A History Of The 282nd AHC

The 282nd Assault Helicopter Company and it's three support detachments, the 484th TC Det (Cargo Helicopter, Field Maintenance), the 504th Signal Det (Radio Repair and Avionics), and the 105th Medical Det, was activated at Fort Benning, Georgia on 7 October 1965.  The mission was to train personnel and prepare for overseas movement.  The Company's personnel, aircraft and equipment deployed, arriving between May and June of 1966 at Marble Mountain Airfield in Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam.

The 282nd initially flew missions in I & II Corps in support of MACV, SF, LRRP, Ranger and Hac Bao units.  This included elements of the USMC, USAF, USN, ARVN and the Aussies.  This mission required that personnel be garrisoned as far north as Hue Citadel, as far south as Dong Ba Thin, and as far west as Ban Me Thuot and Kontum.

The 282nd flew UH-1 (Huey) helicopters and consisted of three flight platoons.  First and Second Flight Platoons flew lift helicopters (Slicks) armed with an M-60 machinegun on each side.  Crews consisted of an aircraft commander, pilot, crewchief, and gunner.  Each aircraft commander was assigned a permanent call-sign (Blackcat) which was used by his crew instead of the ID number of the aircraft being flown.  The Third Flight Platoon flew heavily armed UH-1B's, C's, and Cobra gunships and used the call-sign Alleycat.  These men flew medevacs, combat assaults, LRRP insertions and extractions, delivered hot food to troops fighting for rough terrain, delivered water, ammo, mail, batteries, and beer to Special Forces base camps, artillery observation posts or any other type of mission which was required. They sustained more than their share of casualties, even amongst those who returned to "the world".  This page is dedicated to them.

The Official History Of The 282nd Assault Helicopter Company

Black Cat Bunker at Khe Sahn

Combat Assault in bad weather