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Mr. Halloway sent me this very interesting photo today of an UH-1 dropping 81mm Mortar rounds, (13 visible in the photo). I did a little investigating of my own through my contacts in the Aviation section of the III Corp, G4 where I work and they came up with the definition below the line.
Look at all the craters on the ground below the helo, more than likely due to B-52 strikes. Give new meaning to "steel rain" and High angle hell"!


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A 25th Inf. Div. UH-1D helicopter equipped with the Mortar Air Delivery
Platform drops a load of 81mm mortar rounds.

Photo taken: January 1969
________________________________________________________

ARMY OPERATIONS, TACTICAL BOMBING, TACTICAL AIR SUPPORT, CLOSE SUPPORT, HELICOPTERS, RELEASE MECHANISMS

The MAD system has the capability of augmenting existing methods of landing zone preparation, conduct of offensive fires, and can be employed against prepared positions and troop concentrations. It is a versatile system which, when effectively employed, can deliver rapid, accurate ordnance on likely areas of withdrawal, avenues of approach, and can supplement harassing and interdiction fires in conjunction with ground operations. It is emphasized that this system in no way duplicates or parallels the pre-strike, landing zone preparation or close air support missions of the USAF. The system is designed to provide the ground commander with a rapid limited ordnance delivery capability in support of personnel engaged with the enemy. The standard 81mm mortar round, high explosive, is normally delivered with this system, however the division has also conducted some tests with the 4.2 inch mortar round.

That reminds me of a certificate that my Dad brought back from Vietnam in 1966. The wording was so 'cheesie', and its appearence was very officially put together, I asked him what it was for? Some deed "above and beyond...", NOPE . Single handedly defeating a far superior enemy force,.....NOPE .

The certificate was from a heavy assault chopper sqdn, in the 1st Cav. The Chinooks of that unit regularily conducted 'air bombardments' of enemy emplacements as well as H & I fire. The munitions,...??

55 gallon drums of 'FUGAS' (cheap mans napalm), rolled (or booted) out the back ramp of the Chinook.

My Dad rode along, and kicked fugas bombs out the back of a helicopter....!

"It is emphasized that this system in no way duplicates or parallels the pre-strike, landing zone preparation or close air support missions of the USAF" Wouldn't want to cross 'union work rules'

- Dontos

That reminds me of a certificate that my Dad brought back from Vietnam in 1966. The wording was so 'cheesie', and its appearence was very officially put together, I asked him what it was for? Some deed "above and beyond...", NOPE . Single handedly defeating a far superior enemy force,.....NOPE .

The certificate was from a heavy assault chopper sqdn, in the 1st Cav. The Chinooks of that unit regularily conducted 'air bombardments' of enemy emplacements as well as H & I fire. The munitions,...??

55 gallon drums of 'FUGAS' (cheap mans napalm), rolled (or booted) out the back ramp of the Chinook.

My Dad rode along, and kicked fugas bombs out the back of a helicopter....!

Mr. Picky sez...it's fougasse, Don. And it's not the contents of the drums that make it so (it can be identical to napalm, which is just a reference to napthenic and palmitic acid, two possible thickening agents that can be added to motor fuels to fill napalm bombs or fougasses), but the form of the weapon. Fougasses are emplaced, typically single-use weapons resembling wide, conical mortars that can be rigged to project stones, assorted bits-and-pieces, or in the context of Vietnam, exploding flame weapons for defensive perimeters. Fifty-five gallon drums were typically used for this purpose.
There are still visible stone fougasses dug into rock faces on Malta and a few other places around the Med. Frederick the Great and George Washington also used fougasses in some of their fortified postions.

Here's a little screed on fougasses I put together years ago, with a diagram of the typical VN setup.

www.vhpamuseum.org/wea...gasses.doc

We had several "improvised" methods of rapid LZ clearing, but I've never seen the one Jeff's got pictured.

Speaking of napalm from helicpters, this wasn't one of ours (17th Cav), but it's been done, apparently...

www.vhpamuseum.org/wea...20huey.jpg