CHANGE OF COMMAND CEREMONY
HEADQUARTERS
BINH THUY
REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM
TUESDAY, 1 FEBRUARY 1972
10:30 AM
PROGRAM
HELICOPTER ATTACK (LIGHT) SQUADRON THREE
CHANGE OF COMMAND CEREMONY
Tuesday, 1 February 1972
10:30 AM
PRESENTATION OF COLORS
Republic of Vietnam and United States
of America National Anthems
INVOCATION
Lieutenant James F. MENNIS
Chaplain Corps, US Navy
REMARKS
Distinguished Guest Speaker
FAREWELL REMARKS
Captain Charles O. Borgstrom, Jr., US Navy
CAPT BORGSTROM reads his orders
CDR MULCAHY reads his orders
CDR MULCAHY relieves CAPT BORGSTROM
REMARKS
Commander William J. MULCAHY, US Navy
BENEDICTION
Lieutenant James F. MENNIS
Chaplain Corps, US Navy
RECEPTION
Biography of Commanding OfficerHelicopter Attack (Light) Squadron Three
Captain Charles O. Borgstrom, Jr., US Navy
Captain Borgstrom was born in Boston on 23 June 1929, and was married to the former Betty Locke of Arlington, Massachusetts on 25 November 1951. They have four daughters, Karen, Kathy, Carole, and Christine and presently reside at 183 Hemlock Drive, East Greenwich, Rhode Island.
Entering the Navy in March 1947, under a minority enlistment, Captain BORGSTROM spent almost two years as an enlisted man before entering flight training as a Naval Aviation Cadet in January 1949. Upon recieving his wings and commission in 1950, he reported to his first squadron, ATU-10. In October 1950, he was ordered to NAS Lakehurst, New Jersey for Lighter-Than-Air (LTA) training which he completed in January 1951. Captain BORGSTROM’s first LTA squadron was ZP-1, serving there until February, 1954. During this period he also served aboard USS VALCOUR (AVP-55) and USS GREENWICH BAY (AVP-40), and qualified as Officer of the Deck, Underway. Captain BORGSTROM attended the Aviation Ordinance School in Jacksonville, Florida from February to June, 1954. From June 1954 to June 1957 he was a Test/Project Pilot with the Chief of Naval Airship Training and Experimentation (CNATE). In July 1957 he reported to the General Line School and in July 1958, after completion, he reported to Pensacola, Florida for helicopter training and was designated a qualified Helicopter Pilot in August 1958. He then reported to HS-6 at San Diego, California. His primary duties in HS-6 were ASW and Aviation Safety Officer. After completing Aviation Safety School at the University f Southern California in December 1960, Captain BORGSTROM reported to ZP-3. In October 1961, he was transferres to Commander Fleet Air Caribbean Staff, Puerto Rico. There he spent almost two years as the Aviation Safety Officer. Next he attended the US Navy Postgraduate School in Monterey, California and recieved a degree in International Relations. In March 1965, he reported to VX-6 at NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island. At VX-6 Captain BORGSTROM had duties as the Aviation Safety and Operations Officer during DEEPFREEZE 65 and 66 in the Antarctica. Mount BORGSTROM, in Antarctica, was named after him for his service during this period. Captain BORGSTROM was then assigned to HC-4 as Executive Officer. In August 1967 he was ordered to organize and establish Helicopter Combat Support Squadron FIVE (HC-5) at NAS Imperial Beach, California, and was it’s Commanding Officer until 13 September 1968. At that time he was detached to proceed to the USS VALLEY FORGE (LPH-8) as the Air Officer. He completed a combat tour on board in the Vietnam area, and was ordered to the Senior Course at the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island in October 1969. Upon graduation from the Senior Course he became a member of the faculty until reporting to Helicopter Attack (Light) THREE in March 1971 for duty as Commanding Officer. Captain BORGSTROM is ordered to return to the Naval War College as Assistant Director for Operations and Plans.
Included among Captain BORGSTROM’s awards are the Air Medal (Single Action and First Strike/Flight), three Navy Commendation Medals ( with Combat Distinguishing Device) Navy Unit Commendation, AntarcticanService Medal, Armed Forces Expiditionary Medal, National Defense Medal (Second Award), Vietnam Service Medal, Two Vietnam Cross of Gallantry Medals, Vietnamese Meritorious Unit Citation and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal (with four stars). additionally he has been recommended for the Legion of Merit (with Combat Distinguishing Device), Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Second through Tenth Strike/Flight Air Medals. He has over 5,000 hours of flight time in all types of aircraft.
Biography of New Commanding Officer
Helicopter Attack (Light) Squadron Three
Commander William J. MULCAHY, US Navy
Commander MULCAHY was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 26, 1931. His naval career began in August, 1948 as a Seaman Recruit attached to Submarine Reserve Unit 9-255 on a minority enlistment. During the summers of 1950 and 1951 Commander MULCAHY attended the Reserve Officer Candidate (ROC) course held at san Diego and Treasure Island, California and upon graduation in 1953 from Northern Illinois University he was comissioned an Ensign.
Commander MULCAHY’s first orders were to Combat Information Center School, Naval Air Station, Glenview, Illinois. From there he was accepted into flight training at Pensacola, Florida. Upon graduation in September 1955, he reported to Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron THREE in Weeksville, NC and eventually moved with the squadron to Norfolk, Virginia.
Following successive tours of duty as an Antisubmarine Warfare Instructor with the Fleet Airborne Electronics Training Unit, Atlantic in April 1958 and then as a student at General Line School, Monterey, California, Commander MULCAHY reported to Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron TEN at the then NAAS Ream Field, San Diego, as an ASW Instructor from December 1960 until June 1963.
Following Commander MULCAHY’s first Vietnam tour he was accepted at the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, as a student and was graduated in June 1968. Additionally during his war college tour Commander MULCAHY recieved his Masters Degree in International Affairs from George Washington University.
Commander MULCAHY’s awards include the Air Medal (Single Sction and 25 Strike Flight), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Meritorius Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnamese Air Gallantry Cross Medal, Vietnamese Campaign Medal, and US Navy Rifle and Pistol Expert Medal.
Married to the former Miss Nancy Henderson of Chicago, Commander and Mrs. MULCAHY have 4 children. Richard, age 15, Michael, 13, Catherine, 11, and Claudia, age 7. They presently reside at 1641 Gotham St., Chula Vista, California.
SQUADRON THREE
HISTORY
HA(L)-3 pilots, flying heavily armed UH-1B and UH-1M helicopters, nicknames “SEAWOLVES,” team up with the RVN Navy River Patrol Boats in Militaty Regions III and IV. The primary mission of the Seawolves is to provide rapid reaction close air support to the RVN Brown Water Navy. In addition, the SEAWOLVES give airsupport for landing craft, provide armed reconnaissance and support to special mission groups such as the US Navy’s Sea, Air, Land Forces (SEAL Teams), fly medical evacuations and participate in the psychological warfare program. Helicopter Attack (Light) Squadron THREE maintains nine fire teams dispersed throughout Military Regions III and IV in order to minimize reaction time in countering enemy action in each area of operation.
Two crews of four men each are assigned to each SEAWOLF helicopter, enabeling a continous rapid reaction posture within each detachment. Our UH-1B/M helicopters are presently configured to carry ordinance consisting of fourteen 2.75 inch high explosive rockets, approximately 6000 rounds of 7.62 ammunition fired from two miniguns and twu door mounted M-60D machine guns. On most lead aircraft, a 50 caliber machine gun with 700 rounds is used in lieu of one M-60 door gun, and the trail aircraft is configured with a door mounted minigun in lieu of one pylon mounted minigun and one door mounted M-60.
HA(L)-3’s support aircraft, nicknamed the “SEALORDS,” play a very active role in supporting the SEAWOLVES of the delta and all other Free World Armed Forces. Working with a team of SEAWOLVES, the SEALORDS provide the means of inserting quick reaction SEAL Teams into fire zones after the SEAWOLVES have swept the area. Recent studies confirmed the feasability of mounting external stores on the UH-1L and HH-1K SEALORD aircraft. With pylons, the SEALORDS are capable of utilizing two 500 pound FAE (Fuel Air Explosives) or two ninteen shot 2.75 inch rocket pods plus the normal door mounted weaponry of the gunship.
As of 1 January 1972, personnel assigned to Helicopter Attack (Light) Squadron THREE have been presented 5 Navy Crosses, 31 Silver Stars, 2 Legion of Merit, 219 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 5 Navy and Maring Corps Medals, 101 Bronze Stars, 15,964 Air Medals, 439 Navy Commendation Medals, 228 Navy Achievement Medals, 156 Purple Hearts, and 142 Vietnamese Crosses of Gallantry since the squadron was established in 1 April 1967. The Presidential Unit Citation has been presented to 6 detachments, the Meritorious Unit Commendation to 2 detachments, and the squadron has been awarded 1 Navy Unit Commendation and 1 Vietnamese Meritorious Unit Citation with Palm. Substantial numbers of other awards are pending at this tome. Tha Squadron has an allowance of 129 Officer and 410 Enlisted Personnel.
| Flight Hours | UH-1B/C/M (SEAWOLVES) | 112,372 |
| UH-1L/HH-1K (SEALORDS) | 18,333 | |
| Enemy Killed by Air | (ConfIrmed) | 4,001 |
| (Probable) | 4,695 | |
| Enemy Sampans | (Destroyed) | 6,418 |
| (Damaged) | 2,319 | |
| Enemy Structures | (Destroyed) | 4,010 |
| (Damaged) | 5,479 | |
| Medical Evacuations | 1,530 | |
| Passengers | 37,079 | |
| Cargo | 1,007,552 Pounds |
