The Vietnam War: Huey UH-1B
The American strategy for victory changed during the Vietnam War between our arrival in 1965 and our withdrawal of troops throughout the seventies. According to the United States Army[1], “The U.S. actions in Vietnam began slowly with the deployment of advisors in the early 1950s and expanded incrementally to include combat forces in July 1965.” What began as a mission to annihilate the Northern Vietnamese communist regime, transformed years later under the Nixon Administration, where the U.S. Military began to train the South Vietnamese, withdrawing American troops. Although the U.S. and South Vietnamese military efforts inevitably failed, it forever changed our American Way of Fighting (AWoF) through innovation and determination. One piece of technology which set our military apart from the enemy during the Vietnam War was the U.S. implementation of repurposed helicopters, taking on the form of “Sky Cavalry,” also known as “Gunships.” First introduced during the Vietnam War, the Huey UH-1B helicopters held three important purposes for troops: strategic deployment, supporting gun cavalry, and medical evacuation. Beginning in 1956, until their official introduction into the Vietnam War in 1962, this historic military innovation allowed both for the adaptability of our troops to the unfamiliar Vietnamese landscape, and the coordination of strategic tactics without necessary Congressional funding. Inevitably sabotaging the success to our initial mission through the lack of an official declaration combined with improper funding, alongside an absence of American support for the unpopular war, the definition of victory was ultimately changed, and U.S. troops began to withdraw from the Vietnam War, returning back home.
Analysis.
Despite our fundamental losses, the supply limitations incurred by the U.S. troops in combination with a lack of domestic support, forced the creativity of the American military, leading to the repurposing of existing technology. As Historian Robert F. Ritchie reminds us “[t]he [U.S.] army had long stated after Korea, “No more ground wars in Asia,” (Ritchie, R., 2021, 154) One of these novel innovations was the total overhaul of the widely prevalent medical Bell 212 Helicopters. These military innovations were used to transport troops, supplies, and for MEDEVAC. As the strategies of American military battle adapted to best suit their terrain under their strict limited budget, existing Helicopters were repurposed as evolving assault aircraft fixed with miniguns, rockets, and bombs, and used both offensively and defensively. Like the Korean War, the Vietnam War remained undeclared, causing a lack of resources to be supplied to the troops. Leaving the American military to improvise their own strategic innovations, leading to the repurposing of existing Bell medical helicopters, which were converted into “Huey” UH-1B Gunships. On the ground in Vietnam, it was the American troops who were forced to facilitate their own morale, while U.S. civilians watched the War’s intensity from the comfort of their homes on their TV screens. This allowed the Huey UH-1B helicopter to become even more ubiquitous, finding its way into the homes of working-class families who otherwise would be unaware of the totality of the result of military innovation and commitment.
As indicated by Historian Robert F. Ritchie, “By October 1965, American intelligence had located the NVA at the Chu Massif, a large cliff valley area in the Ia Drang Valley. Using the 1st Air Cavalry division that had recently arrived from the United States, some of the boldest, fastest-moving infantry in the world jumped off the ‘slicks’ and into battle, outmaneuvering an enemy they had practically landed on top of[2],” (Ritchie, R. 2021, 159). Evolving from the Bell 212, the Huey helicopters were first flown in 1956, as the U.S. Air Force continued to produce various models as seen in the 1970’s when “[t]he [twin-engine] UH-1N entered the Air Force inventory…to provide search and rescue capabilities.” Huey helicopters could hold up to thirteen people, or four stretchers, and as a result quickly became an essential component of our multifaceted American Way of Fighting[3],[4] (AWoF) during the Vietnam War (AirForce). If the seats to the aircraft were removed, large cargo could be carried to supply troops in need. While first flown in 1956, the National Wildlife Coordinating Group (NWCG) states that “[t]he Huey [first] saw combat in Vietnam in 1962, first as a troop transport and medevac helicopter and later as an armed assault helicopter used to protect troop transports. Troops could now be taken into and removed from key strategic positions.” This ability gave an advantage in the unideal foreign conditions while allowing for an increased chance of survival among injured soldiers as a result. Functioning not only as intimidating cavalry but also operating as a high-functioning medical evacuation aircraft, the Huey UH-1B, and its later models, saved the majority of wounded soldiers. As noted by the National Wildlife Coordinating Group[5] (NWCG), “[i]n Vietnam, up to 900,000 wounded were medically evacuated by Huey helicopters. As a result, 98% of wounded who survived the first 24 hours lived to return home.” These helicopters produced an incredible survival statistic, representing one of the few victories from the Vietnam War’s devastating injuries as described by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) relaying the severities encountered, stating “[p]atients frequently sustained multiple wounds from bursts of automatic fire or booby traps[6].” The Vietnam War claimed 58,220 U.S. military lives, with the earliest recorded death June 8, 1956, as reported by the U.S. National Archives[7].
For decades, the Vietnam War continued, the South Vietnamese supported by Huey UH-1B Air Cavalry, and raw American perseverance. After years of violent conflict, Nixon took office in 1969, and began to change America’s war strategy. Instead of the United States military annihilating Vietnamese communist forces, the tactic was changed to arm the South Vietnamese while withdrawing American troops, finally bringing the soldiers back home. As noted by Historian Robert F. Ritchie, “Still, Nixon must be given credit. He fought back by appealing to the ‘silent majority’ of law-abiding Americans…Congress…in May of 1970 following the Cambodian Incursion, repealed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, mostly for show, but demonstrated that the end in Vietnam neared…Nixon had dramatically reduced American casualties from 1969 to 1970 and had begun pulling out the troops,” (Ritchie, R. 2021, 167). It was by Nixon’s natural geopolitical charisma that he began to take foreign policy into his own hands. Nixon’s first task was to meet with the infamous Mao. At this period in History China had remained completely isolated from the United States, known only to American journalist Edgar Snow, the first American citizen (and only individual) to develop a close long-term true friendship with the Chinese Communist dictator, (though Mao never disclosed to Snow his committed atrocities). After decades of friendship, Edgar Snow passed away on February 15th, 1972, just six days before Richard Nixon would arrive to discuss U.S. Foreign Policy[8]. With Mao still morning the loss of his only ally, Nixon’s conversation would result in success, ultimately allowing China to place pressure on North Vietnam to disengage. Nixon didn’t stop there, just three months later traveling to the U.S.S.R. for a meeting with Khrushchev where he signed the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty (SALT). An additional force would be placed upon Vietnam to ceasefire against the South Vietnamese and American troops. Ultimately, the majority of American elites agreed that eradicating communism from Vietnam would be fundamentally impossible, and ordered the removal of U.S. troops, and their fleet of UH-1B’s, allowing the Vietnam War to come to an end.
Biblically, the inability to succeed in our original mission of the Vietnam War is described in Job 5:6-8 NKJV “For affliction does not come from the dust, Nor does trouble spring from the ground; Yet man is born to trouble, As the sparks fly upward.” This means that had the United States been successful in its original mission to annihilate communism in Northern Vietnam, the evil ideology would have resurfaced, as this is the nature of man. Unregulated by Christian doctrine and the Supernatural influence of God, the inherent evil which spurs from fallen man manifests into an endemic affliction aiming expansion.
Conclusion.
Throughout the Vietnam War, in order to offer the greatest potential for success the strategy for victory in Vietnam continuously changed. This occurred by shifting the focus from the original plan of eliminating communism to the withdrawal of American troops. As a result, America effectively lost the war, shifting its own objectives to fit the definition of a successful battle. With limitation came innovation, and despite the casualties incurred through warfare, America emerged more geopolitically engaged, and began to seek peace, expanding trade with communist nations. While we changed the definition of victory to accommodate the withdrawal of U.S. troops, the Huey UH-1B stands as a symbol of American victory. It was through this innovative helicopter that many soldiers remain alive today, the battle-tested Huey UH-1B stands as a symbol of American resilience and refinement under the most extreme of circumstances. Overall, our engagement in the Vietnam War provided evidence that foreign policy and geopolitical relations can be the most powerful solutions to global conflict.
Bibliography
[1] “Vietnam War 50th Year Commemoration.” Accessed February 16th, 2023. https://www.army.mil/vietnamwar/history.html.
[2] Ritchie, R. F., 2021, Modern American Military History: Kendall Hunt Publishing.
[3] “UH-1P Huey.” Accessed February 15th, 2023. https://www.hurlburt.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Fact-Sheets/article/204572/uh-1p-huey/.
[4] “UH-1N Huey.” Accessed February 15th, 2023. https://www.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/104464/uh-1n-huey/.
[5] “First Flight of the Huey – October 20th, 1956.” Accessed February 15th, 2023. https://www.nwcg.gov/committee/6mfs/original-huey.
[6] “Treatment of War Wounds: A Historical Review.” Accessed February 15th, 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2706344/.
[7] “Vietnam War U.S. Military Fatal Casualty Statistics.” Accessed February 15th, 2023. https://www.archives.gov/research/military/vietnam-war/casualty-statistics.
[8] “Nixon’s Foreign Policy.” Accessed February 15th, 2023. https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/short-history/nixon-foreignpolicy.