DC Wings - Wings Over Vietnam The Missions II (1997) Part 2 The Cavalry

Throughout the Vietnam War, the United States was forced to develop a vast array of new air tactics and technology to meet unique challenges posed by unconventional, jungle warfare. This series chronicles the men who flew the missions, the aircraft that were involved, and their incredible stories of ingenuity, determination, triumph, and tragedy. During the course of the Southeast Asian war, the United States developed many new types of air tactics that had never previously been needed. Invariably putting existing technology through radical redevelopment, new missions were devised, often under bizarre code-names. This series takes you back for one of the most intense air campaigns ever waged. From “Flaming Dart” to “Rolling Thunder,” the skies over Vietnam exploded with incredible air attacks while ground forces dug into the trenches. “Wings Over Vietnam” combines rare combat footage with first-hand accounts to create a captivating portrait of these unique missions, the men who flew them, and the impact they had on the Vietnam War.

Part 2 The Cavalry

One of the great battlefield innovations developed by the United States armed forces in its effort to defeat a skilled and often elusive enemy in Vietnam was air cavalry–light infantry deployed by helicopters. Always outnumbered, and fighting in a totally hostile environment, American soldiers had to rely on technology and new techniques to contain the enemy. The highly mobile helicopter troops who formed the Air Cavalry used quick-response techniques to counter the huge odds against which they fought daily. As a concept, air cavalry was innovative. As executed by air cavalry units, it was phenomenal, and the 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam was the quintessential air cavalry organization. Its prominent and evolving role began in the Ia Drang Valley in 1965, and one of its greatest achievements came at Khe Sanh in 1968.

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