HISTORY IN THE MAKING:  3RD SQUADRON 17TH AIR CAVALRY (VIETNAM)

To see Some of your Troops History click on Icon's Below

 

The aviation troops originally used "B" and "C" model UH-1 hueys (some for troop carrying, some as gunships) and the OH-6 loach. Through the course of the war the hueys were replaced with "D" and "H" models, the gunships were replaced by the cobra, and the 6's were supplanted for a while by the OH-58 Kiowa.

A common mission was to have a loach low level through the trees and try to draw fire. When the loach scouts made contact they dropped a willy-pete and called up to their big bad A##  brothers circling high overhead. Don't mess with little brother. These missions were known as "Pink Teams" or "Big Brother/Little Brother Teams." The aviation troops would also do combat insertions of combat troops, known as "Eagle Flights." The huey- gunships and cobras also provided close air support for ground troops. Many a ground troop in Vietnam cheered at the wop-wop sound of the Air Cav screaming in to their aid. Not quite a bugle call, but close enough.

Delta Troop had a similar mission to the other 3/17th troops, gathering intelligence about the AO, but used very different tactics. They were our ground troops and got up close and personal with the enemy. They patrolled or set up listening posts out in the bush or rode the roads of Vietnam in armed "gun-jeeps" attempting to draw fire. Delta Troop often had its troopers scattered throughout the 3/17th AO and assigned to numerous other units who needed their special aero-scout skills. Delta Troop was highly mobile and seldom stayed in any one place long enough to call it home.

Headquarters Troop tried to coordinate and support all of its far-flung troops as best it could. Their slicks often flew overhead of battles providing C&C, or at other times serving as flare ships illuminating the battlefields. HHT also provided the personnel, finance, medical, supply, and other necessary support critical to a combat cavalry squadron.

Any two troops of the 3/17th were rarely ever stationed at the same place at the same time. All of the troops changed their locations at least a couple of times. Some of the main places they stayed were Dian, Phu Loi, Tay Ninh, Cu Chi, and Lai Khe. There were other places. Individual troopers from the squadron, like RTO's, and scout squads from Delta Troop, could be found working for other units throughout the 3/17th's AO.

The 3/17th did its job well in Vietnam. The squadron as a whole earned several unit citations, as did the individual troops in the squadron. Many, many awards for valor were earned by the individual troopers of the 3/17th. Their stories can be found throughout the 3/17th Air Cav websites.

The 3/17th began redeploying in early 1972 as the American involvement in the war wound down. The final remnants left for Schofield Barracks, Hawaii in April of 1972 to join the 25th Infantry Division. Troopers with more than 6 months left on their tour were reassigned to other units throughout Vietnam. Many of our aircraft went on to see more battles when they were adopted by other Army aviation units still in Vietnam.

If you find the history of the 3/17th interesting be sure to visit the various 3/17th web pages where you will find extensive work has been done compiling that history. You'll find personal stories, documents, maps, and links to other resources to help you understand just what the 3/17th did in Vietnam, and maybe a better understanding of what you personally added to that endeavor. 

Thanks to Mark Aaron of  HHQ for this information  above:    http://home.swbell.net/markaaro/hht/history.htm