1109th Aviation Classification and Repair Depot (AVCRAD)

The 1109th AVCRAD's wartime mission includes the following: to mobilize in place; provide back up support to other deployed AVCRADs; support a deploying force with aviation maitenance support; provide workload expansion capabilities; and provide support at ports where aviation units are deploying overseas or returning from deployment.

The CT AVCRAD also provides C-23B Sherpa air logistics support to the support area in conjunction with Detachment 2, Company I, 185th Aviation Regiment which is attached to the CT AVCRAD. The Operational Airlift Command, Det 6 provides fixed wing operational airlift in support of State National Guard, military departments and federal agencies as scheduled by the Joint Operational Support Airlift Command. Provide a trained fixed wing organization to support peacetime, state emergencies, national emergencies, natural disasters, contingencies or wartime missions."

The 1109th Aviation Classification Repair Activity Depot (AVCRAD) located at the Groton - New London Airport in Groton, CT traces its roots back to 1775 as the Norwich Light Infantry. The predecessor units of the 1109th AVCRAD served in and earned battle streamers in the Revolutionary War, Civil War, Spanish American War, World War I, World War II and the Korean War. Additionally, the 1109th AVCRAD was mobilized for and served in Operation DESERT STORM. Selected soldiers from the 1109th also served in Operation RESTORE HOPE in Somalia. The 1109th AVCRAD is authorized 15 battle streamers on it colors and the unit has received the Presidential Unit Citation, the Meritorious Citation and the Philippines Presidential Unit Citation.

The 1109th AVCRAD as an aviation unit traces its beginning to 1961 when the Fourth Echelon Maintenance Shop - Groton (known as FEMSGRO) was formed with seven full-time employees. In 1962 it became the 162nd Transportation Aviation Repair Shop (TARS) as well as the 162d Transportation Battalion (AVIM) with a complement of 40 full-time employees. The 162nd Transportation Battalion was reorganized into the 1109th Aviation Classification Repair Activity Depot (AVCRAD) in 1979 with a complement of 78 full-time employees. Today, the 1109th AVCRAD has over 175 full-time employees and an additional 200 plus part-time employees who are traditional National Guard members..

While mobilized and activated for Operation Desert Storm in 1991, 376 soldiers were mobilized and 100 were deployed to Saudi Arabia. While in Southwest Asia, the 1109th AVCRAD shrink wrapped 1,726 helicopters with polyethylene plastic in preparation for shipment back to the United States; loaded 1,651 helicopters on commercial vessels; completed 923 required agricultural inspections; and most significantly classified and returned to the Army wholesale supply system in excess of $201 million of repair parts.

The 1109th AVCRAD is one of only four facilities of its type in the United States Army and Army National Guard. Its day-to-day mission is to provide limited depot level maintenance and back-up aviation intermediate maintenance (AVIM) to Army National Guard aviation facilities in 14 northeastern states from Maine to Virginia to Ohio as well as the District of Columbia. This includes a total of 23 Army Aviation Support Facilities (AASFs) and approximately 500 aircraft. The repairs performed by the 1109th AVCRAD on these aircraft include airframe and component repair performed at the 1109th AVCRAD and on site at the facility location.

The 1109th AVCRAD maintains a supply warehouse to support maintenance performed at the 1109th AVCRAD and by the AASFs located in the northeast region. The ordering and shipping of these parts is a major function of the 1109th. Between 1992 and 1996, the value of these parts was in excess of 112 million dollars.

The 1109th AVCRAD makes a significant contribution to both the local economy and community sponsorships. The 1109th AVCRAD supports numerous local events to include the sponsorship of a Little League Team in Groton. Contributing a significant boost to the local economy, the combined payroll from the full-time force (military, civilians and contractors) and the part-time traditional Guardsmen is in excess of eight million dollars annually.