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4th Brigade
8th Infantry Division (Mech)

Looking for more information from military/civilian personnel assigned to or associated with the U.S. Army in Germany from 1945 to 1989. If you have any stories or thoughts on the subject, please contact me.


4th Bde History (1986-19..)

8th AHB


18th AHB

2nd Bn, 4th Avn

3rd Bn, 4th Avn

TF Skyhawk

240th GSAC

4th CAC
Bad Kreuznach Army Airfield

Finthen Army Airfield

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4th Brigade
 
1986
(Source: STARS & STRIPES, April 9, 1986)
Effective April 11, 1986, 8th Cbt Avn Bn will be inactivated and replaced by 4th Brigade. The brigade will have 112 helicopters and a personnel strength of 1,200 soldiers.

4th Brigade, based at Finthen AAF, will consist of Hq & Hq Company, two attack helicopter battalions (8th and 18th AHB) and the 55th Trans Avn Maint Co. The two AH battalions will be formed with personnel and equipment from the two former attack helicopter companies (Co B & C, 8th CAB). The 55th TAMC is the former Co D, 8th CAB.

Other units will be formed from two former companies of the 8th CAB:
240th Gen Spt Aviation Company, Bad Kreuznach, will be formed from Co A, 8th CAB
4th Assault Hel Co will be fomred from Co E, 8th CAB

 
(Source: Pathfinder, May 1986)
Division's 4th Brigade Activated

The 8th Infantry Division's 4th Brigade was activated April 11 in ceremonies at Finthen Army Airfield. Made up of the soldiers and aircraft of the now retired 8th Aviation Battalion, the brigade will provide all aviation support to the 8th Division.
  Also activated in the ceremony were the 8th Attack Helicopter Battalion, the 18th Attack Helicopter Battalion, the 55th Transportation Aviation Maintenance Company, the 240th General Support Aviation Company and the 4th Assault Helicopter Company.

Taking command of the new brigade is Col. James P Hunt, a veteran of two tours in Vietnam.

The commander of the 8th Aviation Battalion, Lt. Col. Richard N. Roy, is being reassigned to Bad Kreuznach where he will become the inspector general of the 8th Infantry Division.
Hunt comes to the Pathfinder Division from the Army Aviation School at Fort Rucker, Ala. where he was the director of training and doctrine. Among his assignments, Hunt has served as a company and battalion commander, platoon leader in combat, and has held several aviation staff positions.

1987
(Source: Pathfinder, September 1987)

Name Change

The continuing implementation of the regimental system brought more unit name changes to the division in August, when all the subordinate elements of the division's 4th Brigade were redesignated.

The 8th Attack Helicopter Battalion is now 2nd Battalion, 4th Aviation, while 18th AHB is 3-4 Avn.

240th GSAC is now Company G, 4th Aviation; 4th CAC is H Co, 4th Avn.; amd 55th TAMC is Co I, 4th Avn.

The redesignation identifies the renamed aviation units with the newly formed 4th Aviation Regiment, which assumes the lineage and honors of the inactivated 4th Aviation Battalion.


 
8th Attack Helicopter Battalion
 
1987
(Source: Pathfinder, September 1987)

Name Change
The 8th Attack Helicopter Battalion was redesignated as 2nd Battalion, 4th Aviation in August 1987 as part of the implementation of the regimental system for all the subordinate elements of the division's 4th Brigade.


 
18th Attack Helicopter Battalion
 
 
 

 
3rd Bn, 4th Avn Regt
 

OH-58 KIOWA of B Company in the field
 
1987
(Source: Email from Shawn Meze, B Co, 3rd Bn, 4th Avn, 1985-1988)
When I arrived at FAAF in December of 1985, I was assigned to C Co. 8th CAB. It shortly became B Co. 18th AHB where they moved us into the new barracks near the chow hall.

The C Co 8th CAB barracks turned into the HHC and was our armory/ NBC room ect.

It changed again after that where we became B Co. 3rd Bn, 4th Aviation Regt and we were moved to the old barracks right next to the motor pool. (B Co 3/4 Avn Rgt)

Meanwhile our working facility remained in the small hangar throughout the changes -- that is on one of the pictures I posted.

Unfortunately I do not have dates as to when these changes were made. I would say the change to the 18AHB was done in January/Febuary 1986. And the change to 3/4th was sometime late 1987. Pure speculation on my part but I am in contact with some of my former officers who would likely know the dates.

(Click here to see two of Shawn's photos of Finthen Army Airfield.)

3rd Bn, 4th Avn
Finthen AAF

 

1. B Co office

2. B Co hangar

3. AH-1 Cobra


4. Field exercise




 
Task Force Skyhawk
 
1988
(Source: PATHFINDER, Aprl 1989)
Task Force Skyhawk was established in August, 1988 under 8th Infantry Division's 4th Brigade to provide command and control of the brigade's three separate companies: G, H and I, 4th Avn Bde.

 
1989
(Source: PATHFINDER, Aprl 1989)

Article on Task Force Skyhawk, 1989
(Click on image to view the article)

 
 

 
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