Another little remembered hero

Mike Novosel is another member of our military whose records have been buried in the millions of military records stored at Corpson Page Avenue in St. Louis. Novosel's history is noteworthy as he was a veteran of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. When Novosel finally retired in 1985, he was the last World War II pilot still on active duty.

Novosel wanted to be a pilot and enlisted in Feb. 1941 but was rejected for flight training for a being half-inch too short. He was placed in a pay clerk's job and still kept trying to get to flight school. Finally, he found a medical officer to add that needed half inch. He completed flight training in December 1942, and he was assigned as a gunnery instructor on the B-24 bomber. Later in the war, Novosel became a B-29 pilot and flew four combat missions before the end of the war.

Novosel transferred to the new Air Force as a lieutenant colonel, and he was assigned to the Air Command and Staff School during the Korean War. When the Vietnam War began, Novosel wanted to fly combat missions, but the Air Force felt he was too old at 41. The Army had a program to train experienced pilots to fly helicopters. By 1964 Army Warrant Officer Mike Novosel was flying, and in January 1966 he was sent to Vietnam as a Dustoff or medevac pilot. He began a second tour of duty in Vietnam in March 1969. He was responsible for the rescue of more than 5,500 medical evacuees while flying 2,543 missions, wounded in one mission where he performed 15 evacuations, rescuing 29 men. Two months later Novosel's son Mike Jr., also a medieval pilot, arrived in Vietnam. Novosel Jr.'s helicopter was shot down on a rescue mission. His father was rescuing wounded soldiers and flew in to pick up his son and his air crew.

Mike Novosel Sr. was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Nixon for actions on Oct. 2, 1969. He had also been awarded three Distinguished Flying Crosses, three Bronze Stars and 60 Air Medals.

Novosel died April 2, 2006, and he is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

I have written about a few forgotten heroes to remind readers that while you may know someone is a combat veteran, unknown to you he or she may be a true hero with notable service.

Jack Dragoni attended Boston College and served in the U.S. Army in Berlin and Vietnam. He lives in Chaffee, Missouri.