Первый отряд "Атака": История 1-го батальона 227-го авиационного полка.

The 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment is an attack helicopter battalion of the Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division. The battalion is an AH 64 Apache battalion based at Fort Cavazos, Texas.

The unit's nickname is "First Attack" because 1st Cavalry Division was "First into Manila" in February 1945. Major General William C. Chase gave the Division its nickname "First Team", it was well received and remains today. In September 1945, the "First Team" led occupational forces in to Japan's capital city, earning the distinction of "First in Tokyo". Next, the 1st Cavalry Division stormed ashore at Poe Hongdong, South Korea, in the Korean War's first amphibious landing. By July 1950, the Division began offensive operations to the north and crossed the 38th parallel on 9 October 1950. Closing on North Korea's capital 10 days later, the "First Team" was "First in Pyongyang". In July 1965, the 1st Cavalry Division was re stationed to Fort Benning, Georgia and organized for new missions in Southeast Asia. The unit became the Army's first "Airmobile" division and initially saw combat in the Republic of Vietnam during the thirty five day Pleiku Campaign, earning a Presidential Unit Citation. The enemy launched the famous Tet Offensive in late January 1968. Already on the move, the "First Team" rushed north, liberating cities and boldly repelling the enemy offensive. The Division's sky troopers flew in to relieve the besieged Marine base at Khe Sanh and the Division was "First into Cambodia" in May 1970.

The original unit was constituted 1 February 1963 as Company A, 227th Assault Helicopter Battalion, an element of the 11th Air Assault Division. The unit was officially activated on 11 February 1963 at Fort Benning, Georgia. On 1 July 1965 the unit was reorganized and re designated as Company A, 227th Aviation Battalion and officially assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas. The unit was inactivated from 19 November 1974 to 21 May 1978. The company was again active from 1978 to 1983 at Fort Hood. The company was inactivated on 30 September 1983. On 16 July 1987 the unit was reactivated and re designated Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation at Fort Hood, Texas. 1 October 2005 the battalion was re designated 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment and on 16 October 2005 it was relieved from assignment to the 1st Cavalry Division and assigned to the Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division.

On 1 February 1963, the Army began to gather helicopters into the 11th Air Assault Division to test the airmobile concept. In June 1965, the 11th Air Assault was joined with the 2d Infantry Division. Shortly thereafter, the division exchanged colors with the 1st Cavalry Division. On 1 August 1965, the 1st Cavalry Division was sent to Vietnam. The battalion participated in 14 campaigns and received seven decorations during its 7 years of duty in Vietnam. Upon return from Vietnam, the 227th Aviation Battalion was inactivated on 19 November 1974 at Fort Hood, Texas. After a brief reactivation from 21 May 1978 until 30 September 1983, it was re designated as 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, the first divisional Apache Attack Helicopter Battalion to be formed. Upon re designation, the 1–227th underwent an intensive 6 month unit training program and began to training for combat operations.

On 29 September 1990, the battalion deployed overseas to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, where the unit postured for combat in Operation Desert Shield. On 25 February 1991, with the onset of Operation Desert Storm, the battalion conducted a raid as a part of the 1st Cavalry Division's deception plan. The battalion would serve as the vanguard of the division's movement north to cut off retreating an Iraqi Republican Guard Division at Basra. On 7 March 1991, the battalion would return as part of the advance party back to Fort Hood, Texas. On 2 June 1998, after years of testing and preparation, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment became the first Army Aviation Battalion to field the AH 64 Apache "Longbow".

With the onset of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), the 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, under the command of LTC Dan Ball, arrived at Camp Udari, Kuwait, on 14 February 2003, and was attached to Task Force 11th Aviation Regiment operating under the command of the U. S. Army V Corps. In the early hours of 24 March 2003, Apache Longbows of the 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation, 1st Cavalry Division, engaged units of Iraq's Republican Guard Medina Division between the cities of Karbala and Al Hillah, about south of Baghdad. A majority of the battalion's helicopters sustained extensive battle damage, but only one went down. Both pilots survived and were captured, later being rescued by US Marines after the fall of Baghdad. On 21 May 2003, the battalion redeployed to Fort Hood. First Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment has deployed to Iraq three more times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. From April 2004 to April 2005, under the command of LTC Ron Lewis, the battalion returned to Iraq as part of OIF II, and helped set up Camp Taji for aviation operations. In October 2006 the battalion once again deployed to Camp Taji under the command of LTC Christopher E. Walach, for a 15 month deployment in support of OIF 06 08. The battalion again deployed to camp Taji, under the command of LTC Charles Dalcourt, from April 2009 to April 2010 in support of OIF 09 10. After a 6 month reset, the battalion task organized into a full spectrum task force and began deployment preparations for deployment to Afghanistan. In January 2011, the task force deployed to Fort Carson, Colorado, for High Altitude Mountain Environmental Training (HAMET), to better prepare the aircrews for the extreme altitudes of Afghanistan's Paktika Province. In May 2011, the task force deployed to FOB Sharana, Paktika, Afghanistan where it conducted full spectrum aviation operations throughout the Paktika, Paktia, Ghazni and Khost provinces in support of Regional Command (East). In July 2011, the Task Force made history when one of their AH 64Ds became the first AH 64D to exceed 10,000 operational flying hours. After a year at Sharana, First Attack redeployed to Fort Hood with the 1st ACB. In July 2012, the unit re organized as an Apache pure attack Battalion focused on regeneration and training operations for future deployment contingencies.

The battalion consists of three Apache Longbow companies and a headquarters, maintenance, and forward support company. Company Company Nickname Patch Primary Mission Headquarters Company Nightriders Headquarters and Headquarters Company, the headquarters and staff of the Task Force. All the task force's senior officers and support staff belong to the Nightriders. Alpha Company Avengers Alpha Company "Avengers", an AH 64D Attack Helicopter company consisting of 8 AH 64D Longbows, crews, and support personnel. Bravo Company Reapers Bravo Company "Reapers", an AH 64D Attack Helicopter company consisting of 8 AH 64D Longbows, crews, and support personnel. Charlie Company Vampires Charlie Company "Vampires", an AH 64D Attack Helicopter company consisting of 8 AH 64D Longbows, crews, and support personnel. Delta Company Bone Crushers Delta Company "Bone Crushers", the unit level aviation maintenance company. Delta's primary mission is the maintenance of the helicopters in the battalion. Echo Company Dark Horse Echo Company "Dark Horse", a forward support company. Unlike the other companies, most of the personnel assigned to Echo are not aviation specialties. Echo has the most wide ranging mission, encompassing refueling, communications support, ground vehicle maintenance, and food service.