Iconic Huey Helicopter images

The Bell UH-1 Iroquois, with the nickname "Huey", became a militarised symbol of the United States intervention in Vietnam. With it being over forty years since the fall of Saigon and the North Vietnamese pushing out the U.S. Army, this image certainly has not lost its impact. On the surface, you could argue that this picture being very dim lit and solitary shows the defeat of the U.S. Army and how the soldiers were being lifted up to be returned to the states.

The purpose of the 'Huey' helicopter was to transport personnel throughout war zones, medical evacuations, resupply ground troops and later in the war often offered armed support to ground operations. According to the website of Vietnam Helicopters Museum, this helicopter remains the most manufactured type in history with over 11,800 being utilised in Vietnam, and approximately 5,000 lost during the war. The chopper was particularly impressive as it could carry 3,900 pounds of equipment, provide 70mm rockets, multiple M60 guns at the doors and also could be equipped with M134 miniguns. Essentially, this helicopter was a devastating use of machinery which is very much symbolic of America's equally devastating intervention in Vietnam. Small villages could easily be torn apart and left desolate because of this great weapon. The 'Huey' was popularly entitled the 'Workhorse of the Vietnam War', because of the 9.7 million flight hours it collectively endured during the war.

Other images of the 'Huey' also remain very much iconic of the Vietnam War. You could easily find many images of American troops deploying from this particular military vehicle. This is because during this time with the advancement of technology the media were seeing more of the realities of war than ever before. The perceptions of war were not being hindered, which arguably brought the capabilities of some highly acclaimed films such as Platoon (1986), Full Metal Jacket (1987) and Apocalypse now (1979).