Here’s a short article about manufacturing the Huey, Chinooks, and M79 grenade launchers, which all debuted during the war.

By Jackie Edwards

During the Vietnam War, American military spending hit an all-time high of $85 billion in 1969. As the U.S. government continued to pour money into military technology and weapons development, the war became notable for the numerous technologies (like the Huey helicopter and M79 grenade launcher) making their combat debut. While the American military and their allies typically used weapons manufactured on U.S. soil, North Vietnam had to rely on weapons and equipment manufactured in the Soviet Union and China. 

The Huey: the workhorse of the Vietnam War

The Bell UH-1, the Huey, is the defining symbol of the U.S.’s involvement in Vietnam. Although government orders for helicopter models surged during the war, the Huey was the most in demand. In fact, helicopters took center stage in the conflict, so much so that it quickly became known as the “Helicopter War.” Helicopters were used for multiple purposes, from transporting and resupplying troops and evacuating wounded people for medical care to providing aerial fire support.

Orders for Hueys in Vietnam began to increase in the late 1950s as they were needed for medevac missions for American military advisors. However, the Army soon recognized this impressive workhorse’s deeper value for the war effort. As such, they began to put in orders for large Hueys (called “Slicks”) to transport troops, as well as attack-style Hueys that featured machine guns and missiles that could be controlled via a joystick

100+ Hueys manufactured per month 

Bell started manufacturing over one hundred Hueys every month during the peak of the Vietnam War. According to the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, Bell manufactured 10,005 Hueys in total from 1957 to 1975, with 7,013 Hueys used for the Vietnam War. It wasn’t long before Bell started to cast the popular nickname Huey (derived from the phonetic pronunciation of UH) on the helicopter’s anti-torque pedals. It also can’t be understated just how much of a money-maker Huey manufacturing was for Bell. In 1962, Bell had profits of $150 million ($60 million of this civil), while that figure had shot up to over $2 billion by 1967, with civil sales amounting to $385 million. Of course, anti-war campaigners were opposed to the staggering profits being made by defense contractors (as well as the general U.S. involvement in the war), and this was a huge point of contention at the time. 

Boeing CH-47 Chinook

After the Huey, the Boeing CH-47 Chinook is probably the second-most iconic helicopter from the Vietnam War era. The CH stands for “cargo helicopter,” and this model was used to carry heavy loads and transport troops. The Boeing Company first started helicopter production in Delaware County in 1960. As demand for the Chinook grew, a record-high 13,000 workers were employed in manufacturing the first generation of this helicopter. Chinook manufacturing was no small feat. The largest version used in Vietnam had a weight capacity of a whopping 46,000 pounds, and a single model was capable of evacuating 147 South Vietnamese refugees. It could also comfortably fit 55 troops and transport thousands of pounds of heavy cargo and weapons.

Defense worker safety

U.S. defense plants prioritized speed and efficiency virtually 24/7 to keep up with the intense demand. Workers, therefore, often had to work double or even triple shifts per day. Although this was great for output, regular maintenance of equipment and machines was consequently put on the back burner. Older machines also found it challenging to keep up with longer hours and fast-paced work. Even worse (but not surprising), some companies also neglected worker health and safety. New workers often weren’t provided safety training or standard protections, making their jobs even more dangerous. Fortunately, safety in manufacturing and heavy industry in the U.S. has improved drastically. Advancements in technology like safety apps, drones, wearable devices, and robots are increasingly used to improve safety and prevent human error in manufacturing plants, and boost productivity and output.

Weapons manufacturing: M79 grenade launcher

Weapons were also quickly developed and manufactured in the U.S. during the war. For example, in 1953, the Springfield Armory started designing the M79 grenade launcher, which took seven years to perfect. Over 350,000 units of this weapon (a simple, easy-to-use shotgun-like device) were then manufactured by the Kanarr Corporation, Action Manufacturing Company, Daewoo, Thompson-Ramo-Woolridge, and Exotic Metal Products.

The design was refined and replaced by the M203 40mm launcher, which could attach to assault rifles like the M-16.

Vietnam’s weapons: manufactured by the Soviet Union and China

While the American army, along with their allies, mostly opted for weapons manufactured in the U.S., Vietnam relied on weapons, equipment, and uniforms made in China and the Soviet Union. At the time, North Vietnam’s infrastructure was underdeveloped, the population was poor and largely illiterate, and enterprises were scarce.

For example, the DP 7.62mm light machine gun was developed by and manufactured in the Soviet Union (as well as in China) and imported into North Vietnam. The “peasant’s rifle” — also known as the AK-47 — was made and imported by the same countries.

The AK-47 could fire 7.62mm bullets at a rate of 600 rounds per minute and at a range of 435 yards. It was also capable of either automatic or semi-automatic fire.

Although Vietnam had a solid industrial policy (called the First Five-Year Plan 1961-65) designed to grow heavy industry, this goal was obviously impeded once the U.S. began bonding with the country in 1964. As a result of the 1965-72 air strikes, all of the north’s six industrial cities and most of the towns were destroyed. All roads, bridges, railway lines, power stations, and ports suffered considerable damage, which delayed the country’s plans for large-scale construction and industry growth. 

Helicopter and weapons manufacturing went into overdrive during the Vietnam War. From the Huey to the M79 grenade launcher, the conflict soon became notable for the unprecedented and rapid technological innovation achieved.

To see a more detailed look at all the weapons used during the Vietnam War, please check out my earlier article on this website: https://cherrieswriter.com/2022/04/17/weapons-of-the-vietnam-war/

Jackie Edwards contributed an earlier article about Gun Trucks in the war. You can read it here: https://cherrieswriter.com/2024/04/06/creative-solutions-to-overcome-the-drawbacks-of-gun-trucks-in-vietnam/

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