The North Vietnamese concentrated all their firepower on his lone aircraft, which was immediately impacted by a mortar round that damaged the tail boom and a main rotor blade, while shattering both front windshields, and the chin bubble. Then his aircraft was further raked by small arms and machine gun fire. Despite everything, Kettles maintained control of the aircraft and situation, allowing time for the remaining eight soldiers to board. In spite of the severe damage to his helicopter, he once more skillfully guided his heavily damaged aircraft to safety. Without his courageous actions and superior flying skills, the last group of soldiers and his crew would never have made it off the battlefield.


President Barack Obama recognized Kettles’ courageous contribution to these men and their families in the Medal of Honor ceremony. He said, “To the dozens of American soldiers that he saved in Vietnam, half a century ago, Chuck is the reason they lived and came home and had children and grandchildren. Entire family trees were made possible by the actions of this one man.”


The medal recipient sees himself much more modestly. “I didn’t do it by myself,” he said. “There were some 74 pilots and crew members involved in the whole mission that day. So it’s not just me … the


60 Nov/Dec 2016


medal is not mine; it’s theirs.” He also values something else much more than an award: “We got the 44 out. None of those names appear on the (Vietnam Veterans Memorial) wall in Washington. There’s nothing more important than that.”


Kettles’ awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with Numeral “27”, the Army Commendation Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster, the National Defense Service Medal with one bronze service star, the Korean Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with one silver service star and one bronze service star, the Korea Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with bronze hourglass device, the Master Aviator Badge, Marksman Badge with carbine bar, the Valorous Unit Citation, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with bronze star, the United Nations Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with “60” device, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with palm device.


Kettles currently resides in Ypsilanti, Michigan, with his wife Ann.


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