6th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment
"Shadow of the Eagle"
The 6th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment (Command Aviation Battalion) provides Air Volcano; LRSD/PFDR Insertion/Extraction (FRIES/SPIES); Emergency Aircrew Extraction (EAE); Pathfinder Support; Command and Control; General Officer Support; and General Support Aviation for the 101st Infantry Division (Air Assault).
The mission of the unit is to support the 101st Aviation Brigade and Division by providing command and control, aerial mine delivery, general support aviation capabilities and pathfinder support.
The 6-101 Aviation was the Command Aviation Battalion for the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). It was comprised of UH-60A and UH-60L Blackhawks. The Battalion is organized into an HHC, AVUM company (D), three general support companies (A, B, and C), and a Pathfinder Company. 6-101 Aviation consists of 6 different companies consisting of HHC "Iron Eagles," A Co "Avengers," B Co "Warlords," C Co "Rude Dogs," D Co "Witchdoctors (Voodoo Maintenance)," and the Pathfinders "Torch/First In Last Out." The unit had the largest division approved METL consisting of 9 base tasks.
The 6th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, originated as the 123rd Aviation Battalion in the Republic of Vietnam on 8 December 1967, as part of the 23rd Infantry Division, and served there until deactivation in November 1971. The Battalion was reactivated as the 123rd Aviation Battalion at Fort Campbell, Kentucky on 16 December 1985. The Battalion was formed by combining the assets of several units, including Divisional Infantry Brigade flight detachments, the 163rd Aviation Company (General Support), and Battery A, 377th Field Artillery.
On 15 March 1989, Forces Command directed a Command Aviation Battalion (CAB) be formed at Fort Campbell to expand the aviation capability of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). The unit reflagged as 3rd Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment in July 1989. In December 1989, the unit was fully integrated into the Division when it was redesignated and received the colors of the 6th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment.
The Iron Eagle Battalion initially flew the UH-1 helicopter, and since July 1989 had fought forest fires in Idaho, participated in field exercises at the Joint Readiness Training Center, the National Training Center, Eglin Air Force Base, and deployed to Honduras and El Salvador. With the outbreak of hostilities in the Persian Gulf, 6th Battalion deployed to the desert. The Battalion flew support for the Division which included command and control, resupply, and combat assaults. In an effort to conserve the Brigade's UH-60 hours, 6th Battalion absorbed the increased mission load, and flew a total of 5036 UH-1 hours in support of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. In 1991, the 6th CAB was designated the "Spirit Of The Eagle."
Beginning in April 1995, the Battalion began its transformation from a UH-1 to a UH-60 Blackhawk unit. On 31 August 1995, the last UH-1 "Huey" helicopter was decommissioned from active duty service. The Battalion's mission grew with the increased capabilities of the UH-60. In 1999 new UH-60Ls were integrated into the fleet. The Battalion continued to perform the unique divisional missions of FRIES/SPIES, Arial Volcano, C2 Console, DS to LRSD/Pathfinder detachments, GO/VIP, EAE, and G-5 Aviation, DART and Wethawk for the 101st Aviation Regiment. Elements of the 6-101 Aviation have deployed to Kuwait, Kosovo, and every JRTC and NTC exercise. Since the Battalion takes part in every deployment, the unit motto was changed to "Shadow of the Eagle."
6-101 Aviation deployed as an integral part of the 101st Airborne Division on tours as part of both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan. When the 101st Airborne Division took control of Operation Enduring Freedom - Afghanistan under Combined Joint Task Force 101, 6-101 deployed to Regional Command East, leading Task Force Shadow.
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