Hamilton H. Howze
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 Hamilton Hawkins Howze, (1908-1998) known in the U.S. Army as "Triple H" or, more commonly, Hamilton H. Howze was a United States Army general, recognized both as a visionary thinker and combat leader. One of the first Army Aviators, he may be best known for his leadership of the "Howze Board" of the 1960s, which explored the concept of helicopter-based air assault operations and created the first division-sized heliborne force, the 1st Cavalry Division (Air Assault),a key unit in the Vietnam War. Graduating from West Point in 1930 and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Cavalry, he served in various combat roles in the Second World War. As a Cold War assistant divisiom commander, he developed "overwatch" maneuver tactics, with the future GEN William DuPuy one of his disciples. In 1955, he replaced his equine horse with flying ones, earning his aviator wings and becoming the first Director of Army Aviation. He was a founder of the Aviation Center and School in Fort Rucker, Alabama. As a lieutenant general commanding the XVIII Airborne Corps, he was detached, by Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, to head the Tactical Mobility Requirements Board in 1961. When McNamara sent back the initial, seemingly radical recommendations as not aggressive enough, the Howze Board conducted division-level exercises called AIR ASSAULT II, which demonstrated that while the airmobile force needed tuning, it was effective and was soon deployed in Vietnam. Promoted to four-star general, he commanded U.S. Forces Korea, a UN-US-Republic of Korea force. A 1957 Charter Member of the Army Aviation Association, he later served as that organization’s Senior Vice President and President during a four year period. He was a member of the Army Aviation Hall of Fame. |
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