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areas, landing and pick up zones, and their approach and departure routes; acquire and mark targets on which the forward air controller directs air strikes; conduct low-level bomb damage assessments; and work with the forward air controller in developing additional targets for air strikes. Armed helicopters and tactical air work together to prepare the objective area, landing and pick up zones and approach and departure routes for safe passage and landing of the troop-lift helicopters. The armed helicopters then escort troop-lift and heavy-lift helicopters in and out of the landing zone while the forward air controller directs air strikes into adjacent target and danger areas.
...The helicopter and its crew have proven remarkably hardy and survivable in the mid-intensity conflict and hostile air defense environment of LAMSON 719. We have lost remarkably few helicopters and crew members in view of the heavy small arms, antiaircraft, and mortar and artillery fires our aircraft and crews have experienced while conducting extensive airmobile operations on NVA home ground. This is even more remarkable in view of the numerous airmobile operations conducted in support of Vietnamese ground units located in small perimeters, surrounded by NVA units and weapons, and often in heavy contact with the enemy.
To assess and evaluat properly our aircraft and crew losses, one must measure these losses against the campaign plan, mission, total sorties, and number of exposures to enemy fire, and accomplishments. When viewed in this perspective, we have fared better than the most optimistic prophet would have dared predict.
One of the great stories of LAMSON 719 is the magnificent effort to recover downed aircraft. Wherever possible, an immediate effort was made to extract any downed aircraft and crew, even in the face of hostile fire, and with the knowledge that the North Vietnamese often used downed aircraft as bait with which to draw more equipment and personnel into an ambush. In some cases, the downed aircraft had to be destroyed because the tactical situation precluded recovery.
Research analysts will be working with the data base from LAMSON 719 for a long time, particularly on the vulnerability aspects of the helicopter. It would take several volumes to summarize their parameters and permutation alone. For the purpose of this monograph, I think it is fair to say that the loss rate experienced by Army helicopters compared favorably with the loss rate of high performance aircraft in Southeast Asia for the same period. Most importantly these losses were not considered unacceptable in view of the mission accomplished.
There is always the temptation to fall back on the trite statement that "war has never been a particularly safe business" and dismiss further discussion of loss in combat. However, no professional leader ever takes any of his losses lightly and the lessons