| abstract | - In 1947 the New York Army National Guard fielded a fixed wing aviation detachment of L-19 "Bird Dogs" assigned to Miller Field on Staten Island. This detachment and aircraft from the II Corps and 101st Armored Cavalry Regiment were organized as the 42d Aviation Company at Huntington Station, Long Island in 1959. In 1963, the 42d Division's aviation units were reorganized as the 42d Aviation Battalion, based at Freeport, Long Island. The battalion was equipped with O-1A Bird Dog and U-6 Beaver fixed wing aircraft. The 42d Aviation Battalion expanded as the United States Army began fielding helicopters, including the creation of "lettered" subordinate companies (Company A, 42d Aviation Battalion, and so on) and companies from other states. In 1968 the battalion received OH-13s and OH-23s. In 1971, Company A (Niagara Falls) and Company B (Massachusetts) received UH-1 helicopters. These companies consisted mainly of "lift" capacity and fielded the Delta and Hotel model UH-1, but each company had "Attack" platoons which flew "Charlie" and "Mike" model gunships. By 1985 the 42d Aviation Battalion was fielding the AH-1 Cobras and OH-6 Cayuse, as well as the UH-1 Iroquois. In October, 1986 another reorganization resulted in the 42d Aviation Battalion being re-designated as the Aviation Brigade, 42d Infantry Division. This reorganization included the stand-up of 1st Battalion, 142d Aviation Regiment (Attack) headquartered in Latham (1989), and 2d Battalion, 142d Aviation Regiment (Assault) in Niagara Falls (1991). In 1995 the Army’s "Aviation Restructuring Initiative" again reorganized the Aviation Brigade. 2-142d Aviation was inactivated, moved to Rochester as the redesignated as 1-142d, and received the AH-1 ‘F’ model helicopter. 1-142d in Latham was re-flagged as the 3d Battalion, 142d Aviation Regiment (Assault), and received the UH-60 ‘Blackhawk’ helicopter.
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