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Gents,
Help The Red Wolves & Firehawks, stay alive. Write Congress, Reps & Senators - It'll take an act of Congress to resolve this money squabble betwreen SOCOM & US NAVY Fleet Air. I sent a letter to Congressman Joe Courtney in December, and apparently his office "forwarded it to the Pentagon". I'm going to follow it up to try and make the point that he needs to bring it up in The Armed Services Committee and Sea Power Sub-Committee.
Anyone who wants the attachments listed in the letter, please email me and I'll sent them right out to you...
Representative __________ DATE
Congressman for (your) State’s Congressional District
Subject: HSC-84 Red Wolves & HSC-85 Fire Hawks, U.S. Navy
Dear Congressman _______________,
I am writing in regard to the proposed decommissioning of two Navy Helicopter Squadrons, HSC-84 (Red Wolves) and HSC-85 (Fire Hawks). I would like to give you some background on the missions of those squadrons and some history to show the continued need for specialized Naval Close Air support for Naval Riverine and Special Warfare Units.
Some brief History:
In the early days of the Viet Nam War, the Navy was tasked with riverine and coastal warfare. In response the Navy Special Warfare, (NSW) provided Seal Team Units, River Patrol Boats (PBR) and Swift Boats, among many other types of craft.
Initially the Navy relied on Army Helicopter Support, and it quickly became apparent that the Army units were unable to meet the Navy’s all weather, round the clock, ship-board operations requirements. Many Army pilots were not instrument rated, and their helos were not equipped for over water operations. The Navy felt the need for a dedicated Naval Helicopter Unit for close air combat support for the Riverine units.
Navy pilots were accustomed to ship-board – over water operations, all were instrument rated and could fly in all type of weather and low/no visibility operations. The Army helos used by the Navy were modified to meet Navy’s requirements, mainly by the addition of a radar altimeter… The HAL-3 Seawolves were born and went on to become one of the most versatile and respected Naval Units in the Viet Nam era.
The HAL-3 Squadron was commissioned in April, 1967, and was de-commissioned in March, 1972.
After 1972 the Navy began a cycle of commissioning and decommissioning 2 Naval Helicopter units with similar mission responsibilities, these units evolved into HSC-84 & HSC-85.
In 2006 The Navy resurrected a Riverine type of force in the Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, (NECC). These Naval Special Warfare Units and the SEAL Teams all have need of dedicated Helicopter Support, and often these Helicopter units are called upon to provide Close Air Combat Support in the form of Seal Insertions, Medevacs, Rescue Operations and Direct Fire Support, (Rocket & Gun).
We tend to forget the lessons learned over the years as evidenced by the decommissioning of these essential Naval Units. Many will say that the Navy Special Operations Units can call on Army Helicopter Support or for UAV’s. We learned in RVN that Army Helo tactics will not always meet Naval maritime and riverine requirements; there are differences in terminology, language, tactics, priorities and missions.
UAV’s will certainly be able to provide visibility and firepower, but the UAV’s cannot do Seal Insertions, rescue and medevac operations, and provide really, really close direct fire support from a low-level, gunner & pilot on site, up close and personal situation.
I request that you do whatever you can to keep these two units flying. The decommissioning of these two squadrons will reduce dedicated Special Operations Helicopter Support to all SOF Units: Army, Navy Air Force and Marines by 45%, and, as history shows, the reduction in Helo Support will very significantly impact the effectiveness of NSW, Riverine and Maritime Special Operations units.
I am sure that all of the many NSW units who benefit from the Red Wolves and Fire Hawks will certainly appreciate your support.
HSC-84 and HSC-85 squadrons operate Sikorsky H-60 series helicopters which could benefit from modifications. New aircraft with SOF mission specific enhancements would be welcomed; I can think of a few things the crews may like to see in future airframes.
I am available to you and the Armed Forces and/or The Subcommittee on Seapower should you need further information, and, I am sure I can have many former Red Wolf & Seawolf Officers and Crewmen available, as well.
Thank You
Richard N. Meussner, (U.S. Navy HAL-3 Seawolves, 1967-1968)
16 Pease St.
Enfield, CT 06082
860-741-2493
rinome@cox.net
enclosures:
a. Talking Points Helicopter Sea Combat Squadrons, (HSC) 84 & 85 (2 papers)
b. Timeline of Events HSC-84 & HSC-85 Sequestration/ALT-POM - Discussions Between SOCOM and U.S. Navy
c. Notes on the funding of HSC-84 & HSC-85”
d. Navy Times Dec. 7, 2014 “Two Spec Ops Helo Squadrons Imperiled by Budget Battle
e. The History of the Red Wolves
f. HSC-84 Recognized with Four Awards
g. HSC-85 Takes on New Role Supporting Special Warfare Operations
h. Navy SEAL Air Support – HSC-85
i. HSC-85 Receives New Helicopter in Support of New Mission
j. Excerpts from Quadrennial Defense Review, (QDR) 2014
k. Excerpts from Defense Strategic Guidance document 2012
l. 111th Congress 2nd Session House Resolution 1228 dated July 1, 2010
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