Boeing CH-47D Chinook helicopter 82-23768.

82-23768

Chinook 82-23768 shaking off the dust at sunrise in NTC, January 2002.

   82-23768, Boeing D model kit number M3019, was a CH-47D helicopter. The U.S. Army acceptance date was 29 July 1983. As of 24 November 1999, 82-23768 had accumulated 2,262.0 D model hours and 5,505.0 total aircraft hours.

   82-23768 was a conversion from the original A model Chinook 66-00106.

   On 16 February 1982, 82-23768 was inducted into the D model program, converted, and initially assigned to Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

   At some point, 82-23768 underwent an accidental fuel cell over pressurization that severely damaged the fuselage structure.

   82-23768 was transferred to Corpus Christi Army Depot, (CCAD), located at Corpus Christi, Texas, for repair. It was CCAD's first Chinook rebuild and repair. Prior to that, CH-47 helicopters were repaired at the New Cumberland Army Depot, located near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

   In May of 1987, and as of 24 November 1999, 82-23768 was assigned to C Company - "Flippers", 159th Aviation Regiment, 18th Aviation Brigade, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. As of 21 March 2001, the 18th Aviation Brigade was located at Simmons Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, and was subordinate to the 18th Airborne Corps. C Company is the former 196th Assault Support Helicopter Company (ASHC) - "Flippers". The 196th ASHC was redesignated A Company, 2nd Battalion, 159th Aviation Regiment in approximately 1988. In September 1996, 2nd Battalion was deactivated and the unit was re-designated A Company, 159th Aviation Regiment, becoming directly subordinate to the 18th Aviation Brigade.

   In approximately November 1996, the unit was re-designated as C Company, 159th Aviation Regiment.

   As of 1 January 2002, this aircraft was 35.2 years old.

   As of 24 November 1999, the last known location of 82-23768 was at Fort Bragg.

   Aircraft status: Flyable.