Beginning in November 1955, and lasting through April 1975, the War in Vietnam was a long, drawn out battle that pitted a communist lead regime of North Vietnam and allies against South Vietnam and the United States, lasting a total of just short of twenty years. Though an ally of the South Vietnamese, major United States involvement in the Conflict did not begin until Democratic Republic of Vietnam owned torpedo boats attacked two United States destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin. History.com tells us that following this attack, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which gave then President Lyndon Johnson war-making powers (History.com, 2009). During this time, Air Defense in the United States was experiencing a growth period
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The Coast Artillery Corps formed after the Revolutionary War to defend the United States coasts. The Anti-Aircraft Artillery developed as the United States entered World War 1 to defend ground forces against aerial attacks. The Anti-Aircraft Artillery separated from the Coast Artillery Corps after the end of World War II. Air Defense had several different units involved in the Vietnam War. The units involved were the 6th Battalion, 71st Artillery, 5th Battalion, 2nd Artillery. The 6th Battalion, 71st Artillery deployed to Vietnam on 28 September 1965. Charlie Battery from the 71st Artillery became the first operational HAWK unit in November 1965. The 5th Battalion, 2nd Artillery deployed to Vietnam in November 1965, being assigned to the 23rd Artillery Group. The battalion was equipped with the four batteries of the M42A1 dual 40mm antiaircraft guns, which provided in a ground support role (25th Infantry Division Association, n.d.). The unit received several different awards for their actions during the Vietnam War. The awards include the Valorous Unit Award, a Meritorious Unit Citation, three awards of the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm and the Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal First Class. The 5th Battalion, 2nd Artillery departed Vietnam on 22 June 1971 and was inactivated on 23 June 1971(25th Infantry Division Association, …show more content…
During the Vietnam War, the Army used the old 60-inch searchlight from the World War II era, and the newer 30-inch searchlight. The Army realized that both the 60-inch and 30-inch searchlights were susceptible to small arms fire. For this reason, Air Defense crews changed from the 60-inch or 30-inch searchlight to the 23-inch VSS-1 Xenon Searchlight. The Army originally had the 23-inch VSS-1 Xenon Searchlight mounted on the M48 tank. They easily modified the 23-inch searchlight to fit on the M151A1 Jeep, reducing vulnerability. Near the end of the Vietnam War, the army was using the new TVS-3 searchlight, which could illuminate a position up to 20 miles away. The Army decided that the use of searchlights by the Air Defense Artillery was over after the Vietnam War. The Army’s use of night vision devices during the dark of night outweighed the ability to illuminate the enemy or battlefield (Air Defense Artillery Museum, 2017). During the conflict, the United States also used an Air Defense Artillery platform called the M42 Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun (Duster). The creation of the M42 Duster in the 1950s was to protect maneuver forces from low-level aircraft. In the Vietnam War, the M42 Duster was used for a purely ground support role. The Army decided to go this route in utilizing the M42 Duster’s massive firepower for ground support
The Coast Artillery Corps formed after the Revolutionary War to defend the United States coasts. The Anti-Aircraft Artillery developed as the United States entered World War 1 to defend ground forces against aerial attacks. The Anti-Aircraft Artillery separated from the Coast Artillery Corps after the end of World War II. Air Defense had several different units involved in the Vietnam War. The units involved were the 6th Battalion, 71st Artillery, 5th Battalion, 2nd Artillery. The 6th Battalion, 71st Artillery deployed to Vietnam on 28 September 1965. Charlie Battery from the 71st Artillery became the first operational HAWK unit in November 1965. The 5th Battalion, 2nd Artillery deployed to Vietnam in November 1965, being assigned to the 23rd Artillery Group. The battalion was equipped with the four batteries of the M42A1 dual 40mm antiaircraft guns, which provided in a ground support role (25th Infantry Division Association, n.d.). The unit received several different awards for their actions during the Vietnam War. The awards include the Valorous Unit Award, a Meritorious Unit Citation, three awards of the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm and the Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal First Class. The 5th Battalion, 2nd Artillery departed Vietnam on 22 June 1971 and was inactivated on 23 June 1971(25th Infantry Division Association, …show more content…
During the Vietnam War, the Army used the old 60-inch searchlight from the World War II era, and the newer 30-inch searchlight. The Army realized that both the 60-inch and 30-inch searchlights were susceptible to small arms fire. For this reason, Air Defense crews changed from the 60-inch or 30-inch searchlight to the 23-inch VSS-1 Xenon Searchlight. The Army originally had the 23-inch VSS-1 Xenon Searchlight mounted on the M48 tank. They easily modified the 23-inch searchlight to fit on the M151A1 Jeep, reducing vulnerability. Near the end of the Vietnam War, the army was using the new TVS-3 searchlight, which could illuminate a position up to 20 miles away. The Army decided that the use of searchlights by the Air Defense Artillery was over after the Vietnam War. The Army’s use of night vision devices during the dark of night outweighed the ability to illuminate the enemy or battlefield (Air Defense Artillery Museum, 2017). During the conflict, the United States also used an Air Defense Artillery platform called the M42 Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun (Duster). The creation of the M42 Duster in the 1950s was to protect maneuver forces from low-level aircraft. In the Vietnam War, the M42 Duster was used for a purely ground support role. The Army decided to go this route in utilizing the M42 Duster’s massive firepower for ground support