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provide support and assistance to the U.S. and Vietnamese forces participating in LAMSON 719 operations in western Quang Tri Province and in Laos, while still continuing the Division's winter campaign in Thua Thien Province. Furthermore, the Division would take over operational and security responsibility of the areas previously covered by the 1st Army of the Republic of Vietnam Division in Quang Tri Province and along the Demilitarized Zone. They would also conduct diversionary operations from the Hue area into the A Shau Valley along route 547. LAMSON 719 would receive top priority in all cases.
The support provided to I Corps Forces in Laos as well as to the U.S. forces operating in the northern provinces could not have been maintained at a high level throughout LAMSON 719 had not U.S. Army, Vietnam, devoted a major portion of its assets in support. Damaged or destroyed aircraft would be quickly replaced and maintenance support given priority to those aviation units assigned to or under the operational control of the 101st Airborne Division.
A special aviation task force organization was created to provide the extensive aviation support required by LAMSON 719. This aviation task force was built around the structure of the 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile) by supplementing the division's organic assets with aviation and air cavalry units from other divisions, the 1st Aviation Brigade, and from units scheduled for deactivation or redeployment. The division's 2d Squadron, 17th Cavalry, took operational control of supplemental air cavalry troops. The Division Support Command provided logistic and maintenance support for supplemental and organic units and established forward refueling and rearming points to support the operation. The 101st Division used its command and control structure to command the aviation and air cavalry units and to plan and conduct the airmobile operations in support of LAMSON 719.
One of the key U.S. commanders during LAMSON 719 was Brigadier General Sidney B. Berry, Jr., the Assistant Division Commander (Operations) of the 101st. He had a dual role as coordinator of U.S. aviation resources and defacto aviation officer to the Vietnamese I Corps Commander. These two hats made it possible for him to carry out the key position of senior commander aloft. In this position, he was separate from, and senior to, the ground and air mission commanders.
The availability of armed helicopters for the escort role was a major limiting factor in just how many different airmobile operations could be conducted simultaneously. To meet the demand for armed helicopters, many of the older UH-1C armed Hueys were