The 1st Cav in Vietnam: Anatomy of a Division

by Shelby L. Stanton

This analysis of the distinctive fighting concepts of the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), as demonstrated in Vietnam combat, also considers the airmobile concept's relevance in the current Army and its potential in future military conflicts

Genres: War, Military Fiction, History

288 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1987

About the author

Capt. Shelby L. Stanton graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate of the ROTC program at Louisiana State University, Shelby was commissioned as an infantry officer in the Regular Army. Shelby went to infantry officer school and was awarded the Parachute Badge, Ranger Tab, Special Forces Tab. He served for six years on active duty during the Vietnam War as a paratrooper, combat rifle platoon leader in the 1st Battalion, 508th Infantry (Airborne) of the 3d Brigade, 82d Airborne Division; with the U.S. Army Special Forces, Thailand, as a Ranger Advisor to the Royal Thai Special Warfare Center, at Lopburi. He commanded a Special Forces long-range reconnaissance team in Laos and southeast Asia.

Overseas, Shelby was wounded in action in hostile fire at Nam Yu, Laos. Shelby medically retired from the U.S. Army with the rank of captain and numerous military accolades. For his military service, he was awarded the Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Air Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Special Forces Combat Patch, Combat Infantryman Badge, Scuba Diver Badge, Thailand Parachute Badge, Thailand Fourragere,and Royal Laotian Parachute Badge.

After separating from the U.S. Army, he returned to Louisiana State University where he earned a Masters in Educational Administration and a Juris Doctor. He was admitted to the bar in the states of Louisiana and Texas.

Starting in the late Seventies he would have a brisk second career as a military historian of the 20th century U.S. Army.

Reviews

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting book- but almost as much for its status as a Cold War period relic as for its intended content. Shelby Stanton is a one of the most prolific and informed writer on the Vietnam War and era- but always from the Pro-War/AntiCommunist perspective. He clearly had a great relationship with the Army, and was a Vietnam Vet himself. In this book he really wants to tell us how adept and successful the "SkyTroopers" of the Ist Cav were with their helicopter assaults in Vietnam. But if they were as awesome as he says.... wouldn't the US have won the war? I felt I had to pay attention to the casualty and "destroyed materiel" parts of his battle reports- because he does tend to gloss over the "cost" part of the equation. Every helo down is at least a Half Million dollars in 1967 money- And they seemed to get damaged beyond repair a lot.

The book traces the concept of the Airmobile Division- and then its first iteration in the First Cav. Stanton tries to cast all Airmobile operations -as modern day counterparts to classical uses of Cavalry. It's a good try at a unifying motif- but it doesn't always work. There are some similarities between firebases and "Indian-Fighting" Forts- but sometimes it seems he's trying too hard to make things fit his narrative. But he's at his best when outlining complex operations and explaining how decisions were made- if not as critical as one might hope. Operations all over Vietnam are discussed- as well as the Invasion of Cambodia, with Officers and units all given proper credit for their actions and ideas. One comes away with a really good idea of how the division operated and could be moved, but not a really deeper understanding of the overall conflict.

With some adult themes(Inter army politics) and some frank discussions of wounds and injuries, the Junior reader should be at least 11-12 before tackling this work, to get the most out of it. For the Gamer/Modeller/Military Enthusiast- it's pretty good. There are plenty of force package discussions, and after action reports that will help with Scenario and Diorama development. The Enthusiast will enjoy the discussion of the changing part of the Division and the roles of its supporting formations. Stanton gives the Logistical tail its proper due. I was amazed to learn that the early Chinook needed 5 hours of servicing for every hour in the air- perhaps they still do- but that really put the Sharp End/Logistical tail ratio in perspective- and he has more little gems like that throughout the book. You won't understand Vietnam was "Lost"- but you will understand how a key US formation did its level best to fight the war - and learned lessons we still find useful to this day.

[An Le · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is comprehensive with a great depth of detail about the history of 1st Cavalry Division in Viet Nam from its genesis as a theoretical combination and application of airmobility with traditional cavalry roles to the division's virtual withdraw from Viet Nam in 1970 and its consequent reconstruction into a more traditional armor formation. Stanton's writing is rather matter-of-fact and adds very little embellishment which makes his work read like a fleshed out after action report. His writing structure is logical and his chapters are organized broadly by topics covering the logic of airmobility theory, 1CAV's performance of tradition roles of the cavalry in Viet Nam, divisional structure and logistical support. This book deserves a five star rating less so for the writing style but mainly for the quality and depth of history documenting 1CAV's performance and operations in Viet Nam while giving the reader a broad idea of limitations more traditional infantry and armored formations face in comparison to the greater tactical freedom airmobility offered to 1CAV.

[William · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Anatomy of a Division" is not a unit history so much as a collection of tactical/operational case studies that add up to one. The book takes a hard and comprehensive look at the evolution of air cavalry, development of machinery and doctrine, and its implementation and practice in the field.

Stanton's writing style is strictly "mil-speak," barely embellishing after-action reports with a brush of basic prose. Not surprising, as the author was a former captain in the 82nd Airborne and served in Vietnam with Special Forces. You read this book for the details it has to offer, otherwise it will be a boring slog.

Using the helicopter in battle allowed the army to ignore terrain, shifting battalions of the First Cav anywhere they was needed, jungle and mountains be damned. This made the Cav a powerful weapon in the Vietnam War, but to what end? Stanton recites the division's success in terms of enemy killed and weapons seized. Its units win every fight, even when they almost lose.

He analyzes with First Cav's performance within the framework of conventional war. Yes, there were times when the Cav had to fight larger North Vietnamese Army and Vietcong formations. But much of the fight was also normal counter-insurgency, which demands more static placement of units that can protect the local civilians from the guerillas. Stanton argues that the Cav was successful in this mission, but military critics may beg to differ. (That is all "food for thought" in other works.)

Stanton takes the reader through all of First Cav's capabilities--air assault, sustained pursuit, clearing operations, flexible response, cavalry raid, and exploitation, grounding each mission with an operational example. Stanton even tosses in a chapter on division structure, explaining how all the parts are supposed to work together, as well as a chapter looking at division performance (lack of fraggings and war crimes notable).

He ends his story with the sad final transition of the Cav from an airmobile to an armor division, following a botched transition to a mixed force of armor and airmobile. The concept of air cavalry was later embodied in the 101st Air Assault division. But the air cavalry combat brigade, a corps-based asset, falls by the wayside untried and badly tested.

I give this book a two-star rating. I would have given it three if Stanton had a better writing style. Casual readers of military history will be disappointed by the matter-of-fact presentation of battle as ground taken, enemy killed, with names and dates to frame the actions. But I must stress that it's the seemingly boring details that matter. First Cav was built to implement the Army's vision of air mobility in combat. The nuts and bolts of making an idea work is the meat of the book, no matter how dry the explanation. That is the reason for reading it. The pros will take it seriously. The amateurs will read something else.