Mount Pleasant in Charleston County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)

Helicopter Attack Squadron (Light) Three Memorial

Photographed By Michael Herrick, January 3, 2017

1. Helicopter Attack Squadron (Light) Three Memorial

Inscription. In memory of these pilots and door gunners of Helicopter Attack Squadron (Light) Three known as Seawolves, volunteers all.
They gave their lives in honorable service to their country
and in defense of freedom during the Vietnam War.
These brave men helped to make HA(L)-3 one of the most decorated individual combat unit in the history of the United States Navy.
Rest In Peace Brothers.
As long as freedom lives, and is cherished, you will not be forgotten.

Seawolves Killed In Action
LT John L. Abrams · ATI Robert J. Arnold · LTJG Arnold W. Barden · A01 Lloyd L. Bowles · AMH3 Richard L. Brown · ENS James F. Burke Jr. · LTJG Richard H. Buzzell · ADJAN Gill L. Carter · LTJG Hal C. Castle Jr. · AOAN Roger D. Childers · AMS3 Lloyd A. Cone · LCDR Lawrence L. Cover · Amsi Harold E. Cowen · Adj2 Donald F. Fee · AMS1 Wilber D. Frahm · LTJG Thomas E, Gilliam · ADJ2 Charles H. Goldbin · LTJG John D. Gollahon · AO1 Ollie J. Gross · LTJG Joseph F. Hart · AMS1 Larry R. Johnson · LCDR Robert D. Johnson · AT3 Stephen A. Johnson · ATN2 Christopher Maher · ADJ3 Howard M. Meute · LT John M. Mulcahy · LTJG Kenneth E. Norris · LTJG Antonio O. Ortiz · ADJ1 Edward L. Ott III · AN George M. Page · LTJG Edward W. Pawlowski · LTJG William A. Pedersen · ADJ3 Jose P. Ramos · AEC Johnny Ratliff · LTJG Richard

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J. Reardon · AMH3 Raymond D. Robinson · LTJG James H. Romanski · ADJ2 George H. Rush Jr · AO3 Michael E. Schafernocker · LTJG Alfred H. Suhr · AO3 James A. Wall · ATR2 Walter R. Winters · AMS3 Dennis M. Wobbe · ADJ2 Robert E. Worth
Dedicated Nov. 5, 2004
HA(L)-3 Seawolf Association

Erected 2004 by the HA(L)-3 Seawolf Association.

Topics. This memorial is listed in this topic list: War, Vietnam.

Location. 32° 47.394′ N, 79° 54.347′ W. Marker is in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, in Charleston County. Memorial is on Patriots Point Road, on the right when traveling south. Located in Patriots Point Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Mount Pleasant SC 29464, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Patriots Point Vietnam Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); USS Yorktown (CV-10) Aircraft Carrier (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Combat Wounded Veterans (about 400 feet away); Talos Missile (about 400 feet away); In Memory of the Men on the USS Laffey DD-724 (about 400 feet away); South Carolina Gold Star Families Memorial Monument (about 500 feet away); U.S.S. Laffey (about 700 feet away); Clamagore (SS-343) (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Mount Pleasant.

Photographed By Michael Herrick, January 3, 2017

2. Helicopter Attack Squadron (Light) Three Memorial

Also see . . . HA(L)-3 Seawolf Association. (Submitted on January 9, 2017, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)

Placard next to the Memorial image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Michael Herrick, January 3, 2017

3. Placard next to the Memorial

Seawolves HA(L)-3, nicknamed "Seawolves", developed from a need for a dedicated naval squadron of helicopter gunships in Vietnam. Due to the Brown Water Navy's early successes in the Mekong River Delta, it was decided that the U.S. Navy needed to provide air support rather than the Army.

An all-volunteer squadron, the Seawolves, soon supported Naval Special Warfare operations and the Mobile Riverine Forces in Vietnam. In 1966, Helicopter Combat Squadron one (HC-1) began flying support missions using Army surplus UH-1B gunships.

On October 31, 1966, two Navy PBRs encountered a superior fleet of sampans and junks intent on transferring a battalion sized Viet Cong unit from one riverbank to the other. The patrol boats came under intense fire from both sides of the bank, a call for air support went out and HC-1 Det 25 arrived fifteen minutes later. While the PBRs acted as decoys to pinpoint enemy positions, Det 25 opened fire and forced a retreat through rice paddies.

Helicopter Attack Squadron (Light) 3 or HA(L)-3 was officially commissioned in South Vietnam on 1 April 1967. Missions included search and destroy, reconnaissance, MEDEVAC, SEAL team insertion and extraction. Decommissioned on 16 March 1972, the Seawolves flew over 120,000 combat missions during the Vietnam War.

Photographed By Michael Herrick, January 3, 2017

4. Helicopter Attack Squadron (Light) Three Memorial

( back of memorial )

Credits. This page was last revised on January 13, 2019. It was originally submitted on January 9, 2017, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 500 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 9, 2017, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.