Mayday: A Saga of the Big Mothers

Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Six had been in existence for a decade when it was thrust in the front lines of the Vietnam War. Its crews had been trained in the locating and tracking of Soviet submarines. However, the North Vietnamese did not possess a submarine capability.

A combat search and rescue service was needed. As the war increased in intensity and scope-and with the fast attack aircraft being lost to increasing North Vietnamese anti-aircraft fire-it became a high priority to r...