Notable Achievements
ARA participated in both the first and last major battles in Vietnam for US ground troops. UH-1B gunships from the 1/20th provided critical fire support during the Pleiku campaign in 1965, demonstrating the validity of the ARA concept in combat. In 1970 the 4/77th was heavily engaged at FSB Ripcord near the A Shau Valley; one of the last major battles involving US ground forces. They also provided fire support for ARVN units involved in the invasion of Laos (Operation Lam Son 719).
At the battle of An Loc, on April 13, 1972, an AH-1G from Battery F, 79th Artillery became the first helicopter in history to engage and destroy an enemy tank, thus helping to secure the helicopter’s place on the modern battlefield.
Perhaps the greatest lasting accomplishment of ARA was to validate the concept of helicopter gunships. Evolving from test units, ARA gunships (along with those assigned to lift companies and air cavalry troops) provided a source of supporting fire in Vietnam known for its "flexibility, accuracy, and immediate response" to any combat situation within range. The AH-1G Cobra was a direct result of the successes of the early armed UH-1Bs and UH-1Cs and remained in service after the last ARA battery was decommissioned.
Read more about this topic: Aerial Rocket Artillery
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