4th Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 4th Battalion 227th Aviation Regiment is an attack reconnaissance
battalion
, also known as 4-227 ARB supporting the 1st Cavalry Division. They fly the AH-64D Apache Longbow and are based at Fort Hood, Texas.
The history of the 4th Battalion can be traced back to Vietnam
. It 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 1 August 1965, the 1st Cavalry Division was sent 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.
The 4th Battalion 227th ARB was reactivated on 15 November 2005 and assigned to the First Cavalry Division on Fort Hood, Texas. They were assigned to the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade. The "Guns Attack" battalion was deployed to Iraq
as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08. The Battalion served for 15 months in Iraq. There are 6 companies inside the battalion A Co , B Co, C Co, D Co, E Co, and HHC.
During the same period, the Battalion’s regimental roots were constituted on 1 February 1963 as Company D, 227th Aviation Battalion, an aerial weapons company assigned to the 11th Air Assault Division. On 1 July 1965, it was reorganized and re-designated as Company D, 227th Aviation Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division. The D Company “Guns” served valorously in support of 1st Cavalry Division operations, in Viet Nam, until it was inactivated on 30 August 1971. The unit was awarded two Presidential Unit Citations and two Valorous Unit Awards for its sustained actions in the A-Shau Valley, and the provinces of Pleiku Binh Thuan, and Bien Hoa, from 1966–1971.
While the Guns of 227th de-activated, the Guns of the 334th AHC deployed to Hanau, Germany, in 1973, and were later re-flagged the 503rd Aviation Battalion. The units of the 503rd would ultimately re-flag as AH64 units in the 227th AVN REGT, sustaining the First with Guns lineage in Europe. Back at Fort Hood, D Company, 227th was re-activated on 16 July 1987, deploying with the Division to Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, in support of the Defense of Saudi Arabia and the Liberation of Kuwait.
The Unit was again reorganized and re-designated, on 16 November 1993 as the 4th Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment at Fort Hood, TX, serving the Division proudly until its deactivation as a regular Army unit on 15 February 1997. During this Aviation Restructuring Initiative, the Army also down-sized the 2nd and 3rd (AH-64) Battalions of the 227th AVN REGT, activating the 1–501st AVN REGT (ATK) at Hanau, Germany as part of the 1st Armored Division. Following distinguished tours to Bosnia and Kosovo, the Battalion deployed on a 15 month combat tour to Operation Iraqi Freedom, in April 2003, earning the Valorous Unit Award for its actions in the Baghdad area of operations.
In 2005, the 1–501st ATK deployed from Germany to Fort Hood to undergo the AH-64D Unit and Fielding Training Program and re-join the 1st Cavalry Division. The Guns deployed to OIF 06-08 with the First Team on 24 September 2006 and conducted sustained attack and reconnaissance operations for 15 months over Baghdad, in support of MND-B and MND-C. The unit received the "Meritorious Unit Citation" For its action in the Battle of An Nejaf, in 2007. The unit redeployed to Texas in January 2008. The unit was then deployed again to Iraq in April 2009 and earned another Valorious Unit Award.
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
, also known as 4-227 ARB supporting the 1st Cavalry Division. They fly the AH-64D Apache Longbow and are based at Fort Hood, Texas.
The history of the 4th Battalion can be traced back to Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. It 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
1st Cavalry Division
1st Cavalry Division can refer to several cavalry units:* 1st Cavalry Division * 1st Cavalry Division * 1st Cavalry Division * 1st Cavalry Division * 1st Indian Cavalry Division...
. On 1 August 1965, the 1st Cavalry Division was sent 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.
The 4th Battalion 227th ARB was reactivated on 15 November 2005 and assigned to the First Cavalry Division on Fort Hood, Texas. They were assigned to the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade. The "Guns Attack" battalion was deployed to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08. The Battalion served for 15 months in Iraq. There are 6 companies inside the battalion A Co , B Co, C Co, D Co, E Co, and HHC.
History
The 4–227th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion traces its origins to two distinct lineages: the regimental affiliation with the 227th AVN REGT and its roots as the Army’s first armed helicopter unit- the Utility Tactical Transport Company (UTT)- known simply as “First with Guns!”. Constituted on 15 July 1961, BG Joe Stilwell. Jr. led the UTT to develop attack helicopter tactics- evolutionary concepts as relevant today as they were innovative then. The UTT was re-flagged on several occasions in Viet Nam: in August 1964, as the 68th Armed Helicopter Company (AHC); in MAR 1965, as the 197th AHC; and in September 1966, as the 334th AHC- the first AHC in Viet Nam equipped with the advanced AH-1G Cobra.During the same period, the Battalion’s regimental roots were constituted on 1 February 1963 as Company D, 227th Aviation Battalion, an aerial weapons company assigned to the 11th Air Assault Division. On 1 July 1965, it was reorganized and re-designated as Company D, 227th Aviation Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division. The D Company “Guns” served valorously in support of 1st Cavalry Division operations, in Viet Nam, until it was inactivated on 30 August 1971. The unit was awarded two Presidential Unit Citations and two Valorous Unit Awards for its sustained actions in the A-Shau Valley, and the provinces of Pleiku Binh Thuan, and Bien Hoa, from 1966–1971.
While the Guns of 227th de-activated, the Guns of the 334th AHC deployed to Hanau, Germany, in 1973, and were later re-flagged the 503rd Aviation Battalion. The units of the 503rd would ultimately re-flag as AH64 units in the 227th AVN REGT, sustaining the First with Guns lineage in Europe. Back at Fort Hood, D Company, 227th was re-activated on 16 July 1987, deploying with the Division to Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, in support of the Defense of Saudi Arabia and the Liberation of Kuwait.
The Unit was again reorganized and re-designated, on 16 November 1993 as the 4th Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment at Fort Hood, TX, serving the Division proudly until its deactivation as a regular Army unit on 15 February 1997. During this Aviation Restructuring Initiative, the Army also down-sized the 2nd and 3rd (AH-64) Battalions of the 227th AVN REGT, activating the 1–501st AVN REGT (ATK) at Hanau, Germany as part of the 1st Armored Division. Following distinguished tours to Bosnia and Kosovo, the Battalion deployed on a 15 month combat tour to Operation Iraqi Freedom, in April 2003, earning the Valorous Unit Award for its actions in the Baghdad area of operations.
In 2005, the 1–501st ATK deployed from Germany to Fort Hood to undergo the AH-64D Unit and Fielding Training Program and re-join the 1st Cavalry Division. The Guns deployed to OIF 06-08 with the First Team on 24 September 2006 and conducted sustained attack and reconnaissance operations for 15 months over Baghdad, in support of MND-B and MND-C. The unit received the "Meritorious Unit Citation" For its action in the Battle of An Nejaf, in 2007. The unit redeployed to Texas in January 2008. The unit was then deployed again to Iraq in April 2009 and earned another Valorious Unit Award.
Companies
| Company |
|---|
| Headquarters and Headquarters Company "Head Hunters" |
| A Company "Panthers" |
| B Company "Diamondbacks" |
| C Company "Snake Eyes" |
| D Company "Unforgiven" |
| E Company "Equalizers" |
See also
- Coats of arms of U.S. Army Aviation RegimentsCoats of arms of U.S. Army Aviation RegimentsCoats of arms of U.S. Army Aviation Regiments are heraldic emblems associated with aviation regiments in the US Army. By Army regulation, all regiments of the US Army organized under a Table of Organization and Equipment are authorized a coat of arms to be displayed on the organization's standard,...