{"id":2362,"date":"2015-03-27T22:04:35","date_gmt":"2015-03-27T15:04:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thewindmillrestaurant.net\/?page_id=2362"},"modified":"2020-03-22T06:34:15","modified_gmt":"2020-03-21T23:34:15","slug":"51st-assault-helicopter-company","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/scarngavpicthistory.com\/?page_id=2362","title":{"rendered":"51st Assault Helicopter Company"},"content":{"rendered":"

1971 0501 – The 51st Aviation Company (Airmobile) reorganized as 51st Aviation Company (Assault Helicopter) 1 May 1971.\u00a0 In lieu of UH-1 helicopters several CH-34\u2019s were carried over from the airmobile unit configuration.\u00a0 The UH-1\u2019s started showing up in early 1972.\u00a0 Also, Detachment 1, 51st Aviation Company, was organized in Eastover (McEntire) with the mission to provide limited Direct Support Maintenance for the 51st Aviation Company.\u00a0 MAJ Kinnon was the carry over Commander for the 51stAviation Company\u00a0and\u00a0CPT \u00a0Phil Fidler was the Det Commander.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"1970
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 CH-34\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

\"1972<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

One of many ferry crews <\/strong><\/p>\n

\"1972
\n<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Picking up at Naval Air Station Pensacola<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a01971 1201 – 51st Aviation Company\u00a0(Assault Helicopter)\u00a0was reorganized as 51st Assault Helicopter Company, 1 Dec 1971 as the new assault company TOE 7-357H\u00a0was being implemented with a new and different\u00a0mission statement.\u00a0 Additionally, Detachment 1, 51st<\/strong> Aviation Company became the Maintenance Platoon of 51st Assault Helicopter Company with the same TOE change.\u00a0 <\/strong>Taking place at a time when the Viet Nam War was winding down and the active Army\u2019s strength was being lowered to a much lower level resulted in the National Guard aviation units\u00a0 being modernized to a more comparable level to active aviation units.\u00a0 The UH-1\u2019s, models C, D, H, and M, started arriving to replace the CH-34\u2019s that were in place.\u00a0 These aircraft were being picked up from Corpus Christi Army Depot, in Corpus Christi, Texas; \u00a0Naval Air Station, in Pensacola, Florida; \u00a0Atlanta Army Depot in Atlanta, Georgia; \u00a0and other locations where these airframes had gone through depot overhaul or a Inspect, Repair Only as Necessary Program. (IRON).\u00a0 Although, two UH-1H\u2019s, 71-20002 and 71-20003, were received new directly from Bell Helicopter Company.\u00a0 Aircraft 002 was soon equipped for VIP flights with olive drab padded cushions and fold down lap tables.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n

The aircraft\u00a0arrived with a\u00a0mix of T53-L11 engines installed on \u201cC\u201d and \u201cD\u201d models and T53-L13 engines installed on \u201cH\u201d and \u201cM\u201d models.\u00a0 As funds and L-13 engines became available, maintenance personnel completed the modifications necessary to convert the \u201cC\u201d models to \u201cM\u201d models and the \u201cD\u201d models to \u201cH\u201d models.<\/strong><\/p>\n

1972 0601 – 51st Assault Helicopter Company reorganized 1 Jun 1972 with a new mission statement.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

In August 1972 just\u00a0three months after being reorganized the 51st Assault Helicopter Company<\/strong> attended Annual Training at Camp Blanding Florida with all the newly received equipment and influx of recently assigned personnel.\u00a0 The unit safely convoyed down to Camp Blanding amidst all the traffic, heat and humidity as the flight platoons\u2019 helicopters departed in stages allowing the FBO\u2019s\u00a0to easily handle the arrival and departures for refueling.\u00a0 A by-product of this method provided an opportunity for crew coordination and interaction training to begin.\u00a0 <\/strong>\"1972<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0On the second day of AT the change of command took place between MAJ Marion H. Kinon and MAJ Thomas Alexander.\u00a0<\/strong><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \"Cecil<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \"baxley\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Subsequent 51st AHC commanders were MAJ Cecil Martin and MAJ D. Edward Baxley.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 1973\u00a051st AHC conducted its first aerial gunnery exercise.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0