Why Helicopters Are Named After Native American Tribes

The practice of naming helicopters after Native American tribes or figures is a well-known tradition in the U.S. military, with some of the most recognizable names such as Apache, Black Hawk, and Chinook. But how did this practice start, and why were these Native American names chosen?

U.S. Military’s History with Native Americans

The U.S. military has a long and complex history with Native American tribes. Armed conflicts between the two were commonly known as the American Indian Wars, which were fought intermittently from the time the U.S. was first settled by Europeans until the early 20th century. Despite these conflicts, Native Americans also served as some of the fiercest fighters for the United States for over 200 years. In fact, 32 Native Americans have earned the nation's highest military award, the Medal of Honor.

How the Naming Tradition Originated

The tradition of naming helicopters after Native Americans began in the period before the U.S. Air Force split from the Army in 1947. At that time, Army Gen. Hamilton Howze was assigned to Army aviation and tasked with developing doctrine and the way forward for Army aircraft to support ground warfighters. According to an unnamed Army museum official, Gen. Howze was not a fan of the names of the first two helicopters, which were called Hoverfly and Dragonfly.

Howze then laid out instructions for naming the helicopters after their abilities. He suggested that since the helicopters were fast and agile, they should attack enemy flanks and fade away, much like the way tribes on the Great Plains fought during the American Indian Wars. The next helicopter, the H-13, which became famously known as the `Lance' in "M*A*S*H," was named the Sioux in honor of the Native Americans who fought American soldiers in the Sioux Wars and defeated the 7th Cavalry Regiment at the Battle of Little Bighorn.

Army Regulation 70-28

On December 5, 1969, the Army regulation AR 70-28 was created, listing criteria for naming major items of equipment after popular names. The regulation stated that names had to:

Appeal to the imagination without sacrificing dignity. Suggest an aggressive spirit and confidence in the item’s capabilities. Reflect the item's characteristics, including mobility, agility, flexibility, firepower, and endurance. Be based on tactical application, not source or method of manufacture. If a person's name was proposed, the name should be associated with the preceding qualities and criteria.

According to AR 70-28, Army aircraft were specifically categorized as requiring “Indian terms and names of American Indian tribes and chiefs.” The Bureau of Indian Affairs provided a list of names from which to choose. Other categories included tanks named after American generals, infantry weapons named after early American pioneers, and assault weapons named after fearsome reptile and insect names.

Rescinding AR 70-28

Although AR 70-28 was eventually rescinded and replaced with policies that didn't mention the criteria, the tradition of naming helicopters after Native American tribes continued. This can be seen in the naming of the UH-72A Lakota, which was named after the Lakota tribe of the Great Sioux Nation in North and South Dakota in 2012. Ceremonies such as the traditional blessing for the Lakota helicopters often took place to honor the Native American heritage.

So, the next time you see a helicopter named after a Native American tribe, remember the spirit, confidence, agility, endurance, and warrior ethos their names evoke! This tradition not only reflects the profound historical contributions of Native Americans to the U.S. military but also celebrates their rich cultural heritage.

References:
U.S. Army Aviation Museum, Official Website of the U.S. Army National Guard, and various military historical archives.