CHAIN OF COMMAND

     220th Aviation Company personnel initially wore the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, shoulder patch, from July 1965, but changed to the 1st Aviation Brigade patch when our unit joined the 223rd Combat Aviation Battalion in September 1966.

EVOLUTION OF UNIT DESIGNATIONS, TRADITIONAL AND CUSTOMARY

UNITED STATES AND VIETNAMESE UNITS SUPPORTED:

This is the "Home" page.
To access any CATCOM newsletter, click on the desired issue on the left side Cat Bar.
There are other links on the bar that lead to our recent activities and history.
We hope you enjoy your visit with us.

Catkiller Video

The Above Video Uploaded to YouTube on Dec 4, 2007:

This film shows aerial views of the flying area of the 220th Reconnaissance Airplane Company (RAC) and scenes from their officers' club during a visit from a USO sponsored entertainment group. Pilots in the 220th RAC were called "Catkillers." The Catkillers were based at Hue Phu Bai airfield, approximately 10 miles south of Hue, the ancient capitol of Vietnam. Their flying area was from just north of DaNang to the DMZ separating North from South Vietnam. The unit flew O-1 Birddogs. These single engine, high wing aircraft, L–19’s missions included artillery adjustment, forward air control, radio relay, convoy cover, naval gunfire, target analysis and combat observation. The "Dogs", as they were called, were two seat aircraft which carried no armament accept for up to eight 2.75 inch rockets which were used primarily to mark targets. The 1st platoon was assigned to support the marines near the DMZ and the Ho Chi Minh trail. The rest of the company provided support for the 101st Airborne Division, ARVN's and Navy ships off the coast for fire direction. The company flew reconnaissance missions in northern I Corps near the DMZ and the trail through Laos. This sequence of aerial scenes shows the military installations in the Phu Bai area then moves to the city of Hue where main focus is "The Citadel" the fortress walled home of former kings of Vietnam. The following scene is of the Marine base at Dong Ha, several miles south of the DMZ. The film then moves to aerial scenes of a Birddog flying near the famous "Rockpile" area, around which some intense battles were fought. The next scene is of an air strike being coordinated near the DMZ. The last aerial scene is taken in the DMZ near where the Ben Hai river empties into the sea. The subject matter in this footage is the giant garrison size flag the North Vietnamese had erected in the middle of the DMZ. As a footnote, subsequent to this film being shot, one of the Catkiller pilots successfully hit the flag with a 2.75 inch white phosphorous rocket and burned it to the ground! The final scene is of Catkiller pilots and their comrades doing a little "serious partying" after a long day on the job! Phu Bai was Alright!