This is the dramatic history of the HAL-3 Seawolves, the U.S. Navy's first and only helicopter gunship squadron of the Vietnam War. The squadron was established in country to support the fast, pugnacious river patrol boats of the brown water navy. Flying combat-worn Hueys borrowed from the Army, the mission of the Seawolves quickly expanded to include rapid response air support to any friendly force in the Delta needing immediate, no-holds-barred assistance. Operating in two-plane detachments from specifically configured LSTs, hastily constructed bases, and primitive campsites, the navy gunships and their crews responded to calls within minutes. Flying in all kinds of weather, day and night, they arrived at tree-top level with forward-firing rockets and flex-guns blazing. Door gunners hung outside the violently maneuvering helicopters delivering a hail of fire with their hand-held M-60 machine guns. The Seawolves inserted SEALs deep into enemy territory, and extracted them, often despite savage enemy opposition. They rescued friendly combatants from almost certain capture or death, and evacuated the wounded when Medevac helicopters were not available. Gleaned from historical documents and the colorful recollections of more than sixty Seawolf warriors, this is the first complete history of the most decorated Navy squadron of the Vietnam War. Naval aviator Richard Knott recounts the story of the Seawolves from the dawning of the concept to the moment the last squadron commander turned out the lights.
Industry Reviews
"The Seawolves were a kind of special operations force in their own right, providing we SEALs and others in the Mekong Delta with the sort of rapid response support we could always count on, no matter what. I am alive today because of their bravery and tenacity. Fire from the Sky is their story and it is a good one." - Rear Adm. Tom "Hulk" Richards, USN, SEAL Team One, Zulu Platoon "Dick Knott has done a masterful job recounting the squadron's unique history, making it come alive with descriptions of individual heroism in triumph and tragedy. Fire from the Sky delivers a stunning strike right on target, illuminating the story of the Seawolves, one of the best kept secrets of naval history." -Tom Phillips, Seawolf fire team leader, 1970-71 "A superbly interesting and accurate history of the U.S. Navy's only helicopter gunship squadron. Fire from the Sky is a tribute to the Seawolf warriors who answered their country's call and to our forty-four squadron mates who gave their lives in that endeavor." - Capt. William "Bill" Mulcahy, USN (Ret.), last commanding officer of HA(L)-3 "For the Seawolves, combat was a daily norm and this book gets it right. It's filled with real Seawolf history. You can almost smell the jungle, the rivers, and the firefights. Great read. Hard to put down!" - SCPO Bill Rutledge, Seawolf door gunner, 1969-72
