1st Aviation Brigade
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On the frontless war in Vietnam, more than 2,000 rotary and fixed-wing aircraft from the 1st Aviation Brigade give ground commanders an "extra edge" in closing with the enemy and defeating him in combat. Never before in military history has a ground commander approached the capability with which today he can find the enemy, conduct route and area reconnaissance, deploy infantrymen to the enemy's location, deliver sustained firepower and supplies, control the ground battle from the air, adjust artillery and air strikes and evacuate the wounded soldiers. Established in May 1966, the 1st Aviation Brigade consistently supplies the "extra edge" with which the ground commander can keep pressure on the enemy, maintain contact in fluid situations, cut off the enemy's withdrawal and complete the destruction or capture of his forces. Flying in support of U.S. and Allied forces, the brigade has been on all types of missions, including tactical combat assaults, direct fire support , aerial reconnaissance, medevac, troop lift, cargo hauling, evacuation of Vietnamese civilians from battle areas and actions in support of the Rural Development program. In 1969, the brigade carried more than 6.5 million troops in more than four million sorties, flying more than 1.5 million hours to accomplish this monumental mission.
