4 1 AVIATION BATTALION HISTORICAL RECORD OPS

File: 090496_jul96_decls33_0004.txt
Page: 0004
Total Pages: 17
Subject: 4 1 AVIATION BATTALION HISTORICAL RECORD OPS                    

Box  ID: BX001066

Document Number:          9

Folder Title: MERITORIOUS UNIT COMMENDATION-4TH BN-1ST AVN REGIMENT                                           

Folder Seq #:         11

Unit: 1ST ID      

Parent Organzation: VII  CORPS  







                13 January
                        The last six personnel from the battalion deployed to Saudi Arabia.

                16 January
                Operation Desert Shield became Operation Desert Storm as the allied air forces initiated the war
                against Iraq. Equipment arrived at Damman port, including the aircraft. E Co!s crewchiefs and
                pilots unfolded all of the LTH60s blades, completed re-torques, maintenance checks and ground
                moved the aircraft for run-up. Vehicles were checked for damage and leaks and positioned in a
                battalion holding area.

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                                                     DEPLOYMENT TO Tflfl

                17 January
                        At 0230 hours, 4-1 Avn Bn was awakened with news of the start of the war. All personnel
                were instructed to go to MOPP level 1.
                18 January
                        'Me Battalion was alerted of an early morning SCUD attack, and all personnel went to
                MOPP level 4 for almost four hours. The SCUD missile was shot down by a Patriot missile at
                17,000 feet over the Damman/Dahrain area at approximately 0500.
                        The "American Falcon" reached Jubail and 2AD's aircraft and equipment were recovered
                from the ship.

                19 January
                        The advance party left for TAA Roosevelt.
                        OH58D's conducted night search of Damman Port in conjunction with the US Navy.
                Flight crews used M.M.S. to search port areas for terrorists because it was thought that individuals
                might try to sabotage port operations. The search detected no terrorist ac6vities, and port
                operations went smoothly.

                20 January
                        The convoys left for TAA Roosevelt and traveled along Tapline road. TAA Roosevelt was
    located at grid PS7221, which was sixty KM southeast of Hafar al Badn. Ammunitionwas
                distributed and all aircraft left for TAA Roosevelt as Echo Company conducted a thirteen aircraft
                formation flight.
                        2AD's aircraft flew to Damman to have main and tail rotors taped for protection against the
                desert environment.

                22 January
                        E Co. began daily DISCOM support and flights to port. Training for NVG flights alson
                began. All nonessential equipment was gathered and a battalion storage area was established in
                TAA Roosevelt. Later, the unnecessary equipment was moved to DISCOM for storage.

                22 January to 08 February
                        The battalion conducted a search to locate its milvans and conexes in order to consolidate
                them in the DISCOM area.
                        A UH-60 phase team from Service, Company moved to Talon airfield at Iraqi Pump Station
                #3, twenty miles south of TAA Roosevelt. There the phase team, with support from Echo
                Company, 7-159th AVIM, completed a full phase on UH-60 152 in a record fourteen days. The
                phase team leader was SGT Schwenning.



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