Patient Evacuation by CH-47 (Chinook) Helicopter

The basic officers course at MFSS, Ft. Sam Houston, Texas taught that mass evacuation of patients from a field hospital could be achieved through use of CH-47 Chinook helicopters.

After the first couple of times it took me all day to evac twelve patients to the 21st CSF (Casualty Staging Flight) at Tan Son Nhut, AFB in Saigon because of the non-availability of Dustoff UH-1D Huey choppers, I knew something had to be done. Those guys were bringing us more casualties than we had beds available. One of the common sights was to see Chinooks flying all over the place. That brought to mind what we had been taught at MFSS so, I asked Maj. Allgood if he had any contacts with anyone in a Chinook outfit, cause I needed a Chinook to get the patients to the CSF so we would have some beds.  Well, he got me in touch with a Chinook unit and they were most willing to help us out. They said they had never done it before and didn't know anybody who had.

That was the beginning of a new era in patient evacuation from a field hospital to a CSF. From then on, when the Dustoff (Air Ambulance) guys were over committed, for what ever reason, I would just call the Chinook unit and they would help us out.

Of course, you can't keep something like that a secret. The 44th Medical Brigade's Commanding General wanted an evacuation done and have it recorded on film, etc. At first, he wanted it done at another hospital, not at the 24th.  Being as we had been using the Chinooks for 2-3 months, we put up a "howl" about it. Well, he finally decided it would be done at the 24th. Of course, that made us happy. The following pictures show the first "official" evacuation from a field hospital in a combat zone.

On that eventful day, we borrowed all the help we could get and moved the patients from the wards to an area near the helipads to await the arrival of the Chinook..

This was the only shady area available.

The Big Bird was right on time

He set it down right where he was supposed to…

Tailgate down, rotors still turning…

His passengers are waiting…

The official welcoming committee…

Of course, none of the "lookin-peepers" offered to help!

The last stretchers are loaded

"ALL ABOARD", 24 stretchers loaded in less than 7.5 Minutes!!

Button-up the hatch and lets "get the hell out of Dodge"

Good-bye, 24th Evac., Thank you!!

Good-Bye, Long Binh, we won't miss you!!!

And of course, someone has to stay behind to handle the P.R.

The General did a superb job with the Press, etc. Always good to know you have the "Brass" behind you!

We continued to use the Chinooks for evacuation at every opportunity that we could justify them. Things went a lot smoother when the aviation unit finally found a set of litter stands for a Chinook. There were only three sets in country and the unit they got it from was glad to get it off their property books. The 24th Evac was glad too!! With practice, we were able to load all the litter stands and down the aisle in less than 6 minutes. At that time, at MFSS, they were still teaching that it would take about 32 minutes to load a Chinook with litter racks. They just didn't know what the A&D experts at the 24th Evac could do!!

Henry Powers
July 8, 2003

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