Updated July 8, 2023 
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Recent Troop Events and News
"CharlieHorse"
Welcome to
D Troop 3rd of the 5th Air Cavalry
I Corps - 1971 thru 1972
Photo Courtesy of Mr. John Conway & VHPA Museum
Website Launched March 11, 2002
These pages are dedicated to the men who served in "Charliehorse" from
1 February 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, seemed to exchange the unit designations between two Air Cavalry units.
This was actually a "Transfer" of TO&E, Men and Equipment however, it was all done on paper.
Nothing was physically moved!
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/Guidons) 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" and attached to the 7th of the 1st Cav Squadron was stationed at Vinh Long Army Airfield in IV Corps, Vietnam's Delta.
C Troop 3/17 Air Cavalry, Troop callsign "Charliehorse," part of the 17th Air Cavalry Regiment, was stationed at Quang Tri in I Corps in the Northernmost part of Vietnam.
When the "switch" took place on 1February 1971,
"Charliehorse" 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.
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.
Link to a brief Unit history
If you are a former member of D Troop 3/5th, Charliehorse -
Welcome Home
I hope you will contribute to the construction and help insure the historical accuracy of your site.
