Post by magnum on Jan 14, 2020 2:34:31 GMT
Lieutenant (Junior Grade) John Koelsch flew his primitive, unarmed Sikorsky helicopter over Korea looking for a downed Marine pilot. He flew low over the mountains beneath thick cloud cover, braving the terrain and enemy fire. He finally located the aviator and dropped a hoist. As they lifted the pilot out, enemy fire struck the chopper. Koelsch crashed the bird in such a way that he, his single crewman, and the Marine pilot all survived. For 9 days, they eluded capture until finally being taken as POWs. Koelsch resisted beatings and interrogation while in captivity. He died three months later from malnutrition and dysentery. For his heroism in the attempted rescue and leadership while in captivity, Koelsch was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. He was the first helicopter pilot to receive the award.
"...serving with a Navy helicopter rescue unit in North Korea on 3 July 1951. Although darkness was rapidly approaching when information was received that a Marine aviator had been shot down and was trapped by the enemy in mountainous terrain deep in hostile territory, LTJG Koelsch voluntarily flew a helicopter to the reported position of the downed airman in an attempt to effect a rescue. With an almost solid overcast concealing everything below the mountain peaks, he descended in his unarmed and vulnerable aircraft without the accompanying fighter escort to an extremely low altitude beneath the cloud level and began a systematic search. Despite the increasingly intense enemy fire, which struck his helicopter on one occasion, he persisted in his mission until he succeeded in locating the downed pilot, who was suffering from serious burns on the arms and legs. While the victim was being hoisted into the aircraft, it was struck again by an accurate burst of hostile fire and crashed on the side of the mountain. Quickly extricating his crewmen and the aviator from the wreckage, LTJG Koelsch led them from the vicinity in an effort to escape from hostile troops, evading the enemy forces for 9 days and rendering such medical attention as possible to his severely burned companion until all were captured. Up to the time of his death while still a captive of the enemy, LTJG Koelsch steadfastly refused to aid his captors in any manner and served to inspire his fellow prisoners by his fortitude and consideration for others."