No Vietnam era 1st Cav solider blog or personal web page addressing Vietnam would be complete unless it includes photos of Chinooks. When it comes to transportation they were to us what horses were to 1st Cavalry troops when the division was formed in 1921 and what armor is for today’s 1st Cavalry soldiers. Chinooks were what we rode to battle.
These photos show what they looked like at work including one of my personal favorites, a picture I took within a few feet of one lifting off from LZ Pedro in February 1968. Even today some 30+ years later I can hear the “whomp, whomp, whomp” sound as the blades beat the air and feel the incredible downdraft as it lifted up and away.
