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70th Transportation Battalion (AVIM)
21st Support Command
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History

B Co, 70th AVIM

56th Avn Co

207th Avn Co

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70th Trans Bn History

The old maintenance hangar (the part of Bldg 49 with the white roof) used by the
70th Trans Bn before the new one (Bldg 4A) was completed in 1984 (GOOGLE)

The new maintenance hangar (4A) for B Company, 70th Trans Bn
was built next to the old one between 1982-84
70th Trans Bn (AVIM) DI
 
(Source: 70th Transportation Battalion Unit History, Biggs Library and Information Center, Fort Eustis, VA)
On 20 March 1978, the 70th Trans Bn was reactivated and redesignated as HHD, 70th Transportation Battalion (Aviation Intermediate Maintenance) with organic elements concurrently redesignated from the 91st and 93rd Transportation Companies in Germany.
 
1983
(Source: Mannheim Messenger (Mannheim MILCOM newspaper), July 29, 1983)
Chosen aviation's best -- the 70th keeps the Army in the air

By Jean and Martin Huss
Speed, security, accuracy -- it was June when President Ronald Reagan arrived in Germany and for a visit to Berlin. With the visit came his four support helicopters.

On short notice, the 70th Transportation Battalion (AVIM) demonstrated it's readiness as the Closed Loop Aircraft Processing Facility at Ramstein Air Base went into action. The crew disassembled the four helicopters and loaded them onto aircraft. At the Berlin destination, the helicopters were off-loaded, reassembled and test flown -- all within 24 hours.

"Outstanding Aviation Unit of the Year," that's what the Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA) determined the 70th Transportation Battalion, headquartered in Coleman Barracks, Mannheim, to be. Lt. Col. William E. Turner, commander, and CSM Hulon Jackson were presented the award at the 1983 national convention of the group in Atlanta, Ga.

The Closed Loop in Ramstein is only a corner of the units operation that, as Lt. Gen. M. Collier Ross said. "stretches from Norway to Greece and from the United Kingdom to Berlin. Ross, deputy commanding general of the U.S. Armed Forces Command, placed the trophy in Turner's hands. He went on to say, "I think it might be well for us to remember once again, that to be born free is an accident, to live free is a responsibility and to die free is an obligation. The 70th is prepared to do that today as I am certain that every member of the Army team has been in the past and is tonight and will continue to be in the future."
 
 
The motto of the 70th is "Life Line to the Front Line" and come peace or war they are ready. Today, the 70th helps maintain the peace by keeping USAREUR aircraft in top-operating condition. The 56th Aviation Company, Mannheim, pilots support 12 major units with command mobility. While the 207th Aviation Company in Heidelberg gives transportation to commanders of USAREUR and the 7th Army.

"Most often;' said Turner in a recent interview, "this award goes to a tactical unit. We're not a tactical unit but the pilots of the 56th and the 207th are trained to carry senior Army commanders to their battle positions. Having the two aviation companies in the air sets the 70th apart from the two other AVIM (maintenance) battalions in Hanau and Nellingen.
 
Unique, too, is the high percentage of well-trained multi-national work force. "This used to be a depot here," Turner reminded us. "Many have worked here for up to 30 years. Their dedication and knowledge is fantastic!"

The organic aviation units fly UH-1s. OH-58s, U-21s and C-12s as in the past, but now the 207th sports two of the new UH-60s (Black Hawks) which Turner says incorporate 20 years of updating since the UH-1 (Huey). "Fifteen Black Hawks can replace 23 Hueys, but there'll always be a place for the Huey.

"The Black Hawk is a faster, more durable, more survivable -- it's a new era of utility helicopters. It has all-weather capabilities, air speed, range, reliability and back-up systems if something does go wrong."

Turner emphasized that both from the maintenance side and from the pilots' side, "Army aviation safety is number one in this battalion -- if we can't do that first objective, all the rest would be naught."

Pilots may be qualified in all machines, but seldom keep up their currency in more than two. Training is rigid and requirements are tight.

Centrally located in Europe, Coleman is the busiest Army airfield and is run by the 70th. The battalion, which is a subordinate unit of the 21st Support Command, USAREUR, has actually a three-fold aviation support mission.

Aviation intermediate-level maintenance (AVIM) is provided on a direct-support basis to 23 units and back-up support to V and VII Corps. The second mission element requires direct and general aviation transportation support to three major commands, all units above corps level in theater and a tactical aviation detachment for the commander, Allied Command Europe Mobile Force (Land). Thirdly, the 70th provides airfield services in Mannheim, Heidelberg and Karlsruhe.

To back up all aviation units in USAREUR, CWO 2 Douglas Hill's 100 percent automated supply system carried 5.20 line items to met any emergency. He also has the "cannibalization" yard, ripping apart crashed aircraft for maximum use. Units also make use of the direct exchange (DX) of components.

Here are a few of the 1982 facts that speak with relevance:
B Company, the battalion's maintenance unit composed of military and civilians of many nationalities, completed more than 19,000 work orders or more than 1,100 aircraft and 17,900 component systems average time, 12 days.
Motivated by the mission readiness rates of all USAREUR aviation units, the 70th encouraged the "floating" of FM (Webmaster Note: should maybe "FW" -Fixed Wing) aircraft to replace others needing major structural repairs and down time over 30 days.
The turbine engine repair program has led to improved readiness and avoided expenditure of thousands of dollars in stateside shipping - 86 percent have been repaired in the unit.
Closed Loop supported USAREUR's Force Modernization Program, and the workload increased 300 percent by processing over 350 aircraft involved in the introduction of the AH-1S (fully modernized Cobra) and the UH-60A systems.
The local national employees have the lowest average use of sick leave in the Mannheim community.
The 56th and 207th flew more than 15,600 hours, tactical/non-tactical support.
 
It is noted with pride, according to the justification for the award, that despite the high density of ground and air traffic and the large number of transient aircraft refueling operations, all airfield operations were accomplished without incident or accident.
 
1985
(Source: Email from Virgilio Bendiera, SSA, 70th Trans Bn)
Last night I was thinking about old passed days and the 70th Trans Bn times came up in my mind. So here I am.

I was a local national employee at the SSA, 70th Trans BN (AVIM) from 1 December 1985 until 31 September 1995. I started the job as a supply clerk. Later on I was promoted to a lead supply clerk.

During this period the accountable officers in charge changed several times; I can just remember the last names: Mr. Hill, Mr. Horwart, Mr Lockheed, and Mr. Ramon Navarro.

Unfortunately, I do not have pictures from that time. The SSA (WK4FZN) where I worked was located at Coleman Barracks in Mannheim-Sandhofen, Germany. As a member of the  supply team my job was to process requisitions received from the units for parts needed to maintain their helicopters in an "functional" status.

When I started the job the transactions where posted through terminals and sent to the main computing system which was the DS4. DS4 was an automated inventory management system at the DS level. Later on the STANDARD ARMY RETAIL SUPPLY SYSTEM (SARSS) on TACCS-computers was implemented to input the Daily Transactions and to create an output (on disks). This output was then processed in the DS4.

Besides the requisition processing, another important part of my duty was to run weekly, monthly and quarterly sceduled processes, like activity reports, stock status, OUF-Updated (cross-over references for inter-changeability of same parts with different stock numbers: OUF=order of use file).

I was also responsible for the PLL (prescribed load Listings) at the unit level and reconciliations with the Units activity status listings.

As I remember our warehouse did not store only nuts and bolts. There was a back-yard to keep Aircraft - Engines on hand.

The research and reporting of discrepancies between physical On Hand and computed quantities was also a big part of my doing. The most important statistics that reflected the excellent job we did was of course the percentage rate of the monthly reconciliation report with the 21st TAACOM located in Kaiserslautern. Our records alsways passed the 95% and if not there was always a good explanation for it. All the inspection we got from a special inspection teams were passed with no problems. All these facts made the accountable officers' life a lot easier.

At this point I just want to say that my favorite chief was CW5 Ramon Navarro. His excllent knowledge in Programming and computers made it possible to automate a lot of processes and make many of them more effective.

Due to the reduction of the Army, the civilian employees lost their jobs and contractors took over. So after 10 years of service I had to go.

I send greeings to everybody who remembers me and was at the 70th Trans Bn.
 
1986
(Source: Support Sentinel, May 6, 1986)
Aviation battalion earns supply excellence award

By Sp4 Sherri T. Scott

They are sometimes called "packrats" and "scroungers." They live in a world of prescribed load lists, requisitions and maintenance orders. Without these men and women, you can't shoot, move or communicate.

The soldiers and civilians of the 70th Transportation Bn (AVIM), Mannheim, including HHD, Co B, 56th Aviation Co and the 207th Aviation Co, Heidelberg, through outstanding efforts, have won the Commander-in-Chief, USAREUR, Sword of Freedom Award for Supply Excellence (Active MTOE, Battalion-Level Category) and are currently competing for the DA-level award.

Two 29th ASG units also placed in the USAREUR competition: the 8907th Civilian Support Group, (Active TDA, Company Level Category), and the General Support Center, Germersheim, (Active TDA, Battalion Level Category).

The transportation battalion was judged on appearance, equipment, management and equipment accountability. The USAREUR judges evaluated its unit and technical supply rooms, training programs, firearms security, fuel points, unit motor pools and automated supply system.

According to CWO 2 James E. Ringsaker, battalion property book officer, doing a daily job is how the 70th Trans captured the top honors in the supply competition.

Ringsaker's job entails managing non-expendable property and maintaining items such as basic loads of rations, fuel and ammunition.

"Everyone in the battalion maintains a high level of efficiency in doing their jobs. All the supply personnel are enthusiastic about their job and display true professionalism at all times, " he said.

"We're a unique battalion in that we are the largest aviation maintenance battalion in the Army and we are augmented with a TDA unit. It's like having two units in one working together to accomplish the mission," Ringsaker said.

The local national work force is assigned to the TDA unit. Ringsaker commented that the local nationals are well trained and do the best job possible in helping the battalion accomplish the mission of supplying and maintaining equipment.

The battalion provides supply and maintenance support to not only the 21st Support Command but to V Corps and VII Corps as well. Materials stocked by the supply battalion range from aircraft seat cushions to engines. Organizational Clothing and Individual Equipment issue points at the company level provide the soliders' uniform needs.

Since it is an aviation battalion, the 70th Trans supplies parts and services for aircraft such as Chinooks, UH-1s, OH-58s, Blackhawks, C-12s and U-21s.

Last year the 70th also supplied more than 1½ million gallons of fuel keeping their aircraft and tactical vehicles moving.

Until recently, the Army's supply system has been manually operated but soon all will be equipped with new automated computer systems. For the 70th, they were getting their new system during their evaluation by USAREUR.

"In the middle of the USAREUR evaluation we were changing over from the old manual system to the new automated supply system," Ringsaker said.

"The new Standard Property Book System brings greater discipline to the supply system's basic operation level. The DAS-3 computer system economizes and improves the efficiency of supply management and accountability."

The automated system's capabilities also include making hand receipts available to the unit commanders with updated information. This allows the commander to manage excesses and shortages of supplies and allows the battalion to cross-level equipment more efficiently. The system reduces man-hours spent researching, cataloging, cross-checking, and hand filing daily reports. It also reduces the number of errors and rejects.

"The automated system allows us, at a battalion level, to see what all our units have and what supplies they need," Ringsaker said. "It gives an overall picture of our stocks on hand and makes supply easier to control while maintaining unit readiness. By cross-leveling in the battalion, one unit can get an item from another unit that has excess, thus eliminating the need to reorder, which saves the Army money."
1988
(Source: Stars & Stripes, European edition, September 11, 1988)
Army Chinooks shrink-wrapped for U.S. shipment

By Crystal Laureano, S&S

 
Co B, 70th Tran Bn, an aviation maintenance unit stationed at Coleman Barracks, has prepared 60 C-model Chinooks for shipment by sea. The Chinooks are slated for return to the US as the older models are replaced by new D-models in USAREUR.
follow link to view photos and read the article from the Stars & Stripes archives
 
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