Helicopter Units and losses in the Vietnam War

Photo above from 7/15/66 shows the crash that killed two men from the Fulton/Montgomery County area of upstate New York just west of Albany, SGT Robert R. Telfer (Fonda, NY) and CPL Orsen H. Case (Johnstown, NY). Thanks to Gus Kappler for the info.

One out of every ten Americans who served in Vietnam became a casualty.  As a result, 58,169 were killed and 304,000 wounded out of 2.29 million who served.  Although the percent of dead is similar to other wars, amputations or crippling wounds were 300% higher than in World War II.  75,000 Vietnam Veterans are severely disabled.

MEDEVAC helicopters flew nearly 500,000 missions, airlifting 900,000 patients (nearly one-half were Americans).  The average lapse between being wounded and reaching a hospital was less than one hour, and as a result, less than one percent of those wounded died of their wounds within the first 24 hours.

The helicopter provided unprecedented mobility.  Without helicopters, it would have taken three times as many troops to secure the 800 mile border with Cambodia and Laos (the politicians thought the Geneva Conventions of 1954 and the Geneva Accords of 1962 would secure the border).

Army Huey’s totaled 9,713,762 flight hours in Vietnam between October 1966 and the end of American involvement in early 1973.  Cobra helicopters totaled 1,110,716 flight hours in Vietnam.  This is also the main reason that soldiers in Vietnam saw more action than those soldiers of preceding wars.  Large groups of soldiers could be air-lifted into a battle and then be withdrawn after a few hours and flown to another area to reinforce other units or to engage the enemy again in a different portion of the country.

The chart below is not all inclusive but includes most of the helicopter units that served during the Vietnam War.  Where it is known, I’ve indicated their unit name / call sign, and a sample of nose art or unit patch for those units.  I did post another article on this website a while ago that includes hundreds of photos of nose art used by these crews in-county.  I’ll leave a link at the end of this article in the event you want to check it out.

If I’ve erred on the chart below, please let me know so I can make corrections.  Also, I invite you to get back to me on any missing units, call signs or duplicates.  I am aware that many of the units mentioned herein had multiple call signs and nose art – I’m just limited to the available space I can’t show them all in this format..

CIVILIAN HELICOPTER UNITS
UNIT	UNIT CALL SIGN
Air America
U.S. ARMY HELICOPTER UNITS
Americal Division	Southern Cross
B Co. 123rd Avn. Bn.	Warlords
D Troop 1/1 Cav.	Dragoons
First Cavalry Division	Armed Falcons
1st Brigade – 1st Cav Div (Airmobile)	Flying Circus
1st Aviation Detachment 1st CAV	Guns-A-Go-Go
First Infantry Division	Bulldogs, Rebel Guns, Longhorns, Danger Hawks
1st Infantry Division 1/4th Cav	Quarter Cav
1st Infantry Division A – C Troop 1/4th – Armored Cav Squadron / Troop	Quarterhorse, Darkhorse
1st Infantry Division D Troop 16th Cav	Darkhorse, Mustangs
Fourth Infantry Division Aviation – The Ivy Division	Blackjacks and Gamblers
HHC 1st Brigade 5th Infantry Division Aviation Detachment	Batman
1st Squadron 9th Cavalry, 1st Air Cav Div	Bullwhip Squadron
A Troop 1/9th	Apache Troop & Headhunters
B Troop 1/9th	Bravo Troop
C Troop 1/9th	Charlie Troop
E Troop 1/9th	Echo Troop
F Troop 1/9th	F Troop
Aviation Platoon Headquarters & Headquarters Company – 173d Airborne Brigade (Sep)	Casper
Air Cav Troop 11th Armored Cavalry	Thunderhorse
A Troop 2/17th Cav	Assault
B Troop 2/17th Air Cav.	Banshee
C Troop 2/17th Air Cav	Condors
12th Combat Assault Group – A Troop 3/17th Cav	Silver Spurs
12th Combat Assault Group – B Troop 3/17th Cav	Blackjack, Stogie
12th Combat Assault Group – C Troop 3/17th Cav 12th Combat Assault Group – F Troop 3/17th Cav	Comancheros
7th Squardron 17th Cav Regiment (Air).	Ruthless Riders
B Troop 7/17th Cav.	Scalphunters
7th Armored Squadron 1st Cav	Blackhawks
HHC 3rd Brigade 25th Infantry	Aloha Airlines
A Company 101st Aviation	Thunderbirds
B Company 101st Aviation	Kingsmen
C Company 101st Aviation and 188th AHC	Black Widows and Spiders
D Company 101st Aviation	Hawks
B Company 123rd Aviation Battalion	Warlords
A Company 158th Combat Aviation Battalion 101st Airborne Division	Ghost Riders
B Company 158th Combat Aviation Battalion 101st Airborne Division	Lancers
C Company 158th Combat Aviation Battalion 101st Airborne Division	Phoenix
B Company 159th Combat Aviation Battalion 101st Airborne Division	Varsity
A Company 227th Aviation 1st Cav Div	Chickenman
B Company 227th Aviation 1st Cav Div	The Good Deal Company
C Company 227th AHB 1st Cav 1966-67	Ghost Riders / Snakes
D Company 227th AHB 1st Cav	El Lobo
229th Assault Helicopter Battalion	Winged Assault
A Company 229t AHC	Load Hackers
B Company 229th AHC	Killer Spades
D Company 229th Aviation 1st Cav Div	Smiling Tigers
D Troop 1st Squadron 10th Cav	Shamrock
D Troop 1st Squadron 1st Air Cav 101st Airborne	Dragoons
D Troop (AIR) 1st Squadron 4th Cav 1st Infantry	Darkhorse
D Troop (AIR) 3rd Squadron 4th Cav 25th Inf Div and F Troop (AIR) 4th Cav	Centaurs
D Troop 3/5th Cav	Spooks / Raven / Long Knives
E Troop 82nd Artillery 1st Cav Div
F Trp 8th Combat	Blueghost
HHC 10th Combat Aviation Battalion	Vagabonds
A/377 ARTY 101 ABN
2/20 ARA 1 CAV & F/79 CAV & 4/77 ARA & E82 (All ARA and AFA units)	Blue Max
8th Transportation Company
11th Armored Cav Regiment Aviation
12th Combat Aviation Group
14th Transportation Battalion (AM&S) (GS)	The Reliables
15th Medical Battalion	MEDEVAC
17th Assault Helicopter Company  (From Jerry F)	Kingsman & Lancers
18th Corps Aviation Company (patches & info supplied by Lester Scates) By mid-1971 most all U.S. military combat forces (including aviation assets) either had or were in the process of departing Vietnam and were transferred their combat responsibilities and equipment to the ARVN forces. This was especially true in the Mekong Delta (IV Corps) where no  U.S. ground forces remain. However, there still remained a requirement for ongoing non-combat aviation support to ARVN military units, regional/provincial militia (Ruff-Puffs), MACV advisers, VIP transportation and non-combat classified missions. On 1 June 1971 the 18 th Corps Aviation Company was formed at Can Tho Army Airfield in IV Corps, Republic of South Vietnam. When aviation units deactivated, portions of their assets and personnel were transferred to the 18 th CAC. Since the CAC was still evolving, the first couple of months was organized chaos. When the dust settled, aviation wise, the CAC wound up with four flight platoons and one VIP flight detachment. There were 30 UH-1H Hueys divided into two flight platoons of 10 aircraft each, one VIP detachment of 8 Hueys, one commanders aircraft and one maintenance aircraft. The Huey’s callsign was “Green Delta”. The maintenance aircraft callsign was “Short Shaft”. There was a platoon of 12 OH-58 Kiowas, call sign “Bartenders” and a heavy-lift platoon of 12 CH-47C Chinooks, call sign “Hillclimbers”. There were two maintenance platoons, one for single rotor aircraft (UH-1’s and OH-58’s) and one for the CH-47’s, each with their own hanger and maintenance personnel. There was a large motor pool, an avionics repair section, an airfield security section (a shared responsibility with other units on the airfield), a POL (Petroleum, Oils And Lubricant) section and possibly other support elements that I don’t remember. All told there were over 500 officers and enlisted assigned to the 18 th CAC. The first commander of this massive organization was Major Douglas Thorpe. On 6 June 1972 there was a change-of-command. Major Jerry Childers became he new commander and remained until the unit stand-down on 13 March 1973. At 0800 hrs. 28 January 1973 the long-awaited cease fire became effective. Therefore, the war was officially over. However, someone forgot to tell our former enemies, the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and the local Viet Cong (VC). At 0945 hrs. a pilot, WO1 Anthony Del Pazzo, from the 18 th CAC, flying a marked Joint Military Command (JMC) UH-1 on approach to Can Tho Army Airfield, was killed when the aircraft was hit by small arms fire. WO1 Pazzo was the last Army pilot killed in Vietnam. On 16 February 1973 a CH-47 from the 18 th CAC, also marked as a JMC aircraft, on a supply mission for the peacekeeping forces had just delivered building materials to a joint NVA/VC compound near Song Be in Binh Long Province – north-west of Saigon. On departure, at about 300 feet AGL, the aircraft was strafed by heavy small arms fire, setting the aircraft of fire. The aircraft crash landed in flames. Flight Engineer SP5 James L Scoggins was severely burned in the crash and died 7 days later from complications relating to his injuries. SP5 Scoggins was the last Army aircrewman to die in Vietnam before the final combat troop withdrawal which occurred on 28 March 1973. The 18 th Corps Aviation Company was to be short-lived. On 27 February 1973 the 18 th CAC received orders to stand-down and prepare to transfer all assets to the VNAF. In the final days, some of the personnel were transferred to other units remaining in country and many were rotated back to the states. A skeleton crew remained to facilitate the transfer. The draw-down was completed on 13 March 1973. All of the assets were left in place: aircraft, motor pool, weapons, tools and shop equipment – everything, including pilot and crew flight helmets. The remaining personnel moved off base to facilities in Can Tho. On 14 March 1973 the VNAF took over the facility. The colors (unit flag) for the 18 th CAC were folded and transferred to Ft. Bragg, NC.	Green Delta18th CAC Aircraft Recovery Team CH-47 Hillclimbers Green Delta Typical Flight Platoon UH-1 Maintenance Platoon UH-1 Flight VIP Platoon
25th Combat Assault Company	Red Carpet
25th Aviation Battalion	Little Bears and Diamondheads
31st Transportation (CH-34) Company and 138th Transportation Detachment
48th Assault Helicopter Company	Bluestars and Jokers
52nd and 119th Camp Holloway	Dragons
52nd Combat Aviation +Battalion	Flying Dragons
57th Assault Helicopter Company	Gladiators and Cougar
57th Medical Company	Dustoff
59th Combat Assault Company	Red Cloud
60th Assault Helicopter Company	Ghost Riders
61st Assault Helicopter Company	Lucky Stars and Star Blazers
62nd Corps Aviation Company	Royal Coachman
62nd Assault Helicopter Company	Outlaws &  Mavericks
68th Assault Helicopter Company	Top Tigers, Mustangs & Raiders
71st Assault Helicopter Company	Rattler and Firebirds
82nd Medical Detachment	DUSTOFF
92nd Assault Helicopter Company	Stallions and Sidekicks
101st Airborne Division Association D Co, 158 Avn Bn (Cobras) Redskins A Co, 101st Avn Bn (Huey’s) Comancheros A Btry 377 Arty (Huey and LOH) Gunner A Btry 4/77 ARA (Cobras) Dragons B Btry 4/77 ARA (Cobras) Toros C Btry 4/77 ARA (Cobras) Griffins 326 Med Bn (Huey’s) Eagle Dustoff 1st Bde Hdqtrs (LOH and Huey) Deadbone 2nd Bde Hdqtrs (LOH and Huey) Brandy 3rd Bde Hdqtrs (LOH and Huey) Thunder 163 Avn Co. (LOH and Huey) Roadrunner A Co, 159th Avn Bn (Chinooks) Pachyderms C Co., 159th Avn Bn (Chinooks) Playtex 478 Avn Co (Cranes CH-54) Hurricanes
114th Assault Helicopter Company	Knights/Cobras
114th Aviation Company	Knights of the Air
116th Assault Helicopter Company	Stingers, Hornets, Yellow Jackets & Wasps
117th Assault Helicopter Company	Beach bums, Warlords, Annie Fannies, Pink Panthers & Sidewinders
118th Assault Helicopter Company	Thunderbirds and Bandits
119th Assault Helicopter Company	Gators and Crocs
120th Aviation Company and Attached Units	Deans & Razorbacks
121st Assault Helicopter Company	Vikings and Tigers
128th Assault Helicopter Company	Tomahawks, Gunslingers & Witch Doctor
129th Assault Helicopter Company	Bulldogs and Cobras
132nd Assault Support Helicopter Company	Hercules
134th Assault Helicopter Company	Demons and Devils
135th Assault Helicopter Company	EMUs and Taipans
145th Combat Aviation Battalion First in Vietnam
147th Assault Support Helicopter Company	Hillclimbers
155th Assault Helicopter Company	Falcons & Stagecoach
159th Assault Helicopter Company	Liftmasters Pelicans & Scorpions
159th Medical Detachment (Helicopter ambulance)	Dustoff
161st Assault Helicopter Company	Pelicans & Scorpions
162nd Assault Helicopter Company	Copperheads & Vultures.
165-HMM (Helicopters, Marine Medium (Squadron)-165)	White Knights
170th Assault Helicopter Company	Bikinis and Buccaneers
173rd Assault Helicopter Company	Robin Hoods and Crossbows
174th Assault Helicopter Company	Dolphins and Sharks
175th Aviation Company	Outlaws & Mavericks
176th Assault Helicopter Company	Minuteman/Muskets
178th Air Support Helicopter Company	The Boxcars
179th Air Support Helicopter Company	Shrimpboats & Hooks
180th Assault Support Helicopter Company	Big Windy
187th Assault Helicopter Company	Crusaders & Rat Pack
188th AHC and C/101	Black Widows and Spiders
189th Assault Helicopter Company	Ghost Riders and Avengers
190th Assault Helicopter Company	Spartans and Gladiators
191st Assault Helicopter Company	Boomerangs and Bounty Hunters
192nd Assault Helicopter Company	Polecats and Tigersharks
195th Assault Helicopter Company	Sky Chief, Ghost Riders, Sky Pilots and Thunder Chickens
196th Assault Helicopter Company	Flippers & Chargers
197th Assault Helicopter Company	Gangbusters & Playboys
199th LIB Aviation Group	Fireball Aviation
200th Assault Support Helicopter Company201st Aviation Company	PachydermsRed Barons
203rd Air Support Helicopter	Wildcats
A Company 203rd ASH	Wildcats
B Company 203rd ASH	Longhorns
C Company 203rd ASH	What more can we do?
205th Assault Helicopter Company	Geronimos
213th Assault Support Helicopter Company	Blackcats
227th Assault Helicopter Battalion 1st CAV	Pouvoir
228th Assault Support Helicopter Battalion	Guns-A-Go-Go, Winged Warrior, Long Horns, Wildcats
235th Air Support Helicopter Company	Delta Devils
237th Medical Detachment (Helicopter Ambulance)	Dustoff
238th Aerial Weapons Company –	Gunrunners
240th Assault Support Helicopter Company	Greyhounds, Maddogs and Kennel Keepers
242nd Assault Support Helicopter Company	Muleskinners
243rd Assault Support Helicopter Company	Freight Train
254th Medical Detachment (HA) DUSTOFF271st Assault Helicopter Company	“Helen Sue” Crew Chief Ronald Hannon “Donna Sue II” Crew Chief Ronald Hannon “Crystal Ship” Crew Chief Jerry Schneider (Capt. Crystal) “The Rebel” Crew Chief George Roberts “The Iron Butterfly” “Mother Goose” Crew Chief Ben Trickle “Proud Mary” “Ugly Duckling” Innkeepers & Bartenders
272nd Assault Support Helicopter Company
273rd Heavy Helicopter	Super Hook
281st Assault Helicopter Company	Intruders, Rat Pack, Bandits, Wolf Pack
282nd Assault Helicopter Company	Blackcat & Alleycats
334th Aerial Weapons Company	Sabers, Playboys, Raiders & Dragons
335th Assault Helicopter Company (A/82 in 1965)	Cowboys, Falcons and Caspers
336th Assault Helicopter Company	Warriors and T-Birds
339th Transportation Company (DS)	Always in good hands
355th Heavy Helicopter	Workhorse
361st Aerial Weapons Company	Pink Panthers
362nd Aviation Company – The Last Chinook Unit in Viet Nam	Fly United
478 Heavy Helicopter	Hurricane
498th Medical Company (Air Ambulance)	Dustoff
610th Transportation Company (AM) (GS) 1966-1972	Fast and Sure
A Company 501st Aviation Battalion	Rattlers & Firebirds
USMC VMO-3, HML-367, HMLA-367	Deadlock, Hostage, Cowpoke & The Angry Two
USMC VMO-2	Oakgate, Scarface, Eagle Claw, Cyclone
USMC VMO-6	Klondike
HMM-161
HMM-163	Evil Eyes
HMM-164	Yankee Tango
HMM-165	White Knights
HMM-167	Warriors
HMM-261	Raging Bulls
HMM-262	Old Tigers
HMM-263	The Thunder Eagles
HMM-361	Flying Tigers-
HMM-362  (first USMC helicopter unit in and out of Vietnam)	Ugly Angels
HMM-363	Lucky Red Lions
HMM-364	The Purple Foxes
HMM-365	The Magnificent Flying Circus.
HMA-369	Pistol Pete
HMH-463	Pennant Day, Dimmer, Pineapple
White Hat Airlines	Aircofat
U.S. NAVY HELICOPTER UNITS
HA(L)-3	Seawolves
Helicopter Combat Support Squadron Seven (HC-7)	Seadevils
Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 6 (HS-6) made WESTAC deployments in 1966 and 1967-8 on the carrier USS Kearsarge and provided Combat Search and Rescue in the Gulf of Tonkin prior to the establishment of Combat Support Squadron 7 (HC-7).
Combat SAR operations
U.S. AIR FORCE HELICOPTER UNITS
	Rotor heads
SOUTH VIETNAM HELICOPTER UNITS
VNAF (Viet Nam Air Force) was the air force of the Republic of South Vietnam.

Approximately 12,000 helicopters saw action in Vietnam (All services) and it’s estimated that 40,000 pilots served in the war.  Those red figures in the chart below represent the combined total of all other helicopters / crews outside of the Huey category; I was unable to locate individual statistics for each line item for that group.   The numbers in the destroyed column are actual numbers which are verified by tail numbers.

It should also be pointed out that 532 American passengers were killed in downed aircraft and are not included in any of the KIA totals.

			KIA	KIA
Model	# Served	# Destroyed	Pilots Lost	Crew Lost
All UH-1 Huey Slicks/guns	7,013	3,305	1,074	1,103
All AH-1G Cobras	⇑	272	⇑	⇑
CH-21C Banana	⇑	18	⇑	⇑
CH-3 Jolly Green’s	⇑	14	⇑	⇑
CH-46 / 47 Chinook	⇑	284	⇑	⇑
CH-53 Sea Stallions	⇑	23	⇑	⇑
CH-54 Flying Crane	5000	9	1128	1601
HH-37 Heavy lift transport	⇓	2	⇓	⇓
HH-3 Jolly Green Giant	⇓	21	⇓	⇓
HH-43 Huskie Rescue	⇓	13	⇓	⇓
HH-53 Super Jolly Green	⇓	9	⇓	⇓
OH-13/23 Light Observation	⇓	240	⇓	⇓
OH-6 LOH Scout	⇓	842	⇓	⇓
OH-58A Armed Scout	⇓	45	⇓	⇓
Misc Sioux / Sikorsky SH-3/34	⇓	14	⇓	⇓
Totals	12,013	5,111	2,202	2,704

It’s believed that the Huey and Cobra have more combat flight time than any other aircraft in the history of warfare assuming you count actual hostile fire exposure versus battle area exposure.  As an example, heavy bombers during World War II most often flew missions lasting many hours with only 10 to 20 minutes of that time exposed to hostile fire.  Helicopters in Vietnam were always exposed to hostile fire even in their base camps.

The following short video offers an animation presentation that shows crash sites during the war on a map of Southeast Asia.  It’s interesting to note that only three major areas of the country show heavy concentrations in additions to the many locations in Cambodia and Laos.

The following article was published in the San Diego Union Tribune by John Wilkens on January 8, 2017 about the last pilots to die in Vietnam:

History remembers them as the last two American pilots to die in Vietnam, killed when their Marine Corps helicopter went into the South China Sea during the frantic evacuation of Saigon on April 29, 1975. Their bodies were never recovered

“I’ve thought about it every day for 41 years,” said Steve Wills, who was on the helicopter as crew chief and survived the crash. “I think it would be a healing thing for the whole nation.”

One of the aviators was Capt. William Nystul, who grew up in Coronado. The oldest of four sons, he graduated from Coronado High and San Diego State. He was 29 when he died, married with a young son. His co-pilot, 1st Lt. Michael Shea, from El Paso, Texas, was 25.

YT-14 was on search and rescue duty off the carrier Hancock that day, ready to swoop in if other helicopters crashed and the crews needed to be pulled from the water. It took off at 6 a.m. for what would turn out to be about 17 hours of flying, interrupted a half-dozen times to land on the carrier to refuel.

About 1 p.m., Nystul and Shea came on board to relieve the original pilots. Nystul, who had been teaching at a fixed-wing flight school in Pensacola, was sent back to Vietnam for his second tour after about 20 hours of re-training in the CH-46. Shea, a CH-53 pilot, had about 25 hours of training in the 46 before he was deployed.

Wills, the crew chief and right gunner, and Richard Scott, the mechanic and left gunner, were the other crew members. It was a busy day. They transported refugees from one ship to another. They rescued a Vietnamese man who crashed his small plane in the water.

“We were dodging aircraft left and right,” Wills said in a phone interview from his home in Kalispell, Mont. “The helicopter flew good that day.”

At about 11 p.m., YT-14 was running low on fuel and needed to land on the Hancock. But there wasn’t room. Nystul got waved off twice. Finally cleared to come in, he had to make a hard right turn away from the carrier to avoid being hit by a plane arriving from behind.

“Missed us by less than 100 feet,” Wills said.

He remembers the pilot telling the crew, “Somebody is going to die up here tonight.”

Into the water

Bruce Collison was a medic that night on board the Hancock. Now living in Sarasota, Fla., he recalls being on the flight deck, transfixed by the red, blinking anti-collision light of a helicopter overhead: YT-14.

“It continued circling the length of the ship, running out of fuel, looking for a place to land, losing altitude with every pass,” he said.  “I’m convinced that if they had tried to land, with all the other helicopters there, some of them refueling, there would have been a total conflagration and a lot of people would have been killed. So they took it into the water instead.”

Others have surmised that the pilots got disoriented; it was a pitch-black night, no visible moon, impossible to see the horizon. The last thing Wills remembers hearing over his headset was a voice saying: “Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!” Then darkness.

He regained consciousness underwater and made it to the surface. His left leg was fractured and his right hip dislocated. His helmet had been torn off. He fired two pen flares, then activated his rescue strobe. Scott was nearby and turned on his strobe, too.

On the Hancock, Collison remembers seeing the two strobes and thinking, “Great, there are survivors!” Then it dawned on him: “There should be four strobes.”

Another CH-46 lifted off the carrier, and to those on the flight deck, it looked as if it might disappear, too. Its landing lights went under water. Moments later, the engines roared and it lifted into the air and back toward the ship, carrying the engines roared and it lifted into the air and back toward the ship, carrying the two survivors.

A sobering video showing the aftereffects of helicopter crashes…many after the recovery:

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Click on this link to read the entire story written above:  http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/military/sdut-vietnam-helicopter-crash-2016may28-story.html

Link for nose art:  http://wp.me/pRiEw-1P4

Information for this article was obtained from Wikipedia,  The Military Channel, The History Channel, https://www.archives.gov/research/military/vietnam-war/casualty, and Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association. (Visit the VHPA museum in the near future at http://www.vhpa.org )

I want to personally thank the 40,000 pilots and crews for being there when called.  You are all held in the highest regard by us grunts and others who were in harm’s way.  Thank you for your service and Welcome Back to those who made it home.  Side note:  Every time a Chinook or Blackhawk passes overhead from nearby Selfridge National Guard Base, I still find myself looking into the sky and watching it cross over until it’s gone…and then sometime when I’m outside, I hold my cane in both hands overhead in tribute to those magnificent men in their flying machines – and was then thankful that they didn’t land in my backyard.

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