Vietnam Veterans Memorial Air Assault Huey walkaround — Tampa

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Air Assault Huey — Tampa

27º 58′ 30″ N / 82º 21′ 51″ W

Chin to chin with the Huey of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park in Tampa FL — photo by Joseph May

This park is located on the east side in Tampa FL on the northwest corner of  the intersection of U.S. Hwy 301 and the Tampa Bypass Canal — just a bit south of Martin Luther King Blvd. This park has a museum as well as a huge amount of outdoor space for walking, pondering and enjoying the fresh air. There are military vehicles on display aside from the plaza where two Vietnam War era helicopters — a Huey and a Cobra — sit astride two highly polished etched granite monuments.

One of the helicopters, on a pedestal mount as if in-flight, is a Bell UH-1 Iroquois — better known across the world as the “Huey” — ubiquitous and iconic symbol of the Vietnam War. This Huey has the livery of one which flew air assault missions, envelopment from above, a new form of warfare shown possible by the Huey. Each Huey able to carry a fire team (essentially half of an infantry squad, a pair of Hueys an entire squad, and dozens of Hueys an entire battalion). I saw such an event at an airshow when dozens of Hueys flew in a formation of three waves, each wave having three tiers, landing a battalion across from the spectator area in a matter of minutes. Think of it, in moments hundreds of motivated infantry is suddenly within enemy held or enemy controlled territory — threat or opportunity to the foes depending upon the quality of the intelligence of the friendlies.

Warfare had become much more dynamic. This Huey would have delivered troops, then flown resupply where cargo either jumped or was kicked out the doors in the form of troops, water, medical supplies and ammunition — always ammunition, especially if the landing zone (LZ) was hot — follow-on flights such as these would have been planned for such major insertion operations. Often enough these same Hueys would have taken away the wounded and the killed although other Huey helicopters would also have these assignments, know as “dust off” missions — being manned with medics and provided with additional medical supplies.

How important was the Huey? One way to measure is by noting the shortest life expectancy during the Battle of Khe San was the landing guide, vital to bringing a Huey in to a dusty landing, who was the pilot’s eyes to a quick landing since the red lateritic dust kicked up by the rotor wash would obscure ground references. The Hueys were essential and the Hueys needed these men — of which there were no shortage, incredibly brave flight crew and ground personnel were not in short supply during the battle (among others).

Bell UH-1 Iroquois “Huey” at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park in Tampa FL — photo by Joseph May

UH-1 at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park in Tampa FL — photo by Joseph May

View that many a landing guide would see during the Vietnam War — photo by Joseph May

View seen by countless just inserted infantry units in the jungles and highlands during the Vietnam War, seconds later each of the infantry would move to join with his squad and deploy according to orders — photo by Joseph May

Huey at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park in Tampa FL — photo by Joseph May

Note: the Cobra in the background is the subject of the previous post 😉