Major Charles Livingston Kelly (10 April 1925 – 1 July 1964) was a United States Army helicopter pilot and medical evacuation unit commander during the Vietnam War. Because of the central role he played in the development of early battlefield evacuation techniques during the war—and the central role his death on the battlefield played in cementing those techniques in Army doctrine at a time they were being questioned by line commanders—he earned the sobriquet "The Father of Dustoff".
Early life Charles Livingston Kelly was born on 10 April 1925 in Wadley, Georgia, the eldest of three sons born to Charlton L. Kelly and Ruth Amelia Moore Kelly. His father died when he was six years old, and his mother never remarried. He was raised in Sylvania, Georgia. Kelly was of Irish descent.
World War II
Kelly dropped out of high school and lied about his age in order to enlist in the Army at the age of 15. He used a birth date of 22 December 1922 and enlisted under the name "Charles L. Kelley". He reported for active duty at Fort Screven, Georgia, on 25 February 1941 for 1 year of service as an army medic. As enlistment contracts at that time included an "or duration plus six months" clause, Kelly left the service as a corporal on 3 August 1945.Sylvania news notes, The Augusta Chronicle 12 August 1945 He served overseas with the 30th Infantry Division and, although he was listed as a medic as late as May 1944, he was serving as an infantryman when he was wounded by an artillery shell fragment during the battle for Aachen, Germany.Taylor, Andra. "Kelly wrote wife about casualties", The Augusta Chronicle, 3 July 1964, page 11 Kelly's injury was a severe one, a compound fracture of the fibula which kept him hospitalized for treatment and recovery from the time he was wounded in October 1944 until June 1945. Patrick Henry Brady, who served under Kelly in South Vietnam, said that Kelly's experience as a wounded infantryman was what would later drive him to become a medical evacuation pilot.
Post-war activities After his discharge from the Army, Kelly returned to Sylvania, Georgia. He completed his education at the Sylvania High School, participating in the senior playSylvania high seniors to give annual play, The Augusta Chronicle, 14 April 1947, page 4 and graduating in 1947 as the class President.Sylvania seniors feted at banquet, The Augusta Chronicle, 16 May 1947, page 8 He was also active in the Sylvania Junior Chamber of Commerce, where he served as Secretary-Treasurer,Three civic clubs at Sylvania elect new officials for year, The Augusta Chronicle, 17 July 1949, page 3 and in the George Alexander Post of the American Legion.Sylvania Legion launches drive, The Augusta Chronicle, 20 January 1950, page 8 It was also during this time that he courted, and married, Jessie Hillis of Sylvania.Sylvania News, The Augusta Chronicle, 28 December 1949, page 12 They had a son, Charles Kelly Jr., and two daughters, Carol and Barbara.
Following his graduation from high school, Kelly enrolled in the Georgia Teachers College in Statesboro, Georgia, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in 1950. He then followed that by obtaining a Master of Arts in geology from the George Peabody College in Nashville, Tennessee.
After obtaining his master's degree, Kelly taught for a short time in Warm Springs, Georgia, before applying for a commission in the Army. He accepted a commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve on 25 October 1951 and was ordered to active duty—the customary career path for a Medical Service Corps Officer at the time. He accepted a Regular Army commission in the Medical Service Corps on 16 June 1954.
Assignments The table below lists Kelly's assignments with details where available. His service as commander of the 57th Medical Detachment (Helicopter Ambulance) in South Vietnam is covered in greater detail in subsequent sections.