Bruce Crandall, Vietnam helicopter pilot and Medal of Honor recipient, dies at 93

Bruce Crandall, 78, a retired colonel and “Huey” pilot, was an honored guest at the UH-1’s retirement ceremony from U.S. Army Europe service in Hohenfels, Germany, in 2011. (Dan Blottenberger/Stars and Stripes)

Col. Bruce Crandall, who received the Medal of Honor for his actions as a Vietnam helicopter pilot during the Battle of Ia Drang, died Sunday, according to a news release from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

Crandall, a retired Army colonel and Arizona resident, was 93. A cause of death was not released.

In November 1965, then Maj. Crandall and then-Capt. Ed Freeman volunteered to fly their UH-1 Hueys into the heart of combat in the la Drang valley after military commanders deemed the area too dangerous for aircraft.

“That was the first real test of our helicopters to resupply and rescue guys in that way,” Crandall said in 2007. “Normally we’d never fly that close to the fight, and we didn’t like to fly in the dark. But when it turned as hot as it did, we just kept going into the night.”

Freeman and Crandall spent more than 14 hours evacuating wounded soldiers and resupplying the fighting force with ammunition and rations. Crandall completed 22 flights through enemy fire.

Maj. Bruce Crandall’s UH-1D helicopter climbs skyward after discharging a load of infantrymen on a search and destroy mission, Ia Drang. (U.S. Army)

They saved more than 70 soldiers, according to the Army.

During Operation Masher in January 1966, the first combined U.S. and South Vietnamese Army operation, Crandall dropped his Huey helicopter through the dense jungle to rescue 12 wounded soldiers, according to the Army.

After being severely injured when his helicopter was shot down in 1968, Crandall recovered and continued his Army career in a series of leadership and engineering assignments before retiring from the Army in 1977 as a lieutenant colonel.

Crandall’s actions during the Battle of Ia Drang were later chronicled in the bestselling book “We Were Soldiers Once … and Young” by Lt. Gen. Hal Moore and Joseph Galloway and portrayed in the 2002 film “We Were Soldiers.”

In February 2007, President George W. Bush awarded the Medal of Honor to Crandall. Bush described him as a “daring pilot,” a “selfless leader” and an example for all soldiers.

“In men like him, we see the best in America,” Bush said at the time.

Crandall could have received the award sooner but withdrew his name from consideration for the honor in an effort to make sure Freeman was recognized.

“I was the commander; he was the volunteer,” he said. “He knew what combat was like and what he was getting into. I wanted to make sure if one of us was honored, he got it first.”

Freeman received the award in 2001.

Crandall was later promoted to colonel in recognition of his accomplishments.

“Despite the many accolades he received, (Crandall) never sought recognition for himself. He consistently redirected attention to the soldiers he served beside and the sacrifices made by those who never returned home,” the Congressional Medal of Honor Society said. “To the end of his life, he viewed the Medal not as a personal achievement, but as a reminder of duty, service and the bonds forged in combat.”

Crandall was born in Olympia, Wash., in 1933 and grew up with a love of baseball. He earned a baseball scholarship to the University of Washington in hopes of one day playing for the New York Yankees.

He was drafted into the Army in 1953.

His other commendations include: Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, 24 Air Medals, the Vietnam Service Medal and numerous other awards.

There are 63 living Medal of Honor recipients, according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.