17th Aviation Brigade ( United States ) The 17th Aviation Brigade is a military formation of the United States Army . It was originally activated at Nha Trang , Vietnam , as the 17th Aviation Group ( Combat ) on 15 December 1965 under the 1st Aviation Brigade . Later it moved to Tuy Hoa in November 1970 and then to Pleiku in January 1972 . The group had the mission of commanding and controlling all non - divisional assets in II Corps Tactical Zone , under I Field Force . The 10th , 14th , 52d , 223d and 268th Aviation Battalions as well as the 7th Squadron , 17th Cavalry served with the group . The following companies and detachments were also under the 17th Aviation Group : Source : " Vietnam Order of Battle " by Shelby L . Stanton . 119th Aviation Company . During the Vietnam War , one of the units that became part of the 52d Aviation Battalion ( Combat ) , 17th Aviation Group ( Combat ) was the 119th Aviation Company ( Assault Helicopter ) . The company operated throughout the Central Highlands of Vietnam during the war , from arrival in September 1962 until inactivation in November 1970 . Originally designated the 81st Transportation Company and equipped with twin - rotor CH - 21 " Flying Banana " piston - engined helicopters , the company arrived in Pleiku , Vietnam , on 17 September 1962 . On 25 June 1963 its assets were used to form the 119th Aviation Company ( Assault Helicopter ) ( Airmobile ) , and it was re - equipped with turbine - powered single - rotor UH - 1A and UH1 - B Hueys . The company ' s area of operations included the entire Central Highlands of Vietnam , plus large portions of Laos and Cambodia . Eventually assigned to the 52d Aviation Battalion ( Combat ) , 17th Aviation Group ( Combat ) , 1st Aviation Brigade and headquartered at Camp Holloway in Pleiku , the 119th was also based at An Khe for a short time later in the war . The helicopters were equipped with 16 to 20 lightly armed UH - 1Ds ( or UH - 1H model " Slick " troopships that used the radio callsign called " Alligator " or " Gator " ) , and approximately 8 Huey UH - 1C model gunships known as " Crocodiles " or " Crocs . " The company at one time also used the callsign called " Black Dragon " from which the 52d ' s " Flying Dragon " callsign evolved . The total company strength of approximately 225 included 50 to 60 pilots and an equal number of crewmembers , plus field maintenance and other critical support personnel . During over eight years in Vietnam , the 119th Aviation Company ( Assault Helicopter ) provided helicopter support for the US Army 4th Infantry Division , 25th Infantry Division , 1st Cavalry Division , 173d Airborne Brigade , US Marine Corps , United States Army Special Forces and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam . They also flew many classified missions for MACV - SOG . Over 60 members of the 119th Aviation Company ( Assault Helicopter ) were killed in action , with many more wounded . As the war in Vietnam wound down , the 17th Aviation Group was inactivated in Oakland , California , on 16 March 1973 . Korea and Inactivation . The 17th was reactivated in Korea on 1 June 1975 . In Korea the group continued its logistics and combat aviation role in support of the US Forces Korea ( USFK ) , ROK - US Combined Forces Command ( CFC ) , and Eighth United States Army ( EUSA ) . Equipment assets included UH - 60 Blackhawk helicopters , CH - 47 Chinook heavy lift choppers , and C - 12 Huron fixed - wing aircraft . In Korea the 17th received air traffic control from the 164th Air Traffic Services Group , which provided ATC services throughout the entire Korean theater in support of all Army aviation operations . On 17 October 1987 the group was redesignated as the 17th Aviation Brigade . As a brigade , it was authorized its own shoulder sleeve insignia , which became authorized on 9 June 1988 . As part of the overall restructuring of Army forces , in June 2005 the brigade was inactivated , along with the 6th Cavalry Brigade ( Air Combat ) , and most of the assets of both brigades were merged into the Combat Aviation Brigade , 2d Infantry Division in Korea , although some aircraft were reallocated to units in Alaska and Hawaii . At the time of the 17th ' s inactivation it had one of the last pathfinder units in the entire US Army , the other being assigned to the 101st Airborne Division ( Air Assault ) at Fort Campbell , KY . The last pathfinder commander was Captain Derek Martin and the last pathfinder Team Leader was SSG Donald Jordan .