Air Medal Combat Assaults W Vn Svc W Tank Tops

The Air Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight

The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after April 5, 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, which took the form of a heart made of purple cloth, the Purple Heart is the oldest military award still given to U.S. military members – the only earlier award being the obsolete Fidelity Medallion. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York.

The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after April 5, 1917, with the U.S. military.The Purple Heart is the oldest military award still given to U.S. military members.

For the majority of the Vietnam war, the principal weapon of the door gunner was a medium machine gun (MG), initially, a M1919A4 .30 caliber MG, and soon thereafter, the M60 7.62mm MG became the standard helicopter door armament system. Initially however not all helicopters were armed or outfitted with a dedicated MG for door armament. For example the very first U.S. Army helicopter units, flying CH-21 helicopters, that began flying combat missions in Vietnam in 1962 didn't. Therefore door gunners on Vietnam photographs are sometimes seen using an M1 Carbine, an M14 rifle, or an M16 rifle, as their only weapon. Initially, the door gunner's MG weapons were mounted on swiveling mounts (on a pintle mount) in order to retain and stea...

The 57th Assault Helicopter Company deployed to Vietnam in October 1967. The 57th were assigned to the 1st Aviation Bridge's 17th Combat Group, 52nd Combat Aviation Battalion's "Flying Dragons" and made their first base in Kontum in the Central Highlands of II Corps.

The 210th Aviation Battalion was partially formed from the assets of the provisional CAPITAL Aviation battalion at Tan Son Nhut and served with the 1st Aviation Battalion . On 15 January 1966 the battalion was assigned to the 12th Aviation Group and moved to Long Thanh. In July 1971 the unit was transferred to the 165th Aviation Group. It provided fixed wing aircraft support to III Corps and IV CTZ.

The 16th flew combat missions in Southeast Asia where it was charged with attacking convoys on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the defense of hamlets and fire bases, providing close air support to troops in contact with the enemy, providing convoy escort, and battlefield illumination, November 1968 – July 1974. In all 53 members of the 16 SOS were killed in action during the Vietnam War.

During the Vietnam War, one unit assigned to the 52nd Combat Aviation Battalion, 17th Combat Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade was the 119th Assault Helicopter Company. The company operated throughout the Central Highlands of Vietnam during the war, from arrival in September 1962 until deactivation in November 1970. Originally designated the 81st Transportation Company (equipped with twin-rotor CH-21 "Flying Banana" piston-engined helicopters), the company was reorganized in 1963 as the 119th Assault Helicopter Company (Airmobile), re-equipped with turbine-powered single-rotor UH-1A and B model Hueys. Also known as the 119th Aviation Company (Assault Helicopter), the company's area of operations included the entire Central Highlands.

The 57th Assault Helicopter Company deployed to Vietnam in October 1967. The 57th were assigned to the 1st Aviation Bridge's 17th Combat Group, 52nd Combat Aviation Battalion's "Flying Dragons" and made their first base in Kontum in the Central Highlands of II Corps.

The concept of the door gunner originated during the Vietnam War, when helicopters were first used in combat in large numbers. The original personnel who served as early door gunners aboard CH-21, UH-34, and UH-1 helicopters in Vietnam, were enlisted men, with a designated and specially trained crew chief serving as both the aircraft's maintenance manager and a door gunner. Normally, a second enlisted soldier served as a second door gunner (such as on a UH-1, and UH-34, which both used two gunners – one on each side of the aircraft). Later, as the war progressed, the door gunner position sometimes used a non-aviation rated/trained soldier or marine, that volunteered for door gunner duties.