WELCOME

Everyone is welcome to visit these pages. They are about Delta Troop, 3/17th Air Cavalry, a ground cavalry troop in an air cavalry squadron. They are also about the way of the war in Vietnam from late 1970 to late 1971.

For those who did not serve in Vietnam, you will not find much information or explanation. Untranslated acronyms, abbreviations, and argot of Vietnam abound.

Those who served in Delta Troop, 3/17th Air Cavalry in Vietnam will need no translation. Besides, the story is in the pictures. I have used them as a focus for reconsidering, reflecting on, and remembering Vietnam. I hope they serve your purpose as well.

These pages eat a lot of bandwidth. They can take a long time to load if you have a slow server. However, the pictures, not time, are the point. I made them big and dense so that you can see what is going on in them. The going may be slow, but you have something when you are done.

These pages started with a handful of pictures that my wife saved, and some information I looked up in archives. Shortly after I first published the pages, Jerry Smith contacted me about the pages. Both Jerry and I arrived in-country in November 1970 and served with Delta Troop. Jerry made available his library of over 100 photos he took in Vietnam. The result is a joint venture of ours.

Later contributions from Rick Dormeyer, Sterling Withers, Andy Hicks and other friends expanded the original pages to their current number.

We encourage any Delta Trooper who was with us in Vietnam to drop us a line by email. We would really like to know that you survived.

Finding Your Way Around

The first three pages are about Delta Troop and the Vietnam war in 1970 and 1971. The following pages are photo essays of Delta Troop in the Vietnam war in 1970 and 1971.

 

By Way of Introduction

shows the areas in which Delta Troop operated between late 1970 and late 1971. It also looks at some of the lost and found traditions of Delta Troop.

 

Dispatches from APO SF 96289 - 1970

I saved only a few things from Vietnam - one of which is a group of pictures I sent home. As a whole, the pictures do not really add up to an accurate portrait of Vietnam. In fact, they are the story one tells a young wife, a story that attempts to soften the reality of war.

 

Dispatches from APO SF 96289 - 1971

started as a reflection and reconsideration of Delta Troop's actions at Nhon Trach in February 1971. I wanted to find an official account of, and justification for, the Delta Troopers killed and wounded at Nhon Trach. Instead, it is a disappointment. The officers who wrote and signed the "official" history of the 3/17th Air Cavalry ignored Delta Troop.

 

A Rogue's Gallery

takes a different tack on Delta Troop in 1970 and 1971. It is a photo essay made possible by Sgt. Jerry Smith, 3rd platoon, 1971. Jerry's photos are an important contribution because he captured so many pictures of our fellow Delta Troopers from the period. His group picture of Delta Troop at Lai Khe in October 1971 has everybody in it AND the Delta Troop sign.

 

Air Mobile

has some great pictures of Blue Tigers headed into the wild blue yonder. We flew a lot but took few pictures of us doing the deed. Sterling Withers caught some action photos at Nui Chua Chan that tell the story of Delta Troop's air mobility.

 

Delta Troop's Rides

is a glimpse of the vehicles Delta Troop used as a ground cavalry unit in Vietnam. Jerry Smith provided most of these photos and most of those that follow.

 

Camps

shows a few of the mounted camps that Delta Troop built in 1971.

 

Fire Bases

shows four fire bases where Delta Troop lived for short periods in 1971.

 

Anatomy of a Fire Base

is a detailed look at the interior and exterior of Fire Base Judy, and illustrates some of the operations Delta Troopers mounted from the fire base. This page may be instructive for those unfamiliar with a fire base in Vietnam.

 

The Move to Lai Khe

is the story of Delta Troop moving to join A Troop, 3/17th Air Cav (Silver Spurs) at Lai Khe after sappers blew up four and a half of A Troop's choppers on the ground. I originally published this story on the Silver Spurs page, only to discover that Jerry Smith had pictures to illustrate the story.

 

Working at Lai Khe

shows the third platoon in preparation for a daylight sweep and recon of the rubber plantation adjacent to Lai Khe base. There is also a picture of the third platoon escorting a convoy on "Thunder Road" - QL13.

 

Sin Loi

shows the Vietnam in which Delta Troop waged war, and the people we did not know well enough.

Following these general pages, we have added the photos from Sterling Withers, Andy Hicks, Chris Halasz, Thomas McGuire, and Billy McCall collections.