Clip Art of Transportaion Army Aircraft Maintence Company Korean War

The Korean War – The Helicopter

Historical Perspective / By Mark Albertson : Editor's Note: This is the 2d in a serial of three articles commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Korean War.

On June 25, 1950, the Regular army began the Korean War with merely 56 helicopters.1 Nonetheless Air Force helicopters were amidst the beginning to see activeness. Tertiary Air Rescue Squadron, based in Japan, was sent packing for Korea. The original intent was to pick upwards downed air crews; but, evacuation of wounded quickly gained priority. By the stop of August, Third Air Rescue helicopters had airlifted 83 severely wounded soldiers to field hospitals. And as the war ground on, calls to evacuate wounded grew into a torrent; specially following the Allied landings at Inchon and the subsequent invasion of Northward Korea.

Enter Army Helicopters

An HRS-ii being readied to haul supplies during Functioning HAYLIFT, February 1953./ U.South. MARINE CORPS – WIKIPEDIA COMMONS Photo

Eighth Army headquarters quickly followed suit. The first Army helicopter unit arrived in Korea on November 22, 1950 – the 2nd Helicopter Detachment, Captain Albert C. Sebourn in command. Sebourn had four H-13s, together with their aviators and mechanics. The 2nd was first assigned to the 47th Light Aviation Maintenance Company, prior to becoming operational, January 1, 1951; whereupon information technology was attached to the 8055th Mobile Army Surgical Infirmary (Mash) located near Seoul. The 3rd Helicopter Disengagement became operational on Jan 25, 1951, followed by the quaternary Helicopter Detachment, March ix, 1951. Including the 2nd Helicopter Detachment, the above units formed the core of the Army'south aeromedical capability for much of the state of war.2

The beginning 6 months of 1951, the detachments, with but 11 helicopters – each of which could airlift no more than ii patients at a fourth dimension while plagued by shortages of fuel and spare parts –airlifted i,985 wounded. Helicopter evacuations of casualties over the course of the war amounted to more than 21,000.3 It was credible that the helicopter was proving its mettle in the boxing zone. And these helicopter detachments certainly inspired the DUSTOFF squadrons in Vietnam.

Beyond MEDEVAC

The selling point of the helicopter extended beyond medical evacuation, proving effective in overcoming those earthly impediments that hinder footing transportation so equally to accentuate the mobility of the foot soldier. And the Marines showed the way.

An Regular army H-nineteen in activity during the Korean War./ U.Southward. ARMY – WIKIPEDIA Commons PHOTO

Marine Helicopter Transport Squadron 161 with 15 HRS-1s4 arrived in Pusan on September ii, 1951. It was not long earlier HMR-1615 went into action. In Operation Windmill I, September xiii, 1951, HMR-161 airlifted supplies to the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines at Loma 673, which was in the area of the notorious "Punchbowl," on the eastern end of the UN main line of resistance. As ammunition and stores were flown in, dead and wounded were airlifted out in the outset mass re-supply try by helicopter.

First Large Troop-Carrying Combat Mission

On September 21, during OPERATION SUMMIT, HMR-161 airlifted 224 combat marines in relief of Republic of korea (ROK) troops on Hill 884.

This first large troop-carrying mission in a combat zone by helicopter took 65 flights in four hours to complete, which included 17,772 pounds of stores and equipment.half dozen On August 19, 1952, Performance RIPPLE, HMR-161 conducted a "Striking 'n Git" shuttle mission of rocket launchers and their crews. Once the rockets had been loosed, the crews and launchers were whisked away before enemy artillery could bracket them.

Marine success with the helicopter prompted Army Lieutenant General Matthew Ridgway, commanding general, Far East Control, to advise in 1951 the cosmos of four Army transportation helicopter battalions.7 And by early 1953, what had begun with medical evacuation detachments was carried forth with the Army transportation companies.

First Helicopter Cargo Unit in Combat

Bell H-thirteen equipped with a litter for wounded./U.S. ARMY – WIKIPEDIA COMMONS PHOTO

The 6th Transportation Helicopter Company, with 21 Sikorsky H-19 helicopters, was the Regular army's beginning heliborne cargo unit to be employed in a combat zone. On March 20, 1953, in support of 3rd Infantry Division, the sixth re-supplied units cutting off past overflowing waters, flying in some 34,000 pounds of stores. In May and June, in two operations in support of 25th Infantry Division, the 6th flew in more than than 2.5 million pounds of supplies. On May 1, 1953, 13th Transportation Helicopter Company arrived at Inchon. Throughout June and July, the 13th evacuated 1,547 wounded. The 13th eventually joined the 6th Transportation Company to class the 1st Transportation Regular army Aviation Battalion (Provisional).

Thanks to the Army and Marine Corps, the helicopter showed its promise as a viable tool for state of war in the forbidding loonshit of Korea. As a outcome, the class had been charted towards better shipping and equipment; new grooming methods; and, an emerging leadership that would forge this applied science for its employment in future conflicts.

Endnotes

1. 52 were H-13B Sioux caused in 1948 and 1949 and four were older model YH-13As, the get-go of which had been acquired in early 1947.
2. The helicopter detachments went through several re-designations. The First Hel. Det., which arrived in Korea on Feb 21, 1951, became the 8190th Army Unit of measurement on May fourteen; and and so was relegated to non-operational condition. Second Hel. Det. became the 8191st Ground forces Unit of measurement, May fourteen, 1951. And so in 1952, it became the 49th Medical Det. Hel. Ambulance. The Third and Fourth Dets. became the 8192nd and 8193rd Regular army Units respectively, on May 14, 1951. In 1952, they were re-designated the 50th and 52nd Medical Det. Hel. Amb., again respectively. And so on June one, 1953, all were nerveless into the 1st Hel. Ambulance Company.
3. A quick comparing is in order here reflecting the survivability of wounded who arrived in time for medical treatment. In Earth War Two, four.5 percent of wounded delivered to doctors' care died. In Korea, the rate was 2.5 pct. Rotary wing evacuation of wounded non but saved lives, it lessened the brunt of frontline troops in treatment wounded while getting on with the business of combat.
4. The HRS-i transport helicopter was the Marine Corps version of the Sikorsky S-55 commercial helicopter; to the Navy and Coast Guard it was the HO4S; and to the Regular army and Air Force it was the H-19.
5. Marine Hel. Trans. Sqdn. 161 was also known as, HMR-161: "H" is for helicopter; "1000" identified the squadron every bit a Marine unit; and "R" for transportation.
6. By the fourth dimension of the armistice, Marine helicopters had airlifted more than 60,000 men, 7.five 1000000 pounds of cargo and evacuated some 9,815 wounded.
7. General Ridgway's request for these four Army transportation helicopter battalions was a vindication of Full general William B. Bunker'south 1950 memo to the Chief of Transportation urging the use of the helicopter for Army materials handling. Known as the "Father of the Helicopter," this ex-cavalryman understood the tactical value of the rotary fly conveyance of men and supplies in mod state of war.

Marking Albertson is the honour-winning Army Aviation Publications Historian and a contributing editor to Regular army AVIATION magazine.

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Source: http://www.armyaviationmagazine.com/index.php/history/not-so-current-2/1884-the-korean-war-the-helicopter

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