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Air Cav: History of the 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam 1965-1969
Air Cav: History of the 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam 1965-1969 is the story of the small, close world of fighting men in action. This volume can be many things to many people a book of memories, a souvenir, a pictorial essay on airmobility, or simply a story of gallant men at war. It can be many things, but one thing it is not, nor does it pretend to be a complete history of the 1st Air Cavalry Division in Vietnam. The task and burden of history must lie with the objectivity of future generations, far removed from current pressures and restraints. It is true, of course, that much research for this book has been done from available official records, the ultimate source of written history. But even more has been drawn from the vivid recollections of the Cavalrymen who fought, tasted the brassy bile of fear, shared the fierce exultation of victory, or were drenched in the dark despair of death.
This volume contains the memoirs of a fighting team the FIRST TEAM. It is a memory""
This volume contains the memoirs of a fighting team the FIRST TEAM. It is a memory""
286 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1970
About the author
J.D. Coleman
5 books5 followersAbandoned by his father as a child Coleman was raised by his mother in Kalispell, Montana.
After graduating from Flathead High School, J.D. joined the Montana Army National Guard in 1948 and in April of that year went on active duty with the U.S. Army. After basic training, J.D. was assigned to the 11th Airborne Division in Sendai, Japan, and proudly became a "rice paddy jumper."
With the start of hostilities in Korea, J.D. served as an Airborne infantryman in the 187th Regimental Combat Team (Airborne) and during the conflict, made two combat jumps behind enemy lines. J.D. was honorably discharged in 1952 after four years of service, returned to Kalispell, where he met his future wife, Madeline Young.
J.D. and Madeline were married Sept. 14, 1952, and the couple moved to Missoula where J.D. pursued a degree in journalism at the University of Montana and graduated in 1956.
While attending the university full time, J.D. worked at a local radio station where he covered local news and sports. After graduation, J.D. worked for a newspaper in Pasco, Wash., and then returned to Missoula and became the assistant sports information director at the University of Montana. He later took the position of news director and editorial writer for Missoula radio station KBTK.
J.D. remained affiliated with the U.S. Army Reserve and received a direct commission as a second lieutenant in 1958. In 1963, J.D. returned to active duty with the U.S. Army and was assigned to Fort Benning, Ga., where he was an infantry company commander with the 11th Air Assault Division (test), which was later re-designated the 1st Air Cavalry Division (airmobile). As a captain in August 1965, he deployed to Vietnam with the 1st Cav, initially as assistant public information officer. During this time J.D. wrote the official After Action Report of the Pleiku campaign that was extensively studied by senior leaders in the military; this report later became the basis for his first published book, "Pleiku, The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare."
Later, during his first tour, he was selected for command of a paratrooper infantry rifle company with the First Cavalry Division (B Co. 2/8). There, J.D. served with distinction and was awarded a Silver Star and a Bronze Star with "V" for valor for actions during a pivotal battle in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, during which he and his company of soldiers successfully led the defense of a special forces camp as several battalions of North Vietnamese army regulars furiously assaulted it. The 18 hours of intense combat won his unit the first Valorous Unit Citation ever awarded to a rifle company in Vietnam.
He stayed on active duty until 1979 leaving the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel. In 1989, his first book on Vietnam was published, "Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam," covering events of his first tour with the First Cav in Vietnam. He followed up with his second book in 1991, "Incursion: From America's Chokehold on the NVA Lifelines to the Sacking of the Cambodian Sanctuaries." In 2002 his third and final book was published, "WONJU, The Gettysburg of the Korean War."
J.D. Coleman died from Cancer in 2005. He was survived by his wife, two daughters and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In addition to the Silver Star, he was awarded three Legions of Merit, four Bronze Stars (with the "V" device for valor), two Combat Infantryman Badgess and a Meritorious Service Medal.
After graduating from Flathead High School, J.D. joined the Montana Army National Guard in 1948 and in April of that year went on active duty with the U.S. Army. After basic training, J.D. was assigned to the 11th Airborne Division in Sendai, Japan, and proudly became a "rice paddy jumper."
With the start of hostilities in Korea, J.D. served as an Airborne infantryman in the 187th Regimental Combat Team (Airborne) and during the conflict, made two combat jumps behind enemy lines. J.D. was honorably discharged in 1952 after four years of service, returned to Kalispell, where he met his future wife, Madeline Young.
J.D. and Madeline were married Sept. 14, 1952, and the couple moved to Missoula where J.D. pursued a degree in journalism at the University of Montana and graduated in 1956.
While attending the university full time, J.D. worked at a local radio station where he covered local news and sports. After graduation, J.D. worked for a newspaper in Pasco, Wash., and then returned to Missoula and became the assistant sports information director at the University of Montana. He later took the position of news director and editorial writer for Missoula radio station KBTK.
J.D. remained affiliated with the U.S. Army Reserve and received a direct commission as a second lieutenant in 1958. In 1963, J.D. returned to active duty with the U.S. Army and was assigned to Fort Benning, Ga., where he was an infantry company commander with the 11th Air Assault Division (test), which was later re-designated the 1st Air Cavalry Division (airmobile). As a captain in August 1965, he deployed to Vietnam with the 1st Cav, initially as assistant public information officer. During this time J.D. wrote the official After Action Report of the Pleiku campaign that was extensively studied by senior leaders in the military; this report later became the basis for his first published book, "Pleiku, The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare."
Later, during his first tour, he was selected for command of a paratrooper infantry rifle company with the First Cavalry Division (B Co. 2/8). There, J.D. served with distinction and was awarded a Silver Star and a Bronze Star with "V" for valor for actions during a pivotal battle in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, during which he and his company of soldiers successfully led the defense of a special forces camp as several battalions of North Vietnamese army regulars furiously assaulted it. The 18 hours of intense combat won his unit the first Valorous Unit Citation ever awarded to a rifle company in Vietnam.
He stayed on active duty until 1979 leaving the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel. In 1989, his first book on Vietnam was published, "Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam," covering events of his first tour with the First Cav in Vietnam. He followed up with his second book in 1991, "Incursion: From America's Chokehold on the NVA Lifelines to the Sacking of the Cambodian Sanctuaries." In 2002 his third and final book was published, "WONJU, The Gettysburg of the Korean War."
J.D. Coleman died from Cancer in 2005. He was survived by his wife, two daughters and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In addition to the Silver Star, he was awarded three Legions of Merit, four Bronze Stars (with the "V" device for valor), two Combat Infantryman Badgess and a Meritorious Service Medal.
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
January 19, 2023
old book
Originally written by the division in1970, it has a separate chapter for each of the major units, so there is a lot of repetition (if there was a brigade sized operation, it’s likely mentioned in the division overview, the brigade’s chapter, each of the cavalry battalion chapters, one or more of the field artillery battalion chapters, and maybe one or more of the Aviation battalion chapters.
It also doesn’t include any of the units in the division base, other than the engineer battalion. So nothing on the signal battalion, the medical battalion, etc.
That said, it does have a lot of details I’ve not seen elsewhere. Like the names of the ships the various units sailed to Vietnam on. When and where they arrived. Often when they left CONUS. And lots of stories of valor. And not just Medal of Honor recipients, but sometimes down to ARCOMs for valor. You don’t see that a lot.
And sometimes too, some unintended humor, such as “The battalion fired 37,000 rounds of artillery over the period, with a confirmed body count of 75.”
Originally written by the division in1970, it has a separate chapter for each of the major units, so there is a lot of repetition (if there was a brigade sized operation, it’s likely mentioned in the division overview, the brigade’s chapter, each of the cavalry battalion chapters, one or more of the field artillery battalion chapters, and maybe one or more of the Aviation battalion chapters.
It also doesn’t include any of the units in the division base, other than the engineer battalion. So nothing on the signal battalion, the medical battalion, etc.
That said, it does have a lot of details I’ve not seen elsewhere. Like the names of the ships the various units sailed to Vietnam on. When and where they arrived. Often when they left CONUS. And lots of stories of valor. And not just Medal of Honor recipients, but sometimes down to ARCOMs for valor. You don’t see that a lot.
And sometimes too, some unintended humor, such as “The battalion fired 37,000 rounds of artillery over the period, with a confirmed body count of 75.”
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review