HelicoptersPAR

During the Vietnam War Helicopters were introduced to the battlefield proving their future. The helicopter was first made in the late 1940s and not appropriate for use until the Vietnam War. The helicopter was inappropriate for the battlefield because its engine was too bulky for the vehicle to lift. Once in the Vietnam War started the notion occurred for a vehicle that could land in small spaces, extract injured, and fly low and fast. The first helicopter was made for MEDEVAC but before the pilots knew it they were flying special operations missions. The helicopter was quickly adopted to fly missions, MEDEVAC, and fly low and fast under the radar giving the United States a great advantage in the war. One of the first introduced helicopters in the Vietnam War was the A1 Heuy. The main purpose if the Heuy was to evacuate the injured people off the battlefront were planes could not reach because of landing space. If it were necessary the people on the battlefront were issued chain saws so they could clear a landing pad for the helicopters. Soon after the potential was seen for the helicopter the United States Air Force hired different air companies to produce a fighting helicopter. From the A1 Heuy came the AH1 Heuy Cobra. The AH1 Heuy Cobra was the first helicopter made to fight and support ground troops. Usually if the Heuy Cobra was not occupied in other missions it accompanied the traditional Heuy in MEDEVAC missions. The main weapons the Heuy Cobra had were 30-millimeter rockets and a 105-millimeter machine gun. As the idea came up for a helicopter that could carry a lot of people and also carry battle equipment the helicopter pilots were enthusiastic about the future of the machine. The first helicopter made for carrying troops and heavy loads was the CH-46 Chinook. The Chinook had a maximum carrying capacity of fifty fully armed soldiers or 15000 pounds. A modified version of the Chinook was made so it could carry the injured. As the troops realized the potential of a helicopter that could fly low and fast but at the same time be maneuverable and carry a light weapons load came the OH-6. As the OH-6 Cayuse proved itself by flying low under the radar and inserting troops into very small spaces. The main purpose of the OH-6 Cayuse was to fly low spy operations. If the OH-6 was inserting troops a Heuy Cobra accompanied it. Another use for the OH-6 was to fly low with an A1 Heuy and mark with smoke grenades, the targets on the ground so later a Huey Cobra could eliminate the target. As the helicopters developed the CH-54 Sky Crane made its way onto the battlefield. The CH-54 Sky Cranes main use was to recover downed aircraft and drop much needed supplies to small U.S encampments. In some cases the CH-54 would drop vehicles to troops on the ground. If the helicopter was not invented than a numerous amount of people would have died because the brave pilots who fly the helicopters into small dangerous spaces would not have been able to get there to save the lives of many American men.
 * __U.S Helicopters In The Vietnam War__**
 * SOURCES: Book:** American Forces In The Vietnam War, Hunter Keeter
 * Internet:**http://tri.army.mil/lc/cs/csa/aahist2.htm
 * Internet:**http://incolor.inebraska.com/iceman/uh1.htm

http://media.nara.gov/media/images/36/29/36-2900a.gif