Helicopter Ground Personnel Vietnam War The Vietnam War is often referred to as the "Helicopter War", a name that arose as a result of their active participation in the armed conflict on the soil of Indochina. Helicopters of the US Army performed a wide range of various tasks - transportation of troops, reconnaissance, fire support, transportation of cargo, search and rescue of crews of downed aircraft. A large number of ground personnel - technicians, mechanics, weapons specialists - were involved in the maintenance and repair of helicopters. They were engaged in routine maintenance of helicopters, engines and weapons equipment. Also, the technical personnel eliminated malfunctions received during the execution of combat tasks, for example, damage to the helicopter fuselage due to fire from the ground. Aircraft maintenance could take place in hangars, but was often done in the open because the airfield infrastructure of the US Air Force in Vietnam was not always established. It should also be noted the risk to which ground personnel were exposed - Viet Cong forces shelled airfields with mortars and small arms, and technicians sometimes had to hide in bunkers.