1.
United States Army
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The United States Armed Forces are the federal armed forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, from the time of its inception, the military played a decisive role in the history of the United States. A sense of unity and identity was forged as a result of victory in the First Barbary War. Even so, the Founders were suspicious of a permanent military force and it played an important role in the American Civil War, where leading generals on both sides were picked from members of the United States military. Not until the outbreak of World War II did a standing army become officially established. The National Security Act of 1947, adopted following World War II and during the Cold Wars onset, the U. S. military is one of the largest militaries in terms of number of personnel. It draws its personnel from a pool of paid volunteers. As of 2016, the United States spends about $580.3 billion annually to fund its military forces, put together, the United States constitutes roughly 40 percent of the worlds military expenditures. For the period 2010–14, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute found that the United States was the worlds largest exporter of major arms, the United States was also the worlds eighth largest importer of major weapons for the same period. The history of the U. S. military dates to 1775 and these forces demobilized in 1784 after the Treaty of Paris ended the War for Independence. All three services trace their origins to the founding of the Continental Army, the Continental Navy, the United States President is the U. S. militarys commander-in-chief. Rising tensions at various times with Britain and France and the ensuing Quasi-War and War of 1812 quickened the development of the U. S. Navy, the reserve branches formed a military strategic reserve during the Cold War, to be called into service in case of war. Time magazines Mark Thompson has suggested that with the War on Terror, Command over the armed forces is established in the United States Constitution. The sole power of command is vested in the President by Article II as Commander-in-Chief, the Constitution also allows for the creation of executive Departments headed principal officers whose opinion the President can require. This allowance in the Constitution formed the basis for creation of the Department of Defense in 1947 by the National Security Act, the Defense Department is headed by the Secretary of Defense, who is a civilian and member of the Cabinet. The Defense Secretary is second in the chain of command, just below the President. Together, the President and the Secretary of Defense comprise the National Command Authority, to coordinate military strategy with political affairs, the President has a National Security Council headed by the National Security Advisor. The collective body has only power to the President
2.
Combat Aviation Brigade
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Combat aviation brigades were introduced during the transformation of the United States Army to a modular force. There were three types of combat aviation brigades, the ultimate goal is eight full spectrum CABs and four heavy CABs in active service, and respectively six and two CABs in the Army National Guard. Four brigades must be deployment-ready on a permanent basis, the Army stated that they need the CAB to be modular designed to enable task organization and optimize aviation capability for specific mission of specified duration. Full spectrum CAB will standardize the CAB design across the branch to deliver maximum aviation capability in the most timely, the Army Reserve fields one theater aviation command which oversees two brigades. S. Army Aviation Regiments 110th Aviation Brigade Reorganization plan of United States Army FM 3-04.111 Aviation Brigades Torchbearer National Security Reports, U. S
3.
Aviation
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Aviation is the practical aspect or art of aeronautics, being the design, development, production, operation and use of aircraft, especially heavier than air aircraft. The word aviation was coined by French writer and former naval officer Gabriel La Landelle in 1863, from the verb avier, itself derived from the Latin word avis and the suffix -ation. The modern age of aviation began with the first untethered human lighter-than-air flight on November 21,1783, the practicality of balloons was limited because they could only travel downwind. It was immediately recognized that a steerable, or dirigible, balloon was required, jean-Pierre Blanchard flew the first human-powered dirigible in 1784 and crossed the English Channel in one in 1785. Rigid airships became the first aircraft to transport passengers and cargo over great distances, the best known aircraft of this type were manufactured by the German Zeppelin company. The most successful Zeppelin was the Graf Zeppelin and it flew over one million miles, including an around-the-world flight in August 1929. However, the dominance of the Zeppelins over the airplanes of that period, the Golden Age of the airships ended on May 6,1937 when the Hindenburg caught fire, killing 36 people. The cause of the Hindenburg accident was blamed on the use of hydrogen instead of helium as the lift gas. An internal investigation by the manufacturer revealed the coating used to protect the material over the frame was highly flammable. Changes to the coating formulation reduced the risk of further Hindenburg type accidents, although there have been periodic initiatives to revive their use, airships have seen only niche application since that time. In 1799 Sir George Cayley set forth the concept of the airplane as a fixed-wing flying machine with separate systems for lift, propulsion. Seven years later, on 14 October 1897, Aders Avion III was tested without success in front of two officials from the French War ministry, the report on the trials was not publicized until 1910, as they had been a military secret. In November 1906 Ader claimed to have made a flight on 14 October 1897. Although widely believed at the time, these claims were later discredited, however, the most widely accepted date is December 17,1903 by the Wright brothers. The Wright brothers were the first to fly in a powered and controlled aircraft, previous flights were gliders or free flight, but the Wright brothers combined both, setting the new standard in aviation records. Aircraft began to transport people and cargo as designs grew larger, the Wright brothers took aloft the first passenger, Charles Furnas, one of their mechanics, on May 14,1908. By the beginning of World War II, many towns and cities had built airports, the war brought many innovations to aviation, including the first jet aircraft and the first liquid-fueled rockets. Manufacturers such as Cessna, Piper, and Beechcraft expanded production to provide aircraft for the new middle-class market
4.
Brigade
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A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment, two or more brigades may constitute a division. Brigades formed into divisions are usually infantry or armored, in addition to combat units, they may include combat support units or sub-units, such as artillery and engineers, and logistic units or sub-units. Historically, such brigades have sometimes been called brigade-groups, on operations, a brigade may comprise both organic elements and attached elements, including some temporarily attached for a specific task. Brigades may also be specialized and comprise battalions of a branch, for example cavalry, mechanized, armored, artillery, air defence, aviation, engineers. Some brigades are classified as independent or separate and operate independently from the division structure. The typical NATO standard brigade consists of approximately 3,200 to 5,500 troops, however, in Switzerland and Austria, the numbers could go as high as 11,000 troops. The Soviet Union, its forerunners and successors, mostly use regiment instead of brigade, a brigades commander is commonly a major general, brigadier general, brigadier or colonel. In some armies, the commander is rated as a General Officer, the brigade commander has a self-contained headquarters and staff. Some brigades may also have a deputy commander, the headquarters has a nucleus of staff officers and support that can vary in size depending on the type of brigade. On operations, additional specialist elements may be attached, the headquarters will usually have its own communications unit. In some gendarmerie forces, brigades are the organizational unit. The brigade as a military unit came about starting in the 15th century when the British army, as such a field army became larger, the number of subordinate commanders became unmanageable for the officer in general command of said army, usually a major general, to effectively command. In order to streamline command relationships, as well as effect some modicum of control, especially in regard to combined arms operations. The terms origin is found in two French roots, which together, meant roughly those who fight, the so-called brigada was a well-mixed unit, comprising infantry, cavalry and normally also artillery, designated for a special task. The size of such brigada ranged from a company of up to two regiments. The brigada was the forerunner of the battalion task force, battle group. The brigade was improved as a unit by the Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus
5.
I Corps (United States)
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I Corps Americas Corps is a corps of the United States Army headquartered in Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. It is a formation of United States Army Forces Command. I Corps current mission is part of the United States Asia-Pacific Shift, the Pacific Rim Rebalance will involve several combined and joint military exercises in Japan, Korea, Thailand, Philippines, and Australia. Part of I Corps objectives for these exercises will be Joint Task Force certification in support of United States Pacific Command missions, activated in World War I in France, I Corps oversaw US Army divisions as they repelled several major German offensives and led them into Germany. The corps was deactivated following the end of the war, reactivated for service in World War II, the corps took command of divisions in the south Pacific, leading US and Australian forces as they pushed the Japanese army out of New Guinea. It went on to be one of the leading elements in the Battle of Luzon. It then took charge as one of the headquarters in the occupation of Japan. Following the end of the war, it remained in Korea for almost 20 years guarding the Korean Demilitarized Zone. Active today, the acts as a subordinate headquarters of United States Army Forces Command. Assisted by the French XXXII Corps, the headquarters was organized and trained, on 20 January, in February, the corps consisted of the 1st, 2nd, 26th, 32nd, 41st, and 42nd Infantry Divisions. From February to July,1918, the German Army launched four major offensives, attempting to secure victory before the full American forces could be mobilized. The final offensive, started in July 1918, was an attempt to cross the Marne, in the area of Château-Thierry, but I Corps and other formations on the American lines held, and the attack was rebuffed. Then followed another period on the defense in Lorraine as preparations advanced for what was to be the final Allied offensive of the war, on 26 September, I Corps troops began the attack northward that opened the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. From that day until 11 November 1918 when the war ended, the I Corps shoulder sleeve insignia was first worn by members of I Corps after approval from the AEF on 3 December 1918, but it was not officially approved until 1922. I Corps continued to train in France, until it was demobilized on 25 March 1919, also assigned to the corps were the French 62nd, 167th and 5th Cavalry Divisions. On 15 August 1927, XX Corps was reconstituted in the Regular Army, two months later, on 13 October 1927, the XX Corps was redesignated as I Corps. However, the headquarters remained inactive during peacetime, until the US Armys buildup following the outbreak of War in Europe. On 1 November 1940, I Corps was reactivated at Columbia, for the next nine months, the corps supervised training and large scale divisional maneuvers
6.
6th Cavalry Regiment
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The 6th Cavalry is a historic regiment of the United States Army that began as a regiment of cavalry in the American Civil War. It currently is organized into squadrons that are assigned to several different combat aviation brigades. The 6th U. S. Cavalry was organized in August 1861, Union troopers directed by their officers took up hasty defensive positions on this slight ridge. They threw back a mounted charge of the 7th Virginia Cavalry, supported by the 6th Virginia Cavalry, the 7th Virginia charged again, clearing Starrs force off the ridge and inflicting heavy losses. Jones, outnumbering the Union forces by at least 2 to 1, the efforts of these rebel brigades were frustrated and their entire strength neutralized for the day by the fierce onslaught of the small squadrons. The regiment was cut to pieces, but it fought so well that the squadrons were regarded as the advance of a body of troops. The senior officer of those attacking CSA brigades was later criticized for allowing his command to be delayed by such an inferior force. Had the regiment not made the desperate stand, the two brigades of Virginians might have caused injury in the Federal rear, before sufficient force could have been gathered in their front. Private George Crawford Platt, later Sergeant, an Irish immigrant serving in Troop H, was awarded the Medal of Honor on 12 July 1895, for his actions that day at Fairfield. His citation reads, Seized the regimental flag upon the death of the bearer in a hand-to-hand fight. His commander, Lieutenant Carpenter, of Troop H, was one of three officers of the 6th U. S. Cavalry to escape from the deadly melee at Fairfield. He was an eyewitness and documented Private Platts beyond the call of duty behavior that day, louis H. Carpenter was brevetted from lieutenant to lieutenant colonel for his actions that day and later during the Indian Wars he won the Medal of Honor. After the fighting stopped in April 1865, came the Reconstruction era of the United States covering 1865 to 1871, the 6th Cavalry left Maryland, via New York and New Orleans to Texas in October 1865. However the men did face a low level of civil hostility, for reports of soldiers of the 6th Cavalry killed and wounded in various incidents of 1867–68 see the article on the Fifth Military District. On 9 September 1873 a drunken row among 6th cavalrymen in Hays Kansas resulted in two troopers being killed, during the majority of the 1870s & 1880s, the 6th Cavalry was based in the Southwest and served in the thick of the Apache Campaigns of that time period. Capt Whitside and two Troops of the 6th Cav founded Fort Huachuca March in 1877, the Fighting Sixth sailed to Cuba during the Spanish–American War and took part in the battle for San Juan Hill alongside of Teddy Roosevelts Rough Riders. The Fighting Sixth Cavalry was stationed at The Post at Fort Oglethorpe from 1919 to 1942, a museum has been established in the old posts parade ground honoring the era of the horse soldier. Visit the 6th Cavalry Museum website for more information, the 6th Cavalry, which became part of George S
7.
Boeing AH-64 Apache
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The Boeing AH-64 Apache is an American four-blade, twin-turboshaft attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. It features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems and it is armed with a 30 mm M230 chain gun carried between the main landing gear, under the aircrafts forward fuselage. It has four hardpoints mounted on stub-wing pylons, typically carrying a mixture of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, the AH-64 has a large amount of systems redundancy to improve combat survivability. The Apache originally started as the Model 77 developed by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Armys Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the AH-1 Cobra, the prototype YAH-64 was first flown on 30 September 1975. The U. S. Army selected the YAH-64 over the Bell YAH-63 in 1976, after purchasing Hughes Helicopters in 1984, McDonnell Douglas continued AH-64 production and development. The helicopter was introduced to U. S. Army service in April 1986, the first production AH-64D Apache Longbow, an upgraded Apache variant, was delivered to the Army in March 1997. Production has been continued by Boeing Defense, Space & Security, American AH-64s have served in conflicts in Panama, the Persian Gulf, Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Israel used the Apache in its conflicts in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, British and Dutch Apaches have seen deployments in wars in Afghanistan. Following the cancellation of the AH-56 Cheyenne in 1972, in favor of projects like the U. S, the Army wanted an aircraft better than the AH-1 Cobra in firepower, performance and range. It would have the maneuverability for terrain following nap-of-the-earth flying, to this end, the U. S. Army issued a Request For Proposals for an Advanced Attack Helicopter on 15 November 1972. As a sign of the importance of project, in September 1973 the Army designated its five most important projects as the Big Five. Proposals were submitted by Bell, Boeing Vertol/Grumman team, Hughes, Lockheed, in July 1973, the U. S. Department of Defense selected finalists Bell and Hughes Aircrafts Toolco Aircraft Division. This began the phase 1 of the competition, each company built prototype helicopters and went through a flight test program. Hughes Model 77/YAH-64A prototype first flew on 30 September 1975, while Bells Model 409/YAH-63A prototype first flew on 1 October 1975, after evaluating the test results, the Army selected Hughes YAH-64A over Bells YAH-63A in 1976. Reasons for selecting the YAH-64A included its more damage tolerant four-blade main rotor, weapons and sensor systems were integrated and tested during this time, including the laser-guided AGM-114 Hellfire missile. In 1981, three pre-production AH-64As were handed over to the U. S. Army for Operational Test II, the Army testing was successful, but afterward it was decided to upgrade to the more powerful T700-GE-701 version of engine, rated at 1,690 shp. The AH-64 was named the Apache in late 1981, keeping with the Armys traditional use of American Indian tribal names for its helicopters, in 1983, the first production helicopter was rolled out at Hughes Helicopters facility at Mesa, Arizona. Hughes Helicopters was purchased by McDonnell Douglas for $470 million in 1984, the helicopter unit later became part of The Boeing Company with the merger of Boeing and McDonnell Douglas in August 1997
8.
AAI RQ-7 Shadow
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Launched from a trailer-mounted pneumatic catapult, it is recovered with the aid of arresting gear similar to jets on an aircraft carrier. Its gimbal-mounted, digitally stabilized, liquid nitrogen-cooled electro-optical/infrared camera relays video in real time via a C-band line-of-sight data link to the control station. The US Armys 2nd Battalion, 13th Aviation Regiment at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, trains soldiers, marines, the Shadow is operated in the U. S. Army at brigade-level. The RQ-7 Shadow is the result of a continued US Army search for an effective battlefield UAV after the cancellation of the Alliant RQ-6 Outrider aircraft, AAI Corporation followed up their RQ-2 Pioneer with the Shadow 200, a similar, more refined UAV. In late 1999, the selected the Shadow 200 to fill the tactical UAV requirement. Army requirements specified a UAV that used an engine, could carry an electro-optic/infrared imaging sensor turret. The Shadow 200 offered at least twice that range, powered by a 38 hp rotary engine, the specifications also dictated that UAV would be able to land in an athletic field. The RQ-7 Shadow 200 unmanned aerial vehicle is of a high-wing, constant chord pusher configuration with a twin-tailboom empennage, the aircraft is powered by a 38 bhp AR741-1101 Wankel engine designed and manufactured by UAV Engines Ltd in the United Kingdom. Onboard electrical systems are powered by a GEC/Plessey 28 volt, direct current,2,000 W generator, the aircraft has fixed tricycle landing gear. Takeoffs are assisted by a pneumatic launcher which can accelerate the 170 kg aircraft to 70 knots in 40 feet. Once on the ground, a tailhook mounted on the aircraft catches an arresting wire connected to two disk brake drums which can stop the aircraft in less than 170 feet. The aircraft is part of a system which currently uses the M1152-series of Humvees for ground transport of all ground. A Shadow 200 system consists of four aircraft, three of which are transported in the Air Vehicle Transporter, the fourth is transported in a specially designed storage container to be used as a spare. The AVT also tows the launcher, the AVT Support Vehicle and trailer contain extra equipment to launch and recover the aircraft, such as the Tactical Automatic Landing System. Maintenance equipment for the aircraft is stored in the Maintenance Section Multifunctional vehicle and trailer as well as the M1165 MSM Support Vehicle, two Humvee-mounted Ground Control Stations, also part of the Shadow 200 system, control the aircraft in flight. Each station has an associated Ground Data Terminal, which takes commands generated by the GCS, the GDT receives video imagery from the payload, as well as telemetry from the aircraft, and sends this information to the GCS. A trailer, towed by the M1165 GCS support vehicle, carries the GDT, the Shadow 200 system also includes a Portable Ground Control Station and Portable Ground Data Terminal, which are stripped-down versions of the GCS and GDT designed as a backup to the two GCSs. A fielded Shadow 200 system requires 22 soldiers to operate it, Army modelling indicates that crew workload is highest at takeoff, and second-highest at landing
9.
229th Aviation Regiment (United States)
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The 229th Aviation Regiment is an aviation unit of the United States Army. Properly Troop F, 9th Cavalry, its designation was not used in Vietnam until the May 1972 time frame. Many records of the period June 1971-May 1972 show this particular unit under its unauthorized designation and it was reactivated on 21 September 1978 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, as an element of the 101st Airborne Division. During much of the 1980s its Company D was based at Fort Rucker, subsequently, the lineages of the lettered companies of the battalion were reorganized and redesignated as the HHCs of numbered battalions. Beyond Company D, new battalions of the 229th Aviation Regiment were activated with no prior history from the era of the 229th Aviation Battalion, source, Order of Battle, Allied Ground Forces of Operation Desert Storm, 9-9 by Thomas D. The 1st Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment, nicknamed the Tigersharks, was an attack helicopter battalion operating AH-64 Apache attack and it was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina after moving from Fort Hood, Texas following graduation from the Apache Training Brigade. The battalion was assigned to the 18th Aviation Brigade and was inactivated on 15 May 2004, the 1st Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment was reactivated on 23 July 2010 at Fort Hood, Texas, by reflagging the assets of the 4th Squadron, 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment. The battalion is now assigned to the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade, Fort Lewis, the lineage of Company B, 229th Aviation Battalion was reorganized and redesignated as HHC, 2d Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment. Nicknamed the Flying Tigers, the battalion is the only United States Army attack helicopter unit in history to have captured enemy troops, during Desert Storm the battalion captured 527 enemy combatants. The number of prisoners is probably a record for EPWs captured by a helicopter unit, the unit flew AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and was based at Fort Rucker, Alabama. This battalion was assigned to the 18th Aviation Brigade from 1987 to 1995, in the winter of 2014 B company was reactivated at Fort Irwin as a Unmanned Aviation company. Each of the 3 line companies contained 6 Apache and 4 Kiowa helicopters and it was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina after moving from Fort Hood, Texas following graduation from the Apache Training Brigade. The battalion was assigned to the 18th Aviation Brigade and was inactivated on 15 May 2004, the unit was constituted on 16 September 1989 in the Army Reserve as the 8th Battalion, 229th Aviation and activated on 17 September 1989 at Fort Knox, Kentucky. It was ordered into military service on 6 June 2004 at Fort Knox, Kentucky, released on 28 December 2005. It was redesignated on 1 October 2005 as the 8th Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment and it has since reverted to reserve status. 8-229th was officially designated by the American Volunteer Group to carry the Flying Tigers name, list of United States Army aircraft battalions
10.
158th Aviation Regiment (United States)
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The 158th Aviation Regiment is an aviation regiment of the United States Army. The 2d Battalion was constituted on 25 July 1968, in the army as Company B, 158th Aviation Battalion, an element of the 101st Airborne Division. It was inactivated there on 15 January 2008, on 17 October 2011 it was redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment, and activated at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The 3d Battalion was activated on 25 July 1968 in the army as Company C, 158th Aviation Battalion. It was inactivated 16 October 1986 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, the battalion was concurrently redesignated as Company C, 158th Aviation and activated in Germany. It was redesignated on 16 October 2000 as the 3d Battalion, as of mid-2001, a detachment from Foxtrot Company, 159th Aviation Regiment, was deployed to Camp Able Sentry, Macedonia, in support of KFOR and Operation Joint Guardian. Company D was activated on 25 July 1968 in the army as Company D, 158th Aviation Battalion, an element of the 101st Airborne Division. It was inactivated there on 1 September 1996, nine days later it was relieved from allotment to the regular army, allotted again to the army reserve, and subsequently activated on 16 September 2002 at Victorville, California. The 5th Battalion was reorganized and redesignated in 1987 as a parent regiment under the United States Army Regimental System, the battalions organic elements were subsequently constituted and activated. During the 1990s the 5th Battalion an element of the 12th Aviation Brigade, was the largest aviation battalion in the US Army, units of the battalion were located in Giebelstadt and Wiesbaden, Germany and Aviano, Italy, and their mission included transportation of personnel and equipment. During combat or peacekeeping missions the 5th Battalion was also responsible for transporting V Corps leaders throughout the area of operations, unit aircraft were a mixture of UH-60 Blackhawks and CH-47 Chinooks. Companies A and E of the battalion were located at Wiesbaden Air Base in Wiesbaden, while Company B, the activation of Company C at WAB was, at that time, projected for January 2000. This activation completed the armys doctrinal template of the Mission Ready Battalion, as of early 2000 the unit consisted of eight companies flying and maintaining UH-60 Black Hawks and CH-47 Chinooks. The battalion had a total of 70 aircraft, which was larger than the normal 24 in an aviation battalion. A standard battalion generally flew 3, 000-4,000 hours per year, the unit was also the primary organization used for transporting the US Vice President and entourage for the president when they were in the theater. In 1999, the 5th Battalion deployed to Albania, Macedonia, Kosovo, Bosnia, Africa, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland and other areas within Europe. The total flying hours for FY99 was over 11,000, vehicle miles covered by members of the battalion were over 135,000. The unit also dispensed over 750,000 gallons of fuel without a major incident
11.
Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk
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The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-lift utility helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. Sikorsky submitted the S-70 design for the United States Armys Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System competition in 1972, the Army designated the prototype as the YUH-60A and selected the Black Hawk as the winner of the program in 1976, after a fly-off competition with the Boeing Vertol YUH-61. Named after the Native American war leader Black Hawk, the UH-60A entered service with the U. S. Army in 1979 and this was followed by the fielding of electronic warfare and special operations variants of the Black Hawk. Improved UH-60L and UH-60M utility variants have also been developed, Modified versions have also been developed for the U. S. Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard. In addition to U. S. Army use, the UH-60 family has been exported to several nations, Black Hawks have served in combat during conflicts in Grenada, Panama, Iraq, Somalia, the Balkans, Afghanistan, and other areas in the Middle East. In the late 1960s, the United States Army began forming requirements for a helicopter to replace the UH-1 Iroquois, the Army also initiated the development of a new, common turbine engine for its helicopters that would become the General Electric T700. Based on experience in Vietnam, the Army required significant performance, the Army released its UTTAS request for proposals in January 1972. The RFP also included air transport requirements, Transport aboard the C-130 limited the UTTAS cabin height and length. Four prototypes were constructed, with the first YUH-60A flying on 17 October 1974, prior to delivery of the prototypes to the US Army, a preliminary evaluation was conducted in November 1975 to ensure the aircraft could be operated safely during all testing. Three of the prototypes were delivered to the Army in March 1976, for evaluation against the rival Boeing-Vertol design, the YUH-61A, the Army selected the UH-60 for production in December 1976. Deliveries of the UH-60A to the Army began in October 1978, after entering service, the helicopter was modified for new missions and roles, including mine laying and medical evacuation. An EH-60 variant was developed to conduct electronic warfare and special operations aviation developed the MH-60 variant to support its missions, due to weight increases from the addition of mission equipment and other changes, the Army ordered the improved UH-60L in 1987. The new model incorporated all of the made to the UH-60A fleet as standard design features. The UH-60L also featured more power and lifting capability with upgraded T700-GE-701C engines and its external lift capacity increased by 1,000 lb up to 9,000 lb. The UH-60L also incorporated the automatic control system from the SH-60 for better flight control due to handling issues with the more powerful engines. Production of the L-model began in 1989, Development of the next improved variant, the UH-60M, was approved in 2001, to extend the service life of the UH-60 design into the 2020s. The UH-60M incorporates upgraded T700-GE-701D engines, improved rotor blades, and state of the art electronic instrumentation, flight controls and aircraft navigation control. After the U. S. DoD approved low-rate initial production of the new variant, manufacturing began in 2006, after an initial operational evaluation, the Army approved full-rate production and a five-year contract for 1,227 helicopters in December 2007
12.
52nd Aviation Regiment (United States)
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The 52nd Aviation Regiment is an aviation regiment of the U. S. Army. Placed in the center of the blade is a red Florentine fleur-de-lis. Symbolism The white wings represent the units capacity as an Aviation organization, the sword is a symbol of the Army and symbolizes the units combat power during World War II and the Korean War. The red fleur-de-lis of Florence alludes to World War II service in Italy, background The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 52d Aviation Battalion on 22 June 1966. It was redesignated effective 16 September 1996, for the 52d Aviation Regiment, Shield Azure, a vol Argent surmounted by a sword Or, overall a Florentine fleur-de-lis Gules. Crest From a wreath Argent and Azure two demi-spears with bamboo shafts saltirewise Proper between a branch of laurel and one of palm Or, overall a dragon passant Gules. Symbolism Shield Blue is the color for Aviation. The wings are symbolic of the units mission, the sword represents the units service in World War II and the Korean War. The red fleur-de-lis of Florence represents service in Italy during World War II, crest The dragon highlights the units motto and commemorates its campaign participation credits earned during World War II, red symbolizes courage and sacrifice. The bamboo spears commemorate Korean War and Vietnam service, the units decorations are symbolized by laurel for honor and high achievement and palm for victory. Background The coat of arms was approved for the 52d Aviation Regiment on 7 February 1996. It was amended to include a crest on 16 April 1996. S, Army Aviation Regiments U. S. Army Regimental System This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Army Institute of Heraldry document 52nd Aviation Regiment. Historical register and dictionary of the United States Army, from, volume 1 By Francis Bernard Heitman Encyclopedia of United States Army insignia and uniforms By William K. Emerson
13.
Boeing CH-47 Chinook
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The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its primary roles are troop movement, artillery placement and battlefield resupply and it has a wide loading ramp at the rear of the fuselage and three external ventral cargo hooks. With a top speed of 170 knots the helicopter was faster than contemporary 1960s utility helicopters and attack helicopters, the CH-47 is among the heaviest lifting Western helicopters. Its name is from the Native American Chinook people, the Chinook was designed and initially produced by Boeing Vertol in the early 1960s, it is now produced by Boeing Rotorcraft Systems. It is one of the few aircraft of that era – along with the fixed-wing Lockheed C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft – that remain in production and frontline service, with over 1,200 built to date. The helicopter has been sold to 16 nations with the U. S. Army, in late 1956, the United States Department of the Army announced plans to replace the Sikorsky CH-37 Mojave, which was powered by piston engines, with a new, gas turbine-powered helicopter. Turbine engines were also a key feature of the smaller UH-1 Huey utility helicopter. Following a design competition, in September 1958, a joint Army–Air Force source selection board recommended that the Army procure the Vertol medium transport helicopter, however, funding for full-scale development was not then available, and the Army vacillated on its design requirements. Vertol began work on a new tandem-rotor helicopter designated Vertol Model 107 or V-107 in 1957, in June 1958, the U. S. Army awarded a contract to Vertol for the aircraft under the YHC-1A designation. The YHC-1A had a capacity for 20 troops, three were tested by the Army for deriving engineering and operational data. However, the YHC-1A was considered by most of the Army users to be too heavy for the assault role, the decision was made to procure a heavier transport helicopter and at the same time upgrade the UH-1 Huey as a tactical troop transport. The YHC-1A would be improved and adopted by the Marines as the CH-46 Sea Knight in 1962, the Army then ordered the larger Model 114 under the designation HC-1B. The pre-production Boeing Vertol YCH-1B made its initial hovering flight on 21 September 1961, in 1962 the HC-1B was redesignated the CH-47A under the 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system. It was named Chinook for the Chinook people of the Pacific Northwest, the CH-47 is powered by two Lycoming T55 turboshaft engines, mounted on each side of the helicopters rear pylon and connected to the rotors by driveshafts. Initial models were fitted with engines rated at 2,200 horsepower each, the counter-rotating rotors eliminate the need for an anti-torque vertical rotor, allowing all power to be used for lift and thrust. The ability to adjust lift in either rotor makes it sensitive to changes in the center of gravity. If one engine fails, the other can drive both rotors, the sizing of the Chinook was directly related to the growth of the Huey and the Armys tacticians insistence that initial air assaults be built around the squad. The Army pushed for both the Huey and the Chinook, and this focus was responsible for the acceleration of its air mobility effort, improved and more powerful versions of the CH-47 have been developed since the helicopter entered service
14.
United States Army Alaska
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United States Army Alaska is a military command of the United States Army located in the U. S. state of Alaska. A subordinate command of the United States Army Pacific, USARAK is the element of the Alaskan Command. USARAK is headquartered at Fort Richardson and commanded by a major general, the U. S. Armys important history in the Great Land began at the very moment Alaska became American soil on October 18,1867. Elements of the 9th Infantry were on hand as the Russian Golden Eagle was lowered and the Stars and Stripes were raised in Sitka, which then became headquarters for the Alaska Military District. Charged with maintaining law and order in the new territory, U. S. Army soldiers helped quell uprisings and built new forts at Wrangell, St. Paul Canal, Kodiak Island, and on the Kenai Peninsula. They also enforced regulations regarding the killing of fur seals, whose population had been depleted during the Russian reign. The Army relinquished control of Alaska to the U. S. Treasury Department in 1877, the Signal Corps operated weather stations, and a number of officers led small geographic explorations to learn more about the territory. These expeditions into various parts of Alaska continued through the turn of the 20th Century, as mapmaking and road, the Klondike Gold Rush in Yukon Territory, Canada, and later gold rushes in Alaska helped that expansion, as thousands of people poured into Alaska. As more and more came into Alaska and northwestern Canada. The Washington-Alaska Military Cable and Telegraph System connected all the forts in the territory with Seattle, by 1903, the line stretched from Seattle to southeastern Alaska, Valdez, the interior, and Nome. The project fell under the direction of Brigadier General Adolphus W. Greely, lieutenant William Billy Mitchell, another officer who would later achieve military fame, also worked on the four-year project. The Army in Alaska saw a decline in activity from 1908 to 1939, work continued building roads and bridges and improving trails during this period. Military construction in Alaska accelerated in 1940 as the world prepared for another great war, Ladd Field, near Fairbanks, was built as a cold-weather test station and Fort Richardson, named for Wilds P. Richardson, was built near Anchorage. Colonel Simon B. Buckner assumed command of the Alaska Defense Force in 1940, through the Lend-Lease Program, the United States transferred nearly 8,000 aircraft to the Soviet Union at Ladd Field, which later became Fort Wainwright. The aircraft were flown from Great Falls, Montana, to Ladd Field by American crews, Russian crews then flew the planes to Siberia and on to the Russian Front. The pilots leaving Great Falls followed a series of airfields that became known as the Northwest Staging Route. One of those airfields, Big Delta Airfield, later became Fort Greely, providing ample acreage large scale training exercises, northern warfare training and extreme cold weather testing. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, Army, U. S. Army units also built an initial pioneer road in 1942 for the Alaska-Canada Highway in less than eight months
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United States Army Pacific
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The United States Army Pacific is an Army Service Component Command of the United States Army and is the army component unit of the United States Pacific Command. The main areas that this command has jurisdiction in include Hawaii, Alaska and it also performs missions in Southeast Asia, in the countries such as the Philippines and Bangladesh. The United States Eighth Army in Korea has operational command and control on US Forces in Korea since January 2012, however, subordinate units of this command sometimes perform humanitarian missions in places such as Haiti, Cuba, and the Middle East. Command Group Commanding General, General Robert B. Brown Deputy Commanding General - South, Major General Deputy Commanding General - North and this became the Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System, which was finally deactivated in 2001. Treat 1917 BG John Philip Wisser 1917 BG Augustus P. Blocksom 1918 BG John W. Heard 1918–1919 MG Henry C, winans 1930 MG William Lassiter 1930–1931 MG Briant H. Wells 1931–1934 MG Halstead Dorey 1934–1935 MG Hugh A. Drum 1935–1937 MG Andrew Moses 1937–1938 LTG Charles D. Herron 1938–1941 LTG Walter C, richardson, Jr. 1943–1945 LTG Robert C. Rosson 1970–1973 GEN Donald V. Bennett 1973 GEN Frederick C, weyand 1973 GEN Donald V. Bennett 1973–1974 GEN Richard G. Stilwell 1974 MG Donnelly P. Bolton 1975 MG Thomas U
16.
Marble Mountain Air Facility
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Marble Mountain Air Facility was an aviation facility used primarily by the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. It was a facility that was constructed in August 1965 and served as home to Marine Aircraft Group 16, the 5th Special Forces Group. It was located in Quảng Nam Province 5 miles southeast of Da Nang Air Base on a strip of beach between China Beach and the Marble Mountains. On July 28,1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson announced that the U. S. would increase the number of its forces in South Vietnam from 75,000 to 125,000. American military construction units were overtasked at the time so the construction of the field was done by Raymond, Morrison-Knudson/Brown. By the end of August 1965, they had completed a 2, 000-foot runway and on August 26, a week later Military Assistance Command, Vietnam would approve the name Marble Mountain Air Facility. On the evening of 27–28 October approximately 90 Viet Cong attacked MMAF and they attacked under the cover of 60mm mortar fire using four demolition teams armed with bangalore torpedoes and hand grenades. They were able to reach the MAG16 ramp destroying 19 aircraft, VMO-2 took the brunt of the attack with thirteen of its UH-1E Hueys destroyed leaving the squadron with only four serviceable aircraft. The attack left two Marines and one Navy Corpsman killed in action with another 91 wounded in action, forty-one Viet Cong were killed during the battle along with four wounded that were taken prisoner. MMAF also saw the arrival of the first CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters in Vietnam when HMM-164 arrived on 8 March 1966 with twenty-seven aircraft from the USS Valley Forge, ten CH-46As and eight UH-34Ds also received limited damage. Four VMO-2 UH-1E armed helicopters were launched in defense of MMAF, after fuel was offloaded the aircraft was towed onto the north overrun and departed without incident. Beginning in 1969 the United States began to draw down its forces in Vietnam, on 1 June 1971 Marble Mountain Air Facility was turned over to the United States Army. In February 1971 the 11th Aviation Group was assigned to the 1st Aviation Brigade, in August 1972 the Group departed Marble Mountain Army Airfield and resettled at Da Nang AB. Shortly later the company was disbanded, – 1967–1970 – Redeyes 11th Aviation Group By 26 March 1975 Huế and all of Quảng Trị, Thừa Thiên, Quảng Nam and Quảng Ngãi Provinces had been captured by the PAVN and Da Nang was isolated. Trưởngs defense plans were hampered by the presence of 1-1,500,000 refugess, throughout 26 March evacuation flights by Air America, Air Vietnam, the VNAF and World Airways from Da Nang AB took place but could not keep up with the vast tide of refugees. By the evening of 27 March all evacuation flights out of the base were stopped, the PAVN entered the outskirts of Da Nang by mid-morning on 29 March and by the afternoon were in complete control of the city. The base remained largely intact until the early 2000s when commercial developments began to encroach upon it, a highway connecting Da Nang and Hội An now runs through the former base and only a few concrete and steel Wonderarch aircraft shelters remain. Bibliography Web Overhead shots of MMAF area today Photos of Marble Mountain area
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Da Nang
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Danang is the third largest city in Vietnam in terms of urban population and one of the major port cities, in addition to Ho Chi Minh City and Hai Phong. Situated on the coast of the Eastern Sea, at the end of the Han River. It is governed as one of the five direct-controlled municipalities of the SRV and is thus under direct administration of the central government. It is located within 100 km of several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Imperial City of Hue, the Old Town of Hoi An, the city was previously known as Cửa Hàn during early Đại Việt settlement, and as Tourane during French colonial rule. Before 1997, the city was part of Quang Nam-Da Nang Province, on 1 January 1997, Da Nang was separated from Quảng Nam Province to become one of four independent municipalities in Vietnam. Da Nang is listed as a first class city, and has a higher ratio than any of Vietnams other provinces or centrally governed cities. Most of the names by which Da Nang has been known make reference to its position at the Hàn River estuary, the citys present name is generally agreed to be a Vietnamese adaptation of the Cham word da nak, which is translated as opening of a large river. Other Chamic sources, with definitions, have been proposed. Another name given to Da Nang was Cửa Hàn, the name used by the French, Tourane, is said to derive from this name, by way of a rough transliteration. Notably, this appears on maps of the area drafted by Alexandre de Rhodes in 1650. The name Kean was another name used during the 17th century to refer to the land situated at the foot of the Hải Vân Pass. Other names referring to Da Nang include, Vũng Thùng, a name which survives in folklore. Trà Úc, Trà Áo, Trà Sơn and Đồng Long Loan, in Sino-Vietnamese script, used until 1945, Đà Nẵng is written as 沱灢. Thái Phiên, a name used briefly after the 1945 August Revolution, commemorating Thái Phiên, the citys origins date back to the ancient kingdom of Champa, established in 192 AD. At its peak, the Chams sphere of influence stretched from Huế to Vũng Tàu, the city of Indrapura, at the site of the modern village of Dong Duong in Quảng Nam Province, was the capital of Champa from about 875 to about 1000 AD. In the latter half of the 10th century, the kings of Indrapura came into conflict with the Đại Việt, in 982, three ambassadors sent to Champa by King Lê Hoàn of the Đại Việt were detained in Indrapura. Lê Hoàn decided to go on the offensive, sacking Indrapura, as a result of these setbacks, the Cham eventually abandoned Indrapura around 1000 AD. The Đại Việt campaign against Champa continued into the late 11th century, soon afterwards, Vietnamese peasants began moving into the untilled former Cham lands, turning them into rice fields and moving relentlessly southward, delta by delta, along the narrow coastal plain
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South Vietnam
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South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam, was a state governing the southern half of Vietnam from 1955 to 1975. It received international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam, the term South Vietnam became common usage in 1954, when the Geneva Conference provisionally partitioned Vietnam into communist and non-communist parts. The Republic of Vietnam was proclaimed on 26 October 1955, with Ngô Đình Diệm as its first president and its sovereignty was recognized by the United States and eighty-seven other nations. It had membership in several committees of the United Nations. After the Second World War, the Viet Minh, led by Ho Chi Minh, in 1949, anti-communist Vietnamese politicians formed a rival government in Saigon led by former emperor Bảo Đại. Bảo Đại was deposed by Prime Minister Ngô Đình Diệm in 1955, after Diệm was killed in a military coup led by general Dương Văn Minh in 1963, there was a series of short-lived military governments. General Nguyễn Văn Thiệu led the country from 1967 until 1975, the Vietnam War began in 1959 with an uprising by Viet Cong forces armed and controlled by Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Fighting reached a climax during the Tet Offensive of 1968, when there were over 1.5 million South Vietnamese soldiers and 500,000 U. S. soldiers in South Vietnam. Despite a peace treaty concluded in January 1973, fighting continued until the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong armies overran Saigon on 30 April 1975, the creation of this republic, during the Indochina War, allowed France to evade a promise to recognise Vietnam as independent. This pre-Vietnam government prepared for a unified Vietnamese state, but the countrys full reunification was delayed for a year because of the problems posed by Cochinchinas legal status, Nguyễn Văn Xuân 1949–55 State of Vietnam. Roughly 60% of Vietnamese territory was controlled by the communist Việt Minh. Vietnam was partitioned at the 17th parallel in 1954, once highly lauded by America, he was ousted and assassinated in a U. S. -backed coup. In 1963–65, there were numerous coups and short-lived governments, several of which were headed by Dương Văn Minh or Nguyễn Khánh, Prime Minister Nguyễn Cao Kỳ was the top leader in 1965–67. Surrendered to Communists when others abandoned their posts, 1975–76 Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam. Huỳnh Tấn Phát Before World War II, the third of Vietnam was the concession of Cochinchina. Between Tonkin in the north and Cochinchina in the south was the protectorate of Annam, Cochinchina had been annexed by France in 1862 and even elected a deputy to the French National Assembly. It was more evolved, and French interests were stronger than in parts of Indochina. During World War II, Indochina was administered by Vichy France, japanese troops overthrew the French administration on 9 March 1945, Emperor Bảo Đại proclaimed Vietnam independent
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I Corps (South Vietnam)
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The I Corps Tactical Zone was a corps of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, the army of the nation state of South Vietnam that existed from 1955 to 1975. It was one of four corps of the ARVN and this was the northernmost region of South Vietnam, bordering North Vietnam. These five provinces are Quảng Trị Province, Thừa Thiên-Huế Province, Quảng Nam Province, Quảng Tín Province, the region included the DMZ area where 3rd Marine Division intelligence estimated the combat strength of NVA and VC forces in January 1968 was 40,943 troops. Among its formations and units were the 1st Division, the I CTZ, later Military Region 1, was partnered with the U. S. III Marine Expeditionary Force and the XXIV Corps. General Hoàng Xuân Lãm was given responsibility for the I Corps Tactical Zone in 1967 and he coordinated the South Vietnamese Operation Lam Sơn 719 offensive which aimed at striking the North Vietnamese logistical corridor known as the Ho Chi Minh trail in southeastern Laos during 1971. Due to his connections with President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu, he was still serving as I Corps commander when the North Vietnamese launched the Nguyên Huế Offensive in 1972. Lãm was recalled to Saigon on 2 May 1972 by Thiệu and he was succeeded as commander by Ngô Quang Trưởng. 20th Tank Regiment, the first tank regiment in the ARVN, was formed at Quảng Trị in 1971 and it was equipped with the M48 Patton. I Corps disintegrated during the 1975 Spring Offensive, the situation for the South Vietnamese in the I Corps Tactical Zone had regained some stability after the defeat of a three-division PAVN push during late 1974. By early the year, I Corps fielded three infantry divisions, the elite Airborne and Marine Divisions, four Ranger Groups and the 1st Armored Brigade. At a meeting in Saigon on 13 March President Thiệu was briefed on the situation by Trưởng. Thiệu then laid out his plan for national consolidation, as Trưởng understood it, he was free to redeploy his forces to hold the Da Nang area. Trưởng was shocked to discover, however, that the Airborne Division was to be removed to III Corps, general Trưởng was recalled to Saigon on 19 March to brief Thiệu on his withdrawal plan. This was to be only a measure, however, since the forces that withdrew to Huế. The president then stunned the general by announcing that he had misinterpreted his previous orders, making matters worse, Trưởng discovered that his force was to be reduced by the removal of the Airborne Division. Dougan, Clark, David Fulghum, et al
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101st Airborne Division
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The 101st Airborne Division is an elite modular specialized light infantry division of the United States Army trained for air assault operations. It is the most potent and tactically mobile of the U. S. Armys divisions and these particular operations are conducted by highly mobile teams and they are quite often executed behind enemy lines. Its unique battlefield mobility and high level of training have kept the Division in the vanguard of Americas land combat forces in recent conflicts, more recently, the 101st Airborne has been performing foreign internal defense and counter-terrorism operations within Iraq and Afghanistan. The 101st Airborne Division has a nearly century-long history, during the Vietnam War, the 101st Airborne Division fought in several major campaigns and battles including the Battle of Hamburger Hill in May 1969. In mid-1968 it was reorganized and redesignated as an airmobile division and these titles reflect the divisions shift from airplanes as the primary method of delivering troops into combat, to the use of helicopters. Many current members of the 101st are graduates of the U. S. Army Air Assault School, Division headquarters is at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. In recent years, the division has served in Iraq and Afghanistan, the division is one of the most highly decorated units in the United States Army and has been featured prominently in military fiction. The 101st is currently the only air assault division, capable, in a single lift, of a 4. It is supported by more than 280 helicopters and this includes three battalions of Apache attack helicopters. At times, additional air assets are assigned to the 101st Airborne during deployment, the 101st Airborne also comprises intelligence support, maintenance and operations elements, support personnel, and artillery specialists. Assisting the 101st Airborne Division is an array of support elements, equipment. The 101st is considered a versatile, very flexible. The 101st has the capability to move long distances, the 101st can put soldiers down on top of mountains, ridge lines, and behind the enemy forces and can sling-load in artillery pieces for indirect fire. It is considered a unit of choice and it has the ability to secure sites, airfields. The 101st Division headquarters was organized 2 November 1918 at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, World War I ended 9 days later, and was demobilized on 11 December 1918. In 1921, the headquarters was reconstituted in the Organized Reserves. It was at time that the Screaming Eagle became associated with the division. As part of the reorganization of the 101st as a division in the Army of the United States
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United States Marine Corps
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The U. S. Marine Corps is one of the four armed service branches in the U. S. Department of Defense and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the military officer in the U. S. Armed Forces, is a Marine Corps general, the Marine Corps has been a component of the U. S. Department of the Navy since 30 June 1834, working closely with naval forces for training, transportation, and logistics. The USMC operates posts on land and aboard sea-going amphibious warfare ships around the world, two battalions of Continental Marines were formed on 10 November 1775 in Philadelphia as a service branch of infantry troops capable of fighting for independence both at sea and on shore. The role of the Corps has since grown and evolved, expanding to aerial warfare and earning popular titles such as, Americas third air force, and, second land army. By the mid-20th century, the U. S. Marine Corps had become a major theorist of and its ability to rapidly respond on short notice to expeditionary crises gives it a strong role in the implementation and execution of American foreign policy. As of 2016, the USMC has around 182,000 active duty members and it is the smallest of the U. S. The USMC serves as an expeditionary force-in-readiness and this last clause, while seemingly redundant given the Presidents position as Commander-in-chief, is a codification of the expeditionary responsibilities of the Marine Corps. It derives from similar language in the Congressional acts For the Better Organization of the Marine Corps of 1834, in 1951, the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee called the clause one of the most important statutory – and traditional – functions of the Marine Corps. In addition to its duties, the Marine Corps conducts Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure operations, as well as missions in direct support of the White House. The Marine Band, dubbed the Presidents Own by Thomas Jefferson, Marines from Ceremonial Companies A & B, quartered in Marine Barracks, Washington, D. C. The Executive Flight Detachment also provides transport to Cabinet members. The relationship between the Department of State and the U. S. Marine Corps is nearly as old as the corps itself, for over 200 years, Marines have served at the request of various Secretaries of State. After World War II, an alert, disciplined force was needed to protect American embassies, consulates, in 1947, a proposal was made that the Department of War furnish Marine Corps personnel for Foreign Service guard duty under the provisions of the Foreign Service Act of 1946. A formal Memorandum of Agreement was signed between the Department of State and the Secretary of the Navy on December 15,1948, during the first year of the MSG program,36 detachments were deployed worldwide. Continental Marines manned raiding parties, both at sea and ashore, the Advanced Base Doctrine of the early 20th century codified their combat duties ashore, outlining the use of Marines in the seizure of bases and other duties on land to support naval campaigns. Throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries, Marine detachments served aboard Navy cruisers, battleships, Marine detachments served in their traditional duties as a ships landing force, manning the ships weapons and providing shipboard security. Marines would develop tactics and techniques of amphibious assault on defended coastlines in time for use in World War II, during World War II, Marines continued to serve on capital ships
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Bell OH-58 Kiowa
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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 its Model 206A JetRanger helicopter, the OH-58 has been in continuous use by the U. S. Army since 1969. The latest model, the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, is operated in an armed reconnaissance role in support of ground troops. The OH-58 has been exported to Austria, Canada, Croatia, the Dominican Republic, Taiwan and it has also been produced under license in Australia. On 14 October 1960, the United States Navy asked 25 helicopter manufacturers on behalf of the Army for proposals for a Light Observation Helicopter, Bell Helicopter entered the competition along with 12 other manufacturers, including Hiller Aircraft and Hughes Tool Co. Bell submitted the D-250 design, which would be designated as the YHO-4, on 19 May 1961, Bell and Hiller were announced as winners of the design competition. Bell developed the D-250 design into the Model 206 aircraft, redesignated as YOH-4A in 1962, the first prototype flew on 8 December 1962. The YOH-4A also became known as the Ugly Duckling in comparison to the other contending aircraft, following a flyoff of the Bell, Hughes and Fairchild-Hiller prototypes, the Hughes OH-6 Cayuse was selected in May 1965. When the YOH-4A was rejected by the Army, Bell went about solving the problem of marketing the aircraft, in addition to the image problem, the helicopter lacked cargo space and only provided cramped quarters for the planned three passengers in the back. The solution was a fuselage redesigned to be more sleek and aesthetic, the redesigned aircraft was designated as the Model 206A, and Bell President Edwin J. Ducayet named it the JetRanger denoting an evolution from the popular Model 47J Ranger. In 1967, the Army reopened the LOH competition for bids because Hughes Tool Co, Aircraft Division could not meet the contractual production demands. Bell resubmitted for the program using the Bell 206A, Fairchild-Hiller failed to resubmit their bid with the YOH-5A, which they had successfully marketed as the FH-1100. In the end, Bell underbid Hughes to win the contract, following the U. S. Armys naming convention for helicopters, the OH-58A was named Kiowa in honor of the Native American tribe. In the 1970s, the U. S. Army began evaluating the need to improve the capabilities of their scout aircraft, the stated goals of the program included prototypes that would. The program was approved by the System Acquisition Review Council and the Army prepared for development to begin the next year. While no development occurred during the few years, the program survived as a requirement without funding. Both the UH-1 and the OH-58 were evaluated as NTSH candidates, the OH-58, on the other hand demonstrated a dramatic reduction in detectability with a Mast-Mounted Sight. The Armys decision to acquire the NTSH resulted in the Army Helicopter Improvement Program, both Bell Helicopter and Hughes Helicopters redesigned their scout aircraft to compete for the contract
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Wheeler Army Airfield
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It is a National Historic Landmark for its role in the 7 December 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Two canvas hangars were erected and the field cleared of weeds, guava, thus Wheeler Field got its modest start. It was named Wheeler Field on 11 November 1922 in honor of Major Sheldon H. Wheeler, former commander of Luke Field on Ford Island, killed in the crash of DH-4B, No.63525 on 13 July 1921. In June 1923,13 months after the designation of the new flying field, shop hangars, airplane hangars, in 1927, one of the wooden shop hangars was remodeled to provide space for a barracks and a mess hall incident to the formation of a pursuit group. It was not until 1930 that any permanent construction was started, many different units were originally stationed at Wheeler Field. The first units of the Schofield Barracks divisional airdrome were the 4th Observation Squadron, Photo Section No.11, in October 1922, the photo section and intelligence units were returned to Luke Field. The following May, the 17th Composite Group was organized at Wheeler and it consisted of a Headquarters Squadron, the 19th Pursuit Squadron and the 4th Observation Squadron. These units operated from the field until January 1924, when the 17th Group was rendered inactive, three years later, the foundation for the present 18th Pursuit Group was laid and the 6th and 19th Pursuit Squadrons were transferred from Luke Field. More squadrons were added to the 18th Pursuit Group and Bellows Field was opened as an aerial gunnery camp for the use of tactical organizations. The 15th Pursuit Group was formed next and was made a permanent part of the airdrome, hand in hand with this move came the formation of the 14th Pursuit Wing. S. to Australia in 1928, and the first Hawaii-to-Mainland solo flight in 1935 by Amelia Earhart. Ms. Earhart visited Wheeler Field in 1935 in her Lockheed Vega, kingsford Smith, in his plane, the Southern Cross, also used the airfield on his historic flights across the Pacific. By 1940, Wheeler Field had evolved into a base for Army Air Corps pursuit aircraft such as the P-40 Warhawk. Wheeler Army Airfield was a target and site of the first attack on 7 December 1941. The Japanese attacked the airfield to prevent the numerous planes there from getting airborne, 2nd Lieutenant Phil Rasmussen found an old, unscathed Curtiss P-36 Hawk and taxied it to a revetment where he had it loaded with ammunition. During a lull in the bombing, he took off three other pilots. Lieutenant Rasmussen managed to shoot down a Mitsubishi A6M Zero and the American pilots subsequently engaged 11 Japanese aircraft, the installation has a National Historic Landmark District in association with the attack on 7 December 1941. The 1941 Flightline, hangars and barracks survive today, casualties at Wheeler totaled 33 killed and 75 wounded. Of the 233 aircraft assigned to the Hawaiian Air Force,146 were in commission before the attack, afterward, only 83 were in commission and 76 had been totally destroyed
16th Combat Aviation Brigade
4th Squadron (Heavy-Attack Reconnaissance), 6th Cavalry Regiment, AH-64E Apache and RQ-7 Shadow
1st Battalion (Attack), 229th Aviation Regiment, AH-64E Apache
2nd Battalion (Assault), 158th Aviation Regiment, UH-60 Black Hawk
1st Battalion (General Support), 52nd Aviation Regiment, UH-60, CH-47 Chinook and UH-60A+ (MEDEVAC) (supporting US Army Alaska)
46th Aviation Support Battalion
