January-February
1975-page
19
January-February
1975-page
19
“Southeast Asia”
DET 12, 40 ARRS
Sangiem Panpukwan, a Thai National, U.S. Government employee, was suffering from multiple skull fractures and neurological complications. The civilian was a patient at the 11th USAF Hospital and the doctors had decided the man should be moved to Bangkok General Hospital. An emergency medevac call went out to Det 12, 40th ARRS. In the professional tradition of their chosen field, the rescue crewmembers responded with calm speed. The patient was soon transferred from the USAF hospital to the waiting ambulance and then to Bangkok General. The Air Force Doctor who accompanied the patient on the medevac, Maj Lin Ho, credited the helicopter crew with another "save." The text-book flight was conducted by lst Lt Douglas M. Smith, pilot, lst Lt William E. Rial, copilot, crewmen, Sgt John M. Coiro and SSgt Norman V. Thomas.
....
in
another
Det
12
mission,
an
emergency
medevac
request
from
the
11th
USAF
Hospital
concerned
a
dependent
wife
who
was
suffering
from
internal
hemorrhaging.
Alert
aircraft
"Pedro"
was
already
in
the
air
but
soon
landed
to
top-off
their
fuel
before
starting
the
mission.
Pedro's
pilots,
Maj
John
C.
Flournoy,
and
1st
Lt
Thomas
W.
Kemper
brought
the
aircraft
to
the
hospital
so
quickly,
they
had
to
wait
while
blood-typing
and
transfusions
were
completed.
The
doctor,
Maj
Ledro
R.
Justice,
stated
that
the
rescuee
was
bleeding
profusely
and
her
red
cell
blood
count
was
down
approximately
two
thirds.
Because
of
the
patient's
deteriorating
condition,
the
time-saving
flight
to
the
Bangkok
Hospital
was
imperative.
Sgt
John
M.
Coiro
and
SSgt
Howard
R.
Sheets
assisted
Dr
Justice
as
the
helo
sped
the
ill
woman
to
Bangkok.
After the rescuee was delivered to the hospital attendants, the helo crew boarded the aircraft for the flight back to U-Tapao. Det 12 was again credited with a "save."
last update : 31/12/2007