Updated 11/17/2010
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"Charlie Horse"
Welcome to
D Troop 3rd of the 5th Air Cavalry
Photo Courtesy of Mr. John Conway & VHPA Museum
March 11, 2002
These pages are dedicated to the men who served in "Charlie Horse" from
30 January 1971 through February 1973.
Some explanation about why these men are honored on the Light Horse website is in order.
In January 1971 the Army, in it's infinite wisdom and for reasons unknown to any of us,
exchanged the unit designations between two Air Cavalry units.
No personnel were moved.
No Equipment or property was relocated.
Each unit even kept their Troop and Platoon call signs.
Only the unit colors (Flags) were switched.
Rumor has it that the guidons from both units never actually made it to their respective "new" homes, such was the animosity caused by the change.
Not to mention each unit's fierce pride of lineage.
Before the change, D Troop 3/5th Cavalry, Troop callsign "Light Horse", was stationed at Vinh Long Army Airfield in IV Corps, Vietnam's Delta.
C Troop 3/17 Air Cavalry, Troop callsign "Charlie Horse", was stationed at Quang Tri in I Corps in the Northernmost part of Vietnam.
When the "switch" took place, "Charlie Horse" became D Troop, 3/5th Air Cavalry, still at Quang Tri
and
"Light Horse" became C Troop, 3/17th Air Cavalry, still at Vinh Long.
On 15 December 1971,
Charlie Horse was moved to Camp Evans and again re-named.
This time, D Troop, 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry was re-designated as
D Troop 17th Cavalry (Provisional).
D Troop 17th Armored Cavalry has a rich and colorful history as an Armored Unit. It had been deavtivated.
On 15 Dec. 1971 it was reactivated as an Air Cavalry Troop.
It again deactivated on 10, March 1972.
Then reactivated on 30 April, 1972, again as a separate Air Cavalry Troop,
This time using the assets of D Troop, 1st Squadron, 15th cavalry.
The Unit finally departed Vietnam and deactivated 26, February 1973
It is not know at this time if the "Charlie Horse"callsign was carried through each of the name changes.
More History about D Troop 17th Cavalry, "REDCATCHERS", can be found by clicking here.
More information is coming.
I hope.
This will be an "working" project.
As I learn more from former members and collect historical data,
it will be presented here.
There will be a display of unit patches, documents and other graphics as they are collected.
There was a lot of activity during the 9 or 10 months the unit held the 3/5th designation.
As with many units in that A/O during Lam Son 719, there was an unusually large number of KIAs and some MIAs that need to be recognized.
If you are a former member of D Troop, Charlie Horse -
Welcome Home
I hope you will contribute to the construction and help insure the historical accuracy of your site.
