Tanks were a NEW weapon during WWI. Aircraft Carriers were a NEW weapon in WWII. Helicopters were a NEW weapon in Vietnam. Helicopters allowed the US Army to create a brand new Infantry Branch, "Airmobile" Divisions. Prior to these new airmobile divisions, the army only had AIRBORNE (paratroopers) Divisions, MECHANIZED (armored personnel carriers) Divisions, and STRAIGHT LEG INFANTRY (often referred to as light infantry today) Divisions, strictly traditional FOOT SOLDIERS.
Helcopters were the workhorse's of the Vietnam War. They came of age in Vietnam. When you see a police helicopter hovering over your city, or a traffic control helicopter making it runs over the highway, or a medical chopper transporting a injured person to a hospital, or a helicopter delivering repairmen to electrical towers (power lines) deep in the mountains, those are all products of the helicopter's war experience in Vietnam.
Choppers in Vietnam:
1. Transported Riverine boats across rivers and bridges.
2. Transported M113 ACAVs
3. Transported artillery
4. Transported men
5. Transported: Food, engineering equipment, water, gasoline (mo-gas), diesel fuel, ammunition (small arms), spare parts, jeeps (1/4 ton trucks), shot down airplanes, shot down helicopters, medical supplies, tents, spare clothing (spare uniforms to the men in the field).
6. Conducts SARS in North Vietnam: Search and Rescue operations for downed US airmen.
7. Became history's first designed, built, and fielded ATTACK HELICOPTER; the AH-1 Cobra.
Vietnam was the first helicopter war:
1. Transportation
2. Ambulance
3. Cargo delivery
4. Aerial attack gunship
5. Airmobile Divisions (equivalent to Airborne Divisions created in WWII)
6. Search/Rescue (SAR) of downed airmen deep within enemy territory
7. Aerial reconnaissance
8. Artillery/Air strike spotting (artillery/bomb adjustment) replaced the O-1 Bird Dog airplane
transportion gun cover for convoys medavac
Without the helicopter, the war might have gone on, for the US, for 20 or 30 years AFTER the Tonkin Gulf incident...or never have been fought at all; it was that important. The helicopter made the Vietnam War. Vietnam was a helicopter war.
Yes he did.
"One" of many highly decorated helicopter crews, was MAJ. Stephen Pless and his three (Huey) UH-1 crewmen, of the US Marine Corps.
Over 2,000 US helicopter crewmen were KIA in the Vietnam War.
There is an old Vietnam War photograph of him near a downed US helicopter, he most likely was wounded during that downing.
The Vietnam War was nicknamed the "Helicopter War." As it was histories first massive use of the helicopter.
Without the helicopter, the war might have gone on, for the US, for 20 or 30 years AFTER the Tonkin Gulf incident...or never have been fought at all; it was that important. The helicopter made the Vietnam War. Vietnam was a helicopter war.
The helicopters were called "Hueys".
Yes he did.
Nearly 12,000 US helicopters & approximately 40,000 US helicopter pilots served in the Vietnam War. Over 5,000 US helicopters were destroyed and nearly 5,000 US helicopter crewmen were killed in Vietnam. Of those 5000 dead crewmen, about 2,000 were helicopter pilots.
I believe it was called 'the Slick'
yes there is a helicopter cheat
"One" of many highly decorated helicopter crews, was MAJ. Stephen Pless and his three (Huey) UH-1 crewmen, of the US Marine Corps.
what a wonderful world
Ed "Too Tall" Freeman
The address of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association Of Florida Inc is: 3602 North Us Highway 301, Tampa, FL 33619-1247
The address of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association is: 2100 N State Highway 360 Ste 907, Grand Prairie, TX 75050-1030