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24th
Aviation Battalion
24th Infantry Division
Looking for more information from military/civilian
personnel assigned to or associated with the U.S. Army
in Germany from 1945 to 1989. If you have any
stories or thoughts on the subject, please contact me.
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24th
Aviation Battalion |
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24th Aviation
Bn DI |
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1963 |
(Source: Email from Ben Harris) |
I was assigned to the 24th Aviation Battalion at Oberschleissheim, Germany in late 1963 and served until early 1966. I was senior ground controller there 1966-67.
There were only 5 of us. We were attached to the 24th Avn Bn but billeted in the operations building at the head of the runway, midway between the 24th Bn on the north and another unit on the south, the name of which I have forgotten.
Our building housed the tower but I was not a tower controller except outside normal duty hours when the tower was closed. We ran a 24/7 operation. We monitored flights of CH-34's and O1A's in and out of the airfield. Any guys out there who served there in 63-66, I'd like to hear from you.
My job was to monitor arrivals and departures and report to the central air authority at Munich-Riem, the main airport in Bavaria and the hub of restricted zone monitoring for flights near the Iron Curtain.
The official airfield of the 24th Avn Battalion was in Augsburg. Infantry divisions at that time were authorized one airfield.
A reorganization prior to my arrival gave the 24th Infantry Division two airfields to manage, consequently they needed controllers ASAP.
I was trained as a ground pounder but reassigned upon arrival in the 24th and sent immediately to Oberschleissheim.
I had not thought about this stuff for many years before finding this site. It takes me back... |
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1964 |
(Source: STARS & STRIPES, July 31, 1964) |
The 24th Aviation Battalion provides aviation support to the 24th Infantry Division in Bavaria. Commanded by Lt Col George E. Handley Jr., the battalion consists of a headquarters detachment, a mobile assault company ("A" Company) and a general support company ("B" Company).
The 24th Avn Bn was formed under the recent ROAD reorganization. Under ROAD, the aircraft complement of a division was increased from 50 to 101. 45 aircraft are assigned to the division aviation battalion, the remainder are assigned to division artillery, the three brigades and the cavalry squadron of the division.
The newly formed mobile assault company has the capability of moving a reinforced rifle company in a single lift and provides the division commander with a highly responsive armed reconnaissance capability.
Among several other missions, the general support company provides aerial surveillance of the division area through the use of modern photographic and airborne radar equipment as well as through the employment of pilotless drones. |
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1967 |
(Source: STARS & STRIPES, July 6, 1967) |
The 24th Aviation Battalion was deactivated at Gablingen Kaserne during a retreat ceremony held there recently.
Guests at the ceremony were several senior officers of the division:
Maj Gen R. Wetheril, division CG
Brig Gen Herron N. Maples, ADC, Support
Lt Col Ernest H. Johnson, division aviation officer
Lt Col Sigurd Bue, Asst CofS, G-1
The 24th Avn Bn was organized on March 1, 1958, when the 11th Abn Div was inactivated. (Personnel and equipment from the 11th Avn Co were probably used to staff and equip the new unit.)
The mission of the aviation battalion was to support the 24th Inf Div with fixed and rotary wing aircraft. This included:
command flights
aerial photography
radar reconnaissance
artillery fire observation
radio relay
troop lifts
medical evacuation flights
ADC . . . Assistant Division Commander
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