The war in Vietnam saw the loss of numerous helicopters through surface to air missiles, fighter interception and antiaircraft artillery, among other means. Others went down in unclear circumstances. The death toll rose by the day with numerous and fascinating stories about the Vietnam War helicopter crashes.
According to some analysts, a significant number of helicopters crashed due to errors in command. Others claim that there was a supremacy battle between Air Force and Army pilots which made it difficult to control the airspace. This is regarded among the most guarded secrets of this war alongside the extent of losses.
There is a mystery surrounding the two months period that was referred to as Lam Son 719. These two months witnessed a significant number up to ten percent of the total losses. This is considered too high compared to the loss between 1961 and 1975. It is a testament of other forces that were in play leading to the huge losses. Up to ten percent of total losses in the entire war took place during this period.
Some death cases involved soldiers on rescue missions either to recover soldiers or equipment after a crash. There were ground attacks on their bases that usually led to many losses. Other deaths involved passengers who were not necessarily crew. Such losses are very significant and though the attempt to distinguish the causes of any crash lead to controversies over the actual numbers.
An interesting statistic about the war in Vietnam touches on the number of bombs dropped. It is claimed that they were significantly more than those used in the WWII. Particularly, Quang Tri province suffered the largest bombarding to the point of creating moonscapes. The number that pounded the province was more than what fell over the whole of Europe in World War II. This has made the province inhabitable to-date.
The jungle that witnessed the war is expansive, making it difficult to trace the crashed helicopters. Veterans narrate of the possibility of getting lost within 20 meters of entering the forest. There are wild animals as deadly as cobras, tigers and crocodiles to deal with. The best option is Ho Chi Minh City which has a well kept museum with military gear and crashed aircraft recovered from battle fields.
An interesting story from this war involved a master in biology graduate from Tufts University. Paul Zabriski had taken a two years break between graduate and dental school. This decision would change his life forever. He lost his deferment opportunity after being drafted into the army. The story gets more intriguing with his narration of how he survived four crashes. He will never forget the advice from an army personnel officer who helped him begin the recruitment process.
2013 also saw the identification and decent send-off of a soldier who went missing in 1970. His remains were identified through circumstantial and forensic evidence and interred at the Arlington National Cemetery. He died in a crash that involved five other soldiers where only one survived. He was in a list of 807 soldiers who were yet to be accounted for.
According to some analysts, a significant number of helicopters crashed due to errors in command. Others claim that there was a supremacy battle between Air Force and Army pilots which made it difficult to control the airspace. This is regarded among the most guarded secrets of this war alongside the extent of losses.
There is a mystery surrounding the two months period that was referred to as Lam Son 719. These two months witnessed a significant number up to ten percent of the total losses. This is considered too high compared to the loss between 1961 and 1975. It is a testament of other forces that were in play leading to the huge losses. Up to ten percent of total losses in the entire war took place during this period.
Some death cases involved soldiers on rescue missions either to recover soldiers or equipment after a crash. There were ground attacks on their bases that usually led to many losses. Other deaths involved passengers who were not necessarily crew. Such losses are very significant and though the attempt to distinguish the causes of any crash lead to controversies over the actual numbers.
An interesting statistic about the war in Vietnam touches on the number of bombs dropped. It is claimed that they were significantly more than those used in the WWII. Particularly, Quang Tri province suffered the largest bombarding to the point of creating moonscapes. The number that pounded the province was more than what fell over the whole of Europe in World War II. This has made the province inhabitable to-date.
The jungle that witnessed the war is expansive, making it difficult to trace the crashed helicopters. Veterans narrate of the possibility of getting lost within 20 meters of entering the forest. There are wild animals as deadly as cobras, tigers and crocodiles to deal with. The best option is Ho Chi Minh City which has a well kept museum with military gear and crashed aircraft recovered from battle fields.
An interesting story from this war involved a master in biology graduate from Tufts University. Paul Zabriski had taken a two years break between graduate and dental school. This decision would change his life forever. He lost his deferment opportunity after being drafted into the army. The story gets more intriguing with his narration of how he survived four crashes. He will never forget the advice from an army personnel officer who helped him begin the recruitment process.
2013 also saw the identification and decent send-off of a soldier who went missing in 1970. His remains were identified through circumstantial and forensic evidence and interred at the Arlington National Cemetery. He died in a crash that involved five other soldiers where only one survived. He was in a list of 807 soldiers who were yet to be accounted for.
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