1st Aviation Brigade

The 1st Aviation Brigade traces its origins to the Vietnam War. In April 1965 the U.S. Army Aviation Brigade (Provisional) was activated with the existing 13th, 14th, 52nd, and 145th Aviation Battalions,[Note 1] already in South Vietnam, reporting to it. In August 1965 it became the 12th Aviation Group, which then doubled in size and was used to form the 1st Aviation Brigade in March 1966.[1] Dunstan, in Vietnam Choppers writes that the numerous independent aviation companies deployed during the war's early years had become difficult to move between sectors because they had developed 'individual means of operating in conjunction with the formations they supported.'[2] Thus the brigade was formed to achieve standardization.

Brigadier General George P. Seneff, the Staff Aviation Officer at Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV), became the brigade commander. Because the requirements varied in each part of Vietnam, the brigade tried to collocate one assault helicopter company with each U.S. brigade and in course of time each Republic of Korea brigade.[1] The companies supporting Army of the Republic of Vietnam units were located in centralized positions to best provide support. The brigade assigned one combat aviation battalion headquarters in direct support of each infantry division and this battalion headquarters normally worked with that division no matter how many companies might be assigned for a specific mission. The Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company was located in Saigon from May 1966 until August 1967. Then the HQ moved to Long Binh where it remained until Long Binh was closed in the early autumn of 1972. The HQ then moved to the MACV compound at Tan Son Nhut, where it stayed until withdrawal.

At this time the 52nd Aviation Battalion supported the 4th Infantry Division in the highlands, the 10th Aviation Battalion supported the brigade of the 101st and the Republic of Korea division, the 11th Combat Aviation Battalion supported the 1st Infantry Division, the 214th—the 9th Division, and the 269th Aviation Battalion—the 25th Division. The 13th Battalion, which was later to become a full group, remained in the Mekong Delta. Two aviation groups—the 17th and the 12th—supervised the aviation assets in the II and III Corps Tactical Zones respectively. The aviation group commander was also the aviation officer for the U.S. Field Force commander.

During June 1970, the 1st Aviation Brigade reached its largest size, at which point it contained four combat aviation groups, 16 combat aviation battalions, and 83 companies totaling over 4,000 aircraft and 27,000 personnel.[Note 2] The 34th General Support Group (Aviation Maintenance and Supply) was transferred to the control of 1st Aviation Brigade in November 1971 where it continued in operation well into 1972. On the signing of the cease-fire on 28 January 1973, the Brigade strength had been reduced to 5,000 personnel and 420 aircraft in four combat aviation groups. The brigade was returned to Fort Rucker, Alabama, on 24 March 1973, and was deactivated on 6 April 1973.

According to Shelby Stanton's Vietnam Order of Battle, subordinate brigade units in Vietnam included:[3]

• 11th, 12th, 16th, 17th, 160th, 165th Aviation Groups
• the 164th Aviation Group was activated from the assets of a Provisional Aviation Group in the IV Corps Tactical Zone in 1968, and was located at Can Tho throughout its time in Vietnam. Its heritage appears to be carried out, since 1995, by the 164th Theater Airfield Operations Group at Fort Rucker.
• 10th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 52nd, 58th, 145th, 210th, 212th, 214th, 222nd, 223rd, 268th, 269th,[4] 307th, 308th Aviation Battalions
• PHANTOM, DELTA, CAPITAL, I Corps, BUFFALO Aviation Battalions (Provisional)
• 7th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, 3-17, 7-17 Cavalry, all Air Cavalry Squadrons

On 18 February 1977 the brigade was reactivated at Fort Rucker as a training formation.[5]

Famed Vietnam War combat veteran John Bahnsen commanded the 1st Aviation Brigade in the late 1970s and early 1980s.[6]

The 1st Aviation Brigade’s primary mission has been to train and develop future aviation warfighting leaders. Including the lessons learned from deployed units, instructors and students write, review, and coordinate Army Aviation combined arms doctrine for aviation units below brigade level.

The course curriculum consists of a wide range of professional military education subjects, with emphasis on combined arms battlefield integration. The tactical training is further reinforced with state-of-the-art simulation, allowing students to assume various command and staff positions at all command levels while fighting simulated battles throughout a wide spectrum of tactical scenarios. Equally important is the initial entry training (IET) taught to entry level Aviation Branch Soldiers. IET teaches fundamental skills for U.S. Army personnel to perform their occupational specialties in an aviation unit.[7]