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7th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment
"Eagle Lift"

The Mission of 7th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment is to deploy within 36 hours, in order to plan, synchronize and execute air assault, air containment, air ambulance, and air command and control operations as an integrated element of an air assault combined arms team.

The 7th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment was reorganized and redesignated at Fort Campbell, Kentucky on 16 October 1987. Formerly the 159th Aviation Battalion, the unit history, lineage and honors of the "Press On" Battalion were transferred to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in an official ceremony at Fort Campbell on 3 December 1987.

The roots of the 7th Battalion were planted in Vietnam on 1 July 1968. Organized as the Medium and Heavy Lift Assault Support Helicopter Battalion of the 101st Airborne Division, the unit was eventually comprised of three CH-47 and two CH-54 companies. The battalion's first historical chapter lies in three years of service in the Republic of Vietnam providing medium lift helicopter support to the 101st Airborne Division. Participation in Operations Kentucky Jumper, Massachusetts Striker, Apache Snow, Campbell Streamer, Montgomery Rendezvous, Lan Son 719, Jefferson Glen and Lan Son 810 the battalion flew 45,513 hours and received the Valorous Unit Award for services in the Republic of Vietnam from 1 January 1970 through 31 May 1971.

In February 1972, 7th Battalion's second chapter unfolded upon return to Fort Campbell as the only CH-47 battalion in the United States Army. On 26 September 1973, four CH-47s flew nonstop from Homestead Air Force, Florida to San Juan, Puerto Rico during Long Haul 1, a distance of 907 nautical miles. In support of REFORGER 76, the battalion deployed 36 CH-47s and personnel to Giebelstadt, Germany during a major 101st Airborne Division exercise providing support in the V and VII Corps areas of operation. In 1978, 7th Battalion provided major disaster relief and humanitarian support to Russellville, Kentucky and was formally adopted by the Lofan County Court. In 1981, the battalion selected A Company, 159th Aviation to participate in a special training mission and eventually the unit became a key member of TF 160. From 1983 through 1986 the battalion underwent conversion to the CH-47D model Chinook and utilized its extended capability to self deploy and provide medium helicopter support to Joint Task Force operations in Honduras.

The third chapter commenced with regimental redesignation as the "Eagle Lift Battalion" in ceremonies at Fort Campbell on 8 November 1987. Since redesignation, the 7th Battalion successfully conducted numerous deployments worldwide in support of the Division. The battalion participated in the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) deployment to Southwest Asia. The movement was led by Team Bravo comprised of elements from B and A Companies on 16 August 1990. The remainder of the battalion deployed on 8 September 1990. In support of the war effort, 7th Battalion took part in the largest Air Assault ever conducted. The "Workhorse of the Division" conducted 280 "Heavy Assault" combat sorties in support of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) operations. Among these was a CH-47 "pure" combat assault, which led the way into the Euphrates River Valley and other areas of the Iraqi theater of operation. Within 48 hours, three infantry brigades of the 101st had been lifted into Iraq, and had secured their objectives. In February 1991, the battalion began redeployment and by the end of May 1991, had closed on Fort Campbell.

Since January 1992, 7th Battalion has participated in 23 rotations at the National and Joint Readiness Training Centers. This included a rotation in August 1995 as the Aviation Task Force Headquarters for Operation Cooperative Nugget, the first Partnership for Peace exercise held in the United States and, in 1997, during the largest 101st NTC rotation, CH-47s conducted the first ever successful NVG sling load operation in the history of NTC. The battalion participated in operation in Puerto Rico, Honduras and Haiti, and relief efforts in Florida after Hurricane Andrew. In late 1998, the battalion deployed assets to Central America during a disaster relief operation following Hurricane Mitch. It is also supported peacekeeping operations in Eastern Europe by supporting both KFOR 3A and KFOR 3B.

With the aftermath of the events of 11 September 2001, the 7-101st Aviation deployed with other elements of the 101st Airborne Division as part of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. The 7-101st provided lift support with its CH-47D helicopters to units engaged on Operation Anaconda in March 2002. In 2003, 7-101st followed the 101st Airborne Division to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In December 2006 a contract with Boeing was approved for the remanufacturing and new construction of new CH-47F helicopters. Elements of 7-101st Aviation were slated to conduct the flight testing as part of the overall program. In August 2007, 7-101st Aviation became the first unit to recieve the new CH-47F helicopter.