2nd Battalion / 2nd Aviation Rgt
"Wild Cards"
"Above the Best"
The 2d Battalion (Assault), 2d Aviation Regiment is the most forward deployed Assault Helicopter Battalion in the world. The Battalion's bread and butter is the multi-aircraft air assault under night vision goggles. The air assault operation employs firepower and mobility to engage and destroy the enemy.
On Order, 2-2 Aviation Regiment transitions to war and conducts air assault and general support operations in support of the 2d Infantry Division
2-2 Aviation is structured to conduct combat, combat support and combat service support aviation missions in support of 2d Infantry Division. Its companies have established habitual relationships in support of 2d Brigade's two infantry battalions; 1-503d and 1-506th . They also provide combat support to the rest of the aviation brigade, to include 1st Battalion (Attack), 2d Aviation Regiment and the 4th Squadron, 7th Cavalry. Each company positively impacts the conduct of aviation operations in the Korean theater. As a result of their untiring efforts, much progress into the development of tactics, techniques and procedures in a variety of combat support operations has been realized.
The battalion's contributions are many, and its organization for war mark it as a unique unit. As one of the last battalions to transition to a UH-60 pure fleet under the Aviation Restructuring Initiative (ARI), it maintained 58 assigned aircraft consisting of four different airframes; the UH-60A/L, EH-60, UH-1 and OH-58A+. The unit is currently organized with two assault helicopter company's, a general support helicopter company, all consisting of UH-60L's, an aviation unit maintenance company, and the headquarters and headquarters company.
The workhorse of the battalion's fleet is the Sikorsky built UH-60 Blackhawk. The UH-60 is a twin turbine engine, single rotor, semimonocoque fuselage, rotary wing helicopter. Its primary mission is tactical transport of troops, supplies and equipment. Armament consists of two 7.62mm machine guns, one on each side of the forward cabin. Its top airspeed is 193 knots, or 386 kph (240 mph). The A model Blackhawk has the capability of carrying an external load of up to 8000 lbs, and can weigh as much as 22,000 lbs. The L model, which has improved engines and transmission, is capable of carrying an external load of up to 9000 lbs, and can weigh up to 23,500 lbs. Optional kit installations for the UH-60 consist of the Extended Range Fuel System (ERFS), infrared suppression, blade de-icing, winterization, static/rappelling kits, or even a mine dispensing system called Volcano. In addition to crew chief and gunner seats, troop seats are installed for up to 13 persons.
Camp Stanley, about six kilometers north of Seoul (South Korea's capital), is about 25 km from the Demilitarized Zone. Camp Stanley's tenant units include Headquarters, 2d Division Artillery; Headquarters, 2d Aviation Brigade; 2-2 Aviation Regiment; 6-37 Artillery; and 5-5 Air Defense Artillery.
When the 2d Aviation Company became the 2d Aviation Battalion, a crest was authorized. The teal blue shield with a white mountain peak representing Mt. McKinley, Alaska where the original company was activated in 1957. The wings refer to the aviation function of the battalion. "Excelsus", which is embossed across a scroll at the bottom of the crest, means "lofty: elevated in character and spirit."
During the Korean War, the military application of helicopters achieved recognition through their use in MEDIVAC. Small H-13 H-23 helicopter detachments transported injured soldiers from areas of fighting to MASH units. Battlefield mortality rates dropped from W.W.II average, and by November 1951 helicopters evacuated eight thousand casualties. The 2d Infantry Division had a detachment that consisted of both rotary and fixed wing assets. When the armistice ended in July of 1953, the aviation sections were pooled together to form a test unit to develop a combat aviation company.
In the summer of 1954, the 2d Infantry Division was transferred to Fort Lewis, Washington and moved to Alaska two years later. At Fort Richardson, Alaska the combat aviation company was conceived on 20 June 1957. The activation of the 2d Aviation Company created a unit to provide support to the division as well as the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia where the 2d Infantry moved in 1958. In September 1961, 2D Aviation Company's mission changed from a training role to a combat ready role and the company reformed a battalion. A test division was created at Fort Benning to develop the battlefield value of air assault. The 2d Aviation Battalion acquired its new aircraft, the UH-1 Iroquois. The "Huey" would prove to be the workhorse of the aviation community for decades to come. Once the test division's success proved air assault a worthwhile venture, the Army made plans to disband the test division. Vietnam, altered these plans. and two divisions switched names. The 1st Cavalry Division, then in Korea, was redesignated the 2d Infantry while the original 2d Infantry, still at Fort Benning, was designated the 1st Cavalry Division. This famous division deployed to Vietnam where the airmobile structure was combat tested.
The 2d Aviation Battalion occupied Stanton Army Airfield with one company at Camp Market. The battalion supported the newly renamed division in observation, training and general support, while at the same time remaining combat ready. By 1969 the battali9on turned in its last CH-21's for UH-1 Hueys and 1971 saw the addition of OH-58 Kiowas for observation. That same year, 2d Battalion moved to Camp Casey with the rest of the division. Night vision goggles were introduced into the crew training program in 1981 after three years later the UH-60 Black hawk began its integration into the battalion. Camp Stanley became the battalion's new home in 1988 and in April of 1998, 2d Battalion implemented the Aviation Restructuring Initiative (ARI). This resulted in the turn -in of the OH-58's and UH-1's from C Company for UH-60A and EH-60A. The rest of the battalion turned in the remaining UH-1's, OH-58's, and UH-60A for the UH-60L model helicopter.
Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment got their first taste of training beside other units from the newly formed Multi-Functional Aviation Brigade at Rodriguez Range ROK. The soldiers stayed until 24 July 2005, qualifying gunners to fire from Black Hawk helicopters. The unit also conducted live-fire convoy training and running M-9 pistol, Mark-19 grenade launcher and M-249 and M-16 rifle ranges. It was the unit’s first trip to the range since it joined the brigade in June 2005.
Before the new brigade, called an MFAB, was formed, the 2-2 went to the range on its own. But, for this training, the soldiers worked beside Apache helicopters from 1st Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment and 3rd Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment; Black Hawks and Chinook helicopters from 2nd Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment; and air traffic controllers from the 164th Air Traffic Group. About 60 door gunners trained week with 15 to 20 Apache crews. All the units shared a pair of Forward Arming and Refueling Points. Working within the brigade means the fuelers, who previously worked just with Black Hawks, now handle Apaches and Chinooks.
