1st Infantry Division in Europe: Operation Atlantic Resolve 2019

The deployment of the 1st Combat Aviation Brigade (1CAB) of the 1st Infantry Division is the fourth division deployment in Europe in the context of Operation Atlantic Resolve. The unit withdrew to the United States in October 2019. As part of the European Operation Atlantic Resolve, the 1st Combat Aviation Brigade of the United States Army was active in Europe in 2019. The helicopters and many ground equipment arrived in the port of Zeebrugge in February 2019. The unit left Europe via the port of Rotterdam and was relieved by the 3CAB.

Operation Atlantic Resolve is a military deployment in Europe, to have each nine months a US Army division touring through Europe

Deployment in Europe of the 1st Infantry Division

The helicopters of the 1st Infantry Division arrived in February 2019 in the Belgian port of Zeebrugge. A special compound was set up on the quay for the helicopters. The helicopters would fly via Chievres to Germany where Ansbach would become their new temporary home. From there, they stayed in the Baltic States,  in Poland and  in Romania. The 1CAB also participated during the Normandy Memorials in June 2019

Withdrawal

For the withdrawal of the soldiers and the material from the 1st Infantry Division, the Netherlands acted as the host nation. The helicopters that were relocated consist of more than 55 UH-60 Blackhawks, AH-64 Apaches and CH-47 Chinooks. The helicopters took a route from Germany where they flew via Eindhoven Air Base to the Rotterdam port area. The helicopters then transported by ship to their home base in Fort Riley in Kansas. 

All photos and text by: Joris van Boven and Alex van Noye