Evac range - Huey

[Taproot]

Hey gusy!

 

Anyone have a clue of the "normal" evac range of the huey in vietnam. How far did they fly?

[Rincevent]

I recall that in the Vietnam in HD documentary they said that the majority of medevac where an hour long back to the nearest field hospital.

I am not sure if it's an absolutely reliable source of information though.

[Strut]

MedEvac / CasEvac / Dustoff was usually tried to be effected and achieved within the "Golden Hour", which is proven military doctrine still used today by the US and my country Australia, some other countries do as well im sure, the thinking being is that if you can be evacuated and placed on an operation table in a hospital within that "Golden Hour" your chances of survival were very good. And it proved to be very true. As far as flight ranges in Vietnam it varied, also the level of evacuation was varied as well, with medical stations starting from with-in the operational area to full blown hospitals in the larger bases and some of the provinces. Generally, the average "grunt" was operating inside that hour evac flight time and on occasion especially with the North they might have been a bit further out. Geographically Vietnam isnt really that big, in particular South Vietnam as was the official location of the war. As an aside. the Vietnam war was also unofficially called the " Helicopter War" by some, because Air Assault, CASEVAC, and airborne manoever was so important to be able to operate there.

 

If your interested there is lots of books on the subject, but if you want a good read about Korea and Vietnam, i can suggest a great book called "About Face", written by a truly great warrior and soldier, Colonel David Hackworth. It is a brilliant story of his soldiering experiences. I actually met Hackworth by pulling a rifle with a bayonet attached on him whislt on guard duty when he was roaming our base in Northern Australia. As an old retired Infantryman, i get nostalgia hits re-reading his books.

Edited May 20, 2013 by Strut