The history of the 1st Cavalry Airmobile from the concept stage before the days of the 11th Air Assault test to the division's return from Vietnam in 1972.

In an article written by Major General James Gavin of WW II paratrooper fame for Harper's Magazine, May 1954 titled,"Cavalry... and I Don't Mean Horses, " he introduced the concept of air mobility.  In one paragraph he summed it up in a nutshell. "Where was the cavalry? ...and I don't mean horses. I mean helicopters and light aircraft, to lift Soldiers armed with automatic weapons and hand-carried light anti-tank weapons, and also lightweight reconnaissance vehicles, mounting anti-tank weapons the equal or better than the Russian T-34s...If ever in the history of our armed forces there was a need for the cavalry arm--airlifted in light planes, helicopters and assault-type aircraft--this was it... Only by exploiting to the utmost the great potential of flight can we combine complete dispersion in the defense with the facility of rapidly massing for the counter-attack which today's and tomorrow's Army must possess"
 
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Jump-Off © illustrated by George Cook