Helicopter Attack Squadron Light 3
"Sea Dragons / Dragontails"
|
History |
|
| 1. April 1967 | HAL-3 established at Vung Tau AB Vietnam |
| 16. March 1972 | HAL-3 disestablished at Vung Tau AB Vietnam |
| Planes: |
1969
- 1972
UH-1B
/ UH-1C
| HAL-3 Detachments | ||||
| Det. 1 |
LST-846 USS
Jennings County LST-1157USS Terrell County LST-1165 USS Washoe County LST-1170 USS Windham County LST-1159 USS Tom Green County Nam Can Naval Base Vietnam |
HC-1 Det 29 | 1. April 1969 | 6. Feb. 1972 |
| Det. 2 | Nhà Bè Base Vietnam | HC-1 Det 27 | 1. April 1969 | 26. Feb. 1972 |
| Det. 3 |
Vinh Long AB Vietnam Ha Tien Vietnam Cà Mau AB Vietnam |
HC-1 Det 25 | 1. April 1969 | 23. Feb. 1972 |
| Det. 4 | LST-786 USS Garret County | HC-1 Det 21 | 1. April 1969 | 19. Feb. 1972 |
| Det. 5 |
LST-821 USS Harnett County Rach Gia Vietnam Châu Đốc Vietnam |
- | 1968 | 14. Feb. 1972 |
| Det. 6 |
Dong Tam AB Vietnam LST-786 USS Garret County Song Ong Doc Vietnam Phu Loi Base Camp Vietnam |
- | 1967 | 3. Feb. 1972 |
| Det. 7 |
Binh Thuy AB Vietnam Đồng Tâm Base Camp Vietnam |
- | ? | 10. Feb. 1972 |
| Det. 8 |
Tay Ninh Vietnam Rạch Giá Vietnam |
- | Jun. 1969 | 18. Feb. 1972 |
| Det. 9 |
Binh Thuy AB Vietnam An Long Vietnam |
- | Sep. 1969 | 2 Mar. 1972 |
| HAL-3 Commanding Officers | ||
| LCdr. Joseph B. Howard | 1. Apr. 1967 | 7. May 1967 |
| Cdr. Robert W. Spencer | 7. May 1967 | 4. May 1968 |
| Cpt. Arthur H. Munson | 4. May 1968 | 25. Apr. 1969 |
| Cpt. Reynolds W. Beckwith | 25. Apr. 1969 | 14. Apr. 1970 |
| Cpt. Martin J. Twite | 14. Apr. 1970 | 14. Apr. 1971 |
| Cpt. Charles O. Borgstrom | 14. Apr. 1971 | 1. Feb. 1972 |
| Cpt. William J. Mulcahy | 1. Feb. 1972 | 16. Mar. 1972 |
|
History |
|
In 1966, rotary wing support was originated as part of the response to the ongoing war in South Vietnam. 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. 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 3 (Navy Vertical Replenishment), Helicopter Combat Support Squadron FIVE and Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 7 (Navy Combat Search and Rescue) and Helicopter Attack Squadron (Light) 3 (HAL-(3)), nicknamed the Seawolves. 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. By the time of their decommissioning on 16. March 1972, 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. |
