Doctrine of the US Army's Use of Helicopters in the Vietnam War
Helicopters were used to rapidly deploy troops and supplies anywhere on the battlefield. Thus, the US military gained a significant advantage over the not so mobile Viet Cong. It allowed the US military to conduct operations in areas that were difficult or impossible to reach by land.
What is war doctrine and what does it mean?
War doctrine is a set of principles or beliefs that guide the way a military force conducts war. It includes the military's strategic objectives, the tactics it will use, and the way it organizes and equips its forces. Battle doctrine is often based on the army's experience in previous wars and principles of warfare.
Warfare doctrine is constantly evolving as new technologies and strategies are developed. However, the basic principles of warfare remain the same. These principles provide a framework for military planning and operations and help ensure that military forces are used in the most effective way possible.
Use of Helicopters is Included in the Doctrine in Vietnam
Air mobility was one of the primary doctrines of using helicopters on the battlefield in the Vietnam War. Air mobility doctrine is the ability to rapidly deploy and sustain ground forces to a target area by air. Providing close air support to ground troops with helicopters. It was built with the AH-1G Huey Cobra Gunship, a close air support attack helicopter, and the UH-1 Gunship, an armed model of the UH-1s. This was a new concept in warfare and was first widely used in the Vietnam War.
The second doctrine that came to mind in the Vietnam War was the air transport doctrine. The purpose of this doctrine is for helicopters to reach the target area quickly and transport soldiers and materials. This doctrine was implemented with general purpose and cargo helicopters.
The two doctrines we mentioned could sometimes be intertwined. The advantages of these two doctrines on the battlefield were listed as follows:
Reconnaisance; Helicopters were used in aerial reconnaissance missions. A more accurate flow of intelligence about the location, distribution, situation and structure of enemy forces in the field began to come with the use of helicopters. It was important and valuable to see ahead of the land troops stationed close to the enemy. Helicopters conducted reconnaissance flights in the region, contributing to the ability of the soldiers who were or will be positioned to deploy and maintain deployment. Helicopter reconnaissance and reconnaissance were able to provide healthy and reliable coordinate information for bombardment planes and artillery fire in the area where possible sudden bombardment would occur in order to reduce losses on land. This was a good technical factor to prevent friendly elements on the ground from being hit by friendly fire.
Rapid distribution; Helicopters were used to rapidly deploy troops and supplies anywhere on the battlefield. Thus, the US military gained a significant advantage over the not so mobile Viet Cong. It allowed the US military to conduct operations in areas that were difficult or impossible to reach by land.
In the photo below; Hughes OH-6 Cayuse, 'Loach' (Light Reconnaissance helicopter) flies over American armored personnel carriers of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment providing security for the Brush-Clearing operation in the iron triangle 20 miles north of Saigon, Vietnam, 24 July 1971 . The area was once the Viet Cong. (AP Photo)
Photo above; U.S. 199th Light Infantry Brigade helicopters carrying South Vietnamese soldiers attack a landing zone on the edge of a pineapple plantation in the Mekong Delta, 26 miles southwest of Saigon, Aug. 21, 1967. Both U.S. and South Vietnamese troops are participating in Operation Shelby, a joint sweep of the region during the Vietnam War. (AP Photo/Dang Van Phuoc)
Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR); Helicopters were used to rescue downed pilots, crews, and other soldiers behind enemy lines.
Photo below; A U.S. M-48 tank is pictured on Route 9, a 13-mile stretch of road west of Khe Sanh on March 9, 1971, that became known as the Ambush Route due to increased enemy attacks. Right next to the tank, a UH-1 helicopter can be seen, which has been damaged for some reason and its skids are broken. The M-48 tank appears to have crushed the helicopter from the front. (AP Photo / Neal Ulevich)
In the Photo Above, a Sikorsky HH-3E Search and Rescue helicopter escorted by two Douglas A-1H Skyraider attack aircraft searches the jungle, Vietnam, June 1970. (Photo: PhotoQuest/Getty Images)
In the photo below; A U.S. Air Force Sikorsky HH-53 Super Jolly Green Giant Search and Rescue helicopter is seen from the door or window gunner's position on a 21st Special Operations Squadron helicopter, Vietnam, October 1972. (Photo: Pictures from History/Getty Images via Universal Images Group ).
In the photo above; The crew of a U.S. Army UH-1D helicopter is seen approaching a rescue helicopter after it was shot down while supporting a South Vietnamese army operation near the Vam Co Dong River in Long An Province, South Vietnam, Nov. 5, 1967. Pilot, 1st Lt. James Parma from Ohio, right, is seen two He made a soft landing in a grassy area with feet of water. He was slightly injured in his right hand when the helicopter was shot down by the Viet Cong. At left, Sp.4 Johnny L. Jones of Detroit, Michigan, carries a machine gun. (AP Photo)
Close air support; Helicopters were used to provide close air support to ground troops.
In the photo below; A U.S. Army AH-1G Huey Cobra Gunship (Snake) takes off on a mission from the central mountain base of Pleiku, South Vietnam, February 21, 1972. GAU-2B/A 7.62mm "Minigun" and M129 Grenade Launcher on the nose of the Cobra. Rocket pods of different calibers appear on the station attached to the body of the helicopter. (AP Photo /Jacques Tonnaire)
In the photo above; Armed UH-1 Huey Gunships fire a salvo of rockets toward a Viet Cong jungle position at Ban Me Thuot on June 21, 1965. A crew of four serves on the helicopter. (AP Photo)
Logistics; Helicopters were used to transport supplies and equipment to ground troops, reducing the need for long supply lines.
Medical evacuation; Helicopters were used to evacuate wounded troops from the battlefield and saved many lives. When the wounded were quickly evacuated from the battlefield, the morale, motivation and confidence of the remaining soldiers increased. They directed themselves to the battlefield and situation rather than tending to the wounded.
In the first photo below; A CH-47 Chinook helicopter deployed a prefabricated shelter in a hole next to the Kinh Xang Canal, about 15 miles west of Saigon, on 26 August 1967, where a semi-permanent camp was established almost overnight. Troops from the US 199th Light Infantry Brigade will use the shelter to defend the bridge. (AP Photo)
In the second photo; A U.S. Marine Corps Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion is seen delivering food to troops in Con Thien, Vietnam, in October 1967. Helicopters do not land except to pick up the dead and wounded, so supplies are left to the side of the landing area. (AP Photo)
In the third photo, it is equipped with the 106 mm recoilless M40A1 gun. M274s are loaded onto a Marine Corps CH-46 helicopter. Photo taken by Larry Burrows during Operation DECKHOUSE V in January 1967.
