16th Combat Aviation Brigade (United States)

The 16th Combat Aviation Brigade is a Combat Aviation Brigade of the United States Army. It is subordinate to 7th Infantry Division and I Corps and based at Gray Army Airfield part of Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM).

16th Combat Aviation Brigade
Shoulder sleeve insignia
Active16 October 2009 – present
CountryUnited States
AllegianceUnited States Army
TypeCombat Aviation Brigade
RoleAviation
SizeBrigade
Part of7th Infantry Division; I Corps
Garrison/HQJoint Base Lewis–McChord (JBLM) (Gray Army Airfield)
Motto(s)Born in Battle / Wings of the Bayonet
Commanders
Current
commander		COL Derek A. Smith
Notable
commanders		Jack V. Mackmull[1]
Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia

Structure

The 16th Combat Aviation Brigade currently consists of the following units:[2]

History

The brigade traces its history to the activation of the 16th Aviation Group (Combat) on 23 January 1968 subordinate to United States Army Pacific at Marble Mountain in Da Nang, South Vietnam. At the time of activation the group consisted of the 14th Aviation Battalion (Combat) and the 212th Aviation Battalion (Combat Support) with a total combat force 3,300 personnel. Operating in the I Corps area, its 14th Aviation Battalion (Combat) provided air assault to the 101st Airborne Division and the United States Marine Corps. The 212th Aviation Battalion (Combat Support) carried out aerial reconnaissance and surveillance.

Structure between February and March 1971:[7]

In the years after the war the group was disbanded.

In October 2005 Task Force 49 was formed at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. It oversaw 1st Battalion, 52d Aviation Regiment; 4th Battalion, 123rd Aviation Regiment; 68th Medical Company (Air Ambulance); and Company C (Maintenance), 123d Aviation Regiment. In February 2006 Task Force 49 was formally established and the 4th Battalion, 123d Aviation Regiment was inactivated, while the 1st Battalion, 52d Aviation Regiment was reorganized into a general support aviation battalion. In June 2006 the 6th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment was reflagged from 3d Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, flying OH-58D Kiowa Warrior light reconnaissance helicopters and relocated from Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii to Fort Wainwright.

On 16 October 2009, Aviation Task Force 49 was disbanded, and "reflagged" as 16th Combat Aviation Brigade, and thus activated at Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

On 31 March 2011, it was announced that the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade would be based at Joint Base Lewis McChord but still keep a substantial presence (1–52d Aviation) at Fort Wainwright.[8] It was also announced that the 4th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment would join the brigade and that 1st Battalion, 229th Aviation would move from Fort Hood to JBLM. Joint Base Lewis-McChord held a flag ceremony on 1 August 2011 to signify the movement of the headquarters of the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade from Fort Wainwright, Alaska. This process would end around September 2014.

References
  1. Mackmull, Beverly (2011). "Memorial, Jack V. Mackmull". USMA1950.com. West Point, NY: USMA Class of 1950. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  2. "'Born in Battle', 16th CAB Begins Service at JBLM". U.S. Army. 24 September 2020.
  3. "1st BATTALION, 229th AVIATION REGIMENT (FLYING TIGERS) | Lineage and Honors | U.S. Army Center of Military History (CMH)".
  4. "2d BATTALION, 158th AVIATION REGIMENT | Lineage and Honors | U.S. Army Center of Military History (CMH)".
  5. "1st Battalion, 52d Aviation Regiment | Lineage and Honors | U.S. Army Center of Military History (CMH)".
  6. "46th Support Battalion".
  7. "Department of The Army - General Orders No. 42" (PDF). U.S. Army. 19 November 2019. p. 6.
  8. "Fort Wainwright brigade sent to Washington base". Archived from the original on 3 April 2011. Retrieved 2 August 2011.
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