unit history information
for A/1 AVN
119 AVN
52 AL PLAT
For date 650702
A/1 AVN was a US Army unit
119 AVN was a US Army unit
52 AL PLAT was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Darlac Province, II Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Cheo Reo
Description: The A Company, 1st Aviation Battalion unit history states the district headquarters evacuation was planned for 1500H and would be made by Company A, the 119th Avn Co, and the 52d Airlift Platoon. Air Force A1E's and F-100's executed naplam and 20mm strikes around the village clearing the way for the helicopters. Company A lead the flight into the area, followed by the 119th and the 52d Airlift. As Company A lifted off the LZ, the VC began mortaring the district headquarters and the LZ. The 119th was unable to land because of the mortar and ground fire. The mission was aborted and all units returned to Cheo Reo airfield. Company A was able to extract nearly 160 people from the village on their lift. The aircraft carried the maximum possible load with as many as 15 passengers on some helicopters. The ARVN Airborn again attempted a convoy to the headquarters after several days and nights of constant bombing by the Air Force. The convoy was successful and the headquarters was evacuated by road. The VC, after days of intense bombing by the Air Force, withdrew into the mountains southwest of Cheo Reo ending the siege. Company A was released and returned to Ban Me Thuot but several aircraft were left at Cheo Reo airfield for support of the advisory team.
The source for this information was STAGECOACH, History of the 155th AML by CPT John A. Geurin
Additional information is available on CD-ROM.
Please send additions or corrections to: Gary Roush Email address: webmaster@vhpa.org
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Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023