The 1st Battalion (Attack), 25th Aviation Regiment was first constituted on June 21, 1963,
in the U.S. Army as Company A, 25th Aviation Battalion, an element of the 25th Infantry
Division. On August 12, 1963, the unit was activated at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.
The 25th Aviation Battalion arrived at Cu Chi, Vietnam in March 16, 1966. Despite
being transferred to Vietnam without equipment or personnel, Company A (Little Bears) was
equipped and manned with UH-1 helicopters from the 175th Aviation Company coming from
Fort Benning, Georgia.
The 175th Aviation Company was inactivated and reflagged as Company A, 25th Aviation
Battalion and served as an assault helicopter company. The 25th Aviation Battalion served in
12 Vietnam campaigns and received two Valorous Unit Awards and two Meritorious
Unit Commendations. On December 7, 1970, the Battalion left Vietnam for Schofield Barracks,
Hawaii.
The unit was inactivated on October 15, 1985 at Schofield Barracks. During this time,
the 25th Infantry Division was reorganized as a Light Infantry Division. The unit was later
reactivated on January 16, 1986 at Wheeler Air Force Base, Hawaii. On May 16, 1988, the unit
was redesignated Headquarters ad Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 25th Aviation, and
remained assigned to the 25th Infantry Division with its organic elements concurrently
constituted and activated.
From January 1995 to April 1996, 1st Battalion, 25th Aviation regiment served as the
Aviation Task Force Headquarters for the 25th Infantry Division (Light) during Operation
Uphold Democracy in its deployment to Haiti. On June 24, 1999, the Battalion was reorganized
when the last AH-1 Cobra Attack helicopters were transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve and
National Guard units. For the upcoming year, the Battalion started fielding the OH-58D Kiowa
Warrior at Fort Hood, Texas. After completion of the Unit Fielding and Training Program in
June 2000, the unit went back to Hawaii.
From February 2002 through September 2002, Task Force 1-25th Aviation deployed to
Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of Task Force Eagle, Stabilization Force (SFOR) 11, Operation
Joint Forge. The Battalion conducted reconnaissance and security, anti-smuggling, and special
operations.
The unit deployed to the Kingdom of Thailand from April 2003 through June 2003, in
support of Cobra Gold 2003.
In January 2004, the Battalion deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The unit conducted around the clock combat operations in support of ground units from the 1st
Cavalry Division. Through July 2004, the pilots from Lightning Attack flew more than 2,000
missions. While originally attached to the 1st Armored Division, the unit moved to Camp Cooke
in March 2004. The Battalion continued to support the 1st Cavalry Division in maintaining a
secure and stable environment in Baghdad.
The unit inactivated on June 9, 2006 and its personnel reflagged as the 2nd Squadron, 6th
Cavalry Regiment.
On April 16, 2013 in a ceremony at Fort Carson, Colorado, the 1st Battalion, 2nd Aviation
Regiment reflagged to 1st Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment. The reflagging saw the rebirth of
the Battalion and solidified its relationship with the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade who they
deployed with to Afghanistan in 2012.
On May 20, 2013, the Gunfighters of 1-25th Aviation welcomed two AH-64E Apache
Guardians. The arrival of the two helicopters marks the beginning of a fielding process for the
Battalion. The Battalion is the second unit in the U.S. Army to be fielding the new Apache Echo
models.
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