The 11th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade is a
Combat Aviation Brigade
A Combat aviation brigade (CAB) is a multi-functional brigade-sized unit in the United States Army that fields military helicopters, offering a combination of attack/reconnaissance helicopters (Boeing AH-64 Apache), medium-lift helicopters (Sikors ...
in the
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a Military reserve force, reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed F ...
. The unit's lineage can be traced to the prior lineage and insignia of the 11th Aviation Group which was last headquartered in Illesheim, Germany in 2005. It is one of two aviation brigades of
Army Reserve Aviation Command
Army Reserve Aviation Command (ARAC) is the headquarters command for all aviation assets in the United States Army Reserve. It is located at Fort Knox, Kentucky and is commanded by a Brigadier General.
The command consists of approximately 5,000 ...
. The brigade consists of a
headquarters company A headquarters unit is a specialised military unit formed around the headquarters of a commanding officer and the requirements of that position. As such, a headquarters unit is always a component of a larger unit.
Examples include:
* headquarters ...
, two Black Hawk assault
battalions
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...
, and one fixed wing battalion. The brigade was activated in its current formation on 16 September 2016.
World War II legacy era (1941–1961)
The 11th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade incorporates the history of the 11th Aviation Group which can be traced to the
11th Airborne Division
The 11th Airborne Division ("Arctic Angels") is a United States Army airborne formation, first activated on 25 February 1943, during World War II. Consisting of one parachute and two glider infantry regiments, with supporting troops, the div ...
, which served in the
Pacific Theater
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
and in the
Army of Occupation in Japan after the war. The division returned to the United States in May 1949 and established its headquarters at
Fort Campbell
Fort Campbell is a United States Army installation located astride the Kentucky–Tennessee border between Hopkinsville, Kentucky, Hopkinsville, Kentucky and Clarksville, Tennessee, Clarksville, Tennessee (post address is located in Kentucky). F ...
,
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
. The Angels moved to Germany in 1956 and subsequently inactivated on 1 July 1958 when it was reflagged as the
24th Infantry Division. The 24th temporarily retained a partial Airborne capability to include the
1st Airborne Battle Group, 187th Infantry; the
1st Airborne Battle Group, 503rd Infantry; and the 11th Quartermaster Company, a parachute rigger unit. Within a year 1–187th and 1–503rd rotated to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to become part of the
82nd Airborne Division
The 82nd Airborne Division is an Airborne forces, airborne infantry division (military), division of the United States Army specializing in Paratrooper, parachute assault operations into denied areasSof, Eric"82nd Airborne Division" ''Spec Ops ...
while the rigger company relocated to the
8th Infantry Division in Mainz, where a new Airborne component was being formed within the division.
Vietnam era (1962–1972)
The colors remained dormant until the requirement for air mobility (heliborne tactical movement) of
infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...
units was established by the
Department of the Army
The United States Department of the Army (DA) is one of the three military departments within the Department of Defense of the U.S. The Department of the Army is the federal government agency within which the United States Army (U.S.) is org ...
in 1962.
Secretary of the Army Cyrus R. Vance
Cyrus Roberts Vance Sr. (March 27, 1917January 12, 2002) was an American lawyer and United States Secretary of State under President Jimmy Carter from 1977 to 1980. Prior to serving in that position, he was the United States Deputy Secretary of ...
envisioned that the Army required its own organic aviation assets to meet immediate combat needs of infantry units. The XVIII Airborne Corps began experimenting with this new concept by using borrowed helicopters. By the end of the year, Secretary Vance decided to form a test division to further evaluate this new concept.
On 1 February 1963, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 11th Aviation Group, was activated for testing purposes as a
Regular Army
A regular army is the official army of a state or country (the official armed forces), contrasting with irregulars, irregular forces, such as volunteer irregular militias, private armies, mercenary, mercenaries, etc. A regular army usually has the ...
element of the
11th Air Assault Division (Test). Under the leadership of Major General
Charles W.G. Rich, the Test Director, and Brigadier General
Harry Kinnard
Harry William Osborne Kinnard II (May 7, 1915 – January 5, 2009) was an American general officer who, during the Vietnam War, pioneered the airmobile concept of sending troops into battle using helicopters. Kinnard retired from the milit ...
, the Division Commander, the group worked to formulate a unit that could move one-third of the division's infantry battalions and supporting units in one single helicopter lift. The unit operated out of Fort Benning,
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
.
The testing process proved highly successful and on 1 July 1965 the group was reassigned to the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) when the assets of the 11th Air Assault Division and the 2nd Infantry Division were merged into a single unit. Within several months the division deployed to
South Vietnam
South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam ( vi, Việt Nam Cộng hòa), was a state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of th ...
.
The mission of the 1st Cavalry was to "fight battles of movement, ranging swiftly to places where they are needed."
Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara
Robert Strange McNamara (; June 9, 1916 – July 6, 2009) was an American business executive and the eighth United States Secretary of Defense, serving from 1961 to 1968 under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. He remains the ...
described the new 428 helicopter-equipped 1st Cavalry Division as "an entirely new approach to the conduct of land battle which will result in the exploitation of the principle of surprise to an unprecedented degree."
As part of the 1st Cavalry, the 11th Aviation Group controlled the 227th Aviation Battalion (Assault Helicopter), 228th Aviation Battalion (Medium Helicopter) and 229th Aviation Battalion (Assault Helicopter), whose helicopters were the lifeblood of the Army's first airmobile division. The group also included the
11th Aviation Company (General Support),
17th Aviation Company (Airmobile Light) and 478th Aviation Company (Heavy Helicopter).
From 1965 through 1968 the 11th Aviation Group saw combat in the
I and
II Corps areas of South Vietnam. The Group was awarded the
Presidential Unit Citation for the
Pleiku Campaign
The Pleiku Campaign took place from 23 October to 26 November 1965.Kinnard, p.1 II Corps Command named it Pleime Campaign, with a slightly different starting date of 20 October instead of 23 October, consisted of three operations:Vĩnh Lộc, p. ...
of 1965 and the
Meritorious Unit Commendation
The Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC; pronounced ''muck'') is a mid-level unit award of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Army awards units the Army MUC for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding achievement or s ...
for the period September 1965 to November 1966. In 1968, the Group moved to
Phước Vĩnh Base Camp
Phước Vĩnh Base Camp (also known as Phước Vĩnh Combat Base) is a former U.S. Army base north of Biên Hòa in southern Vietnam.
History
The base was established in mid-1965 and was located approximately 35 km north of Biên Hòa in ...
in
III Corps and remained there until early 1971 where the Group was awarded the Valorous Unit Award for the period 6 May 1969 through 1 February 1970.
In February 1971 the Group was assigned to the 1st Aviation Brigade and redeployed to
Marble Mountain Army Airfield near
Da Nang
Nang or DanangSee also Danang Dragons ( ; vi, Đà Nẵng, ) is a class-1 municipality and the fifth-largest city in Vietnam by municipal population. It lies on the coast of the East Sea of Vietnam at the mouth of the Hàn River, and is one ...
; it was officially released from the
1st Cavalry Division on 5 May 1971. In August 1972 the Group departed Marble Mountain Army Airfield and resettled at
Da Nang Air Base
Da Nang Air Base ( vi, Căn cứ không quân Đà Nẵng) (1930s–1975) (also known as Da Nang Airfield, Tourane Airfield or Tourane Air Base) was a French Air Force and later Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) facility located in the city ...
.
Germany era (1973–1989)
The colors of the 11th Aviation Group left Vietnam in March 1973, bound for Dolan Barracks in
Schwäbisch Hall
Schwäbisch Hall (; "Swabian Hall"; from 1802 until 1934 and colloquially: ''Hall'' ) is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg located in the valley of the Kocher river, the longest tributary (together with its headwater Lein) of the ...
, Germany, where they were used to reflag an existing aviation group. The Group's mission was to support Headquarters US Army Europe and the
Seventh Army. In November 1979 the 11th Aviation Group became a major subordinate command of
VII Corps 7th Corps, Seventh Corps, or VII Corps may refer to:
* VII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars
* VII Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World War I
* VII ...
.
In 1984–5, the 223rd Aviation Battalion (Combat) of the
11th Aviation Group (Combat) was headquartered at Echterdingen, with the 25th, 48th, and 180th Aviation Companies assigned (one at
Schwäbisch Hall
Schwäbisch Hall (; "Swabian Hall"; from 1802 until 1934 and colloquially: ''Hall'' ) is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg located in the valley of the Kocher river, the longest tributary (together with its headwater Lein) of the ...
).
During the period 1980–1987, while the 11th Aviation Group was at Dolan Barracks in Schwäbisch Hall in the German State of
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...
, another unit, the 11th Aviation Battalion (later the 11th Aviation Regiment) was based in the neighboring German State of
Hesse
Hesse (, , ) or Hessia (, ; german: Hessen ), officially the State of Hessen (german: links=no, Land Hessen), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt. Two other major histor ...
at
Wiesbaden Air Base
Wiesbaden () is a city in central western Germany and the capital of the state of Hesse. , it had 290,955 inhabitants, plus approximately 21,000 United States citizens (mostly associated with the United States Army). The Wiesbaden urban area ...
under the 12th Aviation Group and
V Corps 5th Corps, Fifth Corps, or V Corps may refer to:
France
* 5th Army Corps (France)
* V Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* V Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Ar ...
. The proximity of the unit's locations in the former
West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
may be a source of confusion, as the distinctive unit insignias of the 11th Aviation Brigade and 11th Aviation Regiment (formerly the 11th Aviation Battalion) are sometimes confused, with the insignia of the latter being mistaken as the insignia for the former. The insignia of the 11th Aviation Regiment can be seen her
while the insignia of the 11th Aviation Brigade can be seen as an external link her
The 11th Aviation Regiment still exists and currently performs a training support role at
Fort Rucker
Fort Rucker is a U.S. Army post located primarily in Dale County, Alabama, United States. It was named for a Civil War officer, Confederate General Edmund Rucker. The post is the primary flight training installation for U.S. Army Aviators and ...
,
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
, as the 1st Battalion, 11th Aviation Regiment, part of the
110th Aviation Brigade.
The 11th Aviation Group was reorganized and redesignated 16 October 1987 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 11th Aviation Brigade, and three months later the brigade fielded the first
AH-64
The Boeing AH-64 Apache () is an American twin-turboshaft attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement and a tandem cockpit for a crew of two. It features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night visi ...
attack helicopter unit in Europe, the 2d Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment. This firmly established the brigade's role as a decisive combat element in the
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
alliance. In August 1988, the 11th Aviation Brigade moved to
Storck Barracks in
Illesheim.
As a group, personnel of the 11th wore the shoulder sleeve insignia (SSI) of
VII Corps 7th Corps, Seventh Corps, or VII Corps may refer to:
* VII Corps (Grande Armée), a corps of the Imperial French army during the Napoleonic Wars
* VII Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World War I
* VII ...
, to which it was assigned. With its redesignation as a brigade it qualified for its own SSI and it adopted a design based upon its distinctive unit insignia (DUI).
During its years in Germany, the Group had a pathfinder platoon of about a dozen personnel. The unit traced its lineage back to the 11th Airborne Division pathfinders of World War II and the post-war years, as well as the pathfinders of the 11th Aviation Group in Viet Nam. Like some other small Airborne infantry units, initially members of the platoon wore the light blue Infantry School flash as an expedient. The flash was mainly at that time by cadre members of the 4th Airborne Student Training Battalion (aka "jump school") at Fort Benning, which was reflagged on 23 October 1985 as the 1st Battalion, 507th Infantry (redesignated 1 October 2005 as the 1st Battalion, 507th Infantry Regiment). Eventually the platoon submitted the 11th Airborne Division design and was granted approval by the
United States Army Institute of Heraldry
The Institute of Heraldry, officially The Institute of Heraldry, Department of the Army, is an activity of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army solely responsible for furnishing heraldic services to President of the United ...
; however, the new flash and matching wing trimming were only worn for about a year due to the unit's inactivation. The authorization for a pathfinder platoon was dropped in the late 1980s and personnel departed as their tours were completed.
Desert Storm era (1990–1995)
At the conclusion of
Operation Desert Storm
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
, the Brigade was assigned to sector security in the former XVIII Airborne Corps area of responsibility. The front covered more than 200 kilometers. The 11th Aviation Brigade began redeployment to Germany on 22 April 1991. It was then reorganized and redesignated 17 November 1993 back to being Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 11th Aviation Group. It was at this time that the 11th began to be erroneously referred to as a regiment, rather than a group, and this error continued until the unit's inactivation in 2005; however, the U.S. Army Center of Military History confirmed that the 11th's HHC was organized as an aviation group, not a regimen
The CMH clarified the matter by stating, "Although the unit is frequently referred to as the 11th Aviation Regiment, it is actually organized under the TOE for an Aviation Group and its official designation is HHC, 11th Aviation Group
Bosnia and Kosovo era (1996–1999)
In April 1996, C Troop (+), 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment deployed to Camp Hampton, Bosnia and Herzegovina in support of
Operation Joint Endeavor
The Implementation Force (IFOR) was a NATO-led multinational peace enforcement force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one-year mandate from 20 December 1995 to 20 December 1996 under the codename ''Operation Joint Endeavour''.
Background
NATO ...
and the 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division. The deployment was critical to Implementation Force's success in establishing stability in the Multi-National Division (North) sector.
In the summer of 1996, the 11th Aviation Group received a warning order to form and train an aviation task force for possible deployment to Bosnia-Herzegovina. The deployment was to be as a part of the Task Force Eagle Covering Force, overseeing the withdrawal of the 1st Armored Division.
On 4 October 1996, the unit received its deployment orders, and within five days HHC, 11th Aviation Group; 2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment; 2nd Battalion, 1st Aviation Regiment; Companies A and B, 7th Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment; 147th Maintenance Support Team; Company C, 3rd Battalion (Air Traffic Services), 58th Aviation Regiment; and the 45th Medical Company (Air Ambulance) began departing Germany en route to Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of Operation Joint Endeavor.
Assembling at Comanche Base, the 700 soldiers of Task Force 11 transferred authority with their 1st Armored Division counterparts on 4 November 1996, and immediately provided critical support to MND (North), where tensions between the Former Warring Factions were high.
On 20 December, the covering force completed its mission as a part of the Implementation Force and transitioned to operations as a part of the Stabilization Force.
On 15 May 1997, the 229th Aviation Regiment executed transfer of authority with Task Force 11 as the Multi-National Division (North) Aviation Brigade. After processing at the intermediate staging base in Taszar, Hungary, the last elements of Task Force 11 closed on their home stations on 25 May 1997.
In May 1998 11th Aviation Group deployed to
Tuzla
Tuzla (, ) is the third-largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the administrative center of Tuzla Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, it has a population of 110,979 inhabitants.
Tuzla is the economic, cultural, ed ...
, Bosnia with HHC and 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment as part of Operation JOINT GUARD/FORGE. From May to October the Task Force performed as the Strategic Reserve for SFOR and the 1AD led Multinational Division North ensuring the continued implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords. Following transfer of authority to elements of the 1st Cavalry Division, the Group redeployed to Illesheim, Germany.
Following notification in late March 1999, the 11th Aviation Group was once again deployed on 8 April 1999 to
Tirana
Tirana ( , ; aln, Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea ...
, Albania in support of NATO
Operation ALLIED FORCE
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) carried out an aerial bombing campaign against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The air strikes lasted from 24 March 1999 to 10 June 1999. The bombings continued until an a ...
in Kosovo. Over the next three months the Group remained postured for combat operations as the main effort for
Task Force Hawk
Task Force Hawk was a U.S. military unit constructed and deployed by General Wesley Clark to provide additional support to NATO's Operation Allied Force against the Yugoslavian government during the 1999 unrest in the Serbian province of Kosovo. ...
. TF Hawk deployed two attack helicopters squadrons of pilots, both aviation unit maintenance (AVUMs), 24 of their 48 AH-64s and a partial aviation maintenance (AVIM) unit to Albania. The remaining aircraft and AVIM(-) were left in Germany, where the AVIM(-) took control of the 24 AH-64s and readied them for possible deployment. Early on TF Hawk determined that the 11th Aviation Group, the two squadrons and the CORPS DOCC did not have enough aviation staff officers to simultaneously plan, rehearse and execute the current mission and the upcoming missions.
Following the success of the air campaign, 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment deployed forward to Camp Able Sentry, Macedonia and were the first members of the NATO alliance to enter Kosovo in the implementation of peace accords as part of Operation JOINT GUARDIAN. With the groundwork for peace and resettlement of refugees established, the Group once again redeployed to Illesheim with the final aircraft returning 4 August 1999.
2003 invasion of Iraq
WARNO was issued in Aug 2002 for Apache assets to be forward deployed to Kuwait in preparation for an invasion of Iraq. The 2d Squadron, 6th Cavalry deployed to Camp Doha, Kuwait (later Ali Al Salem Airbase, Kuwait) to prepare for an eventual move into Iraq. 2-6 Cav flew numerous training scenarios and prepared themselves for operation in the challenging environment. In Feb 2003, 2-6 Cav moved from Ali Al Salem to Camp Udari, a forward staging base for the units preparing to move into Iraq. 12 February 2003, they were joined by 6th Squadron, 6th Cavalry, their sister unit, which had just returned from testing their new AH-64D Longbow helicopters at "Victory Strike" in Poland. After months of tedious waiting, the ground portion of the 11th Aviation Group left Camp Udairi at dawn on 21 Mar 03 and reached the breached berm at dusk even though Camp Udairi is only 15 miles from the Iraqi border, drove to An Nasariyah, and another two days up the Euphrates to a location approximately 12 miles southwest of An Najaf, Iraq. This field was named Objective Rams and was the landing site for the helicopters that overflown the convoy on their three-day drive up and landed after a deep strike mission. About four hours after the convoy arrived, the famous "dust storm" moved in. After three days of "dustout" the Group got to the business of blowing things up... this went on until late April, when the Group again packed up a convoy and rolled through Baghdad north to Balad Air Base, Iraq.
A
one of these U.S. air operations, executed by Apaches from the 11th Aviation Group became a fiasco near
Karbala
Karbala or Kerbala ( ar, كَرْبَلَاء, Karbalāʾ , , also ;) is a city in central Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad, and a few miles east of Lake Milh, also known as Razzaza Lake. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorat ...
, on March 25. The Republican Guard T-72s, APCs,
ZSU-23-4
The ZSU-23-4 "Shilka" is a lightly armored Soviet self-propelled, radar-guided anti-aircraft weapon system (SPAAG).
Etymology
The acronym "ZSU" stands for ''Zenitnaya Samokhodnaya Ustanovka'' (russian: Зенитная Самоходная Ус ...
antiaircraft systems, along with infantrymen armed with
AK-47
The AK-47, officially known as the ''Avtomat Kalashnikova'' (; also known as the Kalashnikov or just AK), is a gas operated, gas-operated assault rifle that is chambered for the 7.62×39mm cartridge. Developed in the Soviet Union by Russian s ...
s, aware of the U.S. Army plans, surprised the 34 helicopters with a barrage of
PKM, NSV, 23 mm, and perhaps 125 mm tank fire. The route of the raiders was uncovered by the Republican Guard long before they could reach their intended objective. The large aerial strike was repulsed, and one Apache was shot down (according to Iraqi state TV, shot at by a peasant firing an AK-47, although it was likely hit by 23 mm rounds), and all the remainder damaged, some of them taken temporary out of service and at least two being
written off
A write-off is a reduction of the recognized value of something. In accounting, this is a recognition of the reduced or zero value of an asset. In income tax statements, this is a reduction of taxable income, as a recognition of certain expenses ...
. Only seven were still operational after the failed raid. The two crew members of the downed aircraft were captured by the Iraqis.
The Group's leadership lived inside tents erected under old Hardened Aircraft Shelters, one of the turtle shell shaped structures was even converted into a lavish Cavalry dining Hall and Gym named "Guint Hall" thanks to local National Guard engineer unit. The troops lived in GP Medium tents for the duration of their deployment. The 11th Aviation Group continued its mission until Feb 2004, when it redeployed to Storck Barracks in Illesheim, Germany to reset for the next challenge. Both 2-6 and 6-6 were awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC) for their actions while deployed.
Liewer, S(2003, 30 Mar). On the Road to Baghdad. Stars and Stripes The Stars and Stripes article describes the ground convoy of Task Force 11th Aviation Group into Iraq from Kuwait. The article describes the unit that was 6 hours behind 11th Aviation Group. It was not known at the time that it was Jessica Lynch's unit.
Inactivation and reactivation
Prior to inactivation, the 2nd Squadron, 6th Cavalry deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) VI in March 2005 until March 2006. The squadron deployed with their AH-64D Longbow Apaches and formed the headquarters of Task Force Sabre at Bagram Airfield. Charlie Troop was attached to Task Force Storm in Kandahar. This was the first deployment of AH-64Ds to Afghanistan. 2–6 Cav was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC) for their actions while deployed.
The 11th Aviation Group's
Casing of the Colors {{Short description, USA military ceremony
The Casing of the Colors is a traditional ceremony held by United States Army commands, brigades and regiments as well as United States Marine Corps units. Each of these units have unique flags refe ...
ceremony took place in Germany on 9 June 2005 followed by an official inactivation date of 15 August 2005. At the time it consisted of two
attack helicopter
An attack helicopter is an armed helicopter with the primary role of an attack aircraft, with the offensive capability of engaging ground targets such as enemy infantry, military vehicles and fortifications. Due to their heavy armament they ...
battalions, service support units, and a headquarters, and was part of the
V Corps 5th Corps, Fifth Corps, or V Corps may refer to:
France
* 5th Army Corps (France)
* V Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* V Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Ar ...
.
The unit was reactivated in the United States Army Reserve as the 11th Theater Aviation Command on 16 September 2007 with a colors ceremony at
Fort Knox
Fort Knox is a United States Army installation in Kentucky, south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. It is adjacent to the United States Bullion Depository, which is used to house a large portion of the United States' official gold res ...
,
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
. The presiding officer was
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
Jack Stultz, Commanding General,
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve (USAR) is a Military reserve force, reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the Army element of the reserve components of the United States Armed F ...
while the former Commanding General of the 11th Theater Aviation Command was
Brigadier General
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
Matthew C. Matia. In October 2009, Brig. Gen. Peter T. Quinn assumed command of the 11th Aviation Command.
On 16 September 2016, the lineage of the 11th Theater Aviation Command was transferred and re-designated to the 11th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade, while the command was re-designated as the
Army Reserve Aviation Command
Army Reserve Aviation Command (ARAC) is the headquarters command for all aviation assets in the United States Army Reserve. It is located at Fort Knox, Kentucky and is commanded by a Brigadier General.
The command consists of approximately 5,000 ...
. The unit consists of:
*HHC, 11th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade at
Fort Carson, Colorado
Fort Carson is a United States Army post located directly south of Colorado Springs in El Paso, Pueblo, Fremont, and Huerfano counties, Colorado, United States. The developed portion of Fort Carson is located near the City of Colorado Springs ...
*1st Battalion (Assault),
158th Aviation Regiment, at
Conroe, Texas
Conroe is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Texas, United States, about north of Houston. It is a principal city in the metropolitan area.
As of 2021, the population was 98,081, up from 56,207 in 2010. Since 2007, the ...
, equipped with
UH-60 Black Hawk
The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a four-blade, twin-engine, medium-lift utility military helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. Sikorsky submitted the S-70 design for the United States Army's Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System ...
*8th Battalion (Assault),
229th Aviation Regiment
The 229th Aviation Regiment is an aviation unit of the United States Army.
229th Assault Helicopter Battalion and 229th Aviation Battalion
The unit was constituted on 18 March 1964 in the Regular Army as the 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, ...
, at Fort Knox, Kentucky, equipped with UH-60 Black Hawk
*6th Battalion (Theater) (Forward),
52nd Aviation Regiment, at
Los Alamitos, California
Los Alamitos () is a city in Orange County, California. The city was incorporated in March 1960. The population was 11,780 at the 2020 census, up from 11,449 at the 2010 census. The adjacent unincorporated community of Rossmoor uses the same 90 ...
Campaign participation credit
*Vietnam:
**Defense;
**Counteroffensive;
**Counteroffensive, Phase II;
**Counteroffensive, Phase III;
**Tet Counteroffensive;
**Counteroffensive, Phase IV;
**Counteroffensive, Phase V;
*Counteroffensive, Phase VI;
**Tet 69/Counteroffensive;
*Summer-Fall 1969;
**Winter-Spring 1970;
**Sanctuary Counteroffensive;
**Counteroffensive, Phase VII;
**Consolidation I;
**Consolidation II;
**Cease-Fire
*Southwest Asia:
**Defense of Saudi Arabia;
**Liberation and Defense of Kuwait;
**Cease-Fire
**Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) 2021-2022
Unit decorations
*Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for PLEIKU PROVINCE
*Valorous Unit Award for FISH HOOK
*Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for VIETNAM 1965–1966
*Army Superior Unit Award for TASK FORCE EAGLE 1995–1996
Award of the Army Superior Award to the 11th Aviation.
Retrieved 21 October 2009
*Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for VIETNAM 1965–1969
*Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for VIETNAM 1969–1970
*Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for VIETNAM 1970–1971
*Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm for VIETNAM 1971–1972
*Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class for VIETNAM 1969–1970
References
{{Reflist
External links
(not to be confused with the 11th Aviation Regiment)
Inactivation of the 11th Aviation Group in 2005
Aviation Brigades of the United States Army