We'll Meet Again

ANN CURRY: A U.S. ARMY OFFICER WHO NEARLY DIED UNDER ENEMY FIRE IN VIETNAM.

YOU THOUGHT THAT WAS IT?

I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA EITHER BE KILLED OR CAPTURED.

CURRY: NOW SEARCHING FOR A HERO, THE HELICOPTER COMMANDER WHO RISKED EVERYTHING TO RESCUE HIM.

I BELIEVE THAT I OWE HIM MY LIFE.

I THINK THAT HE SAVED MY LIFE.

CURRY: AND A WOUNDED YOUNG SOLDIER TOLD HE WAS ABOUT TO BECOME AN AMPUTEE.

THERE WAS A LOT OF SOLDIERS THAT WERE REALLY SHOT UP BAD.

THEY WERE--THEY WERE JUST LIKE MYSELF.

THEY WERE JUST BOYS.

CURRY: HOPING TO FIND THE YOUNG SURGEON WHOSE SKILL CHANGED HIS LIFE.

WHEN I REALIZED WHAT HE REALLY HAD DONE FOR ME, I WANTED TO FIND-- I WANTED TO THANK HIM.

I WANTED TO GIVE HIM A HUG, YOU KNOW?

CURRY: THE TIDES OF HISTORY HAVE THROWN STRANGERS TOGETHER... AND TORN LOVED ONES APART.

NOW THE SEARCH IS ON.

THIS HAS TO BE HIM.

IT HAST OBE HIM.

OH, MY GOD.

CURRY: TO BRING THEM TOGETHER AGAIN.

HOW ARE YOU?

OH!

MORE THAN TWO MILLION SOLDIERS SERVED IN THE VIETNAM WAR, A LONG AND GRUELING CONFLICT THAT DIVIDED AMERICA AND KILLED NEARLY 60,000 SERVICEMEN, BUT TWO MEN WHO SURVIVED FOUND THAT EVEN IN THE HORRORS OF WAR THERE WERE ACTS OF HUMANITY.

DAVE JOHNSON HAS BEEN MARRIED TO HIS WIFE JUDY FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS.

THEY BELIEVE THEY OWE THEIR LONG MARRIAGE AND HAPPY FAMILY TO THE HEROIC ACTIONS OF ONE MAN, WHO SAVED DAVE FROM ALMOST CERTAIN DEATH IN THE LAST DAYS OF THE VIETNAM WAR.

DAVE: THE MILITARY BALL AT WISCONSIN AT THE ROTC.

I TOLD YOU-- THIS IS YOU!

WOW!

LOOK AT JUDY.

SHE IS A BEAUTY.

LOOK AT THAT!

SHE IS STILL.

SHE IS STILL A BEAUTY.

HA HA HA!

YEAH.

I'M A PRETTY LUCKY GUY.

YOU ARE.

WOW.

HERE WE ARE 50 YEARS LATER AT A DANCE DOWN AT THE VILLAGES.

YEAH.

THAT'S SOME STAYING POWER.

HA HA HA!

CURRY: THIS MARRIAGE COULD HAVE BEEN CUT TRAGICALLY SHORT.

BETWEEN 1965 AND 1972, DAVE RISKED HIS LIFE IN SOME OF THE BLOODIEST BATTLES OF THE VIETNAM WAR...

WHILE JUDY RAISED THEIR TWO YOUNG CHILDREN ALONE.

ALWAYS FEARING A KNOCK AT THE DOOR.

A COMMISSIONED OFFICER IN THE 101ST AIRBORNE, DAVE HAD BEEN MARRIED FOR JUST 7 MONTHS WHEN HE ARRIVED IN VIETNAM FOR THE FIRST TIME ON JULY 29, 1965.

ANNOUNCER: A MILITARY TRANSPORT PULLS INTO CAM RANH BAY WITH MORE MEN TO BOLSTER U.S.

FORCES IN SOUTH VIETNAM.

THE 3,900 PARATROOPERS ARE MEMBERS OF THE 101ST AIRBORNE.

CURRY: DAVE WAS DEPLOYED AS PART OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON'S MAJOR ESCALATION OF THE WAR.

FOR THE FIRST TIME, GROUND COMBAT TROOPS WERE BEING SENT TO VIETNAM.

TROOP LEVELS WERE DRAMATICALLY INCREASED TO MORE THAN 125,000 IN 1965.

AMERICA WAS COMMITTED TO A WAR NEARLY 9,000 MILES FROM HOME, FIGHTING WITH THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE IN THEIR BATTLE AGAINST THE COMMUNIST NORTH.

I DON'T SAY WE WANTED TO GO GET IN A FIGHT, BUT, UM, I THINK WE WERE--IF NOT ENTHUSIASTIC, AT LEAST WE WERE NOT RELUCTANT TO GO.

IT MIGHT HAVE EVEN LOOKED A LITTLE BIT LIKE AN ADVENTURE MAYBE.

CURRY: BUT SOON, REALITY HIT, AND THEY REALIZED WAR WAS A WAKING NIGHTMARE.

BY THE END OF 1966, DAVE HAD FINISHED HIS FIRST TOUR OF DUTY, AND MORE THAN 8,000 U.S.

SOLDIERS HAD ALREADY BEEN KILLED.

DAVE: I HAVE A LIST OF 16 MEN THAT I KNEW THAT DIED, MOST OF THEM THAT FIRST YEAR, THAT I CARRY WITH ME ALL THE TIME.

ON THE 18TH OF SEPTEMBER, 1965, WE WERE SENT ON A HELICOPTER ASSAULT MISSION NEAR THE VILLAGE-- LITTLE VILLAGE CALLED AN NINH.

THAT DAY, WE LOST 13 KILLED AND 28 WOUNDED IN ABOUT A DAY AND A HALF.

AS YOU BEGAN TO-- [SNIFFLES] SEE THESE CASUALTIES, THEN, UH, THERE ISN'T NO MORE ADVENTURE NOW.

CURRY: DAVE HAD SURVIVED 12 MONTHS OF BITTER FIGHTING, RETURNING TO THE UNTIED STATES AND JUDY IN JULY, 1966.

JUDY, VOICE-OVER: WHEN HE CAME HOME, HE WAS-- HE WAS A DIFFERENT GUY.

HE WAS SO SERIOUS.

IT WAS HARDER FOR HIM TO LAUGH.

UH, HE--HE WOULD HAVE NIGHTMARES.

HE WOULD JUST WAKE UP JUST TREMBLING.

LYNDON JOHNSON: THE ENEMY OF FREEDOM HAS CHOSEN TO MAKE THIS YEAR THE DECISIVE ONE.

CURRY: IN JANUARY 1968, U.S.

TROOPS SCRAMBLED TO RESPOND AS COMMUNIST FORCES LAUNCHED THE TET OFFENSIVE... A COORDINATED ATTACK BY AS MANY AS 85,000 TROOPS ON TOWNS, CITIES, AND U.S.

BASES ACROSS SOUTH VIETNAM.

STRUGGLING TOLD GROUND, THE U.S.

URGENTLY NEEDED MORE TROOPS.

AS A COMBAT VETERAN, DAVE WAS SENT BACK TO VIETNAM FOR A SECOND TIME, AND THIS TIME, HE WOULDN'T JUST BE LEAVING JUDY.

HE'D BE LEAVING THEIR BABY DAUGHTER LAURIE.

BY JULY 1968, DAVE HAD BEEN PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN, BASED IN THE BRUTAL MEKONG DELTA, HEADING UP A COMPANY OF 100 INFANTRYMEN.

THEIR JOB--TRACK DOWN AND KILL THE ENEMY.

DAVE: YOU SLOG ALONG ON PATROL.

YOU GO OUT ON OPERATIONS, YOU LOOK FOR PEOPLE.

WE'D HEAR AN EXPLOSION.

EVERYBODY KNEW WHAT HAPPENED.

IN ABOUT A 60-DAY PERIOD THERE, I LOST 20 GUYS, 17 OF THEM TO BOOBY TRAPS.

WOW.

CURRY: ON THE MORNING OF DECEMBER 29, 1968, IT WAS DAVE WHO RAN OUT OF LUCK.

[EXPLOSION] I STEPPED ON THIS-- WHAT YOU CALL TODAY AN IED--BOOBY TRAP.

THERE WERE 3 HAND GRENADES THAT HAD BEEN ATTACHED AND OBVIOUSLY WERE SUPPOSED TO DETONATE.

NOT A ONE OF THEM DID, SO IF--AND IF ONE OF THEM HAD GONE OFF, WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION TODAY.

JUDY: I GOT A CALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, AND I ANSWERED, AND IT WAS DAVE, AND HE HAD BEEN WOUNDED, AND TO BE HONEST, I DIDN'T EVEN ASK HIM IF HE'D LOST A PART-- I DIDN'T EVEN ASK HIM HOW HE WAS WOUNDED.

I JUST SAID, "THANK GOD YOU'RE COMING HOME."

CURRY: DAVE RETURNED HOME ON A STRETCHER, HIS LEG BADLY DAMAGED.

1968 HAD BEEN THE BLOODIEST YEAR OF THE VIETNAM WAR WITH 16,899 U.S.

SOLDIERS KILLED OR MISSING IN ACTION, DOUBLE THE AMOUNT KILLED DURING DAVE'S FIRST TOUR.

AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS IN THE HOSPITAL AND 6 MONTHS OF CONVALESCENCE, DAVE'S INJURIES HEALED.

IT SEEMED HE COULD FINALLY SETTLE INTO LIFE AT HOME NOW AS A FATHER OF TWO.

I THOUGHT I'D DONE ENOUGH, YOU KNOW?

WELL, I THOUGHT I-- MOST PEOPLE DID TWO TOURS, AND THAT WAS GOOD, THAT WAS IT.

CURRY: BUT DAVE WAS WRONG.

THE MILITARY HAD OTHER PLANS.

AS THE BODY COUNT IN VIETNAM CONTINUED TO RISE, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT MADE THE CONTROVERSIAL DECISION TO SEND EVEN MORE MEN AND RESOURCES INTO BATTLE.

REPORTER: IN ORDER TO BOLSTER AMERICAN DEFENSES AND REGAIN SOME OF THE BATTLE INITIATIVE, THE PRESIDENT ORDERED AN EMERGENCY STEP-UP OF REINFORCEMENTS.

CURRY: BETWEEN 1964 AND 1973, NEARLY 650,000 AMERICAN MEN WERE DRAFTED INTO THE WAR.

[SHOUTING COMMANDS] CURRY: AMONG THEM WAS 20-YEAR-OLD ROGER WAGNER.

ROGER: THAT IS A YOUNG KID, JUST A GREEN, YOUNG MINNESOTA KID IN VIETNAM.

CURRY: ROGER WAS DRAFTED AFTER FLUNKING OUT OF COLLEGE.

ROGER: THIS IS AN INTERESTING SHOT AS IT'S OUT THE WINDOW FLYING INTO THE LONG BINH AIRPORT.

CURRY: LONG BINH WAS THE BIGGEST U.S. MILITARY BASE IN VIETNAM.

ROUGHLY 75% OF THE SERVICE PERSONNEL STATIONED HERE WORKED TO SUPPORT THE 25% ON THE FRONTLINES.

AT ITS PEAK, THE BASE WAS 3 TIMES THE SIZE OF MANHATTAN.

THERE WERE 40 BARS, 12 SWIMMING POOLS, AND A VAST AMPHITHEATER.

ROGER: THIS IS THE BOB HOPE SHOW.

I WAS LUCKY TO GET THERE WHEN RAQUEL WELCH WHEN WAS WITH HIM.

[BAND PLAYING] HOPE: THIS IS CHRISTMAS DAY.

I TELL YOU, IT'S A WONDERFUL THING HERE IN VIETNAM, AND THERE'S A GREAT HOLIDAY SPIRIT.

THIS MORNING, A PERFECT STRANGER HANDED ME A GIFT BEAUTIFULLY WRAPPED.

I CAN'T GET OVER THE WAY HE TIED THE FUSE INTO A BOW.

[LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE] CURRY: THOUGH MOST OF THE MEN IN THE AUDIENCE WOULD NEVER SEE COMBAT, THEIR SERVICE IN THE WAR EFFORT WAS ESSENTIAL.

ROGER: THIS IS INSIDE OUR OFFICE, AND LOOKS LIKE THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN 6-8 CLERKS IN OUR PARTICULAR OFFICE.

CURRY: 50 YEARS AGO, ROGER JOINED THIS CRUCIAL SUPPORT STAFF.

ROGER: I HAD THESE REALLY HEAVY, THICK GLASSES.

COULDN'T SEE WITHOUT MY GLASSES, YOU KNOW, 6 FEET, SO I THINK THEY IMMEDIATELY DECIDED THAT PROBABLY THIS ISN'T A CANDIDATE TO BE AN INFANTRYMAN.

CURRY: ROGER WAS ORIGINALLY ASSIGNED A TWO-YEAR TOUR OF DUTY AS A FINANCE CLERK AT A BASE IN ALABAMA.

ROGER: SO IF YOU'RE IN THE FINANCE CORPS, THEN THIS IS THE BADGE THAT SHOWS THAT YOU WERE THAT UNIT.

CURRY: BUT HE VOLUNTEERED TO GO TO VIETNAM.

WHAT POSSESSED YOU... TO VOLUNTEER?

TO PUSH, TO VOLUNTEER TO GO TO VIETNAM...

I VOLUNTEERED.

WHEN YOU HAD A SAFE GIG ON BASE IN ALABAMA?

IT'S WANTING TO DO MORE, AND IF THIS IS WHAT MY COUNTRY THOUGHT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, TO BE IN VIETNAM AND STOP COMMUNISM, THEN I WANTED TO DO MY PART, AND I'M TO THIS DAY PROUD THAT I DID IT.

CURRY: IN VIETNAM, ROGER'S JOB WAS TO MAKE SURE THE TROOPS GOT PAID.

ROGER: PEOPLE LIKE TO GET PAID NO MATTER WHERE THEY'RE AT IN THE ARMY.

THEY CERTAINLY LIKE TO GET PAID IF THEY'RE IN VIETNAM.

CURRY: A REGULAR SOLIDER IN VIETNAM EARNED $83.20 A WEEK.

FOR THAT, THEY WERE REQUIRED TO PUT THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE, AND ROGER WAS ABOUT TO DO EXACTLY THAT.

WHILE FINANCE CLERKS WEREN'T ON THE FRONT LINE, THEY WERE EXPECTED TO PULL GUARD DUTY... AND ON DECEMBER 29, 1967, ROGER AND HIS FELLOW CLERKS ATTENDED FIREARMS TRAINING ON THE CAMP'S PERIMETER, BUT THEIR SHOTS DREW ENEMY FIRE FROM DEEP WITHIN THE SURROUNDING JUNGLE.

[WHOOSHING] ROGER: SUDDENLY, WE THOUGHT WHAT WERE MAYBE BEES GOING OVER OUR HEAD, AND THEN DIRT STARTED KICKING UP AT OUR FEET.

IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THERE WERE BULLETS COMING IN FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BERM.

[GUNFIRE] I PUT MY LEFT HAND ON MY LEG BECAUSE IT JUST FELT LIKE AN IRRITATION, AND IT WAS WET, AND I LOOKED DOWN, AND MY LEG WAS BLEEDING, AND I'D BEEN WOUNDED.

CURRY: ROGER WAS THE ONLY MAN WOUNDED.

AN AMBULANCE RUSHED HIM TO THE 93RD EVACUATION HOSPITAL AT LONG BINH.

DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT YOU WERE FEELING, HOW YOU WERE PROCESSING ALL OF THIS?

I REMEMBER ARRIVING AT THE HOSPITAL.

THERE WERE ALL KINDS OF SOLDIERS IN THERE.

THERE WERE A LOT OF BAD, BAD WOUNDS IN THAT ROOM.

THERE WAS A LOT OF SOLDIERS THAT WERE REALLY SHOT UP BAD.

THERE WAS A YOUNG MAN IN THERE HAD NO LIMBS.

YEAH.

HAD NO ARMS AND NO LEGS.

YOU KNOW, THERE WERE PEOPLE CRYING, WHICH I WAS CRYING, AND, UM-- AND THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT WERE MOANING, AND THEY WERE-- THEY WERE JUST LIKE MYSELF.

THEY WERE JUST BOYS.

THEY'RE EXAMINING ME, AND THEY HAD A LITTLE PIN THING, AND THEY'RE STICKING IT IN MY FOOT AND ASKING ME IF I COULD FEEL IT.

WELL, I COULDN'T FEEL ANY OF IT.

CURRY: ROGER HAD BEEN SHOT THROUGH HIS FEMORAL ARTERY.

WITHOUT IMMEDIATE SURGERY, HE WOULD BLEED TO DEATH.

ROGER: A DOCTOR SAID THAT "WE'RE GONNA TAKE YOU INTO SURGERY," BUT HE SAYS, "I HAVE TO TELL YOU THAT WE'RE GONNA REMOVE YOUR LEG."

YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR LIFE AND PLAYING TENNIS AND ALL THE THINGS THAT I DID WITH MY LEFT FOOT.

I THOUGHT ABOUT THAT, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT VERY LONG BECAUSE THEY WERE, LIKE, TAKING ME RIGHT AWAY, AND I DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING AFTER THAT.

THEY JUST CARRIED ME AWAY.

CURRY: IT LOOKED LIKE ROGER WOULD BE AMONG THE EVER-INCREASING NUMBER OF YOUNG MEN RETURNING HOME AS AN AMPUTEE.

DURING THE VIETNAM WAR, THE NUMBER OF AMPUTATIONS WAS 300% HIGHER THAN IN WORLD WAR II.

THESE WERE THE TERRIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF A GUERRILLA WAR WAGED USING IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES AND BRUTALLY EFFICIENT BOOBY TRAPS.

IT WAS A BOOBY TRAP THAT HAD WOUNDED DAVE JOHNSON AT THE END OF HIS SECOND TOUR.

BY 1971, DAVE'S INJURED LEG HAD COMPLETELY HEALED, AND HE WAS ENJOYING LIFE BACK AT HOME WITH HIS WIFE JUDY AND THEIR TWO YOUNG CHILDREN.

JUDY: I THOUGHT, "HE'S BACK.

IT'S OVER.

WE'VE DONE THE VIETNAM THING."

I THOUGHT, "NOW WE'LL GET ON WITH OUR LIFE AND DO A REGULAR ARMY THING."

CURRY: BUT IN AUGUST OF THAT YEAR, A LETTER ARRIVED IN THE MAILBOX THAT TURNED THE YOUNG FAMILY'S LIFE UPSIDE DOWN.

DAVE: I WAS EXPECTING THE INFANTRY BRANCH IN THE ARMY TO NOTIFY ME OF WHERE I WAS GONNA GO NEXT, SO IT WASN'T A SURPRISE TO GET THE LETTER.

IT WAS A SURPRISE WHEN I OPENED IT.

CURRY: DAVE WAS BEING SENT BACK TO VIETNAM FOR A THIRD TIME.

I FELT KIND OF LIKE SOMETHING HIT ME IN THE STOMACH.

I THOUGHT, "OH, NO.

I GOT TO DO THIS AGAIN," AND NOW I GOT TWO CHILDREN.

NOW I GOT JUDY.

WE GOT A FAMILY, AND IT HURT, BUT I'M NOT THE ONLY GUY THAT GOT 3 TOURS, SO I'M NOT THE LONE RANGER HERE.

CURRY: MM-HMM.

JUDY: WHEN HE GOT ON THE PLANE, MY THOUGHT WAS JUST "THIS IS IT.

"HE'S GONNA DIE.

THE THIRD TIME, THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO KILL HIM."

THAT'S WHAT KEPT GOING THROUGH MY MIND IS "THEY'RE TRYING TO KILL HIM, THEY'RE GONNA KILL HIM, I KNOW THEY ARE," YOU KNOW?

CURRY: IT WAS ON THIS TOUR IN VIETNAM THAT DAVE WOULD FACE ALMOST CERTAIN DEATH AND MEET THE MAN WHO WOULD SAVE HIS LIFE.

ON JULY 5, 1972, DAVE AND 5 OTHER SERVICEMEN SET OFF ON A SHORT MISSION TO LOCATE ENEMY BASES ACROSS THE BORDER IN CAMBODIA...

BUT 15 MILES INSIDE CAMBODIA, THIS ROUTINE MISSION TURNED INTO A BATTLE FOR SURVIVAL.

EVERYBODY HEARD THIS "THUNK" IN THE SIDE OF THE HELICOPTER, AND WE'D BEEN HIT BY WHAT I IMAGINE WAS A 51-CALIBER ROUND FROM A WEAPON ON THE GROUND IN CAMBODIA, AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO LOSE POWER.

NOW WE KNEW WE WERE GOING DOWN THEN BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GONNA MAKE IT BACK TO VIETNAM.

CURRY: AS DAVE CALLED IN A MAYDAY, AGAINST ALL THE ODDS, THE PILOT MANAGED A ROUGH LANDING.

NO ONE WAS HURT, BUT THEY WERE EXPOSED TO IMMEDIATE MACHINE GUNFIRE.

I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA EITHER BE KILLED OR CAPTURED, ALL OF US, BECAUSE WE'RE MAYBE 15 MILES FROM VIETNAM, WE'RE IN A BIG, OPEN AREA, AND IT WOULDN'T BE LONG.

WE WOULD RUN OUT OF AMMUNITION.

WE WERE IN A BAD SPOT.

NOBODY WANTS TO BE THE LAST PERSON KILLED IN THIS WAR.

[GUNFIRE] CURRY: IT SEEMED THERE WAS NO ESCAPE.

JUDY'S WORST FEARS WERE ABOUT TO BE REALIZED WHEN SUDDENLY DAVE'S RADIO CRACKLED INTO LIFE.

DAVE: I GOT THIS CALL, AND IT SAID, "THIS IS HILLCLIMBER 3-2.

WE'RE EN ROUTE.

WE'RE GONNA COME PICK YOU UP."

I SAID RIGHT AWAY, "GREAT!"

BUT I SAID, "UNDERSTAND.

WE'RE TAKING FIRE "FROM, I THINK, 3 DIRECTIONS HERE.

YOU'RE GONNA COME UNDER FIRE WHEN YOU LAND," AND HE SAID, "ROGER THAT."

CURRY: ON A ROUTINE MISSION BACK ACROSS THE BORDER IN VIETNAM, A U.S.

HELICOPTER HAD PICKED UP DAVE'S MAYDAY.

IT WAS COMMANDED BY BRUCE GRABLE, WHO TOOK IT UPON HIMSELF TO RESPOND TO THE CALL.

KNOWING HE AND HIS CREW WERE FLYING INTO ENEMY FIRE, HE DECIDED TO RESCUE THE STRANDED MEN.

DAVE: AS SOON AS I SAW THIS HELICOPTER, I THOUGHT, "PFFT.

THEY'RE--WE'RE GONNA GET OUT OF HERE."

IT WAS GOOD TO SEE HIM COMING OVER THE HORIZON.

CURRY: AND IT WAS SOME SIGHT BECAUSE THIS WASN'T A REGULAR COMBAT HELICOPTER.

IT WAS A CHINOOK, A 98-FOOT-LONG, 12 TON GIANT.

BEHIND THE LINES, CHINOOKS TRANSPORTED TROOPS AND SUPPLIES, BUT IN THE COMBAT ZONE, THIS MASSIVE HELICOPTER WAS A MASSIVE TARGET.

DAVE: THIS IS THE CHINOOK, THE CH-47, AND THIS IS THE TYPE OF HELICOPTER THAT BRUCE GRABLE WAS FLYING THE DAY WHEN HE PICKED US UP.

I REMEMBER HE SPUN IT AROUND, AND THE RAMP WAS LET DOWN AND WAS FACING US, AND ROUNDS WERE HITTING THE GROUND AROUND US.

WE COULD HEAR THEM THUNKING INTO THE SIDE OF THE HELICOPTER, TOO.

WE DIDN'T RUN VERY FAR, BUT WE RAN FAST.

I IMAGINE, I IMAGINE.

HA HA HA!

DAVE: I DON'T REMEMBER PEOPLE GIVING EACH OTHER HIGH-FIVES.

I DON'T THINK IT WAS THAT, ALTHOUGH I THINK I CERTAINLY FELT A HUGE SENSE OF RELIEF.

I THOUGHT, "MY GOD.

WE'VE BEEN RESCUED."

CURRY: AGAINST ALL THE ODDS, DAVE AND HIS FELLOW SOLDIERS HAD SURVIVED THANKS TO THE BRAVERY OF BRUCE GRABLE AND HIS CREW.

DAVE: I DIDN'T SEE HIM UNTIL WE GOT BACK TO THE AIRFIELD.

I THINK I PROBABLY GAVE HIM A HUG, AND IT WAS JUST LIKE, UM, "YEAH, SURE.

YOU'RE WELCOME," LIKE, KIND OF THING.

YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT, "I KNOW THAT WASN'T ROUTINE FOR HIM."

CURRY: THAT DAY, JULY 5, 1972, WAS THE LAST TIME DAVE SAW BRUCE, BUT THE CONSEQUENCES OF BRUCE'S ACTIONS HAVE SHAPED DAVE'S LIFE EVER SINCE.

I'M FOREVER GRATEFUL TO BRUCE W. GRABLE FOR SAVING NOT ONLY ME BY THE OTHER 5 GUYS.

HEH.

PRETTY SPECIAL GUY-- HEH HEH--TO DO THAT, TO TAKE THAT KIND OF RISK.

HE DID NOT HAVE TO DO THIS.

NO ONE TOLD HIM TO DO THIS.

NO ONE EVEN SUGGESTED THAT HE DO IT, AND... THAT'S BIG.

TO ME, THAT'S HUGE.

CURRY: DAVE RECOMMENDED BRUCE GRABLE FOR A DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, ONE OF THE HIGHEST AWARDS FOR BRAVERY IN THE U.S. MILITARY.

I REGRET NOW THAT I DIDN'T FOLLOW UP MORE-- THAT I COULD TELL YOU TODAY WITH CERTAINTY WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT, WHETHER HE GOT THE AWARD OR NOT.

I'M SORRY.

I CAN'T DO THAT.

CURRY: IN DECEMBER 1972, 6 MONTHS AFTER HIS BRUSH WITH DEATH, DAVE LEFT VIETNAM FOR A THIRD AND FINAL TIME.

HE'S BEEN GRATEFUL EVERY DAY THAT THE BRAVERY OF BRUCE GRABLE AND HIS CREW ALLOWED HIM TO RETURN HOME.

DAVE: OK.

THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN ON A CRUISE, WHERE WE WERE CELEBRATING OUR 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY.

LOOK AT YOU.

THAT'S OUR DAUGHTER, HER MOM, HER DAD, OUR TWO BOYS, GRANDSON.

CURRY: FOR DAVE, THIS IS THE LIFE AND THIS IS THE FAMILY THAT BRUCE GRABLE MADE POSSIBLE.

CURRY: HOW MUCH HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF HIM OVER THESE YEARS?

A LOT.

A WHOLE LOT, AND I'M THANKFUL, AND, UH, I'VE THOUGHT, "WELL, I GOT TO FIND THIS GU-- I GOT TO LOCATE HIM."

HOW MUCH WOULD IT MEAN TO YOU FIND HIM?

A WHOLE LOT.

A WHOLE LOT.

CURRY: ON DECEMBER 30, 1967, WOUNDED FINANCE CLERK ROGER WAGNER WENT INTO SURGERY, BELIEVING HIS LEG WOULD BE AMPUTATED.

ROGER: NEXT THING I WOULD REMEMBER IS WHEN I WOKE UP, AND I REMEMBER COMING TO KIND OF, REALIZING, "OK SURGERY'S OVER.

I'M ALIVE," AND I HAVE A SHEET OVER MY BODY, AND I LOOK DOWN, AND I HAVE TWO FEET UNDER THE SHEET.

THAT DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE TO ME WHATSOEVER.

ALONG COMES THIS MAN WHO DID MY SURGERY NAMED DR. KATZ, AND HE STARTS TELLING ME WHAT HE DID.

HE TOOK A VEIN OUT OF THIS LEG AND THEN GRAFTED IT INTO MY ARTERY TO CONTINUE THE BLOOD FLOW.

CURRY: IT SEEMED THIS COMPLEX OPERATION MUST HAVE BEEN THE WORK OF AN EXPERIENCED SURGEON, BUT TO ROGER, THE MAN WHO HAD SAVED HIS LIFE APPEARED TO BE ANYTHING BUT.

HE JUST LOOKED LIKE A KID LIKE ME, BUT I CANNOT PULL UP HIS FACE OR HIS VOICE ANYMORE.

CURRY: ROGER HAS FORGOTTEN DR. KATZ'S FACE, BUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THE YOUNG SURGEON DID FOR HIM HAS STUCK WITH HIM EVER SINCE.

CLEARLY WHAT HE DID, HIS ACTIONS, AFFECTED THE COURSE OF YOUR LIFE.

WHAT LIFE DID YOU GET TO HAVE BECAUSE OF WHAT HE DID?

SO WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE MILITARY, I'D GROWN UP PRETTY FAST, AND I WANTED TO UNDO, FOR ONE THING, HAVING FLUNKED OUT OF COLLEGE, SO I WENT BACK TO COLLEGE.

I GOT ON THE DEAN'S LIST.

I WAS ALWAYS ON THE DEAN'S LIST.

PLAYED ON THE VARSITY TENNIS TEAM.

HOLD UP.

YOU PLAYED VARSITY TENNIS ON THIS BUM LEG?

YES.

MY LEG IS AS GOOD AS ANYBODY'S LEG.

CURRY: ROGER HAS LIVED A LIFE HE THOUGHT HE'D LOST THANKS TO DR. KATZ.

YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS WANTED TO FIND HIM.

AS I MATURED AND I GOT OLDER AND I REALIZED WHAT HE REALLY HAD DONE FOR ME, I WANTED TO FIN-- I WANTED TO THANK HIM.

I WANTED TO GIVE HIM A HUG, YOU KNOW?

I WANTED TO LET HIM KNOW I'M STILL HERE, AND I NEED TO DO IT IN PERSON.

THAT'S THE BEST WAY.

CURRY: DAVE JOHNSON IS STARTING HIS SEARCH FOR THE HELICOPTER COMMANDER WHO SAVED HIS LIFE-- BRUCE GRABLE.

HAVING TRIED TO FIND BRUCE IN THE PAST AND FAILED, DAVE'S COME TO THE ARMY AVIATION MUSEUM IN FORT RUCKER, ALABAMA.

ALL DAVE KNOWS IS THAT BRUCE WAS ONE OF THE 40,000 HELICOPTER PILOTS IN VIETNAM.

THEY FLEW EVERYTHING FROM ASSAULT MISSIONS TO MEDICAL EVACUATION, RESUPPLY TO RECONNAISSANCE.

THE HELICOPTER PILOT'S JOB WAS ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS IN VIETNAM.

MORE THAN 2,000 DIED IN COMBAT.

DAVE NEED TO KNOW IF BRUCE SURVIVED THE WAR.

OK.

HERE ARE THE CHINOOKS.

HE'S HOPING THE MUSEUM'S HISTORIAN KEN TILLEY CAN PROVIDE SOME ANSWERS.

KEN: OK.

I WANTED TO SHOW YOU THIS DD 214, AND YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE DD 214.

YEAH, FOR SURE.

YOU WOULD HAVE GOTTEN ONE... EVERYBODY GETS ONE.

WHEN YOU LEFT ACTIVE DUTY, YES, SIR, AND IT HAS INFORMATION ON BRUCE GRABLE, AND IT GIVES HIS LAST RANK AS MAJOR.

HE GOT OUT OF ACTIVE DUTY AT FORT DRUM IN 1990.

CURRY: THAT MEANS BRUCE SURVIVED THE VIETNAM WAR.

BOY, THAT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE THAT.

YEAH.

WOW.

CURRY: IT'S THE NEWS DAVE HAS BEEN HOPING TO HEAR FOR 46 YEARS, AND IT'S NOT THE ONLY NEWS.

BACK IN 1972, DAVE WANTED BRUCE'S BRAVERY RECOGNIZED.

HE RECOMMENDED HIM FOR A DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, BUT HE NEVER KNEW WHETHER BRUCE RECEIVED THE MEDAL.

ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO SHOW YOU IS IT SHOWS HERE THAT HE GOT IT.

HE RECEIVED IT, YEAH.

THAT'S REALLY GRATIFYING BECAUSE I WAS-- I WAS HOPING HE'D GET SOME RECOGNITION FOR IT, YOU KNOW?

WOW.

HA HA!

THAT--WHEN I SAW THAT, I THOUGHT, "WOW!

IT DID HAPPEN, HE DID RECEIVE IT," AND ALL THESE YEARS, HE'S BEEN ABLE TO WEAR THAT MEDAL ON HIS UNIFORM FOR WHAT HE DID THAT DAY.

THAT WAS BIG.

THAT WAS REAL BIG.

YEAH.

CURRY: BUT THE ARCHIVES CONTAIN NO RECORD OF BRUCE AFTER HE LEFT THE ARMY.

DAVE'S HOPE NOW IS TO REACH OUT TO VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS.

KEN: WHAT YOU DO IS YOU FIND SOMEBODY WHO KNEW HIM AND SOMEBODY WHO NOW KNOWS WHERE HE IS... YEAH.

AND YOU CAN PROGRESS THAT WAY.

WELL, THIS IS GOOD TO KNOW.

AT LEAST I KNOW HE GOT OUT OF VIETNAM ALIVE.

MM-HMM.

YES.

AND HE STAYED IN THE ARMY FOR A WHILE, WHICH IS GONNA BE HELPFUL BECAUSE HE'LL BE EASIER TO LOCATE MAYBE.

CURRY: BUT IT'S BEEN NEARLY 30 YEARS SINCE BRUCE LEFT THE MILITARY.

DAVE NEEDS TO DISCOVER WHETHER HE IS STILL ALIVE AND WHERE HE MIGHT BE.

DAVE: I'D LIKE FOR MORE PEOPLE TO KNOW ABOUT BRUCE W. GRABLE THAN JUST ME AND MY FAMILY.

I'D LIKE FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT HE DID TO EARN THAT DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, AND HOPEFULLY, WE CAN DO THAT.

HOPEFULLY.

CURRY: FORMER ARMY FINANCE CLERK ROGER WAGNER ALSO WANTS TO HONOR THE MAN WHO SAVED HIS LIFE IN VIETNAM, A YOUNG SURGEON HE KNEW ONLY AS DR. KATZ.

FOR 50 YEARS, ROGER HAS TRIED TO FIND THE SURGEON, BUT WITH ONLY HIS LAST NAME TO GO ON, EVEN THE INTERNET WAS NO HELP.

ROGER: WHEN I WOULD LOOK FOR DR. KATZ, THERE WAS A LOT OF PEDIATRICIANS, VETERINARIANS.

NEVER FOUND ANYBODY THAT WAS, LIKE, A SURGEON, VASCULAR.

I NEVER COULD FIND HIM.

CURRY: TO HAVE ANY CHANCE OF FINDING HIM, ROGER MUST FIRST DISCOVER DR. KATZ'S FULL NAME.

HE'S STARTING HIS SEARCH AT THE UNIFORM SERVICES UNIVERSITY IN BETHESDA, MARYLAND.

IT'S HOME TO A UNIQUE ARCHIVE OF SURGICAL DATA GATHERED BY MEDICS IN VIETNAM AND COMPILED BY DR. NORMAN RICH.

DR. RICH, DR. RICH.

ROGER.

VERY NICE TO MEET YOU.

HA HA HA!

HOW ARE YOU DOING?

START WITH A HUG.

CURRY: DURING THE VIETNAM WAR, DR. RICH WAS THE CHIEF OF SURGERY AT A MASH, OR A MOBILE ARMY SURGICAL HOSPITAL.

HE KNOWS ONLY TOO WELL WHAT CONDITIONS WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR DR. KATZ WHEN HE OPERATED ON ROGER.

RICH: WE WORKED SO HARD, THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS REST TIME.

WE WERE ON 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK, AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE WOULD OPERATE MOST OF THE NIGHT.

CURRY: DURING THE VIETNAM WAR, ABOUT 600 SURGEONS TREATED MORE THAN 150,000 PATIENTS.

RICH: IN THE MORNING, WE WOULD MAKE OUR ROUNDS, AND THEN WE WOULD SLEEP OUTSIDE ON A STRETCHER FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS, AND THEN THE SEARCH AND DESTROY MISSIONS WOULD COME IN AT 4:30, AND WE'D START ALL OVER AGAIN.

CURRY: IN THESE CONDITIONS UNDER THIS PRESSURE, THE SUCCESS OF A COMPLEX ARTERIAL GRAFT LIKE ROGER'S WAS FAR FROM CERTAIN.

THERE WAS A REAL POSSIBILITY THE GRAFTED VEIN WOULD FAIL.

RICH: OVER THE YEARS, THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER FORMER CASUALTIES WHO HAVE HAD FAILURE OF THEIR GRAFT, IF YOU WILL, AT 10 YEARS OR 20 YEARS... IS THAT RIGHT?

OR 30 YEARS.

ARE YOU SAYING THAT I ACTUALLY AM FORTUNATE THAT I HAVE HAD AS GOOD RESULTS AS I'VE HAD?

YOU'VE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE THAT YOU'VE HAD NO COMPLICATIONS.

CURRY: DR. RICH HAS MORE THAN AN UNDERSTANDING OF ROGER'S SURGERY.

HE ALSO HAS THE LEAD ROGER'S BEEN LOOKING FOR-- DR. KATZ'S FULL NAME.

RICH: WE HAPPEN TO HAVE A COPY OF YOUR MEDICAL RECORD FROM VIETNAM.

GOD, DOC, THAT IS REALLY SOMETHING.

THAT'S AMAZING.

AND THEN HERE'S THE ANESTHESIA SHEET, AND THIS IS WHY I KNEW IT WAS DR. KATZ BECAUSE THE ANESTHESIOLOGIST SAID DR. KATZ WAS YOUR PRIMARY SURGEON... GOD.

AND WE HAVE ALL THOSE DETAILS, AND THEN THIS IS DR. KATZ'S OPERATING ROOM NOTE.

DO YOU KNOW DR. KATZ'S FIRST NAME?

OH, YES.

OH, MY GOD.

WE CAN ANSWER THAT FOR YOU.

HERE.

M-A-Y-E-R KATZ, ARMY CAPTAIN, MEDICAL CORPS.

ROGER: NEVER HEARD HIS FIRST NAME.

YOU KNOW, THERE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A REASON FOR ME TO KNOW IT THERE.

CURRY: THIS IS THE FIRST TIME ROGER HAS EVER HEARD THE FULL NAME OF THE MAN WHO SAVED HIS LEG AND HIS LIFE IN 1967.

RICH: I NEVER MET HIM, BUT OUT OF SOME 600 AMERICAN DOCTORS WHO SERVED IN VIETNAM, I MET OR CORRESPONDED WITH ABOUT 375 OF THEM, BUT THERE IS AN EXHIBIT DOWNTOWN RIGHT NOW ABOUT THE VIETNAM WAR AT THE NEWS MUSEUM, AND DR. KATZ IS IN ONE OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS DOWN THERE.

IF YOU GO DOWN AND SEE THAT EXHIBIT, THAT WOULD GIVE YOU A GOOD START.

AS A SOUVENIR FOR ALL OF THIS, LET ME GIVE YOU A-- I CAN KEEP THIS?

OH.

GOD BLESS YOU, DOC.

LET ME GIVE YOU A HARD COPY.

HA HA!

YEAH.

[SIGHS] THAT WAS AMAZING.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.

IT'S JUST UNBELIEVABLE.

I'M A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO DR. KATZ, DR. MAYER KATZ.

NEVER KNEW THAT.

20 MINUTES AGO, I JUST FOUND OUT HIS NAME, SO TO KNOW THAT THE PERSON HE PROBABLY STILL EXISTS, LET'S GO GET HIM.

UNLIKE ROGER, DAVE HAS ALWAYS KNOWN THE NAME OF THE MAN WHO SAVED HIS LIFE-- HELICOPTER COMMANDER BRUCE W. GRABLE-- BUT THIS HASN'T MADE HIM ANY EASIER TO FIND.

DAVE HAS DISCOVERED BRUCE SURVIVED THE VIETNAM WAR AND LEFT THE ARMY IN 1990, BUT AFTER THAT, THE TRAIL GOES COLD.

DAVE'S HOPE NOW IS TO SEE IF BRUCE IS A MEMBER OF A VETERANS' ORGANIZATION.

TODAY, HE'S MEETING BOB FOUSEK OF THE VIETNAM HELICOPTER PILOTS' ASSOCIATION.

LIKE BRUCE, BOB FLEW HELICOPTERS IN VIETNAM.

DAVE IS: THAT YOU?

THAT WAS ME AS A YOUNG WARRANT OFFICER IN '68.

YEAH.

TOM CRUISE WISHED HE LOOKED THAT GOOD.

HA!

CURRY: THE ASSOCIATION KEEPS A DATABASE OF EXISTING AND POTENTIAL MEMBERS.

SO WHAT I'M GONNA TRY TO DO IS SEE IF I CAN FIND BRUCE GRABLE... OK. GOOD.

APPRECIATE IT.

SO IF YOU'LL BEAR WITH ME FOR JUST A MINUTE HERE.

CURRY: IT COULD CONTAIN THE VITAL INFORMATION THAT WILL HELP HIM FINALLY FIND BRUCE.

IT SAYS THAT HE BASICALLY BELONGED TO THE HILLCLIMBERS, THE 147TH.

YEAH.

HE WAS ARMY, AND HE CURRENTLY RESIDES AT SOUTH CAROLINA.

SO YOU'RE PRETTY SURE HE'S STILL A LIVE THEN?

OH.

THIS SAYS YES.

YEAH.

OK. GOOD.

CURRY: THIS IS THE NEWS DAVE HAS BEEN HOPING FOR.

BRUCE IS STILL ALIVE, AND HE'S LIVING IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

THERE ISN'T A CURRENT ADDRESS, BUT THERE IS ONE LAST ROLL OF THE DICE.

I'LL SEND A BLANKET E-MAIL TO ALL OF OUR MEMBERS... YEAH.

AND ASK IF THERE'S ANYBODY THAT KNOWS HIM AND IF THEY CAN GIVE US BETTER CONTACT INFORMATION, TO INCLUDE A PHONE NUMBER SO WE CAN CONTACT HIM.

ALL RIGHT.

SO HE'S--HE'S OUT THERE SOMEWHERE, AND WE WILL FIND HIM.

HA HA HA!

DAVE: IT'S ALL COMING TOGETHER AS I HOPED IT WOULD, BUT I WASN'T SURE HOW IT WOULD COME OUT, BUT WE'RE GETTING CLOSE, I THINK.

CURRY: GIVEN THE DANGERS OF FLYING HELICOPTERS IN VIETNAM, IT'S REMARKABLE BRUCE SURVIVED THE WAR.

4,877 HELICOPTER PILOTS AND CREW WEREN'T SO LUCKY.

THEY'RE AMONG THE 58,220 DEAD OR MISSING IMMORTALIZED ON THE VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL WALL IN WASHINGTON, D.C. FOR ROGER WAGNER, IT'S A SOBERING REMINDER THAT IF IT WASN'T FOR DR. KATZ HIS NAME MAY ALSO HAVE BEEN CARVED ON THIS WALL.

JUST A FEW BLOCKS AWAY, THE CITY'S NEWS MUSEUM IS HOLDING AN EXHIBITION OF PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN DURING TH 1968 TET OFFENSIVE.

ROGER IS FOLLOWING UP ON A TIP THAT DR. KATZ WAS ONE OF THE SURGEONS PHOTOGRAPHED DURING THIS TIME.

TAKEN BY PHOTOGRAPHER JOHN OLSON, THE IMAGES CAPTURE THE VISCERAL HORROR OF THE BATTLE OF HUE, THE BLOODIEST BATTLE OF THE VIETNAM WAR.

ROGER: LOOKING AT THESE PHOTOGRAPHS, I CAN RELATE TO IT IN THAT WHEN I WAS ON THE HOSPITAL WE SHARED OUR STORIES, AND THESE ARE THE STORIES THAT I HEARD ABOUT-- HOW THEY WERE WOUNDED, THEIR LIVING CONDITIONS, WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH.

IT WASN'T WHAT I WENT THROUGH.

CURRY: IMAGES FROM THE BATTLE OF HUE STUNNED THE AMERICAN PUBLIC.

[GUNFIRE] IN NEWSPAPERS AND ON TELEVISION, AMERICANS WITNESSED THE BRUTAL REALITY OF THE HORRORS THEIR FATHERS, SONS, AND BROTHERS WERE FACING IN VIETNAM.

WE LOST SECOND PLATOON.

THEY WAS WIPED OUT.

WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO DROP BACK TODAY TO REGROUP.

HOW DO YOU FEEL YOURSELF?

SCARED, I GUESS.

CURRY: PUBLIC OPINION BEGAN TO SWING AGAINST THE WAR.

THE RISING TIDE OF PROTEST WOULD BE A CRITICAL FACTOR IN AMERICA'S EVENTUAL WITHDRAWAL FROM VIETNAM, BUT IN 1968, POLITICS COULDN'T HAVE BEEN FURTHER FROM ROGER'S MIND.

RECOVERING IN A HOSPITAL THOUSANDS OF MILES FROM HOME, HE WAS THINKING ABOUT HOW LUCKY HE HAD BEEN.

I WAS A LITTLE BIT EMBARRASSED BECAUSE HERE I AM IN THE HOSPITAL BEING TAKEN CARE OF THE SAME WAY, BUT I DIDN'T PAY MY DUES LIKE THESE YOUNG MEN DID.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF AN EMBARRASSMENT FOR ME.

CURRY: FOR ROGER, THE EXHIBITION IS STIRRING UP PAINFUL MEMORIES, BUT IT DOES CONTAIN ONE GLIMMER OF HOPE.

IT'S AN IMPORTANT STEP IN ROGER'S SEARCH FOR DR. KATZ, SHOWING HIM A FACE HE HASN'T SEEN FOR 50 YEARS.

HEH HEH HEH.

NO KIDDING.

DR. KATZ.

WOW.

IS THAT A BEAUTIFUL MAN OR WHAT?

I MEAN, HE'S GOT BLOOD ON HIS UNIFORM.

GOD BLESS HIM.

SEE, HE LOOKS REALLY YOUNG.

LOOKS LIKE SOMEBODY YOU'D GO DRINK A BEER WITH, DOESN'T HE?

AND I'D BUY.

WHAT A GUY.

CURRY: IT'S A FACE FROM THE PAST, BUT ROGER WANTS TO FIND WHERE DR. KATZ IS NOW.

HE'S MEETING WITH THE EXHIBITION'S CURATOR CARRIE CHRISTOFFERSEN TO SEE IF SHE HAS ANY CONTACT DETAILS FOR DR. KATZ.

ROGER: THIS WHOLE IDEA FOR ME IS THE ENDING IS GOING TO BE FINDING DR. KATZ, SO IS HE ALIVE?

DO YOU KNOW WHERE HE'S AT?

WELL, WE LAST SPOKE AND WERE CONNECTED THIS PAST FALL, AND AT THAT TIME, HE WAS IN DELAWARE, STILL WORKING AT A HEALTH SERVICE THERE.

I'M SO GLAD TO HEAR JUST FOR HIS SAKE THAT HE'S STILL ALIVE, YOU KNOW?

YES.

YEAH.

BUT HE MUST HAVE SUCH PASSION FOR IT THAT HE'S STILL WORKING IN THE FIELD.

MM-HMM.

OUTSTANDING.

TO THAT GIVES ME GOOSE BUMPS JUST THINKING ABOUT MAYBE THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THAT I'LL GET TO TALK TO HIM ALSO.

WITH ANY LUCK.

I HOPE SO.

ROGER: THERE'S A CLUE.

HE'S STILL ALIVE VERY POSSIBLY, POSSIBLY LIVING IN DELAWARE.

MAYBE I CAN TALK TO HIM.

MAYE HE CAN TALK TO ME.

IT GIVES ME CHILLS.

I MEAN, THAT'S FANTASTIC.

I'M VERY EXCITED.

CURRY: WHILE THE TRAIL IS LEADING ROGER TO DELAWARE... DAVE KNOWS THAT BRUCE GRABLE LIVES SOMEWHERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA, BUT HE HAS NO IDEA WHERE.

SO HE'S HOPING THAT HELICOPTER VETERAN BOB FOUSEK HAS COME UP WITH SOME INFORMATION SINCE THEY LAST MET.

[CELL PHONE RINGING] HELLO?

BOB: DAVE?

YEAH.

HELLO, BOB.

I HAVE MANAGED TO FIND BRUCE GRABLE'S CONTACT INFORMATION TO INCLUDE HIS PHONE NUMBER.

REALLY?

ABSOLUTELY.

CURRY: ONE OF THE HELICOPTER ASSOCIATION'S MEMBERS HAS RESPONDED TO BOB'S E-MAIL AND SENT HIM BRUCE GRABLE'S CONTACT DETAILS.

THAT'S IT.

OK, BUDDY.

WOW!

THIS IS GREAT!

THAN--THANKS SO MUCH FOR LOCATING THIS FOR ME, BOB, AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH IT MEANS.

THANK YOU AGAIN, BOB.

GREAT TALKING WITH YOU.

WE GOT A PHONE NUMBER, WE GOT AN ADDRESS AND AN E-MAIL.

I MEAN, THAT'S IT.

THAT'S THE WHOLE 9 YARDS.

HA HA!

YEAH.

THIS IS GREAT.

I THINK WE CAN FIND THIS GUY.

I HOPE HE'S AT HOME.

HEH HEH.

LONG TIME LOOKING FOR THAT.

CURRY: ROGER'S SEARCH IS ALSO ALMOST OVER.

HE'S TRAVELED TO LEWES, DELAWARE, WHERE HE'S DISCOVERED DR. KATZ HAS BEEN WORKING AS A VASCULAR SURGEON AS A LOCAL HOSPITAL.

ROGER IS MEETING WITH THE HOSPITAL'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CARDIAC AND VASCULAR SERVICES LYNN AMEY.

AMEY: I KNOW YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT DR. KATZ AND YOU HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

I TOTALLY DO.

HE JUST TURNED 81 AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS MONTH.

YEAH.

AND HE HAS BEEN ACTIVELY OPERATING A COUPLE TIMES A WEEK.

DR. KATZ RETIRED AT THE END OF APRIL.

OH!

THE GOOD NEWS IS HE'S STILL IN THE AREA.

HE DIDN'T RETIRE AND MOVE AWAY, SO YOU WILL BE ABLE TO MEET HIM, AND HE'S LOOKING FORWARD TO MEETING YOU, SO... OK.

EXCELLENT.

CURRY: THIS IS THE MOMENT ROGER HAS BEEN WAITING FOR.

ROGER: I NEVER THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA FIND HIM.

I MEAN, ALL THESE YEARS, I JUST PRETTY MUCH HAD GIVEN UP.

CURRY: NOW MORE THAN 50 YEARS SINCE HE LAST SAW HIM IN THE HEAT AND NOISE OF A HOSPITAL IN VIETNAM, ROGER IS ABOUT TO ONCE AGAIN MEET THE MAN WHO CHANGED HIS LIFE.

WOW.

HA HA!

DR. KATZ.

YES.

TALK ABOUT WOW.

COME HERE, SIR.

HA HA HA!

HOW ARE YOU DOING?

YOU'RE LOOKING GOOD.

I FEEL PRETTY GOOD THANKS TO YOU.

BETTER THAN THE LAST TIME I SAW YOU.

OH, MAN.

THAT'S A REAL LEG RIGHT?

THAT'S MY LEG, BUT IT'S ALSO YOUR LEG.

I NEVER HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY LEG.

I DON'T SUPPOSE THAT YOU ACTUALLY WOULD REMEMBER ME.

I MEAN, I WAS JUST ONE OF-- I DO.

I REMEMBER.

CURRY: IN FACT, DR. KATZ CLEARLY RECALLS ROGER'S SURGERY.

LIMB AND LIFE WERE TWO THINGS THAT WERE A QUESTION MARK AT THAT POINT BEFORE SURGERY.

WE--WE WANTED TO DISTURB YOUR CIRCULATION AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE, SO WE TOOK THE VEIN OUT OF THE RIGHT LEG.

IT'S CALLED THE SAPHENOUS VEIN.

IT'S ONE YOU DON'T NEED.

GOD PUT IT THERE FOR US TO BE ABLE TO MAKE GRAFTS FOR-- OK. AND SO WE TOOK THAT VEIN, AND WE REVERSED IT AND PUT IT IN AS A REPLACEMENT FOR THE FEMORAL ARTERY.

HOW LONG WAS THE SURGERY?

DO YOU KNOW APPROXIMATELY, LIKE, WHAT THAT WOULD BE?

PROBABLY 3 OR 4 HOURS.

OH, MY GOD.

CURRY: DR. KATZ BECAME A SURGEON JUST 6 MONTHS BEFORE HE PERFORMED ROGER'S COMPLEX VASCULAR OPERATION, AND ROGER'S WASN'T THE ONLY LIFE HE SAVED IN VIETNAM.

OVER 13 MONTHS, HE SAVED THE LIVES OF 367 SOLDIERS WOUNDED IN BATTLE.

HE EVEN REMOVED A LIVE GRENADE FROM A SOLDIER'S CHEEK, AN ACT OF COURAGE AND SKILL FOR WHICH WAS AWARDED THE PRESTIGIOUS SOLDIER'S MEDAL, THE HIGHEST AWARD FOR BRAVERY IN A NONCOMBAT SITUATION.

AFTER THE WAR, DR. KATZ CONTINUED TO CHANGE LIVES, WORKING AS A SENIOR SURGEON FOR MORE THAN 4 DECADES UNTIL HE RETIRED AT THE AGE OF 81.

ROGER: I WAS JUST LUCKY TO BE IN LONG BINH AT THAT TIME THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO COME AND DO MY SURGERY.

I MEAN, THIS IS ALL ABOUT ME SAYING THANK YOU REALLY BECAUSE YOU, LIKE, DID SO MUCH FOR ME.

I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT--AND I FEEL LIKE MAYBE I'M NOT EVEN SITTING HERE JUST FOR ME BUT ALL THE YOUNG MEN THAT YOU PROBABLY HELPED THAT MAY NOT HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY THAT I HAVE TO SAY THANK YOU BECAUSE I'M-- HA HA HA!

GOD BLESS YOU.

I MEAN... WELL, I--I CAN ONLY TELL YOU THE PLEASURE I HAVE WHEN I SEE YOU AND I HEAR WHAT YOU CAN DO.

I'M JUST--I'M SO HAPPY THAT YOU'RE DOING SO WELL.

ROGER: IS HE A COOL GUY OR WHAT, RIGHT?

I MEAN, IS THAT THE GUY YOU WANT TO HAVE DO SURGERY ON YOU?

AND, I MEAN, HE ALMOST TALKED LIKE IT WAS NO BIG DEAL.

THE MAN SAVED MY LEG AND GAVE ME A LIFE LIKE A NORMAL PERSON.

KATZ, VOICE-OVER: WHAT A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE.

IT JUST COMPLETES THE CIRCLE OF, YOU KNOW, HAVING SEEN SOMEONE BEFORE SURGERY, OPERATED, AND THEN SAW HIM AFTERWARDS, BUT THEN 50 YEARS LATER, I FOUND THAT HIS ARTERY GRAFT WORKED FINE.

I DON'T THINK THERE HAS EVER BEEN A PERSON WHO HAS A 50-YEAR FOLLOW-UP OF-- THIS IS PROBABLY THE FIRST ONE.

I'LL REPORT IT.

I MEAN, THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE.

I KEPT THAT CARD IN MY WALLET FOR YEARS BECAUSE I WAS SO PROUD.

ROGER, VOICE-OVER: I HOPE I THANKED HIM ENOUGH.

I HOPE HE UNDERSTANDS HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE WHAT HE DID.

KIND OF LIKE IT'S OVER, BUT IT'S NOT OVER REALLY BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA KEEP IN TOUCH.

CURRY: FOR FELLOW VIETNAM VET DAVE JOHNSON, THE MOMENT HAS FINALLY COME TO MEET FORM ARMY HELICOPTER PILOT BRUCE W. GRABLE...

THE MAN WHO RESCUED HIM UNDER FIRE IN HOSTILE TERRITORY BACK IN 1972.

DAVE: I NEED FOR HIM TO KNOW HOW MUCH WHAT HE DID MEANT TO ME.

I BELIEVE THAT I OWE HIM MY LIFE.

I THINK THAT HE SAVED MINE.

UH... WHAT IS THE LIFE THAT YOU HAVE BUILT HE ALLOWED YOU TO HAVE?

WELL--WELL, I HAVE 2 CHILDREN NOW, I HAVE 3 GRANDCHILDREN.

I'VE HAD A WONDERFUL MARRIAGE FOR 54 YEARS NOW, AND, UM...

I OWE HIM A LOT.

YEAH.

I'VE BEEN VERY BLESSED IN MY LIFE, AND... [SNIFFS] IN NO SMALL PART BECAUSE OF HIM.

BRUCE GRABLE?

HILLCLIMBER 3-2?

THAT'S IT.

IS IT?

HA HA HA!

THAT'S WHO I AM.

HOW ARE YOU?

OH, I GREAT.

YOU'RE LOOKING GREAT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

LET ME GIVE YOU A HUG.

YEAH.

YOU AIN'T KIDDING.

GLAD TO SEE YOU, MAN.

I BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS.

OH, ME, TOO.

FOR A LONG TIME.

I'VE BEEN, UM, SO LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN... YEAH.

AND TO BE ABLE TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR SAVING MY LIFE THERE IN CAMBODIA... WELL.

AND IT'S SOMETHING I THINK ABOUT OFTEN, BELIEVE ME.

WELL, THAT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY CAREER FOR THE-- I MEAN, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WILL NEVER, EVER, YOU KNOW, LEAVE ME.

IT'S ONE THING TO GO OUT AND FLY MISSIONS ALL THE TIME, BUT NOTHING CAME CLOSE TO THAT ONE.

I WAS DOING AMMO HAULING THAT DAY.

YEAH.

THIS IS--LIKE I SAID, IT'S ONE OF OUR ROUTINE MISSIONS.

IT WAS NOTHING-- NOTHING SPECIAL... YEAH.

AND THEN WE GOT THE CALL, AND, I MEAN, IT WAS VERY--YOU KNOW, IT WAS QUICK.

EVERYTHING HAD TO BE DONE QUICK.

WE WERE FIGURING IT OUT AS WE WENT, BUT I WILL TELL YOU WHAT.

THAT CREW WAS UNREAL.

CURRY: AFTER THE WAR, BRUCE HAD A DISTINGUISHED CAREER IN THE MILITARY, SERVING AROUND THE WORLD AS A HELICOPTER PILOT AND EVENTUALLY LEAVING HE ARMY IN 1990 TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN.

TODAY, HE HAS 2 SONS, 3 GRANDCHILDREN, AND IS HAPPILY MARRIED TO HIS WIFE DIANE.

DAVE: I SENT IN A RECOMMENDATION FOR DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS FOR YOU.

YES.

I THINK I GOT THAT RIGHT HERE.

I GOT TWO THINGS ACTUALLY.

DO YOU?

OK.

THERE'S THE DFC THAT YOU PUT ME IN FOR.

IS THAT FOR THAT DAY?

THAT'S IT FOR THAT DAY.

THIS ALSO CAME FROM THE VIETNAMESE.

OH, YEAH.

THEY DID-- THEY SENT YOU A CROSS OF GALLANTRY.

YEP.

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, BRUCE.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE EASIEST RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ME EVER TO WRITE.

I'VE WRITTEN A LOT OF THEM.

THESE ARE THE TWO MEDALS I HAVE THAT I THINK THE MOST OF.

DEEP IN MY HEART, I CHERISH THEM BOTH AS YOU CAN SEE.

I DON'T HAVE MY HISTORY ON THE WALL... OK.

BUT I DO HAVE THESE, AND THAT IS BECAUSE OF YOU.

CURRY: DAVE BELIEVES THE LIVES OF HIS TWO CHILDREN WERE SHAPED BY THE ACTIONS OF BRUCE AND HIS CREW ON THAT FATEFUL DAY.

DAVE: WHEN THIS HAPPENED, THIS IS ABOUT WHAT MY FAMILY LOOKED LIKE.

THAT WAS JUDY.

MY SON WAS TWO, AND LAURIE WAS 4 WHEN I WAS SHOT DOWN.

THAT WAS TAKEN ON OUR 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY.

OH, MY GOODNESS!

YEAH.

THESE 3 GOOD-LOOKING GRANDCHILDREN HERE WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY IF I'D HAVE FINISHED MY LIFE IN CAMBODIA, SO REALLY, THIS FAMILY HAS A GREAT DEAL TO THANK YOU FOR.

THEY ALL WANTED ME TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH THEY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DID.

CAN I HAVE THAT PHOTOGRAPH?

YEAH.

YOU GOT IT.

THANK YOU.

THE FEELING THAT I GOT TO PLAY A PART IN THAT IS-- YOU PLAYED A BIG PART, BUDDY.

YEAH.

IT'S WONDERFUL.

YOU BROUGHT ME HOME.

YEAH.

YEAH.

OUR FAMILY EXISTS TODAY BECAUSE YOU SAVED OUR LIFE.

DAVE, VOICE-OVER: IT WAS JUST GREAT TO TALK WITH HIM AND TO REMINISCE ABOUT THAT PRETTY EXCITING DAY.

I TOLD HIM THAT OF COURSE WHAT I WANTED TO DO WAS HONOR HIM AND HIS CREW, AND I HOPE THAT WE'VE DONE THAT.

CURRY: BUT THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO HONOR BRUCE.

DAVE: BRUCE, I'D LIKE YOU TO MEET MY WIFE JUDY.

HELLO, SWEETHEART.

HOW ARE YOU?

I'M SO GRATEFUL, AND OUR SON AND DAUGHTER BOTH SAID, "MOM, YOU HAVE TO TELL HIM HOW GRATEFUL WE ARE," SO IF I DIDN'T, I'D BE IN REALLY BIG TROUBLE, BUT HONESTLY, YOU CHANGED ALL OF OUR LIVES.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'D BE TODAY.

I CAN'T IMAGINE MY LIFE WITHOUT DAVE.

BUT THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH.

YOU'RE QUITE WELCOME.

I'M SO GLAD TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.

YOU KNOW, IT'S SO UPLIFTING, YOU KNOW, FOR ME, TOO, YOU KNOW?

OH, I JUST-- I JUST GOT TO HOLD YOUR HAND A LITTLE BIT.

OK. SURE.

THANK YOU AGAIN.

[BOTH SNIFFLING] DAVE, VOICE-OVER: THIS HAS BEEN IMPORTANT TO ME FOR A LONG TIME-- TO THANK HIM AND TO HONOR HIM, BUT IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I'M GOING TO FORGET EVER.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I'M PUTTING IN A DRAWER AND NOT SOMETHING THAT I CAN JUST SET ASIDE, BUT HAVING MET HIM AND HAD A CONVERSATION WITH HIM, IT REALLY SORT OF TIES IT UP.

CURRY: IN THE HORROR OF WAR, TWO MEN DISCOVERED THE BEST OF HUMANITY-- ACTS OF COMPASSION, SKILL, AND BRAVERY THAT UNITED STRANGERS AND CHANGED THEIR LIVES FOREVER.

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