Скачать или смотреть COL John Klose interview, Lam Son 719, 24 April 2001

Interview with COL John A.G. Klose, US Army (ret), operations officer of the 223d Aviation Battalion during Operation Lam Son 719 -- the invasion of Laos in early 1971. LS719 was possibly the worst experience in Army Aviation’s history. In barely two months, the Army lost so many helicopters that the USAF claimed that Army aviation wasn’t viable for future conflicts. COL Klose describes the nature of air assault operations and the extreme difficulty of extracting troops in contact with the enemy. ‘Once you start an air assault, all your options are bad.’ ‘There is no mission more difficult than the extraction of troops in contact.’ He describes innovative techniques to avoid casualties, including 'Klose's musical mortars.' Extracts from this interview were used in professional development classes for Army flight students, and advanced officer/warrant officer courses. Dr. James (Jim) Williams conducted this interview on 24 April 2001 at Fort Rucker, AL, as part of the Army Aviation Historian's oral history program. This interview was in the public domain, public release authorized.
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