This site is a civilian hosted page, not
a DOD site.
Established 15th December1996, and the last update 15th November 2007
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Jack's Military Links, its has a lot of good
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Big Red One -- 1st Replacement Company Dian
AFVN - KLIK - Radio Lai Khe Big Red One Radio
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1st Aviation Battalion (Airmobile),
1st Infantry Division, RVN
10/16/65 - 04/15/70
No Mission Too Difficult:
No Sacrifice too Great: Duty First
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Unit Crest Information
Statement of Service
Unit Patches
Battalion Makeup
1965
On 27 October 1965 the Battalion displaced the Phu Loi Army
Airfield where it immediately went to work securing the area
and setting up living facilities. 3 November 1965, with the
exception of the ASTA Platoon, the battalion was completely
operational and combat ready, and performed its first combat
assault mission on that date. 23 November ASTA Platoon
arrives Phu Loi.
A Company
An Airmobile Assault Company. (UH-1D)
B Company
General Support and ASTA Platoon. (OH-13S, UH-1D, OV-1)
1966
A Company (Airmobile Light)
Supported the division in its counter-insurgency role. The
company is authorized 25 UH-1D's but of this total 8 are
UH-1B (Armed) helicopters for escort and suppression missions
and one is a UH-1B C&C ship for the Division Artillery
Commander. (18 UH-1D's, 8 UH-1B (Armed), and 1 UH-1B
C&C ship.)
B Company
Provided observation helicopter to DTOC, medium range
surveillance with ASTA Platoon, provide Command and Control
aircraft to the Division Commanding General, the two
Assistant Division Commanders, the three Brigade Commanders,
and the Aviation Battalion Commander. (10 UH-1D's
"Slicks", OH-13S, OV-1)
1967
A Company
Airmobile light, was authorized 16 UH-1D lift helicopters and
9 UH-1B/C helicopters in an armed helicopter role. A
Company's mission was to provide general aviation support
to the division by performing courier, resupply, command and
liaison, and aerial fire support tasks. (16 UH-1D's and 9
UH-1B/C Armed)
B Company
General Support Mission centered around providing a highly
flexible and mobile command and control capability to the
Division Commander, the Assistant Division Commanders and the
three Brigade Commanders. UH-1D's utilized in the command
and control role. Light observation helicopters were utilized
by the Division for convoy control, liaison, and command and
control. The ASTA platoon performed visual, electronic and
photographic reconnaissance in support of the G-2's
intelligence and surveillance plan performed at night in
order to gather information on the Viet Cong's movements
and base areas. 6 UH-1D's, 10 Loch's, and 6
OV-1's.
1968 - 1970
A Company
1st Platoon Champagne Flight, 2nd Platoon Commancheros, 3rd
Platoon Longhorns. First platoon call signs started with one,
i.e. the platoon leader was 16; second flight was 26, and
third flight was 36. Maintenance was 46. Vulture or Nighhawk
were UH-1H's with mini-gun, starlite scope and lights.
Performed courier, resupply, command and liaison.
B Company (General Support)
Provided command and control capability to Division
Commander, Assistant Division Commanders and the three
Brigade Commanders. Rebels Gun Platoon performed aerial fire
support tasks. ASTA platoon performed visual, electronic and
photographic reconnaissance, until January of 1969, when
platoon was transferred to 73rd Aviation Company (SAC). (ASTA
Platoon Page link below.) "Lighthorse" was a group of 3 slicks from the
Bulldogs and a Hunter/Killer (AH-1 and OH-6A) team from the
Rebels.
In 1969, units ceased using call signs and use tail
numbers.
Unit Aircraft: UH-1B,C,D,H; AH-1; OH-13S; OH-6A;
OV-1
S-3 Documents April to Sept 1967
From Tom McCracken -- I have approximately 750 pages of S-3 daily journal reports for the period of April through September, 1967 covering the activities of the 1st Aviation Battalion. If anyone that you correspond with is interested in any particular daily event that took place during that time period I will be glad to fax them a copy of the day's journal entry.
Annual Historical Summaries: 1965, 1966, 1967 [Researched
by: Howard Ohlson]
(The years 1968-1970 have not been located)
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Unit Commanders
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LTC Louis A. Williams
LTC Harold G. Keebaugh
MAJ John H. Humphreys
LTC Oliva B. Butler
LTC Thomas E. Thompson
LTC Algin S. Hawkins
LTC Paul B. Malone III
LTC Eugene N. Jones
LTC Robert W. Siegert
LTC William W. Cole
LTC Robert F. Eyman
LTC James R. Allan **
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07/1965 - 12/1965
12/1965 - 06/1966
06/1966 - 07/1966
07/1966 - 11/1966
11/1966 - 12/1966
12/1966 - 07/1967
07/1967 - 10/1967
10/1967 - 11/1967
11/1967 - 05/1968
05/1968 - 11/1968
11/1968 - 10/1968
10/1969 - 04/1970
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** Retired Colonel, 30 years active duty, died Nov 1983, buried Arlington National Cemetery
Son Bruce Allan allans24293 at peoplepc.com
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IN MEMORY
Vietnam
WO Alvin P. Woods Jr. was
killed by enemy ground fire on 31 December
1965
while participating in a combat assault
mission.
Action has been initiated to rename the division
airfield
"Woods Army Airfield" in his
honor.
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1st Infantry Division Aviation
Casualty listed by Wall
Panel Location.
1st Infantry Division Aviation Casualties listed by Unit
of assignment.
1st Infantry Division Aviation Casualties listed by
Name. |
Units Attached to 1st Inf
Div RVN were:
162nd AHC Vultures & Coppreheads 03/66 - 08/66 xfr
11th CAB
173rd AHC Robin
Hood & Crossbows 03/66 - 04/70 atch fr 11th CAB
Trp D, 1/4th CAV
Darkhorse 10/65 - 02/70 dpt RVN assets Trp C 16th
Cav
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The following units of the,
1st Aviation Brigade, 165th Aviation Group,
provided Air Traffic Control and Airfield operational support
to the 1st Infantry Division, in Vietnam:
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314th ASD/ADD(ATC)
317th ASD/ADD(ATC)
322nd ASD/ADD(ATC)
340th ASD/ADD(ATC)
Dian, Lia Khe,
Phu Loi ,
Quan Loi .
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MEMBER ROSTER PAGES
Hq's and Hq's
Det
"A" Company "B" Company
PHOTO PAGES
Unit Patches
--
ASTA Platoon
--
Bulldogs Flight
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Pathfinder Platoon
Pony Platoon
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Longhorns
-- Night Hawk Mission
Rebel Gun Platoon
Page
Miscellaneous 1st Avn. Vietnam Photos
Vietnam Photo's Chapter #1
Provided by Russell Smith Co. "B", Company clerk 68-69
Vietnam Photo's Chapter #2
Provided by Sp/5 Hugh S. Der
Crewchief Co. "B" 68-69
And Misc. Photos of the Troops
INFORMATION PAGES
Yearbook entry
Night Hawk Mission
First Infantry Division -
Vietnam, a brief history.
In 1965, the First Infantry Division was
again selected to be the first division to deploy, when the
went to Vietnam. The first unit to go from the Big Red One
was the 2nd Brigade. Advanced parties landed at Qui Nhon on
June 23, 1965. The first soldier to set foot on Vietnamese
soil was Pfc. Gerard Werster of Headquarters and Headquarters
Battery, 1st Battalion, 7th Artillery. The Big Red One's
first operation began July 22, 1965, when Company B, 2nd
Battalion, 16th Infantry, conducted a search of the area
around the base camp at Bien Hoa. The main body of the
Division began leaving Fort Riley, Kan, Sept. 15, 1965, under
the command of Maj. Gen. Jonathan O. Seaman. Maj. Gen. Keith
L. Ware, also a Division commander, was killed in action
Sept. 13, 1968. His helicopter was shot down by ground fire
near Loc Ninh, north of Saigon. The First Infantry Division
launched a series of operations that were to completely
disrupt enemy activity. The Division pushed into areas known
by such names as the Trapezoid, Iron Triangle, Catcher's
Mitt, Song Be Corridor, Saigon Corridor, and Highway 13,
better known as Thunder Road. For nearly five years, the
First Infantry Division soldiers battled against an
aggressive enemy. The enemy made expert use of the dense
jungles and inaccessible countryside. The use of helicopters
was one of the best means of countering the jungle and the
lack of roads. The experience gained in resupply operations,
medical evacuation and the tactics of the air mobile assault
has been used in developing basic doctrine in these areas.
The First Infantry Division returned to Fort Riley in April
1970. Over 3,000 soldiers of the Big Red One died in action.
Eleven Medals of Honor winners were added to the rolls. The
Big Red One's colors now carry the Meritorious Unit
Commendation Streamer, Embroidered Vietnam 1968, "The
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm Streamer
Embroidered Vietnam 1965-1968" "First Class
Streamer Embroidered Vietnam 1965-1970" [Taken from the
current web page for the
1st Infantry Division Europe.
I want to thank the members
of these
groups for their assistance in making
this page possible, along with all
the members of the unit.
Society of the First Infantry
Division
Vietnam Helicopter Pilots
Association
Vietnam Helicopter Flight
Crew Network
Vietnam
Helicopter Crew Member Association
Heli-Vets Vietnam
Helicopter Veteran's Base Camp
The
Friends of Army Aviation
Casper Platoon: 173rd Airborne Brigade, Vietnam
AMERICAN RED CROSS
Vietnam Donut Dolly
