59th Aviation Troop Command
The 59th Aviation Troop Command is located at McEntire Joint National Guard Base
in Eastover, South Carolina. This is the headquarters element for all Army Aviation
in the South Carolina Army National Guard. 59th Aviation Troop Command is responsible
for the peace time leadership of all Army Aviation units as well as supporting wartime mobilizations of these units. The Adjutant General charges the 59th Aviation Troop
Command with providing command
and control for Army Aviation missions during military
support to civilian authority operations. These operations include but are not limited
to: hurricane support, homeland defense operations, fire fighting, and disaster
relief.
The 59th Aviation Troop Command fields three separate battalions. The 1-151st Aviation
Battalion (Attack) has sixteen AH-64A Apache helicopters capable of launching Hellfire
missiles, 2.75” rockets and 30mm cannon rounds. This unit has performed valorously
during rotations to Kuwait, Kosovo and Iraq. The 2-151st Aviation Battalion (Security
and Support) has seven OH-58 Kiowa helicopters. These aircraft are used in a variety
of roles for Homeland Defense missions as well as during disaster relief operations.
The OH-58s will be replaced by the newly acquired LUH (Light Utility Helicopters)
to further enhance the capabilities and diversity of missions performed by this
battalion. The 2-151st Aviation Battalion also controls A Co, 2-149th Aviation Regiment
and Detachment 1, B Co, 2-238th Aviation Regiment. These two units have eight UH-60L
Blackhawks and three CH-47D Chinook (expanding to six eventually) helicopters, respectively.
These helicopters are the South Carolina Army National Guard’s utility and heavy
lift assets. The Blackhawk can carry and/or sling load potentially up to 9,000 pounds
and performs many diverse missions to include fire fighting, helibasket operations,
VIP transport and recon, and supply or Soldier transport. The Chinook is a cargo
helicopter with a lift capability of up to 26,000 pounds to include sling loads.
The third battalion is the 351st Aviation Support Battalion. This battalion also
performs many diverse and important missions during peacetime or if deployed for
war. There is a heavy transportation company with numerous trucks, a water purification
detachment, a medical support detachment, and an Aviation Intermediate Maintenance
Detachment.
For further information on Army Aviation in South Carolina please call MAJ Ray Davis,
Personnel Officer, 59th Avn Troop Command at 803-806-1738.