Item Description
Original Items: Only One Group of 13 Available. The 178th Assault Support Helicopter Company was activated at Fort Benning in September 1965 as part of the 10th Aviation Group. The 178th were deployed to Vietnam and arrived at Vung Tau Port on 10 March 1967. The 178th was reassigned to the 1st Aviation Brigade, 12th Combat Aviation Group, 11th Combat Aviation Battalion and made their base at Phu Loi. In April 1967 the 178th was placed in direct support of Task Force Oregon. In January 1968 they were reassigned from the 12th Combat Aviation Group to the 17th Combat Aviation Group "Freedom Eagles" and relocated to Chu Lai in the I Corps Tactical Zone in support of Airmobile Operations of the Americal Division (23rd Infantry). On 1 October 1969 the 178th was reassigned once again and came under the command of the 14th Combat Aviation Battalion.
The 178th Box Cars were the first Chinook Company in Vietnam to receive the new "B" Model Chinook's with the more powerful L-7C Engines and the first to lift a complete 155mm Howitzer weighing 12,500 pounds.
The Items In This Grouping:
- Theater Made Squadron Patch: The patch features an oval dark blue background with a thin black border, the “Freedom Eagle” lifting a red howitzer in its talons with a yellow scroll at the bottom that says CHINOOK.
- “Beer Can” Chinook: The chinook appears to have been glued to an article of clothing.
- 1st Aviation Brigade “Beer Can” Unit Crests: 1 of the unit crests still retains the safety pin style device on the back. Both still retain their colors and are in lovely condition.
- Military Assistance Command Vietnam MACV “Beer Can” Crest: The DUI no longer retains an attaching method on the reverse, but still retains all of its color on the front.
- Theater Made Aluminum Cast Aircrew Wings: These wings appear to be aluminum cast in a method seen with other theater made examples. The pin backs are present without frogs. These wings were worn by crew chief and door gunners.
- 3 ⅜” x 4 ¼” Photo: The photo is slightly faded and shows a gruesome image of “neutralized VC”.
- 3 Long-Bien Negative Packs: Each of these elongated envelopes contain undeveloped film negatives in usable condition. From what we can tell from the images, they are all from “in country”.
- Super Spin Rotating Top Shafts: The baggie contains 4 “frogs” for pin back devices.
- 101st Airborne Zippo Style Lighter: The lighter is a flip top lighter made in Japan by Coroner Rocky. The front features an enameled 101st Airborne Division DUI and the opposite side has a small blue and yellow circle enameled image of Vietnam with major cities identified. All enamel is in great condition.
This is a wonderful grouping from the Vietnam War. All items come ready to be developed and displayed!
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