Early Army aviation can trace its beginning back to balloon and heavier-than-air flight, which quickly proved its value as an essential arm to on-the-ground combat fighting by adding a third dimension to viewing land combat. From the very first observation balloons during the Civil War to the Army’s purchase of their first Wright brothers aircraft in 1907 to today’s modern force, Army Aviation has led the way in the skies above America’s battlefields wherever needed for over 115 years. A proven battlefield force multiplier in support of ground forces, Army Aviation has performed with distinction in every American conflict in the 20th and 21st centuries. Whether fighting in the strange new dimension of aerial warfare in WWI, conducting a strategic bombing campaign in WWII Europe, flying the “Hump” in Southeast Asia, or moving troops into the jungles of Vietnam, U.S. Army Aviation has evolved through organizational and force structure improvements to meet the nation’s needs wherever and whenever necessary. The mission of Army Aviation is to find, fix, and destroy the enemy through fire and maneuver, as an integral member of the combined arms team. On the modern battlefield, it is capable of the full spectrum of combined arms team operations and that of “Joint” operations with other services. The Army aviation motto is “Above the Best,” and to be that, Army aviation will continue to grow in the quality of its people and the technical sophistication of its equipment.
Inducted in 2022.
Portrait Location: Not Currently on Floor

Induction Video