HA(L)-3
Helicopter Attack Squadron (Light) 3 | |
---|---|
Active | 1 April 1967 - 16 March 1972 |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Navy |
Nickname(s) | Seawolves |
Engagements | Vietnam War |
HA(L)-3, (Helicopter Attack Squadron (Light) 3), nicknamed the "Seawolves", was an all-volunteer
Prior to the Vietnam War, the helicopter was a valued tool within the
In 1965, the US Navy began joint operations off the southern coast of South Vietnam in support of the growing war. In the same year, the Navy began limited river operations in the Mekong Delta, disrupting the Viet Cong's lines of communications, locating supply caches, and eliminating tax collecting stations. Based on the "Brown-water" Navy's early success, a commitment was made to continue river operations on a full-scale basis in the Mekong Delta. It was also determined that key to the survival of the boats operating in the rivers would be close air support.[3]
Initially, the Brown-water Navy was supported by elements of the US Army's
The birth of the HA(L)-3 and the Seawolves
In 1966, rotary wing support was originated as part of the response to the ongoing war in South Vietnam.[4] Starting with Helicopter Combat Support Squadron ONE (HC-1), detachments of helicopter gunships transferred to the Navy to conduct combat operations in the Mekong Delta region of South Vietnam. HC-1 operated two-aircraft detachments of Army UH-1B gunships, staged from shore bases and patrol craft tenders. Providing a quick reaction, close air support (CAS) role for units of the Brown-water Navy, the effectiveness of the helicopter attack mission was quickly realized.
In response, the Navy began to widen the mission requirements.[5] This created a need for a specific Squadron in support of the mission requirements. In April 1967, HC-1 was divided into four separate units, Helicopter Combat Support Squadron THREE (Navy Vertical Replenishment), Helicopter Combat Support Squadron FIVE and Helicopter Combat Support Squadron SEVEN (Navy Combat Search and Rescue) and Helicopter Attack Squadron (Light) 3 (HAL-(3)), nicknamed the Seawolves.[4]
In 1966, the Navy sent a message fleet-wide, asking for volunteer Naval Aviators to man HA(L)-3. From the response, eighty Aviators were chosen to be the first "Seawolves" and transferred to Vietnam. On 1 April 1967, HA(L)-3 was officially established in South Vietnam under the command of LCDR Joseph B. Howard.[3]
The wolf on the patch was inspired by the lion logo on a
Fighting in Vietnam
The Seawolves would see their first major action while still part of a detachment of HC-1. On 31 October 1966, two Navy boats encountered a superior force of over 80 boats transferring a Viet Cong battalion. Encountering fierce resistance from them, the Navy boat commanders requested close air support. Scrambling and arriving within approximately fifteen minutes, the Seawolves would claim 16 Viet Cong boats sunk or destroyed.[7]
The squadron was activated on 1 April 1967 at a commissioning ceremony at
By August 1967, the squadron had grown to eight two-helicopter detachments based at Vung Tau, Binh Thuy Air Base, Đồng Tâm Base Camp, Vĩnh Long, and Nhà Bè and on LSTs anchored on the Hàm Luông, Cổ Chiên and Bassac Rivers.[9]: 126
After the activation of HA(L)-3 missions included Search and Destroy patrols, reconnaissance, medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), and SEAL Team insertion and extraction. From its inception the squadron were designed as a quick-reaction force. Two ship formations would stand alert for 24-hour shifts and respond to close air support requests up to 50 miles (80 km) away from their base. The squadron fell under the command of Task Force 116 and was originally deployed to support Patrol Boat, River (PBR) operations, but in time the squadron found themselves supporting Task Force 117 operations and even Army forces.[9]: 127
1968
HA(L)3, Detachment 1, Seawolf #321 UH-1B #62-12515 off of USS Harnett County was shot down over Dung Island, killing all 4 crew, 13 July 1968.
1969
In March Seawolf 305 crashed due to engine failure killing two crewmen.
1970
On 20 February
1971
On 17 February a squadron UH-1B experienced engine failure and ditched in the Gulf of Thailand.
1972
On 26 January 1972 the squadron commenced standdown.[13]: 6 On 3 February Detachment 6 at Phu Loi Base Camp was disestablished.[13]: 8 On 6 February Detachment 1 at Nam Can Naval Base was disestablished.[13]: 9 On 10 February Detachment 7 at Đồng Tâm Base Camp was disestablished.[13]: 10 On 14 February Detachment 5 at Châu Đốc was disestablished.[13]: 10 On 18 February Detachment 8 at Rạch Giá was disestablished.[13]: 10 On 19 February Detachment 4 was disestablished.[13]: 11 On 23 February Detachment 3 at Cà Mau was disestablished.[13]: 12 On 26 February Detachment 2 at Nhà Bè Base was disestablished.[13]: 12 On 2 March Detachment 9 at Binh Thuy Air Base was disestablished.[13]: 14 On 6 March the squadron's last gunship was retrograded.[13]: 15 On 16 March the squadron completed stand-down procedures and was disestablished.[13]: 16
By the time of their decommissioning on 16 March 1972,[13] The Seawolves flew over 120,000 combat sorties over South Vietnam and Cambodia. Over 200 Seawolves would be wounded in combat and 44 would be killed in action.[14]
Post Vietnam War developments
It would take the Navy four years from the disestablishment of HA(L)-3 to realize that it still had a need for this type of specialized, special warfare aviation support. With the establishment of
See also
- History of the United States Navy
- List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons
- US Army and Royal Australian Navyhelicopter pilots that operated in the Mekong River delta during the Vietnam War
References
- ^ HELIS.com, Helicopter History Website, "Gunship Helicopters", http://www.helis.com/types/gunship.php
- ^ United States Naval Aviation 1910 – 1995, Roy A. Grossnick, Naval Historical Center, Department of the Navy. Washington, D.C.
- ^ a b c Navy Seawolves – Early History, HA(L)-3 Official Website, http://www.seawolf.org/history/hal3_history.asp Archived 1 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b "Helicopter Combat Support Squadron ONE HC-1".
- ^ "BLUEHAWKS of HAL-5". Archived from the original on 8 January 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
- ISBN 9780307492265.
- ^ Helicopter Attack Squadron (Light) Three – The Seawolves – Past…Present…Future?, U.S. Classified Memo, 1 December 1971, declassified 25 October 1972
- ^ "US NAVAL FORCES VIETNAM (NAVFORV) Monthly Historical Supplement April 1967". Department of the Navy. 3 July 1967. pp. 12–3. Retrieved 2 May 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ .
- ^ a b c d e f "Command History of HELATKLTRON THREE for Calendar Year 1969" (PDF). Helicopter Attack (Light) Squadron Three. 16 April 1970. Retrieved 8 June 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Command History of HELATKLTRON THREE for Calendar Year 1970" (PDF). Helicopter Attack (Light) Squadron Three. 13 April 1971. Retrieved 8 June 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Command History of HELATKLTRON THREE for Calendar Year 1971" (PDF). Helicopter Attack (Light) Squadron Three. 10 February 1972. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "US NAVAL FORCES VIETNAM (NAVFORV) Quarterly History Summary for January - March 1972". Department of the Navy. 3 May 1972. Retrieved 2 May 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "US Navy - HELICOPTER ATTACK (LIGHT) SQUADRON THREE". Archived from the original on 27 August 2018. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
External links