Lieutenant Colonel Billy Bird Dooley, a retired member of the U.S. Army from Fort Smith, served two tours in Vietnam. Some of his awards include the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star Medal with one oak leaf cluster for exceptionally meritorious combat achievement, the Air Medal with 2203 clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal with an oak leaf cluster, and the Army Commendation Medal.

The narrative for Lieutenant Colonel Dooley's Distinguished Flying Cross reads: Captain Dooley distinguished himself by heroic actions on 8 October 1966 in the Republic of Vietnam while serving as aircraft commander of the UH-1D Huey helicopter. Captain Dooley was assigned the mission of evacuating wounded personnel from elements of the Second Battalion, 27th Infantry. Despite the ground forces receiving heavy enemy weapons fire, he elected to attempt an approach into a small landing zone. Captain Dooley skillfully maneuvered his helicopter into the landing zone under intense automatic weapons fire. After successfully evacuating two seriously wounded soldiers, he returned to the operational area and discovered additional wounded men in the landing zone.

With complete disregard for his own personal safety, Captain Dooley again flew his helicopter through hostile ground fire. Despite an intense rainstorm that had reduced visibility to near zero, he personally directed the loading of the remaining wounded men aboard the aircraft and successfully departed the landing zone. Captain Dooley’s quiet courage, initiative, professional skill, and determination to accomplish the mission resulted in the successful medical evacuation of several seriously wounded soldiers. His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, the 25th Infantry Division, and the United States Army.