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89-00172, Boeing D model kit number M3326, was a CH-47D helicopter. 89-00172 was test flown and accepted by the U.S. Army on 29 September 1990 at 4,656.7 aircraft hours. As of 28 September 2001, 89-00172 had accumulated 1,643.4 D model hours and 6,285.4 total aircraft hours. 89-00172 was a conversion from the original C model Chinook 68-15825. On 11 September 1990, 89-00172 was inducted, converted, and initially assigned to the unit that would eventually become B Company - "Sugar Bears North", 4th Battalion, 123rd Aviation Regiment, located at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. 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" (located in Alaska from November 1971 through 16 October 1987). When United States involvement in the Vietnam conflict ended, 242nd ASHC was re-located from the Republic of Vietnam (RVN) to Alaska. The aviation unit in Alaska at the time was designated the 236th ASHC, 19th Aviation Battalion (April 1971 - November 1971). When the 242nd ASHC re-located to Alaska and re-formed, the unit name changed from "Muleskinners" to "Sugar Bears" and the unit designation went from the 236th ASHC to the 242nd ASHC. At some point, the unit was split into two companies. 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". On 16 October 1990 at 4,694.0 aircraft hours, 89-00172 was disassembled for C5 air shipment to the Middle East Theater (Saudi Arabia) for Operation Desert Shield / Storm and assigned to B Company, 2nd Battalion, 158th Aviation Regiment on 23 February 1991 at 4,706.1 aircraft hours. 89-00172 was one of three C Company, 228th Aviation Regiment Chinook helicopters to deploy to South West Asia. 89-00167 and 89-00176 were the other two aircraft. 89-00172 flew 44.0 aircraft hours in support of Operation Desert Storm. 89-00172 was transferred to C Company, 228th Aviation Regiment on or about 5 May 1991 at approximately 4,750.1 aircraft hours. As of 1 January 2002, this aircraft was 33.2 years old. As of 28 September 2001, the last known location of 89-00172 was Fort Wainwright, Alaska, assigned to B Company, 4th Battalion, 123rd Aviation Regiment. Aircraft status: Flyable. |
