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THE BOXER LEAVES FOR VIETNAM
Boxer and three Military Sea Transportation Service ships had been designated to move the division. All the Hueys were cocooned with "spraylat" and the other aircraft had separate preservative techniques applied. As mentioned earlier, a "crash effort" was required to process all the aircraft aboard the four ships. Since only the USS Boxer had adequate fire-fighting and servicing equipment aboard, Army equipment had to be acquired for shipment aboard other vessels to insure adequate fire protection and servicing prior to off-loading at destination.
One tends to forget the strategic mobility problems in moving such a force as the 1st Cavalry Division throughout the world and concentrates on the tactical mobility of the smaller units. This deployment was a non-tactical move and the Division did not land ready to fight. The following firsthand account by Colonel Stockton, who commanded the Air Cavalry Squadron, gives special insight into this problem:
About half way across the Pacific Ocean, I received a cable from the commander of the divisional task force to which my squadron was assigned on two of the three contingency plans to become effective on arrival in Vietnamese waters. Following instructions he had in turn received from high headquarters, Colonel Ray Lynch directed me to be prepared to fight my way ashore!