Wikipedia

11th Aviation Battalion

The 11th Aviation Battalion was a United States Army aviation unit that fought in the Vietnam War. The unit served as a test for helicopter support of ground infantry units.[3]

11th Aviation Battalion
11th Aviation Battalion Coat of Arms
Active21 August 1965 (1965-08-21) – 16 September 1987 (1987-09-16)
Country United States of America
Branch United States Army
TypeArmy Aviation
SizeBattalion
Part of1st Cavalry Division
Nickname(s)Red Dogs
Motto(s)EXEMPLA PROPONERE (To Set Forth Examples)[1]
EngagementsVietnam War
DecorationsValorous Unit Award,
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army),
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry (6),
Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Unit Citation (2)
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Joseph B. Starker, Leo E. Soucek
Insignia
Distinctive Unit Insignia
Aircraft flown
Utility helicopterBell UH-1 Iroquois

History edit

The unit was constituted on 21 August 1965 and activated on 23 August 1965 at Fort Benning, Ga. The Battalion was inactivated on 16 September 1987. The 11th Aviation Battalion stationed at Fliegerhorst Kaserne in Erlensee, Germany, was the air wing of V Corps.[4] The 1st Battalion, 11th Aviation Regiment, at Fort Rucker, now carries the 11th Aviation Battalion's lineage.[5]

Organizational structure in the Vietnam War edit

The organizational structure of the 11th Aviation Battalion reflected the following units in 1966/7:

Commanders edit

In Vietnam edit

  • LTC John W. Lauterbach, in command on 1 January 1966.[9]
  • LTC Joseph B. Starker; assumed command on 20 May 1966.[10]
  • LTC Leo E. Soucek; assumed command on 7 May 1967,[11] later retiring as a Brigadier General.[12]
  • LTC William A. Hobbs; assumed command on 10 November 67.[13]
  • LTC William F. Bauman; assumed command on 22 April 1968.[14]
  • LTC Robert W. Flint, in command on 31 January 1970.[15]

In Germany edit

Awards and decorations edit

Campaign credit edit

Conflict Streamer Year(s)
Vietnam War
  		Defense 1965
Counteroffensive 1965–1966
Counteroffensive, Phase II 1966–1967
Counteroffensive, Phase III 1967–1968
Tet Counteroffensive 1968
Counteroffensive, Phase IV 1968
Counteroffensive, Phase V 1968
Counteroffensive, Phase VI 1968–1969
Tet 69/Counteroffensive 1969
Summer-Fall 1969 1969
Winter-Spring 1970 1969–1970
Sanctuary Counteroffensive
Counteroffensive, Phase VII
Consolidation I
Consolidation II

Unit decorations edit

Ribbon Award Year Notes
  Valorous Unit Award (Army)[2] 4 – 20 Nov 66 DAU TIENG-SUOI DA
  Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army)[17] 1 Jan – 31 Dec 67 VIETNAM 1967
  Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, with Palm[18] Dec 65 – Jun 66 For service in Vietnam
  Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, with Palm[19] 1 Mar 66 – 26 Mar 67 For service in Vietnam
  Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, with Palm[20] 22 Feb 67 – 17 May 68 For service in Vietnam
  Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, with Palm[21] 1 Jan 69 – 30 Sep 70 For service in Vietnam
  Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, with Palm[22] 1 Oct 70 – 31 Aug 72 For service in Vietnam
  Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, with Palm[23] 26 Sep – 10 Oct 71 For service in Vietnam
  Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Unit Citation[24] 1 May 69 – 15 May 70 For service in Vietnam
  Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Unit Citation[25] 1 Jan – 31 Dec 71 For service in Vietnam

References edit

  1. ^ US Army, The Institute of Heraldry (17 November 1987). Heraldry of the 11th Aviation Regiment Archived 12 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  2. ^ a b US Army (23 April 1968). General Orders No. 17[permanent dead link], page 3. Amended by General Orders No. 9[permanent dead link], Section IX, dated 3 April 1979. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  3. ^ Lieutenant General John J. Tolson (2014). Vietnam Studies - AIRMOBILITY - 1961-1971. Normanby Press. p. 165. ISBN 978-1-78289-362-2.
  4. ^ US Army in Germany. 11th Aviation Battalion. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  5. ^ US Army. 1st Battalion, 11th Aviation Regiment Archived 29 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine, Fort Rucker, Alabama. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Wickham, K (1967). Lessons learned - Headquarters 12th Combat Aviation Group (1 Nov 1966 – 31 Jan 1967) (PDF). USA: Department of the Army. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 March 2020.
  7. ^ a b Wickham, K (1967). Lessons learned - Headquarters 12th Combat Aviation Group (1 Feb 1967 – 30 Apr 1967) (PDF). USA: Department of the Army. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 March 2020.
  8. ^ a b c d Wickham, K (1967). Lessons learned - Headquarters 12th Combat Aviation Group (1 Aug 1967 – 31 Oct 1967) (PDF). USA: Department of the Army. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 March 2020.
  9. ^ US Army, 11th Combat Aviation Battalion (Operational Report on Lessons Learned for the period ending 30 April 1966[permanent dead link], page 5. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  10. ^ US Army, 11th Combat Aviation Battalion (1 February 1968). Operational Report on Lessons Learned for the period ending 31 July 1966, page 8. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  11. ^ US Army, 11th Combat Aviation Battalion (1 August 1967). Operational Report - Lessons Learned (RCS-CSFOR-67) for Quarterly Period Ending 31 July 1967. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  12. ^ Barnes, Bart (3 May 2013), "Leo E. Soucek, Army brigadier general", The Washington Post. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  13. ^ US Army, 11th Combat Aviation Battalion (1 February 1968). Operational Report for Quarterly Period Ending 31 January 1968, page 3. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  14. ^ US Army, 11th Combat Aviation Battalion (12 May 1968). Operational Report for Quarterly Period Ending 30 April 1968, page 7. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  15. ^ US Army, 11th Combat Aviation Battalion (13 February 1970). Operational Report on Lessons Learned for the period ending 31 January 1970, page 21. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  16. ^ ETSU Army ROTC. Tommy Stiner. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  17. ^ US Army (13 September 1968). General Orders No. 48[permanent dead link], page 12. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  18. ^ US Army (3 September 1968). General Orders No. 46[permanent dead link], page 3. Amended by General Orders No. 9[permanent dead link], Section XI, dated 3 April 1979. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  19. ^ US Army (24 May 1968). General Orders No. 22[permanent dead link]. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  20. ^ US Army (8 April 1969). General Orders No. 21[permanent dead link], page 7. Amended by General Orders No. 18[permanent dead link], Section X, dated 17 September 1979. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  21. ^ US Army (25 February 1974). General Orders No. 6[permanent dead link], page 2. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  22. ^ US Army (25 February 1974). General Orders No. 6[permanent dead link], page 5. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  23. ^ US Army (26 December 1974). General Orders No. 54[permanent dead link], page 2. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  24. ^ US Army (20 December 1971). General Orders No. 55[permanent dead link], page 5. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
  25. ^ US Army (24 September 1973). General Orders No. 32[permanent dead link], page 13. Retrieved 8 May 2017.

Sources edit

  • Department of the Army (29 January 1988). Pamphlet 672–3, page 17. Accessed 8 May 2017.
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