In honor of Bruce Crandall receiving the Medal of Honor for his service in Vietnam, flying the Bell UH-1 Huey, we have the military aircraft of the week (a bit late, sorry).
The Huey was introduced in 1959 as a small unit transport aircraft, used to deliver and retrieve troops in the field. It saw extensive use throughout the Vietnam War with the Army, Marines, Navy, and even the USAF.
Prior to escalation under Johnson in 1965, the Huey was used in a variety of support roles for Green Berets and other military advisors operating in Vietnam. In addition to delivering troops to combat zones, there were models that were armed with a variety of weaponry, including rockets for close support of ground forces.
The USAF used the Huey to support its Special Operations Forces, and then later to assist CIA and commando operations against the communist sanctuaries in Cambodia and Laos. The USAF Huey’s were nicknamed “Green Hornets.”
The Huey frequently made night operations during the Vietnam era without night vision and/or radar equipment, making these missions all the more dangerous.
Although the U.S. Army phased out the UH-1 with the introduction of the Blackhawk, the Huey continues to see service with the U.S. Marine Corps, as well as numerous other countries around the globe.
 Huey on the ground. |
 A Huey dropping off troops during the Ia Drang battle. |
 Another Vietnam era picture of the Huey. |
 Navy Huey, with man hanging from aircraft. |
 Marine Huey taking off, Iraq, 2003. |
 Firing 2.75 inch rockets during testing |
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