16th Combat Aviation Brigade (United States)
Encyclopedia
The 16th Combat Aviation Brigade is a Combat Aviation Brigade
of the United States Army
. It is subordinate to I Corps and based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM)
.
The 16th Combat Aviation Brigade currently consists of the following units:
in Da Nang
, South Vietnam
. At the time of activation the group consisted of the 14th Combat Aviation Battalion and the 212th Combat Support Aviation Battalion with a total combat force 3,300 personnel. The Group was subordinated to I Corps and its 14th Combat Aviation Battalion provided aviation assault capabilities to the 101st Airborne Division
and the United States Marine Corps
. The 212th Combat Support Battalion provided aerial reconnaissance and surveillance. In the years after the war the group was disbanded.
In October Task Force 49 was formed at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. It oversaw 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, 4th Battalion, 123rd Aviation Regiment, 68th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) and C Company, 123rd Aviation Regiment (Maintenance). In February 2006 Task Force 49 was formally established and the 4th Battalion, 123rd Aviation Regiment was inactivated, while the 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment was reorganized into a General Support Aviation Battalion. In June 2006 6th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment was reflagged from 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment flying OH-58D Kiowa Warrior
light reconnaissance helicopters was relocated from Wheeler Army Airfield
, Hawaii to Fort Wainwright.
On 16 October 2009 through the rede
ignation of the existing Aviation Task Force 49 as 16th Combat Aviation Brigade the brigade was activated at Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
On 31 March 2011, it was announced that the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade would be based at Joint Base Lewis McChord but still keep a substantial presence (1–52nd Aviation) at Fort Wainwright. It was also announced that the 4th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment would join the brigade and that 1st Battalion, 229th Aviation would move from Fort Hood to JBLM. Joint Base Lewis-McChord held a flag ceremony on 1 August 2011 to signify the movement of the headquarters of the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade from Fort Wainwright, Alaska. This process would end around September 2014.
Combat Aviation Brigade
A Combat Aviation Brigade is a multi-functional brigade-sized unit in the United States Army that fields military helicopters, offering a combination of attack helicopters , reconnaissance helicopters , medium-lift helicopters , heavy-lift helicopters , and MEDEVAC capability.- History :Combat...
of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. It is subordinate to I Corps and based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM)
Joint Base Lewis-McChord
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
.
The 16th Combat Aviation Brigade currently consists of the following units:
- 16th Combat Aviation Brigade
- Headquarters and Headquarters Company
- 1st Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment1st Battalion, 229th Aviation RegimentThe 1st Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment, nicknamed the "Tigersharks", was an Attack Helicopter Battalion operating AH-64 Apaches attack and OH-58 Kiowa scout helicopters. It was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina from 1992 having moved from Fort Hood, Texas after graduation from the Apache...
(Assault), 10 x UH-60 Black Hawk (Attack), 24 x AH-64D Apache (Formerly 4th Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment) - 4th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment (Attack Reconnaissance), 30x OH-58D Kiowa WarriorOH-58 KiowaThe Bell OH-58 Kiowa is a family of single-engine, single-rotor, military helicopters used for observation, utility, and direct fire support. Bell Helicopter manufactured the OH-58 for the United States Army based on the 206A JetRanger helicopter. The OH-58 has been in continuous use by the U.S...
- 2nd Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment (Assault), 30 x UH-60 Black Hawk (to be formed from D Co, 123rd Aviation and elements of 4/3rd Cavalry and 4/6th Cavalry)
- 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation), 8x UH-60, 12x CH-47 ChinookCH-47 ChinookThe Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top speed of 170 knots is faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s...
and 15x HH-60M (medevac) - 46th Aviation Support Battalion (to be formed from C Co, 123rd Aviation and elements of 4/3rd Cavalry and 4/6th Cavalry)
History
The unit was activated as 16th Combat Aviation Group on 23 January 1968 subordinate to United States Army Pacific at Marble MountainMarble Mountains (Vietnam)
Marble Mountains is a cluster of five marble and limestone hills located in Ngu Hanh Son ward, south of Da Nang city in Vietnam. The five 'mountains' are named after the five elements; Kim , Thuy , Moc , Hoa and Tho ....
in Da Nang
Da Nang
Đà Nẵng , occasionally Danang, is a major port city in the South Central Coast of Vietnam, on the coast of the South China Sea at the mouth of the Han River. It is the commercial and educational center of Central Vietnam; its well-sheltered, easily accessible port and its location on the path of...
, South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
. At the time of activation the group consisted of the 14th Combat Aviation Battalion and the 212th Combat Support Aviation Battalion with a total combat force 3,300 personnel. The Group was subordinated to I Corps and its 14th Combat Aviation Battalion provided aviation assault capabilities to the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
and the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
. The 212th Combat Support Battalion provided aerial reconnaissance and surveillance. In the years after the war the group was disbanded.
In October Task Force 49 was formed at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. It oversaw 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, 4th Battalion, 123rd Aviation Regiment, 68th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) and C Company, 123rd Aviation Regiment (Maintenance). In February 2006 Task Force 49 was formally established and the 4th Battalion, 123rd Aviation Regiment was inactivated, while the 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment was reorganized into a General Support Aviation Battalion. In June 2006 6th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment was reflagged from 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment flying OH-58D Kiowa Warrior
OH-58 Kiowa
The Bell OH-58 Kiowa is a family of single-engine, single-rotor, military helicopters used for observation, utility, and direct fire support. Bell Helicopter manufactured the OH-58 for the United States Army based on the 206A JetRanger helicopter. The OH-58 has been in continuous use by the U.S...
light reconnaissance helicopters was relocated from Wheeler Army Airfield
Wheeler Army Airfield
Wheeler Army Airfield , also known as Wheeler Field and formerly as Wheeler Air Force Base, is a United States Army post located in the City & County of Honolulu and in the Wahiawa District of the Island of O'ahu, Hawaii...
, Hawaii to Fort Wainwright.
On 16 October 2009 through the rede
ignation of the existing Aviation Task Force 49 as 16th Combat Aviation Brigade the brigade was activated at Fort Wainwright, Alaska.
On 31 March 2011, it was announced that the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade would be based at Joint Base Lewis McChord but still keep a substantial presence (1–52nd Aviation) at Fort Wainwright. It was also announced that the 4th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment would join the brigade and that 1st Battalion, 229th Aviation would move from Fort Hood to JBLM. Joint Base Lewis-McChord held a flag ceremony on 1 August 2011 to signify the movement of the headquarters of the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade from Fort Wainwright, Alaska. This process would end around September 2014.