Patch courtesy of Cpt. Jim Slomka (Commander A/3-158th)
Courtesy of Jessie Lane
UNIT HISTORY OF A COMPANY
3rd Battalion, 158TH AVIATION REGIMENT
THE "BLUE STARS"
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Patch courtesy of Cpt. Jim Slomka (Commander A/3-158th) |
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THE BLUE STARS SERVED IN SOUTHEAST ASIA UNTIL 1972, PARTICIPATING IN 16 MAJOR CAMPAIGNS AND EARNING THREE VALOROUS UNIT AWARDS FOR GALLANTRY WITH PALM, AS WELL AS THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM CROSS OF GALLANTRY WITH GOLD STAR. ONE OF THE FIRST ASSAULT HELICOPTER UNITS TO ARRIVE IN VIETNAM AND THE LAST TO DEPART, THE BLUE STARS PROVED TIME AND AGAIN THAT THEY WERE THE BEST.
IN AUGUST, 1972, THE BLUE STARS DEPLOYED FROM VIETNAM TO KATTERBACH, GERMANY WITH THE EXPERIENCE EARNED IN COMBAT DISPLAYED BY THEIR BATTLE STREAMERS AND THE MOTTO "SKILL NOT LUCK" UNDER THEIR UNIT CREST. UPON THEIR ARRIVAL, THE UNIT WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 223RD AVIATION BATTALION, VII CORPS, AT ANSBACH ARMY AIRFIELD.
IN SEPTEMBER, 1975, THE UNIT MOVED TO STUTTGART ARMY AIRFIELD AND NELLIGEN BARRACKS. IN 1982, THE 48TH AVIATION COMPANY DISTINGUISHED ITSELF AS THE ARMY AVIATION ASSOCIATION AND USAREUR AVIATION UNIT OF THE YEAR. THAT SAME YEAR, THE UNIT HAD THE DESTINCTION OF BEING THE FIRST AVIATION UNIT IN EUROPE TO BE FIELDED WITH THE UH-60 "BLACKHAWK" HELICOPTER.
IN OCTOBER, 1984, THE UNIT WAS REASSIGNED TO THE 11TH AVIATION BATTALION, 12TH AVIATION GROUP, V CORPS, AND MOVED TO WIESBADEN, GERMANY. IN 1986 THE BLUE STARS WERE DEPLOYED ON A SECRET MISSION TO CYPRUS, PROVIDING THE "AIR BRIDGE" TO THE U.S. EMBASSY IN THE WAR-TORN CITY OF BEIRUT, LEBANON. ELEMENTS OF THE UNIT CONTINUED TO PERFORM THIS MISSION, PROVIDING THE "BEIRUT AIR BRIDGE" UNTIL JULY, 1998.
IN 1988, THE UNIT WAS REDESIGNATED CHARLIE COMPANY, 7TH BATTALION, 158TH AVIATION REGIMENT. IN SEPTEMBER, 1990, THE UNIT WAS ONCE AGAIN DEPLOYED IN COMBAT. ATTACHED TO THE 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION (AIR ASSAULT) FOR OPERATIONS DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT STORM AS A PART OF TASK FORCE GRIFFIN, THE UNIT DISTINGUISHED ITSELF BY PERFORMING MULTIPLE RESUPPLY MISSIONS AND CRITICAL LONG RANGE SURVEILLANCE TEAM INSERTIONS. AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE GULF WAR, THE BLUE STARS RETURNED HOME TO GERMANY WITH ALL PERSONNEL AND AIRCRAFT INTACT.
IN 1992, THE UNIT MOVED FROM WIESBADEN ARMY AIRFIELD TO THEIR PRESENT HOME AT GIEBELSTADT ARMY AIRFIELD, WHERE IT WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 5TH BATTALION, 158TH AVIATION REGIMENT, 12TH AVIATION BRIGADE, V CORPS.
IN AUGUST, 1997, THE UNIT WAS REDESIGNATED CHARLIE COMPANY, 158TH AVIATION REGIMENT.
IN AUGUST, 2000, THE UNIT WAS REDESIGNATED COMPANY A, 3RD BATTALION, 158TH AVIATION REGIMENT. TODAY THE BLUE STARS CONTINUE THEIR PROUD TRADITION OF PROFESSIONAL AVIATION EXCELLENCE, PROVING DAILY THEIR MOTTO "SKILL NOT LUCK," WHILE CONTINUING TO REMAIN "MISSION READY" IN THE FINEST TRADITIONS OF THE 3/158TH AVIATION REGIMENT.
