Nov-dec

Mike Bodnar
307B N Main Copperas Cove, TX 76522
254-542-1961
E-mail: mbodnar27@gmail.com

I received an email from 15th BSB LTC Jeffery Delp of the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 15th Brigade Support Battalion (15th BSB). He said they are in the initial stages of planning the 100th anniversary of the 15th BSB and want to ensure they capture as much of the battalion's storied history as possible. He wanted to know if I was a good point of contact to ensure we accomplish this.

Of course, writing about this in Saber is an immense help. I don’t use social media, but I see the contents of their page, and I can almost see most of it. I’ll see what I can get out of it if I don’t get blocked. I may have to open an account. LTC Delp said nothing yet to write about.

I asked the 1st Cav Assn how many members they have from the 15th BSB. I was sent a spreadsheet of all its 15th BSB members, and I count forty-one. I was told that no 15th BSB members attended the last 1st Cav Reunion. That is not encouraging to show any interest.

I could say that at least two members of the 15th BSB attended: Executive Director Dara Wydler, who was in the 615th BSB, and President Rich Kaye, who was Gamber 6, 2nd BCT. They do not show on that spreadsheet. I think I have all the pages.

I was told that some 15th Med Bn. Members were at the Reunion. I do not know how many, nor who attended, since that sign in information is no longer printed in the Saber. More 15th BSB information to come when I get any.

I found an interesting contemporary article on the 15th Med Bn. The Assn Web site is about drones being used to assist and replace many MEDEVAC functions. The entire article is from. Please read the article below:

CASEVAC: How Will Drones Support US Army Casualty Evacuations? by Ahmad Helmy

CASEVAC refers to transporting injured civil or military individuals from battlegrounds or fighting zones to medical or trauma centers so they can receive care, often in nonmedical vehicles or aircraft.

CASEVAC refers to ‘Casualty Evacuations.’ In contrast, MEDEVAC refers to ‘Medical Evacuation,’ which involves carefully transporting patients from an accident scene or another medical center to another facility using designed medical transport.

Russia’s war on Ukraine has increased demand for unmanned systems, potentially accelerating the transition towards remotely piloted platforms for casualty evacuation. The Russian and Ukrainian militaries have experimented with these systems, making it difficult for traditional helicopters to conduct rescue missions. Experts predict a shift in unmanned platforms’ roles in the future.

Autonomous technology is becoming more dependable every day. It performs repetitive tasks accurately and consistently, reducing human error. It also offers increased safety, performing long hover times and initiating independent holding cycles, allowing it to stay over a threat area or battlefield and quickly drop to the casualty when needed.

The following are some of the benefits of CASEVAC drones:

It supports situational awareness by providing critical intelligence to commanders, allowing them to make quick and effective decisions based on battlefield conditions.
Drones eliminate the risk of sending manned assistance onto the battlefield, exposing additional personnel to enemy fire.
Precision strikes accurately identify enemy targets, reducing the risk of civilian casualties. Drones’ versatility allows them to amplify the capabilities of conventional forces, such as covering vast terrain and providing rapid support to ground forces.
Army personnel can easily distinguish the drone platform from human-crewed medical transportation during the battle.

Safely delivering blood products and medical kits could mitigate life risk or bleeding, the number one potentially survivable cause of death at the point of injury, especially since drones enclose advanced sensor systems that allow for adequate landing.

Casualty Evacuations often occur in combat zones with armed aircraft, while Medical Evacuations are protected by the Geneva Convention, which mandates unarmed, well-marked aircraft. Opening fire on MEDEVAC transport is considered a war crime.

CASEVAC missions involve immediate evacuation and transportation, while MEDEVAC missions involve planning and organization, involving medical personnel with Emergency Medical Technician EMT training. CASEVAC flights cover short distances, while MEDEVAC flights are medium range to long-distance.”

Where there is a will, there is a way. Evacuating wounded friends or comrades is always every Soldier’s innate concern.

Fred Douglas McKellar, Jr., passed away on October 18, 2024, at the age of eighty-four. After graduating from Louisiana State University, he was commissioned into the Medical Service Corps of the U.S. Army, where he volunteered to become a helicopter pilot. In 1966, he went to Vietnam as a MEDEVAC pilot and was wounded twice in flying missions. Among his medals are two Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star and the Distinguished Flying Cross. Fred retired from the Army after more than 23 years.

Fred is on the 15th Med Bn Assn’s MEDEVAC “Pilots and their Callsigns” page as CPT Fred McKellar, Unknown Callsign (Can you help?). That is probably because he was one of the earliest MEDEVAC pilots. His hat in the photo says, “Air Cavalry,” another indication that he was an early MEDEVAC aviator.

FIRST TEAM!
Garryowen,
Mike Bodnar C 2\7 '69
MEDEVAC 1-7\70
SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE