Patrick Henry Brady
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| “Patrick Henry Brady” | |
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| 1 October, 1936 | |
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| Place of birth | Philip, SD |
| Allegiance | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1959-1993 |
| Rank | Major (at time of action) , Major General (retired) |
| Unit | 54th Medical Detachment |
| Awards | Medal of Honor; Distinguished Service Cross |
Patrick Henry Brady, (Born 1 October 1936 in Philip, SD), was a U.S. Army helicopter pilot who earned the United States' highest military decoration; the Medal of Honor and a retired Major General.
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[edit] Biography
Brady attended O'Dea High School in Seattle, Washington, a strict, all boys school run by the Congregation of Christian Brothers, where he was active in sports.
While in college at Seattle University, he initially hated the compulsory ROTC program and was kicked out.[1] Brady realized he would probably be drafted after graduation reentered the ROTC to enter the service as an officer. After graduation he was commissioned a 2d Lieutenant in the Army Medical Corps in 1959.
During his first tour in Vietnam, then Captain Brady served with the 57th Medical Detachment, where his commanding officer was the legendary Major Charles Kelly. After Kelly's death on 1 July 1964, Brady took command of the 57th Medical's Detachment A in Soc Trang. On his second tour, Brady, now a Major, commanded the 54th Medical Detachment.[2] It was during this tour that Brady earned his MOH.
During his two tours in Vietnam Brady evacuated 5000 wounded. After Vietnam Brady continued in the army, retiring as a Major General in 1993 after 34 years of service. He now serves as Chairman of the Citizens Flag Alliance, an organization dedicated to protecting the American flag from desecration.[3]
[edit] Medal of Honor Citation
Rank and organization: Major, U.S. Army, Medical Service Corps, 54th Medical Detachment, 67th Medical Group, 44th Medical Brigade.
Place and date: Near Chu Lai, Republic of Vietnam, 6 January 1968.
Entered service at: Seattle, Wash.
Born: 1 October 1936, Philip, S. Dak.
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty, Maj. Brady distinguished himself while serving in the Republic of Vietnam commanding a UH-1H ambulance helicopter, volunteered to rescue wounded men from a site in enemy held territory which was reported to be heavily defended and to be blanketed by fog. To reach the site he descended through heavy fog and smoke and hovered slowly along a valley trail, turning his ship sideward to blow away the fog with the backwash from his rotor blades. Despite the unchallenged, close-range enemy fire, he found the dangerously small site, where he successfully landed and evacuated 2 badly wounded South Vietnamese soldiers. He was then called to another area completely covered by dense fog where American casualties lay only 50 meters from the enemy. Two aircraft had previously been shot down and others had made unsuccessful attempts to reach this site earlier in the day. With unmatched skill and extraordinary courage, Maj. Brady made 4 flights to this embattled landing zone and successfully rescued all the wounded. On his third mission of the day Maj. Brady once again landed at a site surrounded by the enemy. The friendly ground force, pinned down by enemy fire, had been unable to reach and secure the landing zone. Although his aircraft had been badly damaged and his controls partially shot away during his initial entry into this area, he returned minutes later and rescued the remaining injured. Shortly thereafter, obtaining a replacement aircraft, Maj. Brady was requested to land in an enemy minefield where a platoon of American soldiers was trapped. A mine detonated near his helicopter, wounding 2 crewmembers and damaging his ship. In spite of this, he managed to fly 6 severely injured patients to medical aid. Throughout that day Maj. Brady utilized 3 helicopters to evacuate a total of 51 seriously wounded men, many of whom would have perished without prompt medical treatment. Maj. Brady's bravery was in the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.[4]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Collier, p. 27
- ^ Dorland, pp. 33-34
- ^ Collier, p. 27
- ^ United States Army's Medal of Honor List
[edit] References
Collier, Peter (Text); Del Calzo, Nick (Photographs) (2006). Medal of Honor - Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call of Duty, 2nd ed.. New York, New York: Artisan. ISBN 1-579-65240-9.
DeLong, Kent (1993). War heroes: true stories of Congressional Medal of Honor recipients. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers. ISBN 0-275-94309-7.
Dorland, Peter; Nanney, James (1982). Dust Off: Army Aeromedical Evacuation in Vietnam. Washington, D.C.: Center of Military History - United States Army.
Humphries, James F. (1999). Through the Valley: Vietnam, 1967-1968. Boulder, Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc.. ISBN 1-55587-821-0.
