Fire from the Sky: Seawolf Gunships in the Mekong Delta - Tapa dura

This is the dramatic history of the HAL-3 Seawolves, the U.S. Navy's first and only helicopter gunship squadron of the Vietnam War. Established `in country' to support the fast, pugnacious river patrol boats of the brown water navy, the squadron's mission quickly expanded to include rapid response air support to any friendly force in the Mekong Delta that needed immediate, no-holds-barred assistance. Operating in two-plane detachments from specifically configured amphibious ships, hastily constructed bases, and primitive campsites, the old, combat-worn Seawolves responded to distress calls within minutes. Flying in all kinds of weather, day or night, the gunships arrived at tree-top level with forward firing rockets, flex-guns blazing, and door gunners hanging outside or standing on the skids of the violently maneuvering helicopters. They also inserted SEALs deep into enemy territory, rescued combatants, and evacuated the wounded when Medevac helicopters were not available. Gleaned from historical documentation and the colorful recollections of over fifty Seawolf warriors, the author provides the first complete history of the most decorated navy squadron of the Vietnam War from concept to the moment the last squadron commander turned out the lights. RICHARD KNOTT retired from the U.S. Navy in 1986 after a thirty-year career and several thousand pilot hours in a variety of aircraft. He is the author of The American Flying Boat and Black Cat Raiders of World War II.

Capt. Richard K. Knott (Ret.) is the author of The American Flying Boat and A Heritage of Wings. He is a recipient of the Admiral Arthur W. Radford Award for Excellence in Naval Aviation History and Literature and the Alfred Thayer Mahan Award for Literary Achievement. He lives with his wife, Eleanor, in Fairfax, Virginia.