#1st Air cav

[casbooks]

Books of 2023

Book 30 of 2023

Title: To the Limit: An Air Cav Huey Pilot in Vietnam Authors: Tom A. Johnson ISBN: 9780451222183 Tags: AC-47 Spooky, B-52 Stratofortress, CH-47 Chinook, CH-54 Tarhe, EOD, LAO Laos, LAO Laotian Civil War (1959-1975), LAO Operation Commando Hunt (1968-1972) (Laotian Civil War) (Vietnam War), LAO Operation Shining Brass / Prairie Fire / Phu Dong (1965-1975) (Laotian Civil War) (Vietnam War), O-1 Bird Dog, OH-13 Sioux, OH-23 Raven, OV-1 Mohawk, Pathfinders, UH-1 Huey, US Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, US USA 11th Aviation Group, US USA 11th Aviation Support Group, US USA 12th Cavalry Regiment, US USA 12th Cavalry Regiment - 2/12, US USA 15th Medical Det. - Mercy, US USA 173rd Airborne Brigade - Sky Soldiers, US USA 1st Cavalry Division, US USA 1st Cavalry Division - 11th Pathfinder Co., US USA 20th Aerial Rocket Artillery Bn, US USA 20th Aerial Rocket Artillery Bn - 2/20 - Blue Max, US USA 227th Assault Helicopter Bn, US USA 227th Assault Helicopter Bn - C/227, US USA 228th Assault Helicopter Bn, US USA 229th Assault Helicopter Bn, US USA 229th Assault Helicopter Bn - A/229 - Bandit, US USA 229th Assault Helicopter Bn - A/229 - Python, US USA 229th Assault Helicopter Bn - B/229 - Preachers, US USA 229th Assault Helicopter Bn - D/229 - Smiling Tiger, US USA 229th Assault Helicopter Bn - D/229 - Tom Cat, US USA 478th Aviation Co, US USA 7th Cavalry Regiment, US USA 7th Cavalry Regiment - 1/7 - C Troop, US USA 7th Cavalry Regiment - 2/7, US USA 8th Cavalry Regiment, US USA 8th Cavalry Regiment - 1/8, US USA 8th Cavalry Regiment - 1/8 - B Troop, US USA 8th Cavalry Regiment - 1/8 - C Troop, US USA 8th Cavalry Regiment - 2/8, US USA 8th Engineer Bn, US USA 9th Cavalry Regiment, US USA 9th Cavalry Regiment - 1/9, US USA 9th Cavalry Regiment - 1/9 - C Troop, US USA Fort Polk LA, US USA Fort Rucker AL, US USA Fort Rucker AL - Hanchey Army Air Field, US USA Fort Wolters TX (1963-1973), US USA General Creighton Abrams, US USA General John "Jack" Norton, US USA General John Tolson, US USA LRRP Team (Vietnam War), US USA United States Army, US USA USSF Green Berets, US USA USSF Special Forces, US USMC 3rd MarDiv, US USMC United States Marine Corps, US USN Construction Battalions (Seabees), US USN SEALS, US USN United States Navy, USA 5th SFG, VNM 1968 Tet Offensive (1968) (Vietnam War), VNM A Louie Airstrip, VNM A Shau Valley, VNM An Khe, VNM An Lao Valley, VNM Ba To Airstrip, VNM Battle of Hue City (1968) (Tet Offensive) (Vietnam War), VNM Battle of Khe Sanh (1968) (Tet Offensive) (Vietnam War), VNM Bong Son, VNM Bong Son Pass, VNM Bong Son River, VNM Camp Evans (Vietnam War), VNM Camp Radcliff (Vietnam War), VNM Cay Giep Mountains, VNM Central Highlands, VNM Command and Control North/FOB-4 (Vietnam War), VNM Da Nang, VNM Dak To, VNM Dam Tra-O Lake, VNM Dia Dong, VNM Dong Ha, VNM DRV NVA 22nd Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 325C Division, VNM DRV NVA 325C Division - 7th Bn, VNM DRV NVA 325C Division - 9th Bn, VNM DRV NVA 3rd Division, VNM DRV NVA North Vietnamese Army, VNM DRV VC Viet Cong, VNM Highway 1, VNM Highway 19, VNM Hill 450, VNM Hill 814 (LZ Peanuts) (Vietnam War), VNM Ho Chi Minh Trail (Vietnam War), VNM Hon Kon (Hong Kong Mountain) / (Signal Mountain), VNM Hue, VNM Hue Phu Bai, VNM I Corps (Vietnam War), VNM II Corps (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Bird (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Dog (Vietnam War), VNM LZ El Paso (Vietnam War), VNM LZ English (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Geronimo (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Laramie (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Pat (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Pepper (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Sally (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Sandra (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Sharon (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Signal Hill (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Stud (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Thor (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Tiger (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Tom (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Two Bits (Vietnam War), VNM LZ Vicki (Vietnam War), VNM Marble Mountain, VNM Nui Mot (The Rockpile), VNM Operation Arc Light (1965-1973) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Delaware / Lam Son 216 (1968) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Jeb Stuart (1968) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Pegasus / Lam Son 207 (1968) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Pershing (1967-1968) (Vietnam War), VNM Phan Rang Air Base, VNM Phu Cat Mountains, VNM Quang Tri, VNM Quang Tri Province, VNM Qui Nhon, VNM RVN ARVN Army of the Republic of Vietnam, VNM Song Ba, VNM Song Chal Truc, VNM Song Re, VNM Song Re Valley, VNM Tam Quan, VNM US MACV Military Assistance Command Vietnam (Vietnam War), VNM US MACVSOG (1964-1972) (Vietnam War), VNM US UH-1 Huey Firefly Missions (Vietnam War), VNM US USAF Phu Cat Air Base (Vietnam War), VNM US USMC DHCB Dong Ha Combat Base (Vietnam War), VNM US USMC KSCB Khe Sanh Combat Base (Vietnam War), VNM US USMC MMAF Marble Mountain Air Facility, VNM US USMC QTCB Quang Tri Combat Base (Vietnam War), VNM Vietnam, VNM Vietnam War (1955-1975) Rating: ★★★★ (4 Stars) Subject: Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.Aviation.US Army.Helos.Slicks, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.Laotian Civil War.Aviation.Helos

Description: **The riveting memoir of a Vietnam War helicopter pilot. “When you step into a Huey with Tom Johnson, you’re in for the real thing. No one has previously captured the Vietnam helicopter experience with such gripping authority.”—Robert F. Dorr, author of Chopper   **   From June 1967 to June 1968, Tom Johnson accumulated an astonishing 1,600 flying hours piloting the UH-1 “Iroquois”—better known as the “Huey”—as part of the famous First Air Cavalry Division. His battalion was one of the most decorated units of the Vietnam War, and helped redefine modern warfare. Johnson’s riveting memoir takes us into key battles and rescue missions, including those for Hue and Khe Sanh. In harrowing detail, he tells of being shot down in the battle of A Shau Valley, of surviving enemy attacks during the Tet Offensive, and of a death-defying nighttime river rescue, in which only the bare feet of soldiers hanging off the Huey’s skids kept the helicopter from plunging under water. From dangerous missions to narrow escapes, Johnson’s memoir vividly captures the adrenaline rush and the horror of war, and takes you on a ride you’ll never forget.

[historyithaview]

Love the suit case.

[walkingthroughthisworld]

Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 9th Cavalry Regiment from Fort Hood, Texas and multinational partner forces engage in a Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise (CALFEX) that was attended by the U.S. Emassador to Lithuania, Robert Gilchrist, on Feb. 12, 202… (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)

PABRADE, Lithuania - Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 9th U.S. Cavalry Regiment from Fort Hood, Texas, working side by side with multinational and allied forces, concluded their Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise training Feb 13, 2020.

Dutch artillery, Croatian mortar, Lithuanian and Norwegian fire support and the Baltic Air Police were some of the major assets involved in the execution of this enormous military exercise.

"A successful CALFEX is when my company commander walks out of here with a standard operating procedure and every single one of my leaders, whether it's a tank commander, a Bradley commander, a squad leader, a team leader…They walk out of here understanding their SOP's, having codified the lessons that they've learned throughout the entire train-up," said Lt. Col. Stephen Johnson, commander of the 1-9 CAV.

This large scale combined exercise involved assets from across the entire battlefield spectrum operating in a seamless, synchronous fashion.

Mortar teams working cooperatively were no exception.

"The goal for mortars here is to enable the maneuver elements in the company CALFEX to be able to get onto their objectives with ease," said 1st Lt. Alexander Shuler, a 1-9 CAV mortar platoon leader. "The thing that's really cool about working with the European nations, including Croatia, is that they're so used to working with other nations. A large part of us coming here to Europe is building upon that interoperability."

Indeed, Croatian Soldiers were an essential component of the mortar exercises as they worked closely with 1-9 CAV Soldiers throughout the CALFEX.

"The non-commissioned officers that we work closely with were really helpful," said 2nd Lt. Ante Validzic, with the 3rd mechanized infantry of the Croatian Land Forces. "They assisted us with everything we needed. If we combine our strengths, and work on our weaknesses, we can be strong together."

Training in Lithuania offered the Soldiers many tactical benefits that are not as readily available back in the United States.

"One of the great things about the 1-9 being up here in Lithuania is that they have the training facilities right here at their doorstep," said Brigade Command Sgt. Maj. Alexander Yazzie. "During this exercise, they had the fuelers come, they brought in ammo, they executed a Logistics Resupply Point (LRP) after contact. They were able to not only incorporate the fire maneuver, the shoot - move - communicate portion, but they incorporated the sustainment portion as well which was great because that's the first time I've seen that done in a CALFEX."

Command Sgt. Maj. Christopher Carey, the battalion command sergeant major was equally impressed with his Soldiers' ability to engage and take down potential enemy opposition.

"The one thing that really stood out to me was the violent execution of Battle Drill Six (room clearing exercise) by our infantry. There's a lot of training that leads up going into that live fire drill," said Carey. "They've trained for several weeks in preparation for this, and again the violence of action was very impressive. We're here to train and we're here to deter our adversaries. We don't have any distractors, that's our focus here."

The CALFEX is an enormous undertaking in scale and scope. This exercise allows leadership to assess and increase the military readiness and lethality of all the joint participants. Combining forces on such an enormous scale showcases our interoperability, and promotes regional stability, thereby enhancing relationships with our allies.

"We actually got to shoot gunnery with the Germans and the Norwegians, just being able to interact with them - I actually got to grade them, I got to VCE (Vehicle Crew Evaluator) them through their gunnery," said Staff Sgt. John Waite, an M1A2 B Co., 3rd platoon tank commander. "They were phenomenal. Their platforms and tank crews were amazing. They're always just thirsting for knowledge, the same as us. It's been one of the most amazing experiences during my time in the army."

The CALFEX is a very fast paced, multi faceted, strategic exercise. The ability of Soldiers to adapt and adjust to a fluid, ever changing battlefield environment is key to their success.

Of course, everything doesn't always go as planned.

"A Platoon leader's track (U.S. Bradley Fighting Vehicle) went down, just cut off on him. He worked through it, and what was great is the battalion commander let him work through it, he didn't give him the answer," said Yazzie. "So when a platoon sergeant's vehicle goes down, you have to jump track. Ultimately, he worked through it, he did really well and continued on with the mission."

Countless hours of training, endless logistics and the Soldiers' collective fighting spirit make for a very formidable fighting force that continues to protect the freedoms and independence of all within the European theater.

"This was just a world class amazing exercise, and I'm really proud of the Soldiers. Moving forward, we're going to document all the lessons learned. We're going to make sure that we don't make the same mistakes that we learned from this time, and that we can pass them off to the future leaders," said Johnson. "We all transition. We're going to switch out leaders, we're going to switch out Soldiers and they've got to be able to pick up where we left off. We're going to continue to be lethal, we're going to continue to train and continue to get better."

[davidshawnsown]

Ukrainian 1st Mot Inf Div UGF

Part of VII Army Corps UGF

(This is inspired by Battle Order's video on the experimental Soviet Army light infantry division of 1987 which was trained and formed in Ukraine.)

Raised as part of Westernization and expansion of the UGF in 2023-24, the 1st Mot Inf Div of VII Corps/OC North - one of a number of new divisions being activated along the revival of historic units - will soon be added with its planned light cavalry regiment to its ORBAT later due to NATO and Polish and US influence as part of the force's efforts to defend the nation. As of present just one armored cavalry element is present - the armored cav kurin assigned with the 1st Light Armored BCT.

It is organized into three motorized brigades, one mechanized brigade, one light armored brigade, one field artillery brigade, one air defense artillery brigade, a combat engineer regiment, an army aviation regiment using Western helicopters, support elements, a depot regiment and directly reporting formations including one rifle (Jaeger) infantry regiment and one tank destroyer regiment.

Its motorized brigades are armed with Novators, Humvees and JLTVs alongside a company each of truck-mounted infantry with its artillery battalions armed with the Humvee Hawkeye - an experimental SPG mounted on Humvee chassis, and M10 Bookers in the armored battalions. Their air defense battalions are a mix of towed and wheeled SPAGGs like the Viktor, which is the same systems used by the air defense brigade under divisional command.

However the main mechanized element - the 19th BCT - has a mix of wheeled and tracked infanty carriers in its mechanized infantry regiments and with the same vehicles of the motorized brigades in its motorized and rifle infantry regiments. The 19th Armored Regt operates mainly the T-64 and M48 Pattons as well as a company of Leopard 1s.

103rd FA Brigade operates 3 battalions of towed guns, an administrative regiment of two SPG battalions, each wheeled and tracked, and one MLRS battalion alongside a strike UAV battery under its command.

@lukeexplorer

[djpain619]

84th Sigman Kerberos Scions Regiment Force Organization

4th Brigade Task Force Organization:

>HQ: Task Force Scion Command Squad + Taurox Prime, Brigade Attachés,Centurion Rangers Enforcer Platoon, Abhuman Auxilia Company, Stray Dogs.

>1st Company: 3 Combined Arms Scion Echelons

>2nd Company: 3 Mechanised Scion Echelons

>3rd Company: 3 Air Cavalry Scion Echelons.

>Force Recon Company: Aquillacan Carabineers RoughRider Company

----------------------------------------------------

>HQ force Org:

-Task Force Scion Command Squad: Tempestor Prime Task Force Commander + 4 Tempestus Scions + Taurox Prime

-Centurion Rangers Enforcer Platoon: Centurion Rangers Platoon Command Squad (1 Marshall Primus [Special Character Inquisitior], 3 Centurion Marshals [Generic Inquisitior]), 4 Centurion Ranger Kill Squads [2 Exaction Squads, 1 Subductor Squad, 1 Vigilant Squad], 1 Centurian Ranger Enforcer Squad [20 Commisars])

-Abhuman Auxilia Company: Ogryn Platoon [6 Ogryn Squads], Bulgryn Platoon [6 Bullgryn Squads], Bodyguard Platoon [3 Bodyguard Squads]

-Stray Dogs: 444th Kreig Siege Regiment [1 Combined ad-hock scratch Company: 2 Kreig Mechanised Infantry Platoons, 1 Kreig Feild Ordinance Platoon]

----------------------------------------------------

>1st Company Force Org:

-Company HQ: Company Command Squad (1 Tempestor Prime + 4 Tempestus Scions + 1 Taurox Prime)

-1st Echelon: 1 Tempestus Scion Mechanized Platoon (1 Tempestus Scion Command Squad [1 Tempestor Prime + 4 Tempestus Scions], 3 Tempestus Scion Squads [3×{1Tempestor+9Scions}], + 4 Taurox Primes), 1 Tempestus Scion Air Cav Platoon (1 Tempestus Scion Command Squad [1 Tempestor Prime + 4 Tempestus Scions], 3 Tempestus Scion Squads [3×{1Tempestor+9Scions}], + 4 Valkyre Drop Ships, + 1 Vulture Gun Ship

-2nd Echelon: 1 Tempestus Scion Mechanized Platoon + 1 Tempestus Scion Air Cav Platoon

-3rd Echelon: 1 Tempestus Scion Mechanized Platoon + 1 Tempestus Scion Air Cav Platoon

----------------------------------------------------

>2nd Company Force Org:

-HQ: Company Command Squad

-1st Echelon: 2 Tempestus Scion Mechanized Platoon

-2nd Echelon: 2 Tempestus Scion Mechanized Platoon

-3rd Echelon: 2 Tempestus Scion Mechanized Platoon

----------------------------------------------------

>3rd Company Force Org:

-HQ: Company Command Squad

-1st Echelon: 2 Tempestus Scion Air Cav Platoon

-2nd Echelon: 2 Tempestus Scion Air Cav Platoon

-3rd Echelon: 2 Tempestus Scion Air Cav Platoon

----------------------------------------------------

>Force Recon Company:

-6 Aquillacan Carabineers RoughRider Squads

----------------------------------------------------

The 84th Sigman Kerberos Scions Regiment is a very large and oversized compared to standard Guard regiments. While the average Guard Regiment is anywhere from 3 to 20 Companies strong, the 84th Sigman Kerberos true size is unknown but is believed to be approximately 65 Companies in Strength.

The Regiment However is never deployed in full to any one theater. Instead it it parceled into individual Brigade Task Forces that are then distributed across the Imperium. A Single Brigade Task Force is usually attached to support entire Army Groups

To Round out these Brigade Task Forces thay are supplemented with elements from other formations from their home system

>Centurion Rangers: where Commisars and Arbites would be employed in other Imperial Organizations, these roles are both filled by the Centurion Rangers.

Their Organization Forged in the fires of a Genestealer Infested Civil War, the Centurion Rangers started as a task force ment to root out Genestealers Leader. By combining Commisars with Arbites, Scola Tempestus Cadets, and Blooded Veteran Kanak Skulltaker Headhunters, the task force managed to seek out and destroy countless Genestealer Hero Units at the cost of horrendous Mass Casualties. What was left after the war was over were an elite group of extremely hardened veteran fighters. These fighters were then distributed across numerous Rual Communities to enforce the Law, and Rally Militias, and Lead PDF Units when a Savage Orc Waaagh rises or a Planetary Invasion occurs.

>Aquillacan Carabineer RoughRiders: The Force Recon Company consists of the most experienced and elite RoughRider Veterans the Aquillacan Carabineers have to offer. Deployed as Recon Scouts, Pathfinders, shock cav, & guerrilla raiders

>Tercio de Mastìn: The House Guard of Señor Hidalgo Don Coyóte and the newly established Knightly House of La Mancha. The Tercio de Mastìn are a reputable Fighting force of fighting capability equal to many Famed and vaunted Guard Regiments and equipped with arms and armor nearly rivaling the Vostroyan Firstborn in quality. Señor Hidalgo Don Coyóte readily sells the services of Elements of his House Guard for the right price.

Señor Hidalgo Don Coyóte De La Mancha became very fond of the Aquillacan Ogryn population that live among the ethnic Kanaks in the rual Villages that span Planet Ørnverden. Shortly after Establishing the La Mancha House and reforming the Penal Mines of Tecolote IV into the La Mancha Colonial Settlement, Señor Hidalgo Don Coyóte De La Mancha founded a not-for-profit foundation to educate these Rual Ogryns. This endeavor, though not without its share of setbacks and missteps. Has largely been a resounding success. Graduates of these Ogryn Schools have been able to perfom basic addition and subtraction, count past 100, and are often Literate to a 2nd Grade Reading Comprehension level. As well as having spectacular patience, anger management, and overall personal discipline. Señor Hidalgo Don Coyóte Recruites heavily from the graduates of his Ogryn schools and Ogryn Abhumans make up a large proportion of his house guards. The Ogryn community for there part is full of young Ogryn chomping at the bit for a chance to join the Tercios, if only for a chance to wear the colorful uniform and shiny armor. Veteran Ogryns that have fufilled their contract with the Tercios often return to their Rual Villages sporting their fancy uniform and armor to the envy of their peers.

Both the 84th Sigman Kerberos Regiment and Many Aquillacan Carabineers Regiments recruit their Ogryn Abhuman Auxilia exclusivly either by purchasing their contracts directly from the Tercios de Mastìn as Long term Mercenaries, or by recruiting Veteran Tercio Ogryns that have just completed their contracts upon their return home.

>Stray Dogs: the 84th Sigman Kerberos Regiment have gained a tradition of occationaly adopting surviving elements of obliterated Regiments and forming them into Ad-hock Platoons and Companies for use as Auxilary Reserves, Rear Guards, and occasionally as a recruitment pool to replace losses (only if the recruit is particularly talented, and only after they are put through a minimalist in feild recreation of the Schola Tempestus boot camp, any recruits that pass this training and survive the Brigade's tour of Duty will be sent to the 84ths Schola Tempestus on the moon of Ørnverden for proper Scion Training and then be accepted as a Full Tempestus Scion)

The nickname "Stray Dogs" comes from the Wolfspear Chapter of Adeptus Astartes. It is the term of endearment the Wolfspears used to refer to the 84th Sigman Kerberos Brigade that fought by their side.

The 4th Brigade Task Force has adopted the last surviving Elements of the ravaged 444th Kreig Siege Regiment as their Stray Dogs.

The 444th Kreig Siege Regiment was demolished by battlefield casualties in a horrendous conflict in the Imperium Nihilis. Originally 18 Companies strong, they have been reduced to a Single Company strong Ad-hock formation. Abandoned by the administratum and left for dead on a barren rock, the 4th Brigade's Transport vessel just happened to intercept the 444ths distress signal while En Route to their assigned Army Group.

----------------------------------------------------

Really hard to find Force Org charts for Tempestus Scion Regiments...

So I kinda just ripped off these guys, then tweaked it a Little.

[casposters]

(via hueys-in-the-lz-stu-shepherd.jpg (900×638))

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/hueys-in-the-lz-stu-shepherd.html

Hueys In The LZ

A flight of Bell UH-1B Hueys from the 1st Air Cav thunder in to another uncertain greeting in a Landing Zone, somewhere in Vietnam circa 1969. Art created for a model kit box cover and used with permission.

[jeusussavearmyveteran1205]

Today we honor Richard Keefe of Dover, New Hampshire, who passed away on January 17, 2022. Richard is remembered by his wife of 54 years, Verna:"Viet Nam 1966-1967, 1st Cav. Air MobileMarried 1968

[captawesomesauce]

Thoughts at 145pm...

So according to goodreads and my calibre program, I’ve read 60 books since Jan 1st. Some months I read a lot, some months I read a little, some months I read nothing at all... but by 9/9... I had read 60 books.

The main theme for this year has been The Vietnam war, and especially IV Corps. That was the area of the Mekong Delta and I’ve shied away from the flashy books by former SEALs and instead have read a lot by PBR, Tango Boat, and Swift Boat members. Also I really wanted to focus on the 9th Infantry Division and what it was like for them. I also read about the Forward Air Controllers, the LRRP/Rangers, and the Seawolf and Black Ponies in the area. There were books about advisors to the Junk Boats, and books on Mechanized Infantry and Armored Cav, including the ARVN regiments as well.

The last book I read was different. It was more about LAM SON 719 in Laos, and flying in I Corps, and I think my next book will be I Corps as well as it will be about a unit a family friend was in and during the time he was there. After that I might switch to fiction for a bit, maybe go back to Cornwell’s Sharpes series.

[johnpodlaski]

HELICOPTER COMBAT ASSAULTS (CHARLIE ALPHAs)

By Robin Bartlett What was it like to go on a helicopter combat assault with the 1st Air Cav Division during the Vietnam War? As a platoon leader with A Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Cav, I went on more than 60 “Charlie Alphas” during my tour from 1968-69. Sometimes we made two assaults per day. This photograph gives the platoon leader’s view of what an assault looks like through the cockpit…

[mwsa-member]

Fading Memories of An Old Soldier: Vietnam 1968-1979 by Elvis Lynn Bray

MWSA Review Pending  

Author's Synopsis

This is a memoir of short stories, non-fiction and fiction, based on real live events of my two years in Vietnam in 1968-1970 as a helicopter crew chief on a UH-1H helicopter in slicks and medical evacuation, dustoff helicopters, and as an observer in the scout helicopter. I served with the 7th/1st Air Cav in the delta in 1968-1969, and in the Central Highland with the 247th Medical Detachment in 1969-1970.

Format(s) for review: Paper and Kindle

Review Genre: Nonfiction—Memoir/Biography

Number of Pages: 134

Word Count: 34,270

[casbooks]

Books of 2023

Book 4 of 2023:

Title: Flashing Saber/Brennan’s War Authors: Matthew Brennan ISBN: 9781503102941 Tags: ACH-47 Guns-A-Go-Go Chinook, Forward Observer, FRA Groupement Mobile 100 (Indochina War), FSB Baldy (Vietnam War), FSB Bird (Vietnam War), FSB Cobra (Vietnam War), FSB English (Vietnam War), FSB Montezuma (Vietnam War), H-13 Sioux, KOR ROK Republic of Korea Army, LZ Hammond (Vietnam War), LZ Hereford (Vietnam War), LZ Montezuma (Vietnam War), LZ Porrazzo (Vietnam War), LZ Ross (Vietnam War), LZ Willy (Vietnam War), Military Police, OH-6, OV-1 Mohawk, UK Royal Malaysian Tracker School, US USA 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, US USA 12th Cavalry Regiment, US USA 173rd Airborne Brigade, US USA 196th Light Infantry Brigade, US USA 1st Cavalry Division, US USA 1st ID, US USA 21st Field Artillery Bn, US USA 227th Assault Helicopter Bn, US USA 35th Infantry Regiment, US USA 35th Infantry Regiment - 1/35, US USA 4th ID, US USA 9th Cavalry - 1st Squadron (Headhunters), US USA 9th Cavalry Regiment, US USA Combat Trackers - K9, US USA LRRP Team (Vietnam War), US USA United States Army, USA Capt. James Taylor (MOH) (Vietnam War), USAF Phu Cat Airbase (Vietnam War), VNM 1968 Tet Offensive (1968) (Vietnam War), VNM 506 Valley, VNM A Shau Valley, VNM An Khe, VNM An Lao, VNM An Loc, VNM Battle of Hue City (1968) (Tet Offensive) (Vietnam War), VNM Battle of Khe Sanh (1968) (Tet Offensive) (Vietnam War), VNM Binh An, VNM Binh Dinh Province, VNM Bong Son, VNM Bong Son River, VNM Bu Dop Special Forces Camp (Vietnam War), VNM Camp Evans (Vietnam War), VNM Camp Radcliff (Vietnam War), VNM Chu Lai, VNM CIA Phung Hoang / Phoenix Program (1965-1972) (Vietnam War), VNM Crow's Foot War Zone, VNM Da Nang, VNM Deo Mang, VNM Deo Mang pass, VNM DRV NVA 18th Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 18th Regiment - 27th Co, VNM DRV NVA 22nd Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 2nd Division, VNM DRV NVA 33rd Regiment, VNM DRV NVA 3rd Division, VNM DRV NVA 812th Regiment, VNM DRV NVA Sang Vao (Yellow Star) Division, VNM DRV VC 2nd Regiment, VNM Duc Pho, VNM Hiep Duc, VNM Ho Bo Woods, VNM Hon Kon (Hong Kong Mountain), VNM Hue, VNM Khe Sanh, VNM Kim Son, VNM Kontum, VNM Lang Vei Special Forces Camp (Vietnam War), VNM Loc Ninh, VNM LZ Ross, VNM Mang Yang Pass, VNM Million Dollar Hill, VNM Monument Hill, VNM Nui Ba Ra (Mountain of the Old Man), VNM Operation Cravy Horse (1966) (Vietnam War), VNM Operation Masher (1966) (Vietnam War), VNM Perfume River, VNM Phouc Vinh, VNM Pleiku, VNM Quan Loi, VNM Quang Tri, VNM Que Son Valley, VNM Route 1, VNM Route 14, VNM Route 19, VNM Rung Sat Special Zone, VNM RVN ARVN Army of the Republic of Vietnam, VNM RVN ARVN Vietnamese Rangers - Biet Dong Quan, VNM RVN RVNP Can Sat National Police, VNM Saigon, VNM Song Re, VNM Soui Ca Mountains, VNM Tam Ky, VNM Tan Son Nhut Air Base, VNM The Graveyard, VNM Tiger Mountains, VNM USMC DHCB Dong Ha Combat Base (Vietnam War), VNM USMC KSCB Khe Sanh Combat Base (Vietnam War), VNM VC Valley, VNM Vietnam War (1955-1975), VNM Vinh Thanh Valley (Happy Valley), VNM War Zone C, VNM War Zone D, VNM French Indochina War (1946-1954) Rating: 5 Stars  Subject: Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.US Army.Infantry

Description: 

"The division's expendables." That's what one division commander called the 1/9th Cavalry Blue platoons during the Vietnam War. The Blues, as they were called, were perpetually understrength and considered to be acceptable losses in hopeless situations--but their amazingly successful record proved otherwise.

Flashing Saber is memoir about mortal combat with the First Air Cavalry Division's reconnaissance squadron. Included is the account of an air-ground raid that killed more high-ranking enemy officers than any similar engagement of the war: a full colonel, four majors and four senior captains.

An expansion and careful reworking of his previous work, Brennan's War, published in 1985, and in the vein of classic memoirs by Johnnie Clark and Frederick Downs, the book is a harrowing firsthand account of life and death in war.****

Review: I’ve read Brennan’s previous book, Brennan’s War shortly after it was published in 1985. A lot of what was in it stuck with me as a classic retelling of some ones honest look at their own experience, their failures/stupidity, and both good and bad choices. 

This version adds a lot more nuance and more understanding to what he experienced, and the added snippets add a lot to round out some of the people and tales without watering down the experiences or raw emotion.

His experiences are unique due to his circumstances, and most importantly, he has an excellent way of telling the story. It’s not just a cut and dry “i went here, I did this...” ... but he understands narrative, he understands human emotion, and he is able to convey things in a way many other authors of this genre actually fail to do. 

[georgemcginn]

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The U.S. Army’s lone active-duty cavalry division, the 1st Cavalry Division has a unique history, during which the “First Team” transitioned between horseback, infantry, air assault, and armored division structures. The history of the 1st CD began in the 19th century, when its antecedent units fought in the Civil War and patrolled the Old West during the Indian Wars. These numerous cavalry regiments were consolidated into the 1st Cavalry Division on 13 September 1921, at Ft. Bliss, Texas. The 1st CAV remained a horseback unit between WWI and #WWII, patrolling the desert Southwest and the border with Mexico. On 28 February 1943 the division dismounted, effectively becoming an infantry unit as it shipped off for combat in WWII’s South Pacific theater. The First Team proved itself in its first combat action, on 29 February 1944, on Los Negros Island, and in subsequent island engagements on Leyte and Luzon. In February 1945, 1st CD raided its way into Manila in a famous “flying column,” liberating 3,700 civilians held captive in Santo Tomas University. Following Japan’s surrender, the 1st CAV led Allied occupying forces into the capital city (becoming “First in Tokyo”). When the #KoreanWar erupted in 1950, the First Team staged the first amphibious landing of the war, storming up the peninsula to capture the North Korean capital on 19 October 1950 and earning the title “First in Pyongyang.” Elements of the 1st CAV participated in the initial stages of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, and the entire division deployed to Iraq in 2004, where it fought in the Second Battle of Fallujah. The First Team continued to participate in the Global War on Terror in Operations Enduring Freedom, Freedom’s Sentinel, and Inherent Resolve. #Armyhistory #USArmy #TRADOC #todayinarmyhistory #FirstTeam U.S. Army 1st Cavalry Division U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) Secretary of the Army U.S. Army Chief of Staff U.S. Army Center of Military History #repostedfrom @armyhistory (at Columbia, Tennessee) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cib6rz5ui3Q/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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“US Cavalry - God Bless You”, via Katyusha

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Vietnam War 1965 - 1st Air Cav. on the "Golf Course," An Khe

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Joseph "Jo Jo" Kogut of Delta Co. 1/12th Cav, 1st Air Cav in Vietnam with his graffitied flak jacket. 1967-1968.