2nd Battalion (Assault), 25th Aviation Regiment
"Lightning Assault"
"Diamond Head"
The mission of the 2nd Battalion (Assault), 25th Aviation Regiment is to prepare for worldwide deployment and, when directed, conduct day and night vision goggle (NVG) air assaults and general support helicopter operations across the full range of military operations. Also, the unit would, on order, exercise command and control over an aviation task force.
The 2nd Battalion (Assault), 25th Aviation Regiment was first constituted on 21 June 1963 in the Regular Army as Company B, 25th Aviation Battalion, an element of the 25th Infantry Division. It was activated on 12 August 1963 at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
The 25th Aviation Battalion arrived in Vietnam based at Cu Chi. Company B (Diamond Head) had largely self-deployed sailing to Vietnam on the cargo ship Chetis Bay. Company B served as an attack/support helicopter company. It was in Vietnam that the 25th Aviation Battalion made history. The Battalion participated in 12 Vietnam campaigns receiving 2 Valorous Unit Awards and 2 Meritorious Unit Commendations. In addition Company B received a Presidential Unit Citation. The 25th Aviation Battalion left Vietnam on 7 December 1970 for Schofield Barracks.
The unit was inactivated on 15 October 1985 at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii while the 25th Infantry Division reorganized as a new Light Infantry Division. It was reactivated on 16 January 1986 at Wheeler Air Force Base, Hawaii. It was reorganized and redesignated on 16 May 1988 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 25th Aviation, relieved from assignment to the 25th Infantry Division, and assigned to the 10th Mountain Division with its organic elements concurrently constituted and activated.
From 1990-1994, 2-25th Aviation played key and vital roles for the 10th Mountain Division in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Hurricane Andrew disaster relief operations in South Florida, and as part of the Unified Task Force for Operation Restore Hope in Somalia. The Somalia mission was to secure major cities and roads to provide safe passage of relief supplies to the starving Somali population. The 10th Mountain Division remained in Somalia from December 1992 until 12 March 1994. 2-25th Aviation received a Valorous Unit Award for their efforts in that country.
In 1994, the 10th Mountain Division formed the nucleus of the Multinational Force Haiti and Joint Task Force 190 during Operation Uphold Democracy. During this operation, the Division conducted the Army's first air assault from an aircraft carrier. This force included 54 helicopters. This was the largest Army air operation conducted from a carrier since World War II. The mission was to create a secure and stable environment under which the legitimate government of Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide could be reestablished and democratic elections held. Again, the Lightning Assault Battalion performed magnificently.
It was relieved on 15 March 1996 from assignment to the 10th Mountain Division and assigned to the 25th Infantry Division.
2-25th Aviation began supporting the Global War on Terrorism in March 2004 with deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
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