Description
First seeing combat in Vietnam, the UH-1 Iroquois, nicknamed the Huey, is one of the most successful rotary-wing aircraft in aviation history, with over 16,000 being produced. Throughout the Vietnam War, the Huey helicopter was used by all five branches of United States forces, and by hundreds of civilian agencies. It was suited for almost every mission, from troop transport, to gunship, airborne battlefield command and control, troop insertion/extraction, medical evacuation, and search and rescue.
The Huey Helicopter coin matches the boldness of its namesake, capturing the Huey as a lethal gunship wreaking havoc on the Viet Cong. It salutes all courageous warriors who served with pride during the Vietnam War to preserve freedom or to engage the enemy in combat.
The Huey was enormously successful in Vietnam because of its ideal mix of cabin room, speed, lifting capacity, ruggedness, and service reliability. The HU-1A had an 850-shaft-horsepower (shp) gas turbine engine and was configured for six seats or two stretchers. With the later addition of a 1,000-shp engine, the HU-1C came into its role as the dominant gunship over Vietnam. The UH-1D, with its larger cabin and cargo doors, and twin cabin windows on each side, was redesigned to carry up to twelve troops, plus a crew of two, allowing for larger forces to be deployed in the fight against the Viet Cong.
Each coin measures 1 3/4inches (44mm) in diameter.
