Helicopters

[frisco-kid]

Leg [known as "One Six" here] posted these numbers over on the Vietnam site of THC. I thought they would be interesting here after our "Door Gunner" thread.


Interesting stats about USA, USN, USCG, USAF & USMC helicopters in Vietnam.

1) 3,932,000 attack (gunship) sorties (a sortie is 1 combat flight by 1 helicopter) were flown.
2) 7,547,000 were assault sorties
3) 3,548,000 were cargo and ash & trash sorties
4) 21,098,000 were C&C, Arty observation, battlefield recon, SAR, and assorted other sorties
5) 10 helicopters were lost over North Vietnam
6) There were 2,066 helicopters lost due to hostile action over South Vietnam
7) 2,566 helicopters were lost from non-hostile action
8) 668 pilots and 1,471 aircrew were lost to hostile action.
9) 401 pilots and 994 aircrew were lost from non-hostile causes.

Source: The Vietnam War Almanac


I find it interesting that more choppers FELL out of the sky than were SHOT out of the sky. I saw 2-3 shot down. One guy in my company was killed in one shot down on a hot LZ we went into near Duc Pho.

This thread sparked a discussion on Air Medals. I didn't know one grunt in the 101st that got an Air Medal while I was with them. Hackworth, and probably the other battalion commanders, got several Air Medals. I don't think our platoon leaders or CO's got them, either. This changed after the rest of the division came over. Bill was awarded 3. 1 for 25 CA's and 1 for each hot LZ he went into. If that was the requirements, I was probably good for 3-4. Nobody kept track for us.

One Six said that none of the 1st ID guys got them while he was with them. About every 1st Cav trooper that I ever met received theirs. How about you other grunts? What was the criteria in your unit? As a door gunner, I know Andy must have a couple. Were they based on flying hours for the pilots and crew Andy?