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Happy Thursday! Today is Day 8 of our series of stories of Soldier ingenuity throughout Army history.
Every day until Dragon's Lair, Episode 3 (Monday, Feb 22), we're highlighting another Soldier innovation from our past.
Happy Thursday! Today is Day 8 of our series of stories of Soldier ingenuity throughout Army history.
Every day until Dragon's Lair, Episode 3 (Monday, Feb 22), we're highlighting another Soldier innovation from our past.
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March, 1969: Vietnam War.
Two infantrymen, Private 1st Class Eric Hueller and Specialist Jeffery Hale, developed an expedient method to provide visual communication between helicopter pilots in the air and infantrymen on the ground in darkness.
March, 1969: Vietnam War.
Two infantrymen, Private 1st Class Eric Hueller and Specialist Jeffery Hale, developed an expedient method to provide visual communication between helicopter pilots in the air and infantrymen on the ground in darkness.
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Communication between air and ground was a real problem in Vietnam. Helicopter crews often operated on different radio frequencies than ground troops.
So, Private 1st Class Hueller and Specialist Hale came up with a solution.
Communication between air and ground was a real problem in Vietnam. Helicopter crews often operated on different radio frequencies than ground troops.
So, Private 1st Class Hueller and Specialist Hale came up with a solution.
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These two broke open an M79 grenade launcher and inserted a flashlight into the breech, thereby providing a reliable directional signaling and marking device which could be seen clearly by the pilot or aircraft crew but not by North Vietnamese troops on the grounds.
These two broke open an M79 grenade launcher and inserted a flashlight into the breech, thereby providing a reliable directional signaling and marking device which could be seen clearly by the pilot or aircraft crew but not by North Vietnamese troops on the grounds.
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The infantry Soldier would point the light at a landing zone as though aiming at a target.
This practice was simple but really effective and it spread by word-of-mouth to American troops and units throughout Vietnam.
The infantry Soldier would point the light at a landing zone as though aiming at a target.
This practice was simple but really effective and it spread by word-of-mouth to American troops and units throughout Vietnam.
[END]
By 1968, Hueller and Hale's ingenuity became common practice in the Vietnam War.
Soldiers have solutions to solve day-to-day inefficiencies. Dragon's Lair is about finding, embracing, and uplifting those ideas.
Let's find the next Army innovators on Monday, February 22nd
By 1968, Hueller and Hale's ingenuity became common practice in the Vietnam War.
Soldiers have solutions to solve day-to-day inefficiencies. Dragon's Lair is about finding, embracing, and uplifting those ideas.
Let's find the next Army innovators on Monday, February 22nd
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