranded soldiers

sprinted toward the helicopter. He could see them ducking

and weaving through

the crossfire. As the last man

jumped aboard, Kettles pushed

the engine to full power, lifting

off under continuous fire.

The aircraft was shaking from

damage, and the engine

warning lights flashed, but

Kettles managed to get

the Huey back into the air.

As they ascended, another

mortar round exploded just

behind the tail rotor, nearly

spinning the helicopter out of

control. Kettles fought

the controls, keeping

the aircraft steady enough

to clear the immediate danger

zone.

Despite the critical damage,

Kettles flew his battered Huey

back to Duc Pho, where

the soldiers finally disembarked safely. He remained in

the pilot's seat until everyone

was accounted for, then

shut down the aircraft and

assessed the damage.

Bullet holes riddled

the helicopter, the rotor blades were chipped,

and the fuel tank was scarred from shrapnel,

yet Kettles had managed

to complete the mission.

 

That day, Major Charles Kettles’ courage and determination

directly saved the lives of

44 soldiers. His willingness

to return to the landing zone

alone, facing concentrated fire, was an act of extraordinary

bravery and selflessness.

 

For his heroic actions,

Kettles was awarded

the *Medal of Honor*

 on July 18, 2016,

by President Barack Obama.

In the ceremony, it was

acknowledged that without

Kettles’ fearless actions

and leadership, dozens of

soldiers would not have survived.

Kettles’ commitment to his

 men, his skill as a pilot,

and his unwavering courage

in the face of danger embody

the highest traditions of

military service.

He died in Ypsilanti

on January 21, 2019,

at the age of 89.

 

 

 

찰스 S. 케틀스 소령
(미 육군)

58년 전 오늘, 

1967년 5월 15일, 찰스 S. 케틀스 소령은 

미국 사단 제14 전투 항공대대 제176 항공대대(공중기동)(경량) 비행대장으로

 베트남 공화국 득포 인근에서 용감하고 헌신적인 구출 작전을 지휘했습니다.
그날 아침, 제101 공수 사단 소속 공수 보병 부대가 수색 및 소탕 작전의 일환으로

 송짜까우 강 계곡에 강하했습니다.
그들이 계곡을 진격하던 중,
갑자기 대대 규모로 추정되는 대규모 북베트남군이 

요새화된 벙커와 터널에 진을 치고 매복 공격을 받았습니다. 

적군은 자동소총, 기관총, 박격포, 무반동총으로 포격을 개시했습니다. 

미군은 순식간에 포위되어 집중포화를 받지 않고는 움직일 수 없었습니다. 

사상자가 늘어나고 무전 지원 요청이 쏟아졌습니다. 

득포에 주둔 중이던 케틀스 소령은 매복 공격을 당한 부대에 대한 소식을 접했습니다.

 절박한 상황을 파악한 그는 즉시 구조 작전을 지휘하기로 자원했습니다. 

UH-1D 휴이 헬리콥터 6대를 편성하여 위험 지역을 향해 이륙했습니다. 

착륙 지점에 다다르자 헬리콥터는 맹렬한 적의 포화를 받았습니다. 

총알이 하늘을 가르고 박격포탄의 폭발음이 땅을 뒤흔들었습니다.

 케틀스 소령은 헬리콥터를 능숙하게 조종하여 포화 속을 헤치고 지정된 지점에 착륙했습니다. 

증원군이 하선하고 승무원들이 부상자들을 헬리콥터에 태우는 동안 그는 로터를 계속 돌렸습니다. 

적의 포격은 거세게 이어졌고, 헬리콥터 여러 대가 피해를 입었습니다.

 혼란스러운 상황 속에서도 케틀즈는 침착함을 유지하며 

모든 부상자들이 안전하게 탑승했는지 확인한 후 이륙했습니다. 

헬리콥터 한 대가 특히 심하게 타격을 입어 간신히 빠져나왔지만, 

케틀즈는 그들을 안전하게 귀환시켰습니다.

 기지로 복귀한 후, 케틀즈는 두 번째 지원 요청을 받았습니다.

 보병 사령관은 남은 40명의 병사들이 여전히 고립되어 집중적인 포격을 받고 있다고 보고했습니다.

 설상가상으로, 이전에 이륙했던 헬리콥터 한 대가 출발 직후 격추되어 케틀즈 부대원 네 명이 발이 묶였습니다.

상황이 악화되고 있음을 알고 케틀즈는 다시 한번 착륙 지점으로 복귀하겠다고 자원했습니다.

그는 자신의 헬리콥터를 포함한 6대의 헬리콥터로 구성된 또 다른 편대를 편성하고 전투에 복귀했습니다.

두 번째 탈출은 첫 번째 탈출만큼이나 위험했습니다.

적의 포탄이 헬리콥터를 관통했고,

근처 폭발에서 나온 파편이 헬리콥터에 떨어졌습니다.

지상군이 헬리콥터에 탑승하는 동안,

케틀스는 최대한 많은 병력이 탑승할 수 있도록 지상에 머물렀습니다.

마지막 병사가 탑승하자, 그는 다시 이륙하여 맹렬한 적의 포화 속에서 편대를 이끌었습니다.

임무가 완료되었다고 생각했던 바로 그 순간,

케틀스는 무전으로 충격적인 소식을 접했습니다.

여덟 명의 병사가 헬리콥터에 도착하지 못하고 남겨졌다는 것입니다.

케틀스는 주저 없이 혼자 돌아가기로 결정했습니다.

그는 헬리콥터를 돌려 혼자서 착륙 지점으로 돌아갔습니다.

그가 접근하자, 그 지역의 모든 적의 총탄이 그의 헬리콥터에 집중되었습니다.
총탄이 동체에 명중하여
앞유리가 산산이 조각나고
파편이 흩날렸습니다.
한 발이 연료 탱크에 맞았지만
자체 밀봉 기능 덕분에
연료 누출은 막았습니다.
총격전이 벌어지는 가운데 착륙한 케틀스는 위치를 고수하는 동안
좌초된 여덟 명의 병사들이
헬리콥터를 향해
전력 질주했습니다. 

그는 그들이 십자포화 속에서 몸을 숙이고
비틀거리며
혼란을 헤쳐 나가는 것을 볼 수 있었습니다. 

마지막 한 명이
헬리콥터에 뛰어오르자, 

케틀스는 엔진을 최대 출력으로 가동하여
끊임없는 포화 속에서 이륙했습니다.
헬기는 손상으로 흔들리고 있었고
엔진 경고등이 깜빡였지만
케틀스는 휴이를 다시 하늘로 띄웠습니다.
헬리콥터가 상승하는 순간, 

또 다른 박격포탄이 꼬리 로터 바로 뒤에서 폭발하여
헬리콥터를 거의
회전시켜
통제 불능 상태에 빠뜨렸습니다.
케틀스는 조종간을 잡고
헬기를
위험 구역을 벗어날 정도로
안정시켰습니다.
심각한 손상에도 불구하고, 케틀즈는 낡은 휴이를 타고
덕포로 돌아갔고,
장병들은 마침내 무사히 착륙했습니다. 

그는
모든 사람이 확인될 때까지 조종석에 앉아 있다가
헬리콥터의 작동을 멈춘 후 손상을 평가했습니다.
헬리콥터에는 총알 구멍이 숭숭 뚫려 있었고,
회전 날개는 깨졌으며,
연료 탱크는 파편으로 인해 흠집이 났지만
케틀즈는 임무를 완수했습니다.
그날, 찰스 케틀즈 소령의 용기와 결단력은
44명의 장병의 목숨을 직접 구했습니다.
집중 사격을 받으며
혼자 착륙 지점으로 복귀하려는 그의 의지는
비범한 용기와 사심 없는 행동이었습니다.
그의 영웅적인 행동으로 케틀스는

 2016년 7월 18일 버락 오바마 대통령으로부터 

*명예 훈장*을 수여받았습니다.
수여식에서 케틀스의 용감무쌍한 행동과 리더십이 없었다면 

수십 명의 병사들이 살아남지 못했을 것이라는 사실이 인정되었습니다.
케틀스의 부하들에 대한 헌신, 조종사로서의 뛰어난 능력, 

그리고 위험에 직면했을 때 흔들림 없는 용기는
군 복무의 가장 높은 전통을 구현합니다.
그는 2019년 1월 21일 입실랜티에서 89세의 나이로 사망했습니다.

 

 

2025년 5월 15일 목요일