IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 188 

Honoring the service, courage, and sacrifice of the Seawolves of Helicopter 

Attack Light Squadron Three. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 25, 2009 

Mr. BOOZMAN (for himself and Mr. BUYER) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the service, courage, and sacrifice of the Seawolves 

of Helicopter Attack Light Squadron Three. 

Whereas Helicopter Attack Light Squadron Three (in this 

resolution referred to as ‘‘HAL–3’’) began as detachments of Navy Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 

One (in this resolution referred to as ‘‘HC–1’’), which 

began helicopter gunship operations on September 19, 

1966, in support of Army, Navy brown-water, and special 

operations units in the Mekong Delta of South Vietnam; 

Whereas the detachments of HC–1 adopted the name 

‘‘Seawolves’’; 

Whereas HAL–3 was officially established on April 1, 1967, 

in Vung Tau, South Vietnam and was the only Navy helicopter gunship squadron in the Vietnam War; 


smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS
2 

•HRES 188 IH 

Whereas during the squadron’s five-year existence, the nearly 

3,000 Seawolves of HAL–3 displayed extraordinary courage in support of United States military and political objectives in Vietnam; 

Whereas 44 Seawolves of HAL–3 gave their lives in support 

of military operations in the Mekong Delta; 

Whereas the extraordinary performance of the Seawolves of 

HAL–3 earned numerous unit citations, including six 

Presidential Unit Citations, 13 Navy Unit Commendations, two Meritorious Unit Commendation, one Republic 

of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Commendation, and the 

Vietnam Service Medal; 

Whereas the valor of the Seawolves of HAL–3 earned five 

Navy Crosses, 31 Silver Stars, 2 Legion of Merit Medals, 

five Navy and Marine Corps Medals, 219 Distinguished 

Flying Crosses, 156 Purple Hearts, 101 Bronze Stars, 

142 Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Crosses, 439 Navy 

Commendation Medals, 228 Navy achievement Medals, 

and more than 16,000 Air Medals, making it one of the 

most decorated Navy squadrons in the Vietnam War; 

Whereas the maintenance and administrative personnel of 

HAL–3 contributed greatly to the successes of the nine 

HAL–3 detachments operating throughout the Mekong 

Delta by providing the detachments with superb maintenance support and logistics; 

Whereas HAL–3 flew over 130,000 hours of combat and 

logistical support; 

Whereas HAL–3 inflicted an estimated 8,700 casualties on 

enemy forces; 

Whereas HAL–3 performed 1,530 medical evacuations; 


smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS
3 

•HRES 188 IH 

Whereas HAL–3 delivered more than 37,000 passengers and 

more than 1,000,000 pounds of cargo; and 

Whereas HAL–3 was decommissioned in March 1972 at Binh 

Thuy, South Vietnam, as part of the Vietnamization program, leaving behind it a combat and humanitarian 

record recognized as bringing great credit upon the 

United States Navy and its role in the Vietnam War: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, that the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) honors the service, courage, and sacrifice of 

3 the Seawolves of HAL–3; 

4 (2) honors the families of the Seawolves of 

5 HAL–3 for their support; 

6 (3) expresses its condolences to the families and 

7 comrades of those killed in action; and 

8 (4) recognizes HAL–3 as a unique squadron in 

9 the history of naval aviation. 

Æ 


smartinez on PROD1PC64 with BILLS