US Navy 3rd Helicopter Attack (Light) Squadron patch

US Navy Helicopter Attack (Light) Squadron Three HAL-3 was the only armed UH-1B Navy Helicopter squadron to serve in Vietnam and was disestablished in March 1972. HAL-3 provided valuable gunship support for Navy and Army riverine operations in the Mekong Delta from 1967 until their demise in March 1972. During this time HAL-3 pioneered various tactics in support of patrol boats, SEAL operations and shore installations. The detachments operated away from, initially, Vung Tau and then Binh Thuy respectfully and were located at various bases in the Mekong Delta and from specially equipped Patrol Craft Tenders (AGP)(Former LSTs). The Detachments could be found operating from shore installations such as Solid Anchor, Nha Be, Vinh Long, Dong Tam, Chau Doc, Rach Gia and Song Ong Doc to list a few. Sea Float, located in the Cau Lon River, was a number of barges tied together and anchored in the middle of the river.