who really invented vertical envelopment? (helo assault) the marine corps or the army?

Question

i was taught in boot camp the marine corps invented it

Answer 1

As much as I would like to say Army, credit goes to USMC.

In 1946 US Marine General Roy S. Geiger observed the atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll and instantly recognized that atomic bombs could render amphibious landings difficult because of the dense concentrations of troops, ships and material at the beachhead. The Commandant of the Marine Corps convened a special board, the Hogaboom Board, that recommended that the USMC develop transport helicopters in order to allow a more diffuse attack on enemy shores. It also recommended that the USMC stand up an experimental helicopter squadron and HMX-1 was commissioned in 1947 with Sikorsky HO3S-1s. In 1948 the Marine Corps Schools came out with Amphibious Operations - Employment of Helicopters (Tentative) or Phib-31 which was the first manual for airmobile operations. The Marines used the term vertical envelopment instead of airmobility or air assault. HMX-1 performed its first vertical envelopment from the deck of an aircraft carrier in an exercise in 1949.

Answer 2

Well if you went to Marine boot camp I don't doubt that. Marines may very well have invented it. But the Army was the first to develop entire units specialised as air mobile units. They took the old 101st air borne units and some of the cavalry units and made them into air mobile units.

Read the book "We were soldiers, once, and young" or watch the Mel Gibson movie. Movie is pretty good but it's easier to follow if you've already read the book.

Answer 3

Helicopter assault was first used seriously in Vietnam and it was by the Army, and they formed air cavalry, or air mobile divisions.

Answer 4

Growing up in the M.C. all my life, thats a given~~

Answer 5

you were taught correctly.
Semper Fi