CAMP HOLLOWAY - VIETNAM WAR

On July 5, 1961, the "57 Tactical Transport Squadron" was established by the US Military Advisory Mission in South Vietnam (MACV).

The task of this detachment is to study and practice the method of bringing soldiers to the war zones in the fastest and most unexpected way, making the enemy unable to react, and at the same time attacking targets on the ground and supporting the enemy, support other transport helicopters.  All of the above are called "helicopter transport" tactics.

In 1964, in addition to the UH-1A, the US army added the UH-1B - and then the UH-1D, the exhaust turned up to the sky to avoid the heat-seeking missiles of the VC.  These two types can each carry 12 soldiers or 6 stretchers, and the flight speed also increases to 215km/h. The 7.62mm machine gun was replaced by a 6-barreled minigun that fires 3,000 rounds per minute.

To serve this helicopter tactic, MACV decided to establish a permanent base, called Camp Holloway, located on the outskirts of Pleiku, Central Highlands, Vietnam. 

In just a short time, American forces in Holloway had the 52nd Combat Helicopter Regiment, fully equipped with UH-1A, a battalion of Chinook CH-47 transport helicopters, and three companies of commercial helicopters - 94, 519 and 755, a company of O-1 Bird Dog reconnaissance aircraft and two giant CH-54 Skycrane "flying crane" helicopters. 

With such numbers, Camp Holloway can simultaneously transport 1 battalion, about 400 soldiers, in charge of four highland provinces as Darlak, Pleiku, Kontum and Lam Dong, to places where military activity is suspected of VC.

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