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1st Air Cavalry in Vietnam

$24.95

Spearhead- Book 16
Author - Simon Dunstan
Published in 2004 by Ian Allen Publishing, UK
Softcover, 96 Pages
Size - 25cm * 19cm

On 1 July 1965 the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) was activated and ordered to Vietnam. In less than a month the division - 16,000 men and 434 helicopters - was prepared to enter combat.

Within 90 days of becoming the US Army's first airmobile division, the 'First Team' was in combat. On 10 October 1965, in Operation 'Shiny Bayonet', the First Team initiated its first brigade-size airmobile action against the enemy.

The division would go on to take part in many more air assaults and play a leading role in defence against the Tet offensive, driving out the NVA and Viet Cong invaders from Hue and, in Operation 'Pegasus', relieving the 3,500 US Marines and 2,100 ARVN soldiers besieged by nearly 20,000 enemy at Khe Sanh. First into Cambodia in May 1970, a year later the division's colours returned to Fort Hood.

Spearhead looks at the cutting edge of war, units capable of operating completely independently in the forefront of battle. The series examines the unit's:

* Origins and history
* Organisation, order of battle and how this changed
* Battle history, theatre by theatre
* Insignia and Markings
* Top people biographies of commanders and personalities

Each book ends with an assessment of unit effectiveness – as seen by itself, its opponents and the wider viewpoint of history – and a full reterence section including:

* Critical bibliography
* Relevant museums or exhibits
* Website links
* Re-enactment groups
* Memorials

About the author

Simon Dunstan is a long established author with over 40 books to his name. His particular field of expertise is the tactical and technical employment of AFVs since World War 2, notably during the Korean, Vietnam and Arab-Israeli Wars. As an accomplished photographer and film maker, he has produced numerous military history television documentaries. He resides in London and is married with one son and two daughters.

Fully Illustrated with B&W and colour photos and 10 maps