Major Charles L. Kelley, MSC, U.S. Army - Aurora, CO
Posted by: 
Outspoken1
N 39° 44.672 W 104° 50.257
13S E 513912 N 4399416
Major Kelley lost his life in 1964 in Vietnam while trying to evacuate wounded soldiers. This memorial and adjacent pedestrian walkway was named in her honor while this was still the Fitzsimons Army Medical Center.
Waymark Code: WMNW6B
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 05/10/2015
Views: 7
The monument reads:
Charles Kelley Boulevard
in honor of
Major Charles L. Kelley, MSC, U.S. Army
1925 - 1964
Dust-Off Pilot Extraordinaire
Killed in action by small arms fire
while attempting to approach a Hot LZ
near Vinh Long, Viet Nam on 1 July 1964
after being advised by ground elements
not to attempt an approach and
to depart the area of the firefight
Kelly immortalized the Dust-Off Spirit
with his final reply,
"When I have Your Wounded"
"Charles L. Kelly was a United States Army helicopter pilot during The Vietnam War. Major Kelly was the Commanding Officer of the 57th Medical Detachment (Helicopter Ambulance) from 11 January 1964 until he was killed in action on 1 July of the same year while trying to evacuate a wounded American advisor along with several ARVN wounded.
Kelly was called "Crazy Kelly" and "Mad Man" for his willingness to fly into danger to rescue the wounded. Kelly often flew missions at night, claiming that all the times he had been hit had been during daylight.
Kelly was killed in action on July 1, 1964, when, after being warned out of a "Hot" landing zone, he replied, "When I have your wounded." A bullet entered through an open cargo door and pierced his heart. Major Kelly became the 149th American to die in Vietnam. The following day, an officer tossed the bullet on his desk in front of Kelly's successor, Captain Patrick Henry Brady and asked if they were going to stop flying so aggressively. Brady picked up the bullet and replied, "we are going to keep flying exactly the way Kelly taught us to fly, without hesitation, anytime, anywhere."" (from (
visit link) )
An interesting website explains Kelley's importance to the growth of the MEDVAC Helicopters in Vietnam. (
visit link)