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The Legend of Zelda Dark Links Hylian Shield Keychain Keyring Pendant Black, b9137 US Army Vietnam 11th Pathfinder Airborne Detachment IR37F. These elite groups would precede the main airborne force with visual and electronic signaling devices to guide aircraft to the designated DZs. The 187th Pathfinder Detachment, an Infantry Center unit, was attached to the division as an interim solution until new pathfinder teams were operational. The original U.S. Pathfinder patch was designed in May 1944 by CorporalWilliam Prescott of the 2nd Bn 505th PIR. A static jumpmaster was used in the aircraft for safety purposes and to permit the team leader to concentrate on in route navigation. The drop aircraft were UH-1D helicopters and the drop speed was normally 50 knots to provide the required landing accuracy. Responding to these reports, commanders devised a mission that called for a six-man element from the11th Pathfinder Companyto parachute behind enemy lines. Member of this company take part in many operations in hot zones, like Rio de Janeiro, Haiti and Congo. (At this time, the 1st Cav had no long-range patrol capability). REUNIONS - digital.dav.org Composite by Coffee or Die Magazine. 107TH SIGNAL COMPANY-50TH VIETNAM REUNION Aug. 9-11, Warwick, RI, Contact: Julian Angelone, Ph: 401-487-5368, Email: jpangelone1@gmail.com. [2], Post war the Regular Army's parachute force was reduced to the 16th Parachute Brigade. The 1st Cavalry Division Association is a non-political, non-sectarian, non-profit, soldiers and veterans fraternal organization that has over 28,600 active members. After the Vietnam War, Pathfinders were in all major airborne units and various combat aviation battalions and groups, notably the 11th Aviation Group, by then stationed in Germany. 11th Pathfinder Company (Provisional) An Khe, HHC 11th Aviation Group (4 Teams) 227th Assault Helicopter Bn Pathfinder Detachment 228th Assault Helicopter Bn Pathfinder Detachment 229th Assault Helicopter Bn Pathfinder Detachment General Support Detachment 9th Infantry Division 9th Aviation Bn Pathfinder Det Bear Cat 1968 25th Infantry Division [13] A combination of the drop taking place in broad daylight and that the Germans were not expecting an airborne attack allowed the pathfinders to land on target and guide in the rest of the paratroopers to the proper locations. The jumpers were all seated in the left door of the helicopter and exited the aircraft on a pre-determined time count after turning onto the drop heading from the final aerial checkpoint. The 11th Pathfinder Company (Provisional) was the first and largest Pathfinder unit to serve in Vietnam, and a 1st Air Cav Pathfinder team was among the last Army units to leave Vietnam in 1972. The border honors the colors of the 11th Air Assault Division (Test). [2], The 22nd Independent Parachute Company was sent with the 5th Parachute Brigade, part of the 6th Airborne Division but temporarily detached, to the Far East in mid-1945, remaining there until disbanded in July 1946. Used 2011 Nissan Pathfinder for Sale Near Me | Edmunds The drop aircraft departed the 1st Cavalry Division base camp at An Khe at 0745 hours. The team jumped at 2030 hours and landed fairly close together. The 11th Aviation Group re-deployed from Southeast Asia in March 1973. [18] To date it is the only book covering pathfinders in Vietnam. The 1st Cavalry Division Association is a non-political, non-sectarian, non-profit, soldiers and veterans fraternal organization that has over 28,600 active members. [28] The courses taught at the WTC and Fort Campbell do not include parachute jumps. The 11th Pathfinder Company (Provisional) was the first and largest Pathfinder unit to serve in Vietnam, and a 1st Air Cav Pathfinder team was among the last Army units to leave Vietnam in 1972. Availability: In stock Quantity: + When not writing about history, Matt enjoys volunteering for One More Waveand rooting for Boston sports teams. 29 March 1972: PFC Larry Batts was KIA in Long Knanh Province, Vietnam while serving with C Co, 2nd Bn, 8th Cav, 1st Cav Div. No permission to republish is permitted without written consent. There are nineteen teams with about a dozen members each in the GCP, which is structured as follows: The President's Bodyguard was initially a cavalry unit raised in September 1773 to guard the Governor General. After further expansion and training in England with the British 6th Airborne Division, Pathfinders led the Normandy invasion (Operation OVERLORD) during the early hours of D-Day, 6 June 1944. The US Army's 11th Aviation Group landed in country in August 1965, and while assigned to the 1st Air Cavalry Division expanded its Pathfinder unit to company size, creating the provisional 11th Pathfinder Company. Belgium has a platoon of pathfinders that is special operations capable as part of the Special Operations Regiment. Four jumps were conducted during daylight hours, and sniper fire was encountered on two of them. Nearly every combat aviation battalion subsequently had a Pathfinder unit and employed them routinely, but very few employed them as widely and for as long as did the 1st Air Cavalry Division. "Out of the Blue." The first two U.S. airborne campaigns, the drops into French North Africa (Operation Torch) and on Sicily (Operation Husky) did not make use of pathfinders. The units were formed into two companies to work with the two British airborne divisions created during the war, the 1st and 6th. The ARA aircraft soon after engaged and destroyed a squad-size enemy force attempting to escape by boat across Dam Tra O Lake. The ability of the 11th Pathfinder Company to effectively conduct day or night parachute infiltrations permitted the 1st Cavalry Division to achieve tactical flexibility and surprise by inserting airmobile forces into operational areas at times and places unexpected by the enemy. A review of procedures and methods resulted in the establishment of the pathfinder teams to aid navigation to drop zones. 162nd Aviation Company (Airmobile) 173rd Aviation Company (Airmobile) Troop C, 16th Cavalry (Air) Division Reconnaissance 1st Squad, 4th Cavalry Regiment (Armored) 11th Pathfinder Company (Provisional) Company F, 52nd Infantry (Long Range Recon) Company I, 75th Infantry (Ranger) Division Support Units 1st Engineer Battalion 1st Medical Battalion The low clouds and extremely intense anti-aircraft fire caused the pathfinder sticks to be dropped off course, with only one stick landing in the correct place (Ambrose, p.196). [12], The same night, the newly formed pathfinder detachment from the 509th PIB saw their first action in that capacity at Avellino, Italy. Specialized soldier who prepares sites for airborne operations, For specialized bomber guidance used during World War II, see. Army Pathfinders that have died in training or accidents. About an hour later, the pathfinder team extracted by helicopter and returned to An Khe base camp. On April 2, 1967, a MIKE Force team of 30 Special Forces soldiers and 350 Montagnards parachuted into South Vietnam. The U.S. Air Force Special Tactics Squadrons perform pathfinder-type roles. Weather: no moon, scattered clouds, light wind from the north; drop aircraft: UH-1D; drop speed: 50 knots; drop altitude: 800 feet; parachutes: T-10s with reserves. Pathfinders also were employed during Operation DRAGOON, the invasion of Southern France, but results were not good due to fog and darkness that created navigation problems for the Pathfinder aircraft. The company, with most of the rest of the 1st Airborne Division, after fighting briefly in the early stages of the Italian Campaign, returned to the United Kingdom in December 1943, but left an independent platoon behind in Italy to work with the 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade Group. [10] In fact, some of the paratroopers landed so far off course that it was a matter of weeks before they finally found their way back to Allied lines.[10]. One of a series of official Marine Corps photographs of Sgt. There were no casualties or aircraft hit by enemy fire. The 11th Airborne Division was sent to Japan in 1945 for occupation duty at the end of the war, but it was not until 1947 that Pathfinders of the 11th Airborne Division were formally activated. Pathfinder (military) - Wikipedia Many units were widely scattered with some landing miles from their assigned areas. In Vietnam Pathfinder Infantrymen were inserted into areas to establish landing zones for air assaults or other helicopter operations. In 1965, these new mounted troops began deploying to Camp Radcliff located at An Khe, in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Unless it was necessary to jump from that altitude to achieve required landing accuracy, 800-900 feet should be the minimum jump altitude for future operations. Although paratroopers conducted airborne operations throughout theKorean War, the tactic was employed only sporadically until the US military embraced it again in Vietnam. On the daylight jumps, a UH-1B gunship preceded the drop aircraft over the DZ by two minutes and dropped a smoke grenade. "[citation needed]. There were no friendly units in the area. The flight was monitored by Pleiku radar and a template of the flight route was prepared by the radar operator for overlay on the radar screen during the operation (Note 2). [4] The company, together with the rest of the division, remained in Normandy, acting as standard line infantry, until the 6th Airborne Division advanced to the River Seine in August, returning to England in September but was sent to Belgium in December, due to the German Ardennes offensive, again fighting as standard infantrymen. In military organizations, a pathfinder is a specialized soldier inserted or dropped into place in order to set up and operate drop zones, pickup zones, and helicopter landing sites for airborne operations, air resupply operations, or other air operations in support of the ground unit commander. The after-action review of this operation determined that the 900-foot jump altitude resulted in too much exposure in the air for the jumpers and too large a landing pattern on the ground. THE WALL OF FACES - Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund Consequently, in August 1964 the 11th Pathfinder Company (Airborne/ Provisional) was officially formed. They also set up a glide slope indicator for the lead aircraft of each four-ship formation and used an SE-11light gun for long-range visual signaling. The troopers would ride the UH-1 and UH-1-C gunship helicopters and be supplied with the CH-47 Chinook and CH-54 Skycrane helicopters. Are you looking for a family member, an old Army buddy, wish to share any of your old photos or records, or even observe information that needs correcting? In subsequent years the black hat identifier has come to be associated with all Army pathfinders and airborne instructors. These navigational aids included compass beacons, colored panels, Eureka radar sets, and colored smoke. The low jump altitude partially offset the effect of the high winds and all jumpers landed fairly close together. 1st Cavalry Division - US Army - Vietnam - Airmobile With fragments of practical knowledge from the British Airborne, company commander Captain Howland and his XO 1st Lt. Fred E. Perry worked hard to develop usable techniques. The Combat Infantry Badge and parachute wings with unique background oval are emblematic of our capabilities and service in Vietnam as combat airborne infantryman. 1st Class Melvin Hill. 11TH PATHFINDER COMPANY (BLACKHATS) 11TH AAD/1ST CAV. The historic jump carried out by Military Assistance Command, VietnamStudies and Observations Group or MACV-SOG marked the first time that US forces had completed a High Altitude Low Opening (HALO) insertion in a combat environment. [12] They were used twice, at Tagaytay Ridge in early February 1945, and again on June 23, 1945. 11th Pathfinder CO. - 1st Cavalry Division Association US Force Recon Marines conducted a total ofthree combat jumpsin the Vietnam War. [12] Their objective was to set beacons to guide in planes to resupply the surrounded 4th Infantry Division, and they succeeded; this allowed the division to fight off the Germans surrounding them. The first pathfinder teams were trained in Sicily and teams later were employed in all airborne operations in Europe, most notably during the D-Day invasion in Normandy. Pathfinders in Vietnam: Photo of Dale - The Giant Killer | Facebook It would accommodate a single UH-1D if a few trees could be cut, but they also found unoccupied bunkers at each corner of the LZ. This designation only lasted until 31 October 1995 when the Pathfinder presence at Fort Rucker came to an end due to budget cuts that also ended the post's Air Assault School. Our membership consists of troopers who rode horses in the 1940's through troopers who ride Abrams tanks and Apache helicopters today. The Golden Hawks brigade was responsible for 40% of the Armys helicopter assets and most of its fixed wing assets which supported the remainder of ground forces in South Vietnam. The flight continued beyond the objective area to give the appearance of a routine transit of the area, and returned to Pleiku by a different route. Pathfinders taking part in the Allied parachute assault on Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944, were trained by the Pathfinder School at RAF North Witham (U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) designation 'Army Air Force Station 479') Lincolnshire. Yellow and Black represent the colors of the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). It is on display at the National Infantry Museum at Fort Benning, GA. Can our experts tell me more about this particular Army blouse- model type, fabrication, . He viewed Natty Bumpo, the main character of a James Fennimore Cooper novel, as the first Pathfinder and a great role model for his Black Hats to emulate. 2017NPA Copyright All Rights Reserved All Photos and text property of NPA and it's members. Because of the sporadic enemy fire and blowing sand, the aircraft were directed to land in two-ship sections at 15-second intervals. Combat Parachute Jumps - 11th Pathfinder Company There was no enemy contact, and the pathfinder team was extracted by helicopter at 0920 hours and returned to the An Khe base camp. However, this extra equipment might require extra men to ensure individual jumpers were not overloaded and could quickly move cross-country on foot if necessary. Pathfinders exist in a number of armed forces around the world. The primary reasons for infiltrating the pathfinders were tactical surprise and the need to clear and prepare the LZs for the assault helicopters. The 509th's Scout Company was the first specialized Pathfinder group. 11th Special Forces Group Airborne SFGA Reserve beret flash DUI patch B c/e (#153424045785) . The Belgian pathfinders keep close ties with their Dutch and British counterparts, with whom they perform joint exercises.[20]. After becoming part of the newly formed 1st Battalion, 509th (ABN) Infantry Regiment on December 18, 1987, at the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC), Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, C Co continued its support of The Aviation School until it was reflagged in 1993, Memories of John Prior 82nd Airborne Pathfinder Platoon 1947-1949, webmaster@nationalpathfinderassociation.org. It was the night of Nov. 28, 1970. In the postVietnam era the Army established pathfinder units in US-based aviation units, to include the 222d Aviation Battalion[19] in Alaska and the 6th Cavalry Brigade (Air Combat) at Fort Hood, TX. Photo courtesy of theNational Pathfinder Association/Facebook. Contactwebmaster@nationalpathfinderassociation.orgfor inquires, Cpl Steven Walters (Carbuncle) and Dictionary, Spanky at TRADOC as the DPTMSEC mid 1980s, Combat Jump Florence_MorningNews Mon Apr 15 1968, Dennis Whitcomb 9th Avn Inf Pathfinder Team, 160th Aviation and 101st Airborne Pathfinders, 11th Pathfinder Co First Cavalry Division, 14th Combat Aviation Bn Pathfinder Detachment Dong Tam, Bear Cat, All 145th photos courtesy Fran Bujnowski and Ed Carter, 1st Aviation Bn 1st Infantry Div PfdrDet, 11th CAB and 11th Pfdr Co weredifferent units, Some members in the video link above are CPL Don Hunt and SGT Charnock, 14th Aviation Pathfinder Video link below, 11th Pathfinder Company, 1st Cavalry Division Website, 268th CAB Pathfinder Det, 1st Aviation Bde Website, 101st Pathfinders Danny "Bear" Rozier on left and Mike "Zeke" Johnson on right evacuate a casualty during Operation Lam Son 719, webmaster@nationalpathfinderassociation.org. His body was not recovered until 6 January 1968. Please submit your comments, concerns, or questions to our site webmaster. A third identifier was the background oval worn with the parachute wings. At first light the team made radio contact with the radio-relay site, and shortly afterward discovered they were not alone in the objective area. Combat Engineer: The Unsung Hero of the Battlefield, Troops Who Refused COVID Vaccine Still May Face Discipline, New Statue Will Pay Tribute to Vietnam-Era Military Wives Who Took on the US Government, Heroism & Guts What It Takes To Earn the Navy Cross, From the Silent Service to the Presidency: The Life of Jimmy Carter, Nolan Peterson, Coffee or Dies Ukraine Reporter, Addresses DC, Prosecutors: Marine Threatened To Chop Wife With Machete, Eddie Rickenbacker: Americas Most Decorated World War I Ace. Two sticks of pathfinders of the 101st parachuted into besieged Bastogne to set up signal beacons to guide in a flight of planes to resupply the Allied units in that town; the resupply succeeded, thanks to the efforts of the pathfinders. In 1968 the 101st was reorganized as an airmobile division with a four-section Pathfinder platoon. In the United States Marine Corps, pathfinder missions are conducted by the Force Reconnaissance platoons by inserting in the battlefield and placing signal panels or illuminating flashers, eventually being replaced by remote sensors and beacons during the Vietnam War. Shortly thereafter, these teams performed flawlessly in the highly successful night airborne reinforcement of the Salerno beachhead on the mainland of Italy on 13 and 14 September 1943. His first duty assignment was as Assistant Detachment Commander, 11th Pathfinder Company, 11th Aviation Group, 11th Air Assault, Fort Benning, Georgia. USAREUR Units - 11th Avn Gp - USArmyGermany.com During the Korean War the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team was organized out of the 11th Airborne Division in Japan and deployed to combat. [38] By the end of 2021 the website for the Airborne & Ranger Training Brigade no longer listed the Pathfinder course among its offerings. They are paracommandos that receive an extra pathfinder course at Schaffen. [9] When they jumped, the pathfinders many times would encounter less resistance than the follow-up waves of paratroopers, simply because they had the element of surprise on their side. At this point the two pathfinder companies were (1) Company F (Pathfinder), 4th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 159th Combat Aviation Brigade and (2) Company F (Pathfinder), 5th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade. They began to drop at 00:15 on June 6, to prepare the drop zones for the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions. Attack on LZ Leslie - January 3, 1968. [13] The mission of the airborne troops was to capture a series of bridges from Best in the south, to Arnhem (by the British 1st Airborne Division) in the north. Each Pathfinder team consisted of 9 to 14 signaling specialist with two Eureka sets and nine Holophane lights, plus a five man security detachment. Read Next:The Female War Reporter Who Parachuted Into Vietnam With French Commandos. This enabled the inbound jumpmaster to align the drop aircraft and pick an exit point that would maximize the landing accuracy of the team because steerable parachutes were not available. A California Marine remains in the brig, accused of threatening to chop up his wife with a machete. Weather: clear, 18-20 knots wind from the NE; drop aircraft: UH-1D; drop speed: 50 knots; jump altitude: 500 feet; parachutes: T-10s with reserves. Veterans History Project Service Summary: War or Conflict: Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Branch of Service: Army Unit of Service: 11th Pathfinder Company; 1st Cavalry Division Location of Service: Fort Benning, Georgia; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Germany; Vietnam; Washington DC; Korea; Fort Monroe, Virginia Highest Rank: Colonel View full service history 1LT Ronald B. Flynn, SGT Barry J. Crites, SGT Richard C. Cunningham, CPL Roger C. Moak, PFC David K. Flick, and PFC Ronald C. Lunde. 3 January 1968: Sergeant John Brimm, 229th Pathfinder Detachment, 11th Pathfinder Company, 1st Cavalry Division was KIA on LZ Leslie, Quang Nam Province, South Vietnam. Once the main force has landed, the platoon provides tactical intelligence for the brigade.[21]. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Pathfinder Platoon operations have included: The platoon work under the command of the Brigade Headquarters. [1], Towards the end of the war the 21st Independent Parachute Company went with the 1st Airborne Division as part of Operation Doomsday to disarm the German forces in Norway between May and October 1945. The drop aircraft (with no running lights on) flew at 800 feet and visually maintained its position directly under the higher aircraft. While the 11th Pathfinder Company was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division's reconnaissance section, units such as the 1st Infantry Division, 101st Airborne (Airmobile), 82nd Airborne (3rd Brigade), etc., operated Ranger or Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) companies within their reconnaissance elements. They quickly setup a four-ship LZ using a lighted T for the lead aircraft and single lights for the landing point for each of the other aircraft. The task force was conducting Operation Byrd in the Phan Thiet area under direct control of I Field Force Vietnam. The size of the enemy element was unknown. Once on the ground, the team would conduct reconnaissance of the immediate vicinity, set up a limited security perimeter, and establish a helicopter landing zone for assault forces from the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry. Landing Zone Leslie (also known as Firebase Leslie or Hill 138) was a U.S. Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) base located in the Que Son Valley southwest of Hoi An in Quang Nam Province in central Vietnam. Vietnamese machine embroidered. Both the Blackhat and Natty Bumpo nicknames stuck and immediately became standard terminology that continues to this day. Following the 1982 Falklands War, 5 Airborne Brigade was established as a light, rapid reaction force for similar requirements. 11TH PATHFINDER COMPANY COMBAT PARACHUTE OPERATIONS IN SOUTH VIETNAM The 11th Pathfinder Company (Airborne/Provisional) of the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) conducted 12 combat parachute jumps during the Vietnam War. The team leader requested an overflight of the area by the drop aircraft in order to pinpoint their location. The flight route to the drop point was flown with the team and static safety aboard. Eddie Rickenbacker, the ace of aces, may have broken the record for aerial victories in World War I, but that was hardly the most remarkable part of his extraordinary life. He had previously served with the 11th Pathfinder Company. The first is the United States Army Pathfinder School, at Fort Benning, Georgia,[26] which serves as the Army proponent agency for Pathfinder operations and oversees the standardization of Army Pathfinder doctrine. Brazil has a company of pathfinders (Companhia de Precursores Pra-quedista) as part of the Parachute Infantry Brigade. Additionally, the 10th Infantry Division (Mountain) and the 25th Infantry Division (Light) formed Pathfinder companies that conducted combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. . Several of these jumps were conducted at night. However, even the 500-foot jump altitude did not always guarantee that all jumpers would make it into the small DZs. The Navy Cross the branchs second-highest award for valor in combat isnt handed out to just anybody. We were equipped with a British homing radio and U.S. Navy Aldis lamps, which radiated a beam to guide planes. Gonzales had been added to the 11th Pathfinder Company, 11th Aviation Group, 1st Cavalry Division, where he remembered receiving lots of "on-the-job training." "We were the eyes and ears of aviation on the ground," he said. These were the USAR platoons, their locations and the commands to which they were assigned: The Army National Guard activated five pathfinder detachments. Once on the ground, the Marines buried their parachutes, set up an observation post on Hill 555, and conducted surveillance on a group of approximately 40 North Vietnamese Army soldiers. In the U.S. Army, it started the training and experimentation necessary to develop the concept at Oujda. Documentation on when pathfinders returned to the division is sparse, but most likely took place in the 1960s with the advent of helicopter warfare and the shift of the pathfinder mission from control of fixed-wing aircraft, which had gone to USAF combat control teams, to Army rotary wing aircraft. This unit is tasked with the execution of missions that are common to this kind of force, but, often operate like a special forces group. In the Vietnam War, in response to a need to establish a mobile quick-reaction strike force, US Army Green Berets formed MIKE Force. Pathfinders and pilots conducted an aerial recon and dress rehearsal. At 2055 hours the first assault helicopters landed. THE WALL OF FACES - Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund The platoon operates in teams of 6 men. Coffee or Die Magazine | 4 American Units That Conducted Multiple Sgt. The US Army's 11th Aviation Group landed in the country in August 1965, and while assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) expanded its Pathfinder unit to company size, creating the provisional 11th Pathfinder Company. The latin motto translates "Establish the Standard". National Pathfinder Association | History The 11th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade is a Combat Aviation Brigade in the United States Army Reserve.The unit's lineage can be traced to the prior lineage and insignia of the 11th Aviation Group which was last headquartered in Illesheim, Germany in 2005. As the team carefully reconnoitered the area during the morning they encountered several previously used campsites, shelters, bunkers, and a camouflaged two-meter wide high-speed trail with numerous fresh footprints. Scott Whitting, a medic assigned to MIKE Force, later recounted the story of Operation Harvest Moon on the Facebook page of theMIKE Force Association. Vietnam Helicopter insignia and artifacts - 11th Combat Aviation - VHPA Pathfinders determined the most practical landing zones, withdrawal routes, approach lanes, and landing sites for helicopter assaults, in hostile areas. "When not out fighting with the line companies, we would go to a rear area to shower and rest." The activities of the Pathfinder Platoon, HHC, 160th Aviation Group, 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam are covered in the book "Pathfinder: First In, Last Out" by the late Richard R. Burns, a veteran of the unit. Concurrently in the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), the 101st Aviation Brigade (Attack) and the 159th Aviation Brigade (Assault) were reorganized to be identical combat aviation brigades, and the division's former LRSD was transferred from the 311th Military Intelligence Battalion to the 159th CAB to become a second pathfinder company within the division. After Basic Training, Infantry Training, Army Airborne School, and Pathfinder School, Bob was assigned to the 11th Pathfinder Co, and became part of the newly formed 1st Cavalry Division Airmobile.