Major General Patrick H. Brady
Unfortunately, General Brady, who was originally scheduled to be our guest speaker, had to cancel. We were very fortunate to have secured B.G. (Jug) Burkett, author of the book Stolen Valor, to be our guest speaker.
Major General Brady spent over 34 years in the Army serving in stations all
over the world. He was in Berlin during the building of the wall and
returned in 1989 when it was torn down. He
served in the Dominican Republic during that conflict, in Korea as commander
of the troops at the Joint Security area of the DMZ and for 2 years in Vietnam
as a helicopter ambulance pilot. He has eight years’ service with America’s
citizen soldiers, our Reserve Components, and is a former Chief of Army Public
Affairs.
While in Vietnam he was awarded the Medal of Honor for a series of rescues during which he used 3 helicopters to rescue over 60 wounded. At the end of the day his aircraft had over 400 holes in them from enemy fire and mines. In two tours in Vietnam he flew over 2500 combat missions and rescued over 5000 wounded. He developed foul weather and tactical techniques for air ambulance rescue never before executed in combat for which he is identified in the Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War and other books as the top helicopter pilot in that war. Some pundits recognize him as the most decorated living veteran.
Gen. Brady is the only living Army veteran of Vietnam to hold both the Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Cross, our nation's second highest award. His other awards include two Distinguished Service Medals; the Defense Superior Service Medal; the Legion of Merit; six Distinguished Flying Crosses; two Bronze Stars, one for valor; the Purple Heart and 53 Air Medals, one for valor. He is a member of both the Army Aviation and Dust Off Halls of Fame
