Troop Transport and Combat Service Support

The use of helicopters in troop transport and logistic support roles was essential to the success of airmobile combat assault operations in Vietnam. The military relied on specialized helicopters for resupply, artillery movement, aircraft recovery and the unceasing transport of troops, equipment, and civilians.

UH-1 Iroquois

Developed by Bell Helicopter in the 1950s, the HU-1A was quickly nicknamed "Huey." In 1962, the designation changed to UH-1; however, the name "Huey" was permanently attached. Although often used as gunships, Hueys could be modified into "Slicks," so named because they were not cluttered with externally-mounted guns or rockets. Huey "Slicks" could carry eight to nine US or ten to twelve South Vietnamese troops. During a typical combat insertion, two gunships flanked a troop transport formation for the trip into the landing zone, or LZ. As the "Slicks" approached, the gunships swooped down to fire rockets and machine guns into areas that might conceal enemy forces. Once prepped, troops then dropped into the LZ. Some Hueys could generate a thick cloud of smoke that could conceal "Slicks" and their cargo.

CH-21 Shawnee

The Piasecki CH-21 Shawnee, also known as the "Flying Banana," was one of the first helicopters used by the U.S. military in Vietnam, arriving in 1962. The CH-21 flew in combat missions in support of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN). The CH-21 was the first helicopter in Vietnam to be equipped with door-mounted defensive weapons. This ship proved highly vulnerable to enemy ground fire, most notably in the Battle of Ap Bac in 1963. Originally designed as an Arctic rescue helicopter, the CH-21 had serious mechanical problems in the hot, humid climate of Southeast Asia. The UH-1 replaced the "Flying Banana" in combat but it was still used to recover millions of dollars worth of downed aircraft, until the ships were retired in 1967.

CH-37 Mojave

The Sikorsky CH-37 Mojave arrived in Vietnam in May 1963. The CH-37s were able to recover many aircraft intact without major disassembly, decreasing exposure time in enemy areas and reducing the man-hours required to return damaged aircraft to flying duty. In the first two years of operations, the CH-37 was used to recover 139 downed aircraft, including 54 CH-21s and 43 Hueys. Recovery of damaged and inoperable aircraft saved the US millions of dollars and prevented equipment from falling into enemy hands.

CH-47 Chinook

Still in use today, the Boeing CH-47 Chinook is a twin-engine, tandem-rotor, heavy lift helicopter. It has a wide loading ramp at the rear and three external cargo hooks. The U.S. Army began using the CH-47 in Vietnam in 1965 in direct support of the 1st Infantry Division. The helicopter was essential to operations in three ways: troop movement, artillery emplacement, and battlefield supply. Used to place artillery batteries in perilous mountainside positions inaccessible by other means, the Chinook kept troops resupplied with ammunition and other essentials in remote locations. With a payload of 7000-8000 pounds, Chinooks were also used to carry heavy equipment to locations where fire support bases were under construction. They were also used in troop transport, casualty evacuation, and aircraft recovery, and were armed with one 7.62 mm M-60 machine gun for self-defense.

CH-53 Sea Stallion

Used by the Marines and Navy, the Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion arrived in Vietnam in 1967 and was used primarily as an assault transport helicopter and for carrying cargo and troops. The Sea Stallion could seat 38 combat-equipped troops. For medical evacuation use, it could carry 24 patients and four medical personnel. Sea Stallions were also used to recover downed aircraft. With its external cargo hook, it could lift 20,000 pounds. The Navy used Sea Stallions in minesweeping missions, and they were also used by the Navy and Air Force for search and rescue missions and performed evacuations of U.S. personnel and civilians from Saigon and Phnom Penh as the war came to a close in 1975.

CH-54 Tarhe

The twin-engine Sikorsky CH-54 Tarhe was commonly known as the "Flying Crane" for its distinctive shape and use. Exclusively used as a heavy-lift cargo helicopter, the CH-54 had an external payload of ten tons, a 20,000 pound capacity crane, and 100 feet of winching cable. With its ability to lift loads from areas of dense jungle, it was especially useful in Vietnam. The "Skycrane," as it was also known, could also be used for logistical resupply, transporting ammunition pallets, 500-gallon fuel bladders, and other bulky loads in support of combat operations. The majority of loads carried by the Skycrane were by sling, but an enclosed container was developed which the helicopter straddled with its landing gear. This Universal Military Pod could be used to carry people, casualties, stores, or as a mobile command center. A "medical pod" designed as a mobile field surgical unit was developed and used for the 15th Medical Battalion. On occasion, the Skycrane was used on bombing missions in which it carried an M-121, a 10,000 pound bomb. The bomb was dropped by parachute and detonated in air to clear dense vegetation and create an instant landing zone. Three heavy helicopter companies served in Vietnam with the CH-54A Skycranes: the 273rd, 355th, and 478th Aviation Companies of the 1st Aviation Brigade.