VIETNAM DUSTOFF PILOT
COL OTIS EVANS’ STORY
During the Vietnam War, Colonel Otis Evans served in one of the most dangerous and vital roles on the battlefield: as a member of the Army’s Air Ambulance units, known by their radio call sign “Dustoff.” These medevac crews flew into active combat zones to rescue the wounded—often risking their own lives to save others. It’s estimated that these life-saving helicopter crews evacuated nearly 900,000 casualties during the war.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Guided by the legacy of Charles Kelly, who led the first medical evacuation air ambulance detachment in Vietnam, Dustoff pilots’ dedication to the mission is defined in the words of Kelly, “when I have your wounded”.
“Any pilot who used the call sign DUSTOFF felt we had to live up to the model that he left for us, so you didn’t turn a mission down.”
– Otis Evans