In Vietnam: 1966 - 1971 |
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In Alaska: 1971 - 2005 |
| 242nd Aviation Company (ASHC) |
| 236th Aviation Company (ASHC) |
| C Company, 228th Aviation Regiment |
| B Company, 4th Battalion, 123rd Aviation Regiment |
| B Company, 1-52 GSAB, 16th CAB |
| "Muleskinners" / "Sugar Bears" |
In Vietnam: 1966 - 1971 |
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In Alaska: 1971 - 2005 |
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| As of June 2005, the history of the 242nd Aviation Company (Assault Support Helicopter Company) as a CH-47 Chinook aviation unit, and the unit it evolved into - B Company, 4th Battalion, 123rd Aviation Regiment - spanned 39 years. On this page is a little history of one Chinook unit that has served it's country with pride and distinction... |
| The Aviation Unit in Alaska |
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"Sugar Bears North" |  |
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Originally known as the "Medium Helicopter Company North," the 236th Assault Support Helicopter Company (ASHC) of the 19th Aviation Battalion started the "Sugar Bear" tradition in Alaska during April of 1971. With General Foods' consent to use their Post Sugar Crisp "Sugar Bear" trademark, the 236th ASHC began the legacy of the "Sugar Bears". In November of 1971, as United States involvement in the Vietnam conflict drew to a close and veteran combat |
| units were being reassigned to other areas around the globe, the 236th ASHC was redesignated as the 242nd ASHC of the 222nd Combat Aviation Battalion. Rather than adopt the "Muleskinner" title so famously earned by the 242nd in the Republic of Vietnam (RVN), the unit continued to use the "Sugar Bear" mascot because of the exceptional reputation becoming associated with it and to offer a distinction between the two company's lineage and honors. |
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| Pictured above is a former presidential support CH-47C Chinook (either 71-20948 or 71-20949, there were only two painted and used like this) in the snow outside Hangar 4 and 5 at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, in approximately May 1981. SPC Don Sekulich, the clerk assigned to the then Production Control Officer, CW3 Don Lunceford, etched out the "Sugar Bear" greeting in the snow and then climbed to the top of the hangar to snap the photo. |
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| On 16 October 1987, the unit was organized and designated C Company, 228th Aviation Regiment assigned to the 222nd Aviation Battalion. 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 24 June 1994, the unit was redesignated as B Company, 4th Battalion, 123rd Aviation Regiment. |
| Initially equipped with A, and then later C, model CH-47s, the "Sugar Bears" began the self-deployments to Philadelphia in September of 1990 to obtain their fleet of 17 CH-47D models, one of which was to be utilized as a maintenance operational float aircraft assigned to the Aviation Intermediate Maintenance (AVIM) unit. During Operation Desert Storm, eight of the Sugar Bear Chinooks (including 89-00176, 89-00167, and 89-00172) were sent to Saudi Arabia. At that time, the Sugar Bears were subordinate to the 6th Infantry Division, (L), and as such were the only slice of the 6th ID to deploy for combat operations in the middle eastern theater. The Sugar Bears have taken part in many field exercises including Arctic Reach, Brim Frost, Yukon Quest, Manchu Fire, Arctic Strike, Northern Edge and numerous Joint Readiness Training Center rotations. Throughout their stay in Alaska, the unit conducted annual missions providing transportation to remote areas of the state. These missions transported medical teams from Fort Wainwright to many towns and villages providing care for indigenous populations who would not have otherwise had access to decent health treatment. |
| In training for their wartime mission to "Be prepared to deploy world wide to provide heavy-lift helicopter support", the Sugar Bears have hauled hundreds of thousands of troops and tons of cargo in support of tactical training operations and community support missions. B Company has fought millions of acres of burning timber with 1000-gallon water buckets, performed emergency airlifts of native Alaskan villagers from rising flood waters and delivered tons of Christmas gifts to remote orphanages. |
| In addition to their Wartime Mission, B Company soldiers also perform one of the most unique peace-time missions in the history of Army helicopter lift operations: high altitude rescue operations (HART) on Denali (Mount McKinley). At 20,320 feet, it is the highest mountain in North America. In 1971, a Sugar Bear CH-47 rescued three dangerously ill Japanese climbers from the 17,800 foot level of Denali. This marked the beginning of what is known today as the High Altitude Rescue Team (HART). The Sugar Bear HART holds the world altitude record for rescue hoist operations, at 18,200 feet. The HART has also conducted landings at 19,600 feet in support of rescue operations and has many other rescues to its credit. |
| In the Summer of 2002, the Sugar Bears supported the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) in the extraction of the only known, nearly complete, fossilized remains of a marine reptile in Alaska - affectionately known as "Icky". Since we are all inextricably linked to the current byproducts of ancient sea life and dinosaurs interacting with their environments, this specimen of an Ichthyosaur will eventually yield important clues as to the bioecology of the area and the planet as a whole. |
| As of approximately 1984, and through at least January 2004, the Sugar Bears resided in Hangar One, located at Fort Wainwright, Alaska. The company boasted an authorized strength of 239 personnel, 14 CH-47D helicopters, 37 vehicles and millions of dollars worth of tools and support equipment. |
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| Above, looking north at the south side of Hangar 4 and 5, at a sign once belonging to the 242nd ASHC's Service Platoon. There was some reported discontent amongst the various powers that be at the time concerning the wording on the sign. The end result was that the sign was eventually vandalized and destroyed by some evil-doers under the cover of darkness and, at some point, it was removed and lost forever. Allegedly, when the Sugar Bears (and their eight 89 model Chinook helicopters) were the only elements of the 6th Infantry Division (L) to deploy to Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield / Storm and the term "6th Stay Back" was coined as a result, a family feud was started which caused the demise of the sign. Hangar 4 and 5 was demolished on 2 May 2003 to make way for new construction. The sign was made by SPC Don Sekulich. |
| Commanding Officers |
| The following is a partial listing of Muleskinner / Sugar Bear Commanders. |
| The 242nd Assault Support Helicopter Company (ASHC) - "Muleskinners" - were commanded, in chronological order, by the below listed officers in the Republic of Vietnam. Major Paul L. Stansel was the first. He was in command when the unit formed at Fort Benning, Georgia on 25 October 1965, and continued as such through the unit's deployment to Vietnam on 11 August 1966 and until 5 November 1967. |
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| Commanders of the 236th Aviation Company (ASH) and C Company, 228th Combat Aviation Battalion is not yet available. |
| B Company - "Sugar Bears", 4th Battalion, 123rd Aviation Regiment has been commanded, in chronological order, by the following officers: |
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| Hangar One |
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| Hangar One, pictured above, was still the home of "Sugar Bears North" as of January 2003. The Sugar Bears moved from Hangar 4 and 5 to Hangar One in approximately 1988. |
| Aircraft Assigned At Some Point: |
| (Aircraft are routinely exchanged, so there is no telling where they are now...) |
| Muleskinner Aircraft |
| "Sugar Bears North" Aircraft |
| "D" Models |
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| Linneage and Honors |
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| View some documents pertaining the Lineage and Honors, Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUIs) and Unit Crests associated with the 242nd Aviation Company (ASH), the 123rd Aviation, the 19th Aviation Battalion, the 228th Aviation Battalion and the 222nd Aviation Battalion. Click-N-Go Here. |
| Muleskinner / Sugar Bears Unit History |
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| A letter received by Major Lissa V. Young from the Alaska State Legislature concerning their visit to the Sugar Bears. Click-N-Go Here to view a larger version. |
| Below is some of the Unit History of the Muleskinners / Sugar Bears. The files are in .pdf format and, although not in the best of shape, they provide the reader insight into these deactivated units' past activities. Something to show your children and grand children... |
| 242nd Aviation Company "Muleskinner" History - 1969 |
| 236th Aviation Company History - 1970 |
| 236th / 242nd Aviation Company - "Sugar Bears" History - 1971 |
| 242nd Aviation Company - "Sugar Bears" History - 1972 |
| 242nd Aviation Company - "Sugar Bears" History - 1973 |
| 242nd Aviation Company - "Sugar Bears" History - 1974 |
| 242nd Aviation Company - "Sugar Bears" History - 1975 |
| 242nd Aviation Company - "Sugar Bears" History - 1976 |
| 242nd Aviation Company - "Sugar Bears" History - 1977 |
| 242nd Aviation Company - "Sugar Bears" History - 1978 |
| 242nd Aviation Company - "Sugar Bears" History - 1979 |
| 242nd Aviation Company - "Sugar Bears" History - 1980 |
| 242nd Aviation Company - "Sugar Bears" History - 1981 |
| 242nd Aviation Company - "Sugar Bears" History - 1982 |
| 242nd Aviation Company - "Sugar Bears" History - 1983 |
| 242nd Aviation Company - "Sugar Bears" History - 1984 |
| 242nd Aviation Company - "Sugar Bears" History - 1985 |
| 242nd Aviation Company - "Sugar Bears" History - 1986 |
| 242nd ASHC / C Co, 228th AVN REGT - "Sugar Bears" History - 1987 |
| C Co - "Sugar Bears", 228th AVN REGT History - 1989 |
| C Co - "Sugar Bears", 228th AVN REGT History - 1990 |
| C Co - "Sugar Bears", 228th AVN REGT History - 1992 |
| C Co - "Sugar Bears", 228th AVN REGT History - 1993 |
| B Company - "Sugar Bears", 4-123rd AVN REGT History - 1995 |
| B Company - "Sugar Bears", 4-123rd AVN REGT History - 1996 |
| B Company - "Sugar Bears", 4-123rd AVN REGT History - 1997 |
| B Company - "Sugar Bears", 4-123rd AVN REGT History - Misc, Undated |
| Related Sites |
| Boeing's Tandem Notes |
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![A "Sugar Bears" greeting and a former presidential support CH-47C in Alaska, circa 1981. [View looking northeast]](242nd_Snow_1_a.jpg)
