Night Rescue in Korea: When One Pilot Said "I'll Go”

In this deeply researched and powerfully told episode of Footnotes in History, Captain Tim “Lucky” Kinsella, U.S. Navy (Ret.) brings listeners inside the life and legacy of Lieutenant John Kelvin “Jack” Koelsch, a naval aviator whose actions during the Korean War permanently altered military aviation, rescue doctrine, and the moral framework of American service.

Born in London in 1924 and educated at elite institutions on both sides of the Atlantic, Koelsch’s path could have led anywhere. Instead, war drew him into naval aviation. After earning his wings in World War II and later volunteering again during Korea, Koelsch chose one of the most dangerous assignments imaginable: helicopter combat search and rescue at a time when the aircraft themselves were barely suited for the task.

Flying the HOS-3 Dragonfly, an underpowered, minimally instrumented helicopter never intended for night or weather flight, Koelsch repeatedly launched into freezing seas and hostile terrain to recover downed airmen. His operational insight led to a simple but revolutionary innovation: the rescue sling, a device still used today by U.S. and allied forces worldwide and credited with saving thousands of lives.

The episode centers on July 3, 1951, when Koelsch and his crewman volunteered to attempt a nighttime rescue of a wounded Marine aviator deep behind enemy lines, a mission others rightly deemed suicidal. Battling weather, darkness, terrain, and intense ground fire, Koelsch succeeded in locating the survivor before his helicopter was shot down during the extraction.

What followed was not survival, but leadership.

Despite severe danger, Koelsch repeatedly placed the wounded Marine above his own safety, carrying him miles through enemy territory, advocating for his medical care even after capture, and ultimately sacrificing his life in a brutal prisoner-of-war camp. His conduct in captivity, refusing propaganda, protecting fellow prisoners, and giving up food and care for others became the moral foundation for what would later become the U.S. military Code of Conduct for prisoners of war.

Awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously in 1955, Koelsch became the first helicopter pilot from any U.S. service to receive the nation’s highest military decoration. His influence extends far beyond a single mission into doctrine, ethics, leadership, and the very identity of American combat aviation.

This episode is not simply a historical recounting. It is a study in character, duty, and what it truly means to go above and beyond the call.

What You’ll Learn

Why early helicopter combat search and rescue was among the most dangerous missions in military aviation
How John Kelvin Koelsch pioneered rescue techniques still used today
What flying the HOS-3 Dragonfly was really like in combat conditions
Why Koelsch’s final mission was considered nearly impossible, even by wartime standards
How leadership continues after the aircraft goes down
The direct link between Koelsch’s captivity and the creation of the U.S. military Code of Conduct
What “above and beyond the call of duty” truly means in practice
Why Koelsch’s legacy still shapes modern naval aviation and POW training

Highlights & YouTube Chapters

[00:00] Opening Rescue Call — “This Would Be Suicide”
[01:12] Who Was John Kelvin Koelsch?
[03:45] From London to Princeton to Naval Aviation
[06:22] Flying the HOS-3 Dragonfly: A Pilot’s Nightmare
[09:30] The Birth of the Rescue Sling
[12:18] “Rescuing Downed Pilots Is My Mission”
[15:04] The Night Rescue Behind Enemy Lines
[18:40] Shot Down During Extraction
[21:10] Leadership After the Crash
[24:05] Capture and Conduct as a POW
[27:32] The Cost of Refusing Propaganda
[30:18] Death in Captivity
[32:10] Medal of Honor and Lasting Legacy
[35:40] How One Man Shaped the Code of Conduct