Charles L. Kelly - 1 July 1964

1 July 1964

Kelly was KIA on 1 July 1964 when, after being warned out of a "Hot" LZ, he replied with his famous last words, "When I have your wounded." A bullet entered through an open cargo door and pierced his heart. Kelly whispered "My God." His helicopter then landed sideways, its rotors beating into the ground. Major Charles L. Kelly became the 49'th American to die in Vietnam. After he was shot down, his men landed at the site of his crash and attempted to revive him to no avail. Ernie Sylvester, who was trained by Kelly, right out of flight school, flew his body to an aid station in hopes of a miracle. A lone bullet had pierced his heart and lodged in the frame of the aircraft. The following day, a Commander tossed the bullet on his desk in front of CPT. Patrick Henry Brady and asked if they were going to stop flying so aggressively. Brady picked up the bullet and replied, "we are going to keep flying exactly the way Kelly taught us to fly, without hesitation, anytime, anywhere." This determination to continue the mission as envisioned by Kelly was upheld throughout the Vietnam War and continues to this day. Brady served two tours in Vietnam as a medical evacuation pilot and on his second tour in 1968 was awarded the Medal of Honor.