A SPECIAL FORCES STORY
The following was written in September 2017 by an Army Aviator who takes a trip down memory lane: Submitted by SFA Chapter 55 Member Tom Wetzel, an original recipient of the Aviator's recollection and briefly had meet Martha Raye at C-1 in Da Nang while serving on A-109 (Thuong Duc).
" It was just before Thanksgiving '67 and we were ferrying dead and wounded from a large GFR West of Pleiku.
We had run out of body bags by noon, so the Hook (CH47 CHINOOK) was pretty rough in the back.
All of a sudden we heard a 'take-charge' woman's voice in the rear.
There was the singer and actress, Martha Raye, with a Special Forces beret and jungle fatigues with subdued markings helping the wounded into the Chinook, and carrying the dead aboard. Maggie had been visiting her Special Forces (SF) "heroes" out 'west'.
We took off, short of fuel and headed to the USAF hospital pad in Pleiku.
As we all started unloading our sad pax's, a USAF Captain said to Martha....."Ms. Raye, with all these dead and wounded to process, there would not be time for your show!"
To all of our surprise she pulled on her right collar and said"Captain, see this Eagle? I am a full "Bird" in the US Army Reserve, and on this is a 'Caduceus' which means I am a nurse with a surgical specialty.....now take me to your wounded!'
He said, "Yes ma'am....follow me."
Several times at the Army Field Hospital in Pleiku, she would 'cover' a surgical shift, giving a nurse a well-deserved break. Martha is the only woman buried in the SF (Special Forces) cemetery at FT. Bragg.
Editor's note: This is a very relatable recollection by the Army Aviator. The date and place "West of Pleiku and before Thanksgiving 67' , Most likely the GFR referred to by the Aviator is known as the Battle of Dak To, hill 875.