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The Apache was struck by enemy fire, seriously wounding the pilot and destroying the helicopter's windshield and navigation equipment.
Despite his own wounds, 1LT Castillo took command of the badly damaged helicopter and flew it more than 100 miles to safety. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for this action.
Now a flying aide-de-camp to a general officer, 1LT Castillo returned to the Aviation School for transition training to qualify him as a pilot of the C-12 Huron.
LT Castillo is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Castillo of San Antonio, Texas. (U.S. Army Photograph by CPL Roger Marshutz)
[-II-]
Room 202
The Daleville Inn
Daleville, Alabama 1625 5 February 1992 The door to Room 202 was opened by a six-foot-two, two-hundred-twenty-pound, very black young man in a gray tattered West Point sweatshirt. He was holding a bottle of Coors beer and looking visibly surprised to see two crisply uniformed officers-one of them a brigadier general-standing outside the door.
"May I help the general, sir?" he asked after a moment's hesitation.
"Dick, we're looking for Lieutenant Castillo," the other officer, a captain wearing aide-de-camp's insignia, said.
He could have been the general's son. Both were tall, slim, and erect. The general's hair was starting to gray, but that was really the only significant physical difference between them.
"He's in the shower," the huge young black man said.
"You know each other?" the general asked.
"Yes, sir. We were at the Point together," the captain said.
"I'd really like to see Lieutenant Castillo," the general said to the huge young black man.
"Yes, sir," he replied, and opening the door all the way, added, "Would the general like to come in, sir? I'm sure he won't be long."
"Thank you," the general said, and entered the motel suite.
"General Wilson," the captain said, "this is Lieutenant H. Richard Miller, Jr."
"How do you do, Lieutenant?" General Wilson said. "You're Dick Miller's son?"
"Yes, sir."
"Tom, General Miller and I toured scenic Panama together a couple of years ago," Wilson said, then asked Miller, "How is your dad?"
"Happy, sir. He just got his second star."
"I saw that. Please pass on my regards."
"Yes, sir. I'll do that."
"You're assigned here, are you?"
"Yes, sir. I just started Apache school."
"Meaning you were one of the top three in your basic flight course. Congratulations. Your father must be proud of you."
"Actually, sir, as the general probably already knows, my father is not at all sure Army Aviation is here to stay."
"Yes, I know," Wilson said, smiling. "He's mentioned that once or twice."
Miller held up his bottle of beer. "Sir, would it be appropriate for me to offer the general a beer? Or something stronger?"
