Text Box:  The 214th Combat Aviation Battalion – Cougars - Bear Cat, III Corps then to Dong Tam and Vinh Long - IV Corps – See 1968 article, See 1969 article,  See 1970 article

 

Battalion Headquarters & Headquarters Co. – Bear Cat, Dong Tam, Vinh Long

  Meritorious Unit Commendation—1 Jan–31 Dec 67

 

·         758th Med Detachment

  Valorous Unit Award—4–20 Nov 66

  Meritorious Unit Commendation—1 Jan–31 Dec 67


The Buffalo Combat Aviation Battalion formed in country in January 1967. Four months later in April the 214th Battalion from Ft. Campbell merged with the Buffalo Battalion and became our 214th at Bear Cat. In III Corps the battalion supported the U.S. 9th Infantry and 101st Airborne. In Dec 1968, the 214th moved from III Corps to IV Corps to support the 9th Infantry Division out of Dong Tam, when they moved South; then moved on to Vinh Long in Aug 1969 to support the ARVN 7th and 9th Divisions in the Delta when the 9th rotated home.

 

 

 

1968 Lineup: (part of 12th Group)

1970 Lineup: (part of 164th Group)

17th Assault Helicopter Co.

114th Assault Helicopter Co.

135th Assault Helicopter Co.

135th Assault Helicopter Co.

191st Assault Helicopter Co.

175th Assault Helicopter Co.

195th Assault Helicopter Co.

199th Recon Airplane Co.

200th Assault Support Helicopter Co.

335th Assault Helicopter Co.

240th Assault Helicopter Co.

 

 

Below is a little about each company with the battalion in 1969. Other companies will be found in the battalion they were a part of in 1969 – see 1st Brigade Org Charts

 

                                       335th AHC gun run - Hawk Magazine, September 1969

Text Box:  135th Assault Helicopter Company - Emus, Taipans - Blackhorse, Bear Cat, Dong Tam, then Di An in 1971 – See 1969 article, See 1971 article

 

Text Box:  http://www.135ahc.com/

 

 

 

           

 

 

 

 Valorous Unit Award—1–20 Jun 66

  Meritorious Unit Commendation—Jan–Dec 66

 

The 135th arrived in Vietnam Octobber 1965 and was initially assigned to the 14th Battalion prior to the brigade being formed. In September 1966 they joined the brigade as part of the 223rd Bn, then later came to the 214th Bn.  In October 1967 the unit deployed to Vung Tau, Republic of Vietnam. At the time of deployment, the Australian Government dispatched a Navy Helicopter flight to Vietnam consisting of eleven officers and thirty-six enlisted men. The Australian flight was assigned to the 135th, and the unit became known as an Experimental Military Unit or EMU for short. The unit's first roll in Vietnam was to support the Royal Australian Task Force and other free-world units working in III and IV Corps. To facilitate operations, the 135th moved to Bear Cat in November 1968.  Steve Eatner wrote the book "Get the Bloody Job Done" about the 135th.

 

 

Text Box:  147th Assault Support Helicopter Company - Hillclimbers - Vung Tau, then Dong Tam in IV Corps in 1968 – See 1967 Article, See 1970 article

 

  Meritorious Unit Commendation—1 Jan–31 Dec 67

 

http://www.147thhillclimbers.org/

 

The 147th arrived in Vietnam in November1965 and were assigned to the 11th Bn at Vung Tau, then in November 1966 to the 222nd Bn, finally to the 214th Bn. They recovered downed choppers and carried troops and heavy supply loads. The company provided support for the 1st and 25th Infantry Divisions and the 173rd Airborne in III Corps and later, the 9th Infantry in IV Corps among others.  They participated in all of the big airlifts including the 1970 Cambodian Invasion and 1971 Lamson 719 in support of the ARVN troops.  They departed Vietnam for assignment in Hawaii in March 1972.  The unit exists today as Company B, 214th Regiment.  More can be read about their present unit at www.geocities.com/b214Hillclimbers/

 

 

162nd Assault Helicopter Company - Vultures, Copperheads - Bearcat, Dong Tam then Can Tho

 

Text Box:  Text Box:

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.162ahc.com/

 

 Valorous Unit Award—4–20 Nov 66    Meritorious Unit Commendation—1 Jan–31 Dec 67

 

 

Upon arrival in country in February 1966, the 162nd was sent to Phouc Vinh, just north of Saigon, and assigned to the 11th Combat Aviation Battalion (CAB), which supported the First Infantry Division in the III Corps area. On 1 November 1968, the company was relocated to Dong Tam in the upper Delta region and assigned to the 214th CAB, which was the direct support aviation battalion for the 9th Infantry Division. Upon the withdrawal of the 9th Division from Vietnam in August 1969, the 162nd was assigned to the 13th CAB in the Mekong Delta and relocated to Can Tho.  After the pullout of the 9th Division the Vultures primarily supported the 5th, 9th and 21st ARVN Infantry Divisions until the company stood down in April 1972. The 162nd had the distinction of being the last assault helicopter unit in the Delta.

 

 

 

Text Box:  Text Box:  191st Assault Helicopter Company - Boomerangs, Bounty Hunters – Bear Cat, Dong Tam, Can Tho

 

http://www.191ahc.org/

 

 

 

              Meritorious Unit Commendation—1 Jan–31 Dec 67


The 191st arrived in Vietnam in May 1967 at Bearcat in III Corps.  It was virtually dedicated to serving the 9th Infantry Division until they left in 1969.  At that point the 191st supported the ARVN units in the Delta until standing down and being replaced by the 18th CAC in Sep 1971. The book "Steel My Soldiers' Hearts" by 9th Infantry Col. David Hackworth gives frequent reference to the Boomerangs and Bounty Hunters.

 

  

 

Text Box:  335th Assault Helicopter Company - Cowboys – Bearcat, Phu Hiep, Tuy Hoa - See Article

  

http://www.cowboy6.com/cowboy/

 

 

  Presidential Unit Citation—6–23 Nov 67

             Meritorious Unit Commendation—1 Feb–31 Dec 67

 

In January 1967, the 335th was transferred to 1st Aviation Brigade. It had come in country initially as A Company, 82nd Aviation Bn, 173rd Airborne Division, then was redesignated the 335th in 1966 prior to joining us. The three Cowboy UH-1 & Huey flight platoons; Ramrods, Mustangs, and Falcons (gunships) were based in several locations throughout South Vietnam from 1965 until the end of the war and was officially disbanded in 1976. "The Making of a Falcon" is a book about the 335th.

 

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