Michael J. Novosel: Difference between revisions
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==External links== |
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*{{Cite web |accessdate=October 4, 2010 |url=http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/citations_living/vn_a_novosel.html |title=homeofheros.com: Novosel, Michael J.}} |
*{{Cite web |accessdate=October 4, 2010 |url=http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/citations_living/vn_a_novosel.html |title=homeofheros.com: Novosel, Michael J.}} |
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*{{Cite web |
*{{Cite web|accessdate=October 4, 2010 |url=http://history.amedd.army.mil/moh/novoselm.htm |title=history.amedd.army.mil: Michael J. Novosel |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20081112104652/http://history.amedd.army.mil/moh/novoselm.htm |archivedate=November 12, 2008 }} |
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*{{Cite news |accessdate=October 4, 2010 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/03/AR2006040301860.html |title=washingtonpost article | work=The Washington Post | first=Adam | last=Bernstein | date=April 4, 2006}} |
*{{Cite news |accessdate=October 4, 2010 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/03/AR2006040301860.html |title=washingtonpost article | work=The Washington Post | first=Adam | last=Bernstein | date=April 4, 2006}} |
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*{{Cite news |accessdate=October 4, 2010 |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06095/679421-122.stm |title=Pittsburgh Post Gazette Obituary | work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | first=Milan | last=Simonich | date=April 5, 2006}} |
*{{Cite news |accessdate=October 4, 2010 |url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06095/679421-122.stm |title=Pittsburgh Post Gazette Obituary | work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | first=Milan | last=Simonich | date=April 5, 2006}} |
Revision as of 00:29, 18 February 2016
Michael J. Novosel | |
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![]() ![]() Chief Warrant Officer Michael Novosel | |
Born | Etna, Pennsylvania | September 3, 1922
Died | April 2, 2006 Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C. | (aged 83)
Place of burial | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Service/ | United States Army![]() |
Years of service | 1941–1963 (USAF) 1963–1985 (USA) |
Rank | Lieutenant Colonel (USAF) Chief Warrant Officer (USA) |
Unit | 283rd Medical Detachment 82nd Medical Detachment |
Battles/wars | World War II Korean War Vietnam War |
Awards | Medal of Honor Distinguished Flying Cross (3) Bronze Star Purple Heart Air Medal (64) |
Relations | Brian Clevinger, grandson[1] |
Michael J. Novosel, Sr. (September 3, 1922 – April 2, 2006) of Enterprise, Alabama served in the United States military in three wars: World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He flew the B-29 Superfortress bomber in World War II. In order to serve in the Vietnam War, he gave up the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserve to become a chief warrant officer in the Army. For his bravery in conducting a medical evacuation under fire in this conflict, he was awarded the United States' highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor.
Biography
He was born in Pittsburgh-area town of Etna, Pennsylvania, the son of Croatian immigrants, and grew up during the Great Depression.
At the age of 19, Novosel joined what was then the Army Air Corps. That was just ten months prior to Pearl Harbor, and by 1945, he was a captain flying B-29 Superfortress bombers in the war against Japan. He left the service for a brief time due to reductions in force after the war was over and settled in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, to raise his family.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/11/Novosel02.jpg/220px-Novosel02.jpg)
Novosel joined the U.S. Air Force Reserves and went back on active duty to again serve his country during the Korean War. He left the service again in 1953 and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserve in 1955.
In 1963, Novosel was working as a commercial airline pilot when he decided to return to active military duty. By then, he was 41 and the Air Force did not have space for any more officers in the upper ranks. Novosel made the decision to give up his rank of lieutenant colonel in the Air Force to join the Army and fly helicopters as a chief warrant officer (CW4) with the elite Special Forces Aviation Section. He served his first tour in Vietnam flying medevac helicopters (Dustoff) with the 283rd Medical Detachment. His second tour in Vietnam was with the 82nd Medical Detachment. During that war, Novosel flew 2,543 missions and extracted 5,589 wounded personnel, among them his own son, Michael J. Novosel, Jr. (the following week Michael J. Novosel, Jr. returned the favor by extracting his father after he was shot down).[2]
On the morning of October 2, 1969, he set out to evacuate a group of South Vietnamese soldiers who were surrounded by the enemy near the Cambodian border. The soldiers' radio communication was lost and their ammunition expended. Without air cover or fire support, Novosel flew at low altitude under continuous enemy fire. He skimmed the ground with his helicopter, while his medic and crew chief yanked the wounded men on board. He completed 15 hazardous extractions, was wounded in a barrage of enemy fire and momentarily lost control of his helicopter, but when it was over, he had rescued 29 men, for which he would be awarded the Medal of Honor. Novosel completed his tour in March 1970.
When Novosel retired as the senior warrant officer with the Warrant Officer Candidate Program in 1985, he had been a military aviator for 42 years and was the last World War II military aviator in the U.S. to remain on active flying duty. Novosel accumulated 12,400 military flying hours, including 2,038 in combat.
While residing in Enterprise, Alabama during his retirement, Novosel remained active in the military community. He frequently was invited as an honored guest for military lectures and ceremonies across the nation. He co-piloted the liftoff of the In the Shadow of the Blade mission in 2002. His book, Dustoff - The Memoir of an Army Aviator, was published in 1999.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/Novosel_FuneralProcession_20060413.jpg/220px-Novosel_FuneralProcession_20060413.jpg)
Diagnosed with a recurrent cancer in November 2005, he underwent a series of highly successful treatments at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. The cancer tumor was greatly reduced in December 2005 and January 2006. In February 2006, Novosel concluded chemotherapy and other treatments and waited to regain strength in preparation for surgery on March 7. His prognosis appeared excellent. Despite new and innovative procedures to reduce trauma, he never fully recovered from the shock of the surgery. He died on April 2, 2006, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors on April 13.
Honors
In 1971, President Richard Nixon placed the nation's highest award for valor in combat, the Medal of Honor, around Novosel's neck. Among his many other awards, Novosel received the Distinguished Service Cross (which was later upgraded to the MOH), Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Purple Heart.
He was inducted into the Army Aviation Hall of Fame in 1975. Upon his retirement, he received a rare honor for a living hero when the main street at Fort Rucker, Alabama was renamed "Novosel Street." He also received his final award, the Distinguished Service Medal, during his retiring ceremony.
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: Chief Warrant Officer, U.S. Army, 82d Medical Detachment, 45th Medical Company, 68th Medical Group.
Place and date: Kien Tuong Province, Republic of Vietnam, October 2, 1969. Entered service at: Kenner, La. Born: September 3, 1922, Etna, Pa.
Citation:
- For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. CWO Novosel, 82d Medical Detachment, distinguished himself while serving as commander of a medical evacuation helicopter. He unhesitatingly maneuvered his helicopter into a heavily fortified and defended enemy training area where a group of wounded Vietnamese soldiers were pinned down by a large enemy force. Flying without gunship or other cover and exposed to intense machinegun fire, CWO Novosel was able to locate and rescue a wounded soldier. Since all communications with the beleaguered troops had been lost, he repeatedly circled the battle area, flying at low level under continuous heavy fire, to attract the attention of the scattered friendly troops. This display of courage visibly raised their morale, as they recognized this as a signal to assemble for evacuation. On 6 occasions he and his crew were forced out of the battle area by the intense enemy fire, only to circle and return from another direction to land and extract additional troops. Near the end of the mission, a wounded soldier was spotted close to an enemy bunker. Fully realizing that he would attract a hail of enemy fire, CWO Novosel nevertheless attempted the extraction by hovering the helicopter backward. As the man was pulled on aboard, enemy automatic weapons opened fire at close range, damaged the aircraft and wounded CWO Novosel. He momentarily lost control of the aircraft, but quickly recovered and departed under the withering enemy fire. In all, 15 extremely hazardous extractions were performed in order to remove wounded personnel. As a direct result of his selfless conduct, the lives of 29 soldiers were saved. The extraordinary heroism displayed by CWO Novosel was an inspiration to his comrades in arms and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
See also
- List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Vietnam War
- List of Korean War veterans who are recipients of the Bronze Star
References
- ^ Clevinger, Brian (April 10, 2006). "Episode 681: Of Civilizations". 8-Bit Theater. Nuklearpower.com. Archived from the original on February 2009. Retrieved 24 December 2009.
{{cite web}}
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(help) - ^ http://www.au.af.mil/au/goe/eaglebios/00bios/novoseljr00.htm
External links
- "homeofheros.com: Novosel, Michael J." Retrieved October 4, 2010.
- "history.amedd.army.mil: Michael J. Novosel". Archived from the original on November 12, 2008. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
{{cite web}}
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suggested) (help) - Bernstein, Adam (April 4, 2006). "washingtonpost article". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
- Simonich, Milan (April 5, 2006). "Pittsburgh Post Gazette Obituary". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
- "The Michael Novosel J. Foundation". Retrieved October 4, 2010.
- "In The Shadow of the Blade". Retrieved October 4, 2010.
- 1922 births
- 2006 deaths
- People from Etna, Pennsylvania
- Army aviation personnel
- American aviators
- American people of Croatian descent
- American military personnel of World War II
- American military personnel of the Korean War
- United States Army Medal of Honor recipients
- Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
- Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
- Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
- Recipients of the Bronze Star Medal
- Recipients of the Air Medal
- Recipients of the Purple Heart medal
- Recipients of the Gallantry Cross (Vietnam)
- United States Air Force officers
- American military personnel of the Vietnam War
- Aviators from Pennsylvania
- People from Florida
- People from Fort Walton Beach, Florida
- United States Army Air Forces officers
- United States Army Air Forces pilots of World War II
- Helicopter pilots
- Burials at Arlington National Cemetery
- Vietnam War recipients of the Medal of Honor