Contents From VOL. III, NO. 24 November 9, 1970
                        173D AIRBORNE BRIGADE 

                                             Lucky Star is Lucky Safe

                           LZ ENGLISH - The 6lst Aviation Company (Assault Helicopter) was designated the
                "Lucky Star" from its outset. It has lived up to its self-styled nickname. Since
                 being assigned to support the 173d Airborne Brigade in March of 1968, the
                "Lucky Starblazers" have kept intact a long standing record. They have never lost
                 a ship or crew member as a result of hostile action.
                 It's no wonder. A typical gunship of the "Lucky Starblazers" packs enough
                 firepower in its arsenal of weapons to support its own pacification program.
                Armed with "intent to bring bodily harm," a single Huey-type Assault Helicopter
                 carries 14 seven-pound rockets, two mini-guns, 6,000 rounds of mini-gun ammunition and two
                M-60 machine guns with a thousand rounds of ammunition each. The mini-guns alone can.
                devastate an area the size of a football field in three seconds, pouring out 4,000 rounds
                per minute.
                If this isn't enough to alarm "Charlie" just a "tee-tee" - there's more in the offering.
                It's called the "Hog Frog." In addition to having the typical storehouse of artillery
                aboard, it also is equipped with a 40 millimeter grenade launcher - capable of firing up to
                240 bursting rounds per minute. The 'Hog Frog' is primarily utilized in open-terrain and
                light scrub areas where shrapnel is most devastating, according to Captain Michael Kenney,
                Platoon leader for the Starblazers. "For dense jungle," said Penney, "we prefer the
                mini-gun for its greater penetrating power."
                The primary mission of the 61st Aviation Company is support of the 173d to include Log
                Missions (re-supply), Fire Support, Dust-Off cover, Long Range Patrols, MedEvacs, Troop
                movements (insertions and extractions) and Charley-Charley's (command and control
                missions). In addition to six gunships which are in "24 hour readiness", Lucky Star also
                maintains 22 H-model "Slicks," employed mainly for Charley-Charley's, Combat Assaults and
                log missions. Approximately 70 Commissioned and Warrant Officers assigned to Lucky Star put
                in around 2,500 hours of flying time a month on missions in support of the Sky Soldiers. 

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