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Introduction
The 1st Cavalry Division, a major subordinate command of the US Third Mobile
Armored Corps, is a 19,000 soldier, heavy armored division stationed at Ft.
Hood, TX. As one of the two "on-call" heavy contingency force divisions of the
Army, the First Team has an on-order mission to deploy by sea, air or land to
any part of the world on a short notice. The following narratives, divided in
timeline eras of major operational missions, describes the threat environment,
tactical conditions, evolution of equipment technology and the strategic
methodology employed by one of its command units, the 4th Brigade Combat Team
and its Subordinate Units, to contribute to the successful missions
enhancement of the warring organization of the 1st Cavalry Division and the
honors they achieved are summarized in the chapters that follow.
ACB Mission. On order, the First Air Cavalry Brigade deploys to any theater,
executes operations, and redeploys.
On 16 October 1984, the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade was activated. The speed,
mobility and flexibility of the Brigade provide the Division Commander with
the organic capability to shape the entire battlefield and respond with the
necessary temp and lethality of modern warfare. The brigade is composed of the
Headquarters and Headquarters Company; an attack battalion, 1st Battalion,
227th Aviation; a general support aviation support battalion, 2nd Battalion,
227th Aviation; and an aviation maintenance battalion, the 615th Aviation
Support Battalion.
The Warrior Brigade's mission is to find, fix and destroy the enemy forces
using the fire and maneuver to concentrate and sustain combat power at the
critical time and place. As a member of the First Team, the Aviation Brigade
enhances the overall effectiveness of the Division. The Warrior Brigade gives
the division commander a highly flexible, responsive, and lethal combat
multiplier.
The Brigade traces its history back to early 1963, where the Army began to
gather helicopters into the 11th Air Assault Division to test the airmobile
concept. Shortly thereafter, they were reassigned to the 1st Cavalry Division.
On 01 August 1965, the 1st Cavalry Division deployed to Vietnam. Aviators
participated in 14 Campaigns and received seven decorations (to include the
Presidential Unit Citation (2 awards), the Valorous Unit Award (3 awards), the
Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with
Palm (3 awards) and the Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First
Class during its 7 years of duty in Vietnam. The first Army aviator to win the
Medal of Honor in the Vietnam War was a member of the 227th Aviation
Battalion.
In late 1990, the Brigade deployed overseas to Saudi Arabia, where the unit
postured for combat in Operation Desert Shield. On 25 February 1991, with the
onset of Operation DESERT STORM, the Brigade conducted a raid as a part of the
1st Cavalry Division's deception plan to throw Iraqi forces off guard. The
units of the Brigade would serve as the vanguard of the movement of the
Division to the north cutting off a retreating Iraqi Republican Guard Division
at Basra. In late Spring of 1991, the units of the Brigade redeployed to Ft.
Hood, and their home stations.
The Brigade again proved it's timely responsiveness in January 1993, deploying
command and control aircraft to Kuwait. With 48 hours notice, the brigade
deployed to Somalia, where it flew over 500 hours of combat missions. The
changing threat was next met in Bosnia, when in 1999, the Brigade deployed to
Operation JOINT FORGE. Units flew in the Balkans in support of Stabilization
Force 4. Missions performed ranged from multi-national general support and
airborne command and control, to air movement operations. In recognition of
their performance in the Balkans, 2nd Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment was
designated as America's Aviation Unit of the Year by the Army Aviation
Association.
With the onset of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM in March 2003, the Brigade deployed
the 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation to Iraq to exercise their Longbow Apaches
in combat operations for the first time. There, they assisted in setting the
conditions for the defeat of Saddam's Army and the liberation of Baghdad from
a cruel dictator. In the early hours of 24 March 2003, Apache Longbows of the
1st Cavalry Division, fought a fierce battle with units of Iraq's Republican
Guard Medina Division between the cities of Karbala and Al Hilah, south of
Baghdad.
During March 2004 the Brigade deployed to Operation IRAQI FREEDOM II as part
of Task Force Baghdad. The Brigade developed and implemented new techniques
for air/ground integration using lethal and agile teams and was instrumental
in enabling the first elections in Iraq in fifty years. The Brigade fought
throughout the Baghdad Area of Operations and in Fallujah, An Najaf, Al Kut,
Karbala, and Balad. The brigade flew over 70,000 hours and was recognized
with 84 awards for valor including a Silver Star and seven Distinguished
Flying Crosses. During this deployment, the Brigade was also recognized as the
2004 AAAA Aviation unit of the year and 1-227 ATK was recognized as the best
aviation and attack battalion and 2-227 AVN was recognized as the best combat
support battalion in the Army.
After the devasatation caused by Hurricane Katrina in September 2005, the
Brigade deployed 2nd Battalion, 227th Aviation and the Brigade command team to
Lousiana to support disaster relief operations in New Orleans. Immediately
upon redeployment, 2-227 AVN and the brigade command team redeployed to East
Texas to assist relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Rita. The agile and
lethal Air Cavalry Brigade continues to "Live the Legend" of the true cavalry
spirit in all of it's missions on a daily basis.
Warriors. First Team!
| 1st Air Cavalry Combat Brigade Organization | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date Of Issue - 15 August, 2011 | ||
Today, the soldiers of the 1st Air Cavalry Combat Brigade stand ready to
answer an on-order mission to deploy by sea, air or land to any part of the
world on short notice and once engaged with the threat; to destroy,
neutralize, or suppress the enemy.
The following folio of material highlights the many subsequent historical and
critical missions performed by members of the 1st Air Cavalry Combat Brigade,
whose actions, operations and the many critical issues resolved over its 27+
year history to meet the changing threat and the honors they achieved are
summarized in the following sections:
Table of Contents
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Copyright © 1996, Cavalry Outpost Publications ® and
Trooper Wm. H. Boudreau, "F" Troop, 8th Cavalry Regiment (1946 - 1947). All
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Revised 04 Aor '12 SpellChecked
