Lieutenant Colonel Billy Bert Dooly

Description:

Lieutenant Colonel Billy Bert Dooly, US Army, retired, Fort Smith and served two tours in Viet Nam.  Some of his awards include the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star Medal with one oak leaf cluster for exceptionally meritorious combat achievement, the Air Medal with 22 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Army Commendation Medal. 

Lieutenant Colonel Dooly’s Distinguished Flying Cross narrative reads. “Captain Dooly distinguished himself by heroic actions on 8 October 1966, in the republic of Viet Nam. While serving as Aircraft Commander of a UH-1D helicopter, Captain Dooly was given the mission of evacuating wounded personnel from elements of the 2d Battalion, 27th Infantry. Although the ground forces were receiving heavy enemy automatic weapons fire, he elected to attempt the approach into a small landing zone. Captain Dooly skillfully maneuvered his helicopter into the landing zone while under intense automatic weapons fire. After the two seriously wounded soldiers were successfully evacuated, he returned to the operational area. Discovering that there were more wounded men in the landing zone, Captain Dooly, with complete disregard for his own personal safety, again  flew his helicopter through the hostile ground fire. Although an intense rainstorm had reduced visibility to near zero, he personally directed the loading of the wounded men aboard the aircraft and successfully departed the landing zone. Captain Dooly's quiet courage, initiative, professional skill, and determination to accomplish this mission resulted in a successful medical evacuation of several seriously wounded soldiers. Captain Dooly's actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, the 25th Infantry Division, and the United States Army.”

More Info:

Lieutenant Colonel Billy Bert Dooly, Fort Smith, United States Army. Served two combat tours in Vietnam. His awards include the Distinguished Flying Cross, 23 Air Medals with 3 “V” devices, two Bronze Star Medals, the Meritorious Service Medal and the Army Commendation Medal.