308^th Combat Aviation Battalion – Black Adlers (1966 - 1968) – Bien Hoa, III Corps, Camp Eagle - I Corps

In 1966 the 308^th Aviation Battalion was assigned to our 12^th Group in III Corps as a transition unit that supported the 101st Airborne Division thus the Eagle on its crest. It was put in place to get the 101st airmobile. On March 16, 1968 the 308^th was attached to our 16^th Group and the unit moved north to I Corps and became operational in support of the 101^st Airborne Division. With it went the 17^th AHC, 188^th AHC, and 200^th ASHC. In July 1968, the 308^th was deactivated. The 308^th became the 159^th Assault Support Helicopter Battalion, 101^st Airborne Division and took over all CH-47 helicopter support of the 101^st Airborne Division. The transition was accomplished and the former 308^th Battalion’s AHC units (17^th and 188^th) picked up new names as Companies B and C, 101^st Aviation Battalion, 101^st Airborne Division. They remained in Vietnam until 1972.  The former B Company, 101^st Bn was redesignated the 163^rd General Support Company and reassigned to the 160^th Combat Aviation Group. The gunship platoons from the Commancheros A/101, Kingsmen B/101, and Black Widows C/101 were reassigned to the newly formed Delta Aerial Weapons Company known as Hawk. More about these at the 101st web site www.campbell.army.mil/division.htm

Details on the 160^th Aviation Group (Provisional)

Contributions from Dick Detra, door gunner 188^th AHC 67-68:

· A detailed 308^th org chart to the detachment level is at this link

· Narrative about the 308^th is at this link

· Various 188^th and battalion pocket patches

HHC – Headquarters Company, Black Adler - Camp Eagle

17th Assault Helicopter Company - Kingsmen, Lancer – Camp Eagle

http://www.kingsmen.com/

Presidential Unit Citation—23 Oct–26 Nov 65

Meritorious Unit Commendation—22 Feb 67–17 May 68

• 613^th Transportation Detachment
• 722^nd Signal Detachment
• 93^rd Medical Detachment

Presidential Unit Citation—10–13 Jun 65

Valorous Unit Award—19 Mar 67

The 17th AHC began its tour in 1965 and became part of the 1st Aviation Brigade in August 1967. They were assigned in March of 1968 to the 308^th Battalion which was established to convert the 101st Airborne Division to an airmobile configuration. In July 1968, the 308^th was deactivated. The 308^th became the 159^th Assault Support Helicopter Battalion, 101^st Airborne Division and took over all CH-47 helicopter support of the 101^st Airborne Division. On July 20 the 17^th AHC became Company B of the 101^st Aviation Battalion, part of the 101^st Airborne Division. The book "Wings of the Eagle" by William Grant is about the 17th.

308^th CAB Command and Control Ship – contributed by

Dick Detra, door gunner 188^th AHC

188th Assault Helicopter Company - Black Widow, Spider - Dau Tieng, LZ Sally, Phu Bai

http://blackwidows.net/

Meritorious Unit Commendation - 1 Jan–31 Dec 67

• 154^th Medical Detachment

Valorous Unit Award—14 Aug 69–20 Jan 70

Meritorious Unit Commendation—16 Aug 71–30 Apr 72,

• 4^th Signal Detachment

Meritorious Unit Commendation—1 Jan–31 Dec 67

• 603^rd Transportation Detachment

Meritorious Unit Commendation—1 Jan–31 Dec 67

On May 2,1967 the Black Widows and Spiders began their tour with the 269^th Battalion, 12^th Group at Camp Rainier, Dau Tieng in the Michelin Rubber Plantation. Then in March 1968 they moved north to LZ Sally and were assigned on March 17^th to our 308^th Battalion, 16^th Group in support of the 2^nd Brigade, 101^st Airborne. . In July 1968 the 308^th and its units were deactivated. The 308^th became the 159^th Assault Support Helicopter Battalion and took over all CH-47 helicopter support of the 101^st Airborne Division. On July 20 the 188^th AHC became C Company of the 101st Combat Aviation Battalion, 101st Airborne and remained in I Corps; at LZ Sally and Phu Bai for the rest of their tour which ended in Feb 1972. 

200th Assault Support Helicopter Company - Pachyderms – Hue / Phu Bai Airfield

http://www.geronimos.org/Pachyderm/Pachydermx.htm

2^nd site: http://pachyderm.info/

Meritorious Unit Commendation—1 Jan–31 Dec 67

• 611^th Transportation Detachment Meritorious Unit Commendation—1 Jan–31 Dec 67

The 200th ASHC was formed in Ft. Benning, Ga. in 1966. The aircraft left California in February by ship with the remainder of the company arriving at Bearcat in March. The 200th was moved north in April of 1968 and became the A Company, 159^th Aviation Bn, 101^st Airborne and remained in Viet Nam until 1972. Later, to present day the pachyderm name was resurrected and sent from Ft. Campbell, Ky. to Iraq.

272^nd Assault Support Helicopter Company – Varsity – Camp Eagle, Phu Bai

http://www.geronimos.org/varsity/Varsityx.htm

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