F Co. 159th Avn Regt    History  Company A, 5th Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment was constituted in the Regular Army on 16 July 1965 and was later activated on 17 March 1966 at Fort Benning, Georgia as the 180th Aviation Company.       After undergoing extensive training and preparation, the unit was ordered to the Republic of Vietnam in July of 1966. During the seven-year period from 1966 to 1973, the company took part in 14 counter-offensive campaigns and earned two awards of the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry.       On 5 August 1969 the unit’s designated call sign “Big Windy” was approved by the Secretary of the Army. In March of 1973, the unit departed the Republic of Vietnam and began its present assignment in Europe. In 1977 the company was honored as USAREUR’s Aviation Unit of the Year. In 1986 the unit exceeded 100,000 flight hours.       In November 1987 the 180th Aviation Company colors were encased and the unit was redesignated Company A, 5-159th Aviation Regiment.       As the VII Corps medium lift asset, Alpha Company was called on to deploy to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm in December 1990. The unit returned to Germany in April of 1991 and was awarded the meritorious Unit Citation of its performance. During the Persian Gulf War the company logged over 2,800 flight hours, transported more than 5,000 soldiers and carried over 2,000 tons of cargo.       The company was awarded the Superior Unit Citation for its critical support to USAREUR during the highly sensitive mission Operation Silent Echo form October 1991 through April 1992.       A/5-159th continued to be called on to support Army operations around the world by providing personnel, aircraft and equipment to Operation Restore Hope in Somalia and Operation Provide Comfort in Turkey.       In June of 1993 Alpha Company relocated from Dolan Barracks, Schwaebisch Hall to Giebelstadt Army Airfield. Over the following years, the company gathered remnants of the now deactivated “Geronimo” and “Cyclone” medium lift units to give “Big Windy” the distinction as the only Chinook unit remaining in Germany.       In June of 1994, the unit deployed 13 of its 16 Chinooks to Normandy, France and southern England. “Big Windy” logged 550 hours supporting the “D-Day” commemoration ceremonies.       In the aftermath of the Dayton Peace Accord, “Big Windy” deployed to the Balkan Theater to provide responsive Army Aviation heavy lift support for Operations Determined Effort and Joint Endeavor. Of particular note was the unit’s extraordinary achievement of bridging the Sava River in order to open the road to Bosnia for over 20,000 IFOR troops and equipment. For their efforts, Alpha Company was awarded the AAAA Robert M. Leich Award for outstanding accomplishments in Army Aviation.  At the close of fiscal year 1997 Big Windy has been deployed over 650 days logging over 2,525 flight hours, transporting over 13,358 passengers and carrying over 2,950 tons of cargo in support of Operation Joint Endeavor and Guard.       In August 1996 the company came under the control of the Mission Ready Battalion, 5-158th Aviation Regiment. The 1997 deactivation of the “Centurion” heavy lift unit in Aviano, Italy has left “Big Windy” the only remaining CH-47 heavy lift unit in the European Theater.  In October of 1997 the unit changed its name from A/5-159th Avn Regt to its current F Company, 159th Aviation Regiment.           .