Hangar One

 

 

 

 

Hangar 1 at Ladd Field, early 1944.

 

 

At some point, and through at least April 2003, Fort Wainwright was the home of B Company - "Sugar Bears North", 4th Battalion, 123rd Aviation Regiment. Fort Wainwright was the former historic Ladd Field of World War Two era fame. B Company was the former C Company, 228th Aviation Regiment (16 October 1987 - 24 June 1994). C Company was the former 242nd Assault Support Helicopter Company (ASHC) - "Muleskinners", formed and located at Fort Benning, Georgia, on an unknown date to July 1967, then deployed to the Republic of Vietnam (RVN) at Cu Chi, and later at Phu Loi, from August 1967 to October 1971. As the United States involvement in the Vietnam conflict was drawing to an end, the 242nd ASHC was relocated from the RVN to Alaska and remained at Fort Wainwright from November 1971 through 16 October 1987. The aviation unit in Alaska at the time was designated the 236th ASHC, 19th Aviation Battalion, located at Fort Wainwright from April 1971 through November 1971. When the 242nd ASHC relocated to Alaska and reformed, the unit name changed from "Muleskinners" to "Sugarbears" and the unit designation went from the 236th ASHC to the 242nd ASHC. At some point, the unit was split into two companies of eight helicopters each. One company remained in Alaska and became known as "Sugar Bears North". The other company, C Company, 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment, was relocated to Fort Kobbe, Panama and became known as "Sugar Bears South".

 

 

A plaque on display near the front of Hangar One commemorating the efforts of the United States and the Russians during World World Two in defeating the Axis powers.

 

 

A view of Hangar One looking almost West from the eastern parking ramp area in January 2001.

 

 

Below: A view looking Northwest from the south side of the runway on 19 September 2001 showing the beautiful Fall colors as Summer rapidly gives way to the coming arctic extremes of Winter. Fall is only about 3 weeks long.

 

 

An interior view of Hangar One taken 6 September 2001. This photographs shows two helicopters, 90-00181 and 89-00176, undergoing Phase maintenance.

 

 

A view looking Northwest from the B Company Commander's office on 22 June 2001 during a 4th Battalion, 123rd Aviation Regiment change of command, in which LTC Harrison relinquished command of the Battalion to LTC Flewelling.

 

 

Above, a photograph of the icicles hanging from the roof of Hangar One on 21 October 2002 at 11 AM. The temperature had climbed from a nightly low of 17° Fahrenheit to 33°. To give a better idea of their enormous size, the distance from edge of the roof line to windows on the second and third floors is over 11 feet.

 

 

On approach to Fort Wainwright's runway 24, November 2002.

 

 

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