17th Aviation Brigade

17th Aviation Brigade
17th Aviation Brigade shoulder sleeve insignia
Active	1965–2005
Country	United States
Allegiance	United States Army
Type	Aviation brigade
Role	Aviation
Size	Brigade
Nickname	Freedom's Eagles
Colors	Blue and Orange
Commanders
Current commander	None
Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia

The 17th Aviation Brigade is an inactivated aviation brigade of the United States Army. It was first established and activated in 1965, in the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), as the 17th Combat Aviation Group, part of the 1st Aviation Brigade. The job of the 17th Combat Aviation Group was to provide combat support to US Army units in the field, including routine cargo and supply airlift.

During the Vietnam War, one of the units that became part of the 52d Combat Aviation Battalion, 17th Combat Aviation Group was the 119th Assault Helicopter Company. The company operated throughout the Central Highlands of Vietnam during the war, from arrival in September 1962 until deactivation in November 1970. Originally designated the 81st Transportation Company (equipped with twin-rotor CH-21 "Flying Banana" piston-engined helicopters), the company was reorganized in 1963 as the 119th Assault Helicopter Company (Airmobile), re-equipped with turbine-powered single-rotor UH-1A and B model Hueys. Also known as the 119th Aviation Company (Assault Helicopter), the company's area of operations included the entire Central Highlands of Vietnam, plus large portions of Laos and Cambodia.

Eventually assigned to the 52d Combat Aviation Battalion, 17th Combat Aviation Group, 1st Aviation Brigade and headquartered at Camp Holloway in Pleiku, the company was also based at An Khe for a short time later in the war. The helicopters were equipped with 16 to 20 lightly armed UH-1Ds, (or UH-1H model "Slick" troopships that used the radio callsign called "Alligator" or "Gator"), and approximately 8 Huey UH-1C model Gunships known as "Crocodiles" or "Crocs". The company at one time also used the callsign called "Black Dragon," from which the 52d CABn "Flying Dragon" callsign evolved. The total company strength of approximately 225 included 50 to 60 pilots and an equal number of crewmembers, plus field maintenance and other critical support personnel.

During over eight years in Vietnam, the 119th Assault Helicopter Company provided helicopter support for the US Army 4th Infantry Division, 25th Infantry Division, 1st Cavalry Division, 173d Airborne Brigade, US Marine Corps, United States Army Special Forces and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. They also flew many classified missions for MACV-SOG. Over 60 members of the 119th Assault Helicopter Company were killed in action, with many more wounded.

After US involvement in Vietnam wound down, the Brigade was demobilized in Oakland, California, in 1973.

Chinook heavy lift chopper in action

It was reactivated for service in Korea, In June 1975, with the designation Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 17th Aviation Brigade. In Korea the brigade continued its logistics and combat aviation role in support of the US Forces US Forces Korea (USFK), ROK-US Combined Forces Command (CFC), and Eighth United States Army (EUSA). Equipment assets include UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, CH-47 Chinook heavy lift choppers, and C-12 Huron fixed-wing aircraft. Air-traffic control formations such as the 164th Air Traffic Services Group provided air traffic services throughout the entire Korean theater in support of all Army aviation operations.

The brigade was disestablished in 2005 and was scheduled to be replaced by the Multi-Functional Aviation Brigade (MFAB).

External links

• The Institute of Heraldry: 17th Aviation Brigade