/// PEOPLE BOB MADORE
/// PEOPLE GALLERY
DFC, Bronze Star recipient reflects on Vietnam service BY MONICA D. SPENCER
“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.
MEDALS
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star
Purple Heart
14 Air Medals
Air Medal for Valor
Army Commendation Medal
Good Conduct Medal
B OB 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. “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.
Vietnam Service Medal
March 29, National Vietnam Veterans Day at Scottsdale Civic Center. Retired Col. Patricia Little-Upah was the featured speaker and honored guests were fellow Army veterans Chuck Byers, David Lucier and Bob Mountz. Pictured in the center photo are members of the organizing team (from left): Kelly Corsette, Scottsdale communications and public affairs director, and Scottsdale Veterans Advisory Commissioners Pat Mazzarella, Joel Stempil, Justin Layman, Steven Jackson, Pete Palmer and Land Anderson. SCOTTSDALE THANKS VIETNAM VETERANS
RVN Campaign Medal
Meritorious Unit Citation
Flight school class photograph for Bob Madore's 1968 cohort at the U.S. Army Primary Helicopter Center in Ft. Wolters, Texas.
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AMERICAN VETERANS Summer 2024
Summer 2024 AMERICAN VETERANS
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