MARICOPA — Bob Madore sat down with American Veterans Magazine at his Maricopa home to share some of his experiences as a Dustoff pilot during the Vietnam War.
Dustoff crews were responsible for evacuating thousands of wounded and sick soldiers and allies from active combat zones in their signature Army green helicopters. While used in some degree during World War II and the Korean War, Dustoff crews became synonymous with the Vietnam War.
During his seven years of service, Madore said he found the greatest purpose as a Dustoff pilot from 1967 to 1969.
Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, 14 Air Medals, Air Medal for Valor, Army Commendation Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, RVN Campaign Medal and Meritorious Unit Citation.
“My service was driven by a commitment to saving lives and maximizing my educational opportunities,” he said. “Knowing I could make such a significant impact on saving lives filled me with purpose.”
In September 1966, Madore was drafted into the Army from his hometown in Davison, Mich., eventually completing basic training for radio school at Fort Gordon, Ga. During this time, he attended an orientation that enticed him to complete an aviation exam.
Following graduation from radio school, Madore attended flight school and was eventually ordered to Vietnam as a Dustoff pilot. It didn’t take long for Madore to find his niche in the war.
“It was then that I realized my rare ability to rescue wounded soldiers from live battlefields, and I was determined to save as many lives as possible,” he said.
Madore eventually earned a reputation among Dustoff crew chiefs and medics for safe transporting during missions.
“Nobody ever got shot, killed or died on my aircraft, even during perilous missions,” he said.
One memory that continues to stand out more than five decades later is one of his earliest missions because of its reflection of the harshness of war.
“I vividly remember picking up a wounded soldier, barely 18 or 19 years old, who had tragically lost both legs below the knee,” he said. “He expressed [to the medic] his belief that he had received what was colloquially known as the ‘million-dollar’ wound — an injury severe enough to send him home, perhaps even to a waiting football scholarship.”
That moment for him highlighted the profound sacrifices young soldiers made, especially with the potential for having their dreams shattered by combat.
That experience “also fueled my determination to save as many lives as possible, knowing that each rescue could potentially spare another individual from such devastating consequences,” he said.
