Army One

Last updated
Richard Nixon boarding the helicopter in use as Army One upon his final departure from the White House. His resignation would become effective later that day. Nixon-depart.png
Richard Nixon boarding the helicopter in use as Army One upon his final departure from the White House. His resignation would become effective later that day.

Army One is the callsign of any United States Army aircraft carrying the president of the United States. An Army aircraft carrying the vice president is designated Army Two.

Contents

From 1957 until 1976, the callsign was usually used for an Army helicopter transporting the president. Prior to 1976, responsibility for helicopter transportation of the president was divided between the Army and the U.S. Marine Corps, under the call sign Marine One, until the Marine Corps was given the sole responsibility of transporting the president by helicopter.

VH-3A tail number 150617, the same helicopter as in the above image, on display at the Nixon Library. It was in the presidential fleet from 1961 to 1976, and often flew as Army One. Sea King VH3A.jpg
VH-3A tail number 150617, the same helicopter as in the above image, on display at the Nixon Library. It was in the presidential fleet from 1961 to 1976, and often flew as Army One.

The best known helicopters that used the Army One callsign were Sea King VH-3A helicopters that were part of the presidential fleet from 1961 to 1976. During its presidential service, the helicopter was known either as Army One or Marine One, depending on whether Army or Marine pilots were operating the craft. [2] The helicopter, with seats for sixteen, has a seat reserved for the president and the first lady, and single, smaller seats for the two Secret Service agents who always flew with the presidential party. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight</span> Tandem transport helicopter designed by Vertol

The Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight is an American medium-lift tandem-rotor transport helicopter powered by twin turboshaft engines. It was designed by Vertol and manufactured by Boeing Vertol following Vertol's acquisition by Boeing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Force One</span> USAF aircraft carrying the US president

Air Force One is the official air traffic control designated call sign for a United States Air Force aircraft carrying the president of the United States. The term is commonly used to denote U.S. Air Force aircraft modified and used to transport the president, and as a metonym for the primary presidential aircraft, VC-25, although it can be used to refer to any Air Force aircraft the president travels on.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marine One</span> Air traffic control call sign for any U.S. Marine Corps aircraft carrying the U.S. President

Marine One is the call sign of any United States Marine Corps aircraft carrying the president of the United States. As of 2024, it denotes a presidential transport helicopter operated by Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) "Nighthawks", consisting of either the large new VH-92A Patriot and smaller VH-60N "White Hawk". Both helicopters are called "White Tops" because of their livery. Any Marine Corps aircraft carrying the vice president of the United States without the president has the call sign Marine Two.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sikorsky CH-37 Mojave</span> 1953 airlift helicopter series by Sikorsky

The Sikorsky CH-37 Mojave is an American large heavy-lift military helicopter of the 1950s. It entered service as the HR2S-1 Deuce with USMC in 1956, and as the H-37A Mojave with the U.S. Army that same year. In the early 1960s the designation was standardized to CH-37 for both services, with the HR2S-1 redesignated as CH-37C specifically.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion</span> Transport helicopter series by Sikorsky

The Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion is a heavy lift helicopter operated by the United States military. As the Sikorsky S-80, it was developed from the CH-53 Sea Stallion, mainly by adding a third engine, adding a seventh blade to the main rotor, and canting the tail rotor 20°. It was built by Sikorsky Aircraft for the United States Marine Corps. Developed in the 1970s, it entered service in 1981, and is planned to be in service into the 2030s. It is one of the largest helicopters, and military helicopters in service, and is operated from U.S. Navy ships or from land.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HMX-1</span> Military unit

Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron responsible for the transportation of the president and vice president of the United States, heads of state, Department of Defense officials, and other VIPs as directed by the Marine Corps and White House Military Office. A Marine helicopter with the president aboard uses the call sign "Marine One". Previously, HMX-1 was also tasked with operational test and evaluation (OT&E). This task was reassigned to VMX-1 in Yuma, Arizona; since the contract award of the new presidential helicopter in 2014 to Sikorsky Aircraft, however, HMX-1 has assumed the temporary role of OT&E for this platform, because of its unique nature and mission. The VH-92A first flew in 2017 and is expected to be operational sometime after 2022. Nicknamed "Nighthawks", HMX-1 is headquartered at Marine Corps Air Facility Quantico, Virginia, and maintains detachments at Joint Base Anacostia–Bolling in Washington, D.C., and Joint Base Andrews Naval Air Facility in Maryland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air assault</span> Military movement of ground forces by air into combat or unsecured areas

Air assault is the movement of ground-based military forces by vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, such as helicopters, to seize and hold key terrain that has not been fully secured, and to directly engage enemy forces behind enemy lines. In addition to regular infantry training, air-assault units usually receive training in rappelling, fast-roping techniques, and air transportation. Their equipment is sometimes designed or field-modified to allow better transportation and/or carrying within aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Executive One</span> Air traffic control call sign of any U.S. civil aircraft carrying the president of the U.S.

Executive One is the call sign designated for any United States civil aircraft when the president of the United States is on board. Typically, the president flies in military aircraft that are under the command of the Presidential Airlift Group, which include Air Force One, Marine One, Army One, Navy One and Coast Guard One.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Air Force Two</span> Air traffic control call sign of any US Air Force aircraft carrying the vice president of the US

Air Force Two is the air traffic control designated call sign held by any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the vice president of the United States, but not the president. The term is often associated with the Boeing C-32, a modified 757 which is most commonly used as the vice president's transport. Other 89th Airlift Wing aircraft, such as the Boeing C-40 Clipper, C-20B, C-37A, and C-37B, have also served in this role. The VC-25A, the aircraft most often used by the president as Air Force One, has also been used by the vice president as Air Force Two.

The Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force (RDJTF) is an inactive United States Department of Defense Joint Task Force. It was first envisioned as a three-division force in 1979 as the Rapid Deployment Force (RDF), a highly mobile rapid deployment force that could be rapidly moved to locations outside the normal overseas deployments in Europe and Korea. Its charter was expanded and greatly strengthened in 1980 as the RDJTF. It was inactivated in 1983, and re-organized as the United States Central Command (USCENTCOM).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White House Military Office</span> Office for military support of the White House

The White House Military Office (WHMO) is a department within the White House Office that provides military support for White House functions, including food service, presidential transportation, medical support, emergency medical services and hospitality services. The White House Military Office is headed by the White House Military Office Director.

Air transports for heads of state and government are, in many countries, provided by the air force in specially equipped airliners or business jets. One such aircraft in particular has become part of popular culture: Air Force One, used by the President of the United States and operated by the United States Air Force. Other well-known official aircraft include the Russian presidential aircraft, the British Royal Air Force VIP aircraft, the French Cotam 001, the Royal Canadian Air Force VIP aircraft, the German Konrad Adenauer, the Royal Australian Airforce VIP aircraft, the Japanese Air Force One, the South Korean Code One, the Indian Air India One, the Brazilian Air Force One, and the Israeli Wing of Zion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raymond M. Clausen Jr.</span>

Raymond Michael Clausen Jr. was a United States Marine who received the Medal of Honor for heroism in Vietnam in January 1970. On a mission to rescue Marines from a minefield, under heavy enemy fire, he carried out one dead and eleven wounded Marines, making six trips through the minefield until every Marine was extracted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brazilian Air Force One</span>

Brazilian Air Force One is the Brazilian Air Force call sign of the aircraft carrying the President of Brazil. On international flights the aircraft uses the Brazilian Air Force ICAO code BRS1 and callsign Brazilian Air Force 01. The Special Transport Group (GTE) is the unit of the Brazilian Air Force responsible for transporting the President, Vice-President and other senior government officials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HMH-366</span> Military unit

Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 366 (HMH-366) was a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of CH-53E Super Stallion heavy transport helicopters. The squadron, known as the "Hammerheads," was based at Marine Corps Air Station New River and fell under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 29 and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. The squadron's tail code was "HH." At the squadron's reactivation on 30 September 2008, it had 130 Marines and 8 aircraft on-hand which grew to more than 300 Marines and 16 aircraft in 2009. The squadron was decommissioned on 16 December 2022 in accordance with Force Design 2030

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Special Air Mission</span> U.S. governmental flight service

The United States Air Force Special Air Mission provides air transportation for the president of the United States (POTUS), vice president of the United States (VPOTUS), first lady of the United States (FLOTUS), presidential Cabinet, U.S. congressional delegations (CODELs), and other high-ranking American and foreign dignitaries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Davison Army Airfield</span> Military airport in Fairfax County, Virginia, US

Davison Army Airfield or Davison AAF is a military use airport serving Fort Belvoir, in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VXX</span> Procurement program to replace aging Marine One helicopters

VXX, officially the Presidential Helicopter Replacement Program, is a procurement program to replace aging Marine One helicopters that transport the President of the United States. The current VH-3 helicopters have aging airframes, having entered service with United States Marine Corps Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1) in 1963. The VH-3D replaced the VH-3A by 1976. The smaller VH-60N entered service in 1987. On 7 May 2014, it was announced that the Sikorsky VH-92 had won the VXX competition.

Military call signs are call signs or specialized form of nickname assigned as unique identifiers to military communications. In wartime, monitoring an adversary's communications can be a valuable form of intelligence. Consistent call signs can aid in this monitoring, so in wartime, military units often employ tactical call signs and sometimes change them at regular intervals. In peacetime, some military stations will use fixed call signs in the international series.

References

  1. ↑ Harding, Stephen (1997). U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947 . Atglen, PA, USA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd. pp.  231–32, 235–36. ISBN   978-0-7643-0190-2.
  2. ↑ "Nixon Library Helicoptor". Nixon Presidential Library and Museum. Archived from the original on 6 September 2016. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  3. ↑ Schodolski, Vincent (29 November 2005). "Restoring Nixon's helicopter". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 14 January 2023.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.