GUIDONS

A/502nd

My name is Richard D. Waldo and I used to be a member of the 175th AHC
when it was stationed in Vihn Long, South Viet Nam.  My call sign was
"Outlaw 20".  I was recently given the original guidon for the 502nd
Transportation Company.  This guidon flew outside the company orderly
room and the fading and color runs are the result of the sun, dirt and
rain of Viet Nam, the guidon has not been laundered since it left
Viet Nam.   The 502nd, as I am sure you know, was changed to the
175th Assault Helicopter Company
so the guidon should have a place of historical significance in your
unit history.
I was in the 175th from 4-70 to 4-71 and attained the rank of CWO-2
after about 6 months in country as I spent 6 months at Ft. Carson,
Colorado before going to Viet Nam.  During the time I spent with the
175th our Company was much in demand as we had a reputation of being
able to get the job done no matter what.  When I first got to the
company our gun platoon was called the "Mavericks"  and they flew
Charley Mike model Hueys and had a reputation of being the best gun
platoon in the whole Delta.
I could go on with more war stories but enough from an old-timer.
Dick Leister was Company Commander of the 502nd when it was changed
to the 175th so he was the original Outlaw 6.  He loaned me the guidon to take
to Kansas City for our annual Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association reunion with the
promise to send it onto ya'all when we were done with it.  So here it is.
Honor it well.
If anyone has any questions about the old unit they may contact me
through the webmeister.
 
 

175th

  Outlaw History
On 16, July 1965, the 175th Command Aviation Company
was Constituted by Congress.  Assigned to the
13th Combat Aviation Battalion
- The Delta Battalion -
(which later became) the 214th Combat Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation
Brigade, the 175th was nicknamed the "OUTLAWS" and was activated at Ft.
Benning, Georgia on 1 October 1965.  Upon activation, the unit was
deployed to Vietnam.  Based out of Vinh Long Army Airfield, the company
was comprised of UH-1B and UH-1D model "Huey" helicopters with the
mission of providing Air Assault and command and control to the Brigade.
After nearly seven years of combat duty, the Outlaws were inactivated in
Vietnam on the 20 February 1972.  In May 1972, the unit was again
activated, this time at Ft. Knox, Kentucky.  Two years later, the
Outlaws were transferred to West Germany, but were inactivated again on
20 December 1977.
In 1987, the requirement for a dedicated command and control aviation
company arose at Ft. Hood, Texas.  The 175th Command Aviation Company
was reconstituted from assets belonging to the 57th Signal Brigade and
the 6th Cavalry Brigade Command Aviation Platoon, both from Ft. Hood.
On 2 September 1987, the Outlaws were reactivated at Ft. Hood, and
redesignated as Company B, 1st Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment.  The
Outlaws are the only active duty company of the Battalion, and as a
result, the unit was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment,
6th Cavalry Brigade as its peace-time higher headquarters.  With the
restationing of 6th Cavalry Brigade (AC) to Korea in May 1996, B Company
was attached to the Combat Aviation Training Brigade (CATB) as their
higher headquarters and transitioned from the UH-1H helicopter to the
UH-60A Blackhawk.
Today the Outlaws provide support to the III Corps Command Group, the
21st Cavalry Brigade (AC), (formerly CATB) and visiting dignitaries.
With eight UH-60A Blackhawks and 35 officers, non-commissioned officers
and soldiers,

The Outlaws

continue to be the unit of choice for command
aviation support.


 

NOTE:  The Guidons are on display at Ft Hood, Texas.  The comments accompanying the Guidons are the
remarks contained in the letters on display along with the Guidons.  Many Thanks to CWO Dana Dreeke for
the photographs and information.
 

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