Taking flight to keep fellow soldiers safe in Vietnam

TOPEKA (KSNT) – Vietnam veteran John Dietrick celebrated his twenty first and twenty second birthday abroad. In that point, he would serve in an virtually million greenback plane – endeavor the accountability for safeguarding his fellow troopers that got here with him.

John was impressed to affix the armed forces partially from his father, who served as a pilot himself throughout World Warfare II.

“He appreciated the very fact, in addition to my mother, that I used to be becoming a member of the service and going into flight faculty,” Dietrick mentioned. “My mother was clearly very distraught that I used to be going into Vietnam. Again within the day each article it began out with two sentences, one what number of males have been killed, and what number of helicopter pilots have been shut down. My mother would learn that, not understanding if I used to be a kind of individuals.” 

John took half in not only one, however two excursions in Vietnam.

“My first tour was just about all fight,” Dietrick mentioned. “Our mission was to seek for the enemy, and as soon as we have interaction with the enemy we might drop our personal troops infantry troops in.”

As a helicopter pilot, John closely impacted the battlefield, and determined the destiny of fellow troopers.

“Our squaddies actually relied on us for medical evacuation, for ammunition, for meals, and if a helicopter couldn’t convey these issues in, they went with out,” Dietrick mentioned. “It was crucial that we have been in a position to assist them with these issues. That’s in all probability probably the most rewarding issues about my service in Vietnam.” 

By way of his time abroad John could be honored with a mess of medals, starting from the Bronze Star Medal, to the Air Medal for Heroism.

“The 2 that I’m in all probability most pleased with, one I rescued a pilot who had been shot down, myself and my crew rescued him below heavy automated weapons fireplace,” he mentioned. “One other one a pilot went down in his helicopter, and we pulled him out as nicely. Making these rescues below intense hostile fireplace conditions I’m in all probability most pleased with these.”

After his time overseas ended, John continued flying with the Kansas Military Nationwide Guard at Forbes. He would go on to plant his roots in Topeka, the place he practices regulation to at the present time.

TO NOMINATE A VETERAN – EMAIL matthew.johnstone@ksnt.com WITH THE SUBJECT LINE “Veteran Salute Nomination”