[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 144 (Tuesday, September 17, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5248-H5250]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     DUSTOFF CREWS OF THE VIETNAM WAR CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL ACT

  Mrs. KIM of California. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (S. 2825) to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 
United States Army Dustoff crews of the Vietnam War, collectively, in 
recognition of their extraordinary heroism and life-saving actions in 
Vietnam.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                S. 2825

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Dustoff Crews of the Vietnam 
     War Congressional Gold Medal Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds that--
       (1) a United States Army Dustoff crewman, including a 
     pilot, crew chief, and medic, is a helicopter crew member who 
     served honorably during the Vietnam War aboard helicopter air 
     ambulances, which were both nondivision and division assets 
     under the radio call signs ``Dustoff'' and ``Medevac'';
       (2) Dustoff crews performed aeromedical evacuation for 
     United States, Vietnamese, and allied forces in Southeast 
     Asia from May 1962 through March 1973;
       (3) nearing the end of World War II, the United States Army 
     began using helicopters for medical evacuation and years 
     later, during the Korean War, these helicopter air ambulances 
     were responsible for transporting 17,700 United States 
     casualties;
       (4) during the Vietnam War, with the use of helicopter air 
     ambulances, United States Army Dustoff crews pioneered the 
     concept of dedicated and rapid medical evacuation and 
     transported almost 900,000 United States, South Vietnamese, 
     and other allied sick and wounded, as well as wounded enemy 
     forces;
       (5) helicopters proved to be a revolutionary tool to assist 
     those injured on the battlefield;
       (6) highly skilled and intrepid, Dustoff crews were able to 
     operate the helicopters and land them on almost any terrain 
     in nearly any weather to pick up wounded, after which the 
     Dustoff crews could provide care to these patients while 
     transporting them to ready medical facilities;
       (7) the vital work of the Dustoff crews required consistent 
     combat exposure and often proved to be the difference between 
     life and death for wounded personnel;
       (8) the revolutionary concept of a dedicated combat life-
     saving system was cultivated and refined by United States 
     Army Dustoff crews during 11 years of intense conflict in and 
     above the jungles of Southeast Asia;
       (9) innovative and resourceful Dustoff crews in Vietnam 
     were responsible for taking the new concept of helicopter 
     medical evacuation, born just a few years earlier, and 
     revolutionizing it to meet and surpass the previously 
     unattainable goal of delivering a battlefield casualty to an 
     operating table within the vaunted ``golden hour'';
       (10) some Dustoff units in Vietnam operated so efficiently 
     that they were able to deliver a patient to a waiting medical 
     facility on an average of 50 minutes from the receipt of the 
     mission, which saved the lives of countless personnel in 
     Vietnam, and this legacy continues for modern-day Dustoff 
     crews;
       (11) the inherent danger of being a member of a Dustoff 
     crew in Vietnam meant that there was a 1 in 3 chance of being 
     wounded or killed;
       (12) many battles during the Vietnam War raged at night, 
     and members of the Dustoff crews often found themselves 
     searching for a landing zone in complete darkness, in bad 
     weather, over mountainous terrain, and all while being the 
     target of intense enemy fire as they attempted to rescue the 
     wounded, which caused Dustoff crews to suffer a rate of 
     aircraft loss that was more than 3 times that of all other 
     types of combat helicopter missions in Vietnam;
       (13) the 54th Medical Detachment typified the constant 
     heroism displayed by Dustoff crews in Vietnam, over the span 
     of a 10-month tour, with only 3 flyable helicopters and 40 
     soldiers in the unit, evacuating 21,435 patients in 8,644 
     missions while being airborne for 4,832 hours;
       (14) collectively, the members of the 54th Medical 
     Detachment earned 78 awards for valor, including 1 Medal of 
     Honor, 1 Distinguished Service Cross, 14 Silver Star Medals, 
     26 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 2 Bronze Star Medals for 
     valor, 4 Air Medals for valor, 4 Soldier's Medals, and 26 
     Purple Heart Medals;
       (15) the 54th Medical Detachment displayed heroism on a 
     daily basis and set the standard for all Dustoff crews in 
     Vietnam;
       (16) 6 members of the 54th Medical Detachment are in the 
     Dustoff Hall of Fame, 3 are in the Army Aviation Hall of 
     Fame, and 1 is the only United States Army aviator in the 
     National Aviation Hall of Fame;
       (17) Dustoff crew members are among the most highly 
     decorated soldiers in United States military history;
       (18) in early 1964, Major Charles L. Kelly was the 
     Commanding Officer of the 57th Medical Detachment (Helicopter 
     Ambulance), Provisional, in Soc Trang, South Vietnam;
       (19) Major Kelly helped to forge the Dustoff call sign into 
     history as one of the most welcomed phrases to be heard over 
     the radio by wounded soldiers in perilous and dire 
     situations;
       (20) in 1964, Major Kelly was killed in action as he 
     gallantly maneuvered his aircraft to save a wounded United 
     States soldier and several Vietnamese soldiers and boldly 
     replied, after being warned to stay away from the landing 
     zone due to the ferocity of enemy fire, ``When I have your 
     wounded.'';
       (21) General William Westmoreland, Commander of the 
     Military Assistance Command, Vietnam from 1964 to 1968, 
     singled out Major Kelly as an example of ``the greatness of 
     the human spirit'' and highlighted his famous reply as an 
     inspiration to all in combat;
       (22) General Creighton Abrams, successor to General 
     Westmoreland from 1968 to 1972, and former Chief of Staff of 
     the United States Army, highlighted the heroism of Dustoff 
     crews, ``A special word about the Dustoffs . . . . Courage 
     above and beyond the call of duty was sort of routine to 
     them. It was a daily thing, part of the way they lived. 
     That's the great part, and it meant so much to every last man 
     who served there. Whether he ever got hurt or not, he knew 
     Dustoff was there.'';
       (23) Dustoff crews possessed unique skills and traits that 
     made them highly successful in aeromedical evacuation in 
     Vietnam, including indomitable courage, extraordinary 
     aviation skill and sound judgment under fire, high-level 
     medical expertise, and an unequaled dedication to the 
     preservation of human life;
       (24) members of the United States Armed Forces on the 
     ground in Vietnam had their confidence and battlefield 
     prowess reinforced knowing that there were heroic Dustoff 
     crews just a few minutes from the fight, which was 
     instrumental to their well-being, willingness to fight, and 
     morale;
       (25) military families in the United States knew that their 
     loved ones would receive the quickest and best possible care 
     in the event of a war-time injury, thanks to the Dustoff 
     crews;
       (26) the willingness of Dustoff crews to also risk their 
     lives to save helpless civilians left an immeasurably 
     positive impression on the people of Vietnam and exemplified 
     the finest United States ideals of compassion and humanity; 
     and
       (27) Dustoff crews from the Vietnam War hailed from every 
     State in the United States and represented numerous ethnic, 
     religious, and cultural backgrounds.

     SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.

       (a) Presentation Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of 
     Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate 
     shall make appropriate arrangements for the presentation, on 
     behalf of Congress, of a single gold medal of appropriate 
     design in honor of the Dustoff crews of the Vietnam War, 
     collectively, in recognition of their heroic military 
     service, which saved countless lives and contributed directly 
     to the defense of the United States.
       (b) Design and Striking.--For purposes of the presentation 
     referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury 
     (referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall strike a 
     gold medal with suitable emblems, devices, and inscriptions, 
     to be determined by the Secretary, in consultation with the 
     Secretary of Defense.
       (c) U.S. Army Medical Department Museum.--
       (1) In general.--Following the award of the gold medal in 
     honor of the Dustoff Crews of the Vietnam War, the gold medal 
     shall be given to the U.S. Army Medical Department Museum, 
     where it will be available for display as appropriate and 
     available for research.
       (2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
     the U.S. Army Medical Department Museum should make the gold 
     medal awarded pursuant to this Act available for display 
     elsewhere, particularly at appropriate locations associated 
     with the Vietnam War, and that preference should be given to 
     locations affiliated with the U.S. Army Medical Department 
     Museum.

     SEC. 4. DUPLICATE MEDALS.

       The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of 
     the gold medal struck under section 3, at a price sufficient 
     to cover the costs thereof, including labor, materials, dies, 
     use of machinery, and overhead expenses.

     SEC. 5. STATUS OF MEDALS.

       (a) National Medal.--Medals struck pursuant to this Act are 
     national medals for purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, 
     United States Code.
       (b) Numismatic Items.--For purposes of sections 5134 and 
     5136 of title 31, United

[[Page H5249]]

     States Code, all medals struck under this Act shall be 
     considered to be numismatic items.

     SEC. 6. AUTHORITY TO USE FUND AMOUNTS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.

       (a) Authority To Use Fund Amounts.--There is authorized to 
     be charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise 
     Fund such amounts as may be necessary to pay for the costs of 
     the medals struck under this Act.
       (b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of 
     duplicate bronze medals authorized under section 4 shall be 
     deposited into the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
California (Mrs. Kim) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Kim).


                             General Leave

  Mrs. KIM of California. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend 
their remarks and include extraneous material on this bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. KIM of California. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2825, the Dustoff Crews of the 
Vietnam War Congressional Gold Medal Act, the Senate version of H.R. 
1015, led by the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Kilmer), the 
gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. Rodgers), the gentlewoman from Iowa 
(Mrs. Miller-Meeks), and the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Mann).
  Madam Speaker, we lost too many American soldiers during the Vietnam 
war. That number would be dramatically higher if it were not for the 
bravery shown by the pilots of the Dustoff crews.
  During the Vietnam war, American helicopter rescue crews, known as 
the Operation Dustoff crews, evacuated some 900,000 people to safety, 
the equivalent of the populations of Pittsburgh, St. Louis, and Orlando 
combined.
  They did so under extremely perilous conditions. The Dustoff missions 
left the crews unarmed, often flown completely at night, frequently 
under enemy fire, and even after having to fight for permission to fly 
because of the dangers.
  Madam Speaker, the United States needed the Dustoff crews during the 
Vietnam war because of the battle landscape. The stealthy, dispersed 
enemy occupying the dense jungles of Vietnam meant American soldiers 
had to push far from stationed medical support. Without a speedy exit 
from combat, a wound during the Vietnam war meant almost certain death.
  The brave men of the Dustoff crews rescued American soldiers, 
civilians, and Vietnamese soldiers. When a call came in for Dustoff to 
pick up wounded day and night, they went.
  The Dustoff crews flew over 495,000 missions from 1962 to 1973. 
Sadly, of the 1,400 pilots, 90 were killed, and roughly 380 were 
wounded. These evacuation flights were some of the Army's most 
dangerous missions.
  The heroism, valor, and tenacity displayed by these young air crews 
provided a gift of life that few consider or even think about today. 
For each person saved by a medical evacuation air crew, whether it be a 
man, woman, or child, those individuals went on to enjoy their life 
beyond the strains of war. These young men voluntarily put their lives 
on the line every day to save another human being.
  Madam Speaker, I will leave my colleagues with the pledge of the 
Dustoff crews: ``No hesitation. No reservation. No compromise. You get 
the wounded out.''
  This pledge speaks volumes. The pilots of the Dustoff crews deserve 
to be honored by this Congress with a Congressional Gold Medal.
  Madam Speaker, I thank the bill's sponsors for bringing forward this 
important legislation. I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. WATERS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2825, the Dustoff Crews of the 
Vietnam War Congressional Gold Medal Act, sponsored by Senator Cornyn.
  Madam Speaker, we are honoring the United States Army Dustoff crews 
of the Vietnam war, who came from every State in the United States, 
with the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of their extraordinary 
heroism and lifesaving actions in Vietnam.
  The Dustoff crewmen served aboard helicopter air ambulances and 
performed medical evacuations for almost 900,000 Americans, South 
Vietnamese, and other individuals from allied forces for more than 10 
years.
  In these efforts, they often proved to be the difference between life 
and death for wounded personnel. The Dustoff crews in Vietnam were 
innovative and resourceful. They took the new concept of helicopter 
medical evacuation and revolutionized it to meet the goal of quickly 
delivering a battlefield casualty to a hospital's operating table.
  Being a member of the Dustoff crew meant that there was an inherent 
danger to their work and a high likelihood of being wounded or killed.

                              {time}  1430

  Additionally, many of the evacuations took place at night, and 
Dustoff crews would find themselves searching for a landing zone in 
complete darkness, bad weather, and mountainous terrain, all while 
being the target of intense enemy fire as they rescued the wounded.
  Collectively, the members of the Dustoff crews earned 78 awards for 
their valor. The crews displayed heroism on a daily basis and were 
among the most highly decorated soldiers in United States history.
  Today, we will vote to present them with our highest honor, the 
Congressional Gold Medal.
  Madam Speaker, I thank the sponsors of this bill, including Mr. 
Kilmer.
  Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Washington 
(Mr. Kilmer), who is also the sponsor of the House companion of this 
bill.
  Mr. KILMER. Madam Speaker, every now and then, Democrats and 
Republicans come together to do something that matters for our 
veterans, and today is one of those days as we honor Vietnam veterans 
for their service and sacrifice, especially Dustoff crews.
  Madam Speaker, between 1956 and 1975, 2.7 million Americans served in 
some of the most severe conditions in the history of American warfare. 
Unfortunately, when our servicemembers came home, they often didn't get 
the gratitude that they earned.
  The legislation in front of us today is a small step in the effort to 
correct that.
  Today is an opportunity for our Congress and our country to say to 
Vietnam veterans and specifically to Dustoff crewmembers that we are 
grateful for their service and sacrifice for this country. They stepped 
up and offered their bodies and lives to protect our way of life.
  Despite everything Vietnam veterans went through, many never stopped 
serving our country or looking out for people who wear the uniform. As 
a Representative, that means a lot to me. As a dad, knowing my kids are 
growing up in a country that is stronger and freer because of those who 
served means a lot to me, as well.
  That gratitude needs to come with more than words of thanks. It needs 
to come with a commitment that future generations know of their 
sacrifice and service to our country. It means backing up words with 
action. It means the men and women who fight for our country shouldn't 
have to fight for a job when they come home. It means that in the land 
of the free and the home of the brave, every brave servicemember should 
have a home. It means ensuring that veterans get the care, benefits, 
and recognition that they have earned.
  Today, Congress can take another step forward in recognizing the 
valiant efforts of our Vietnam veterans by passing this bipartisan 
legislation, led by myself and Cathy McMorris Rodgers, called the 
Dustoff Crews of the Vietnam War Congressional Gold Medal Act.
  This legislation has a simple but important mission: to award Dustoff 
crews of the Vietnam war with the Congressional Gold Medal.
  Dustoff crewmembers--helicopter air ambulance pilots, crew chiefs, 
and

[[Page H5250]]

medics--performed aeromedical evacuations of over 900,000 U.S., 
Vietnamese, and allied forces from May 1962 to March 1973. Dustoff 
crews often faced foul weather, mountainous terrain, and intense enemy 
fire, with crewmembers facing a one-in-three chance of being wounded or 
killed.
  These were heroes who saved lives.
  One Dustoff unit, the 54th Medical Detachment, typified the heroism 
of Dustoff crews. Over 10 months, 40 soldiers equipped with only three 
helicopters evacuated over 21,000 patients on 8,600 missions over 
nearly 5,000 hours, earning 78 valor awards.
  Awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the Dustoff crews of the 
Vietnam war is an important step toward recognizing the pivotal role 
that these servicemembers played in saving the lives of so many and 
serving our country so proudly.
  Since the American Revolution, Congress has commissioned gold medals 
as its highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished 
achievements and contributions.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Ms. WATERS. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Washington.
  Mr. KILMER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
  Congress has never awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to any group 
of Vietnam veterans. Today, we can change that by passing this 
legislation. I ask my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote to 
do just that.
  Madam Speaker, I thank Representative McMorris Rodgers and Senators 
Cornyn and Warren for their partnership and leadership on this effort. 
I also thank our veterans and every family member or friend who has 
supported a veteran.
  Madam Speaker, we honor the service of our Vietnam veterans. Today, 
we move forward in ensuring that the Dustoff crews are recognized with 
the Congressional Gold Medal, and I thank them for their service.
  May God bless them and this country.
  Mrs. KIM of California. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Ms. WATERS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I 
am so pleased and proud to be on this floor today in recognition of 
Vietnam-era veterans and their service to this country.
  As a matter of fact, I have always felt very bad when I encountered 
Vietnam-era veterans and always apologized to them for the fact that 
they were not received back to their country in a manner that they 
should have been and received the resources that they deserved, having 
served our country.
  This is a very important bill that will honor the U.S. Army Dustoff 
crews of the Vietnam war collectively in recognition of their 
extraordinary heroism, their lifesaving actions in Vietnam, and their 
direct contribution to the defense of the United States.
  I thank Mr. Kilmer and all the other sponsors of this bill. Further, 
I asked my staff as we were sitting here: Were the Dustoff crews a 
special unit that we are honoring today? Should we be looking at other 
Vietnam-era veterans?

  It is a question I am raising as I make this presentation today.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Kilmer so very much for his comments. I urge 
all of my colleagues to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  Mrs. KIM of California. Mr. Speaker, I, too, echo all the comments 
that were said about honoring the Vietnam war-era veterans. I take the 
challenge that our ranking member has spoken about, identifying and 
recognizing other Vietnam war veterans, and that is why I have done 
this.
  As I am sure many of my colleagues do, too, in their respective 
districts, we take the time to identify the Vietnam-era war veterans, 
and every time we have a community event, we invite them and present 
them with a token of a lapel pin to show our appreciation. It is a 
small token of saying thank you. We can never say enough about how we 
are happy that they are home, so we welcome everybody home, especially 
from the Vietnam war.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support S. 2825, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Carl). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Kim) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 2825.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________