OH-6 CAYUSE HELO/VIETNAM
Timeless Military Coins
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- SIZE & SHAPE: 1.75'' ROUND
- FINISH: SOLID BRONZE WITH ANTIQUE PATINA; 3D DEEP RELIEF "SPLASH" FINISH; ENAMEL COLOR
The OH-6 Cayuse officially entered service in 1966, after the US Army moved exclusively to rotor-wing aircraft. Its primary purpose was to provide artillery observation and reconnaissance. The pilots nicknamed the helicopter the “Loach,” borrowing from the acronym of the program responsible for its creation; LOH, or light observation helicopter.
The OH-6 Cayuse was ideal choice to carry out important secret missions during the Vietnam War due to its small acoustic signature. In 1972, the CIA would use a pair of heavily modified OH-6As for a covert wire-tapping mission. On the night of December 5 – 6 1972 near Vinh, Vietnam, the OH-6 deployed a wiretap which would provide critical information to the United States during the Linebacker II campaigns and the Paris Peace Talks.
Matching its namesake, the OH-6 Cayuse coin is valiant and unforgettable, capturing the OH-6 as a stealthy light observation helicopter that played a critical role in obtaining information for the United States during the Vietnam War. It pays tribute to all courageous service personnel who carried out these daring missions to gather intelligence on the enemy.
Minted in the USA from solid bronze, using special deep-relief coining dies, and hand-finished with an antique patina for exceptional quality and detail, this coin displays the OH-6 Cayuse Helicopter in incredible detail.
The obverse of coin features front, side, and top profiles of the OH-6 in the background, while an OH-6 captured in flight occupies the foreground. The reverse, depicting a scene from the Vietnam countryside and the Vietnam War Service Ribbon, is engravable, suitable for names, duty dates, or special remembrances.
