Living a Spider legacy

Photo By Monica K. Guthrie | Dick Detra, former door gunner with the Spiders Platoon in Vietnam, served as the...... read more read more

Photo By Monica K. Guthrie | Dick Detra, former door gunner with the Spiders Platoon in Vietnam, served as the company artist and hand painted many of the Hueys during this tour. "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" was his 2nd lift platoon slick, #66-16119. The 188th Assault Helicopter Company "Black Widows" and "Spiders" were stationed at Dau Tieng and LZ Sally, south Vietnam from April, 1967, through June 30, 1968.  see less | View Image Page

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

01.09.2008

Story by Spc. Monica K. Guthrie 

3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division

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Pfc. Monica K. Smith
3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division

CAMP STRIKER, Iraq – Many military units have a mascot or other insignia reflecting the unique identity of the unit. Some mascots reflect a desired quality embodied in animals or warriors. Others exalt regional aspects, while others take upon themselves a heritage and legacy to respect.

For the Black Hawks of Company A, 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment, each aircraft has a distinctive black spider painted on the engine cowling. The eight-legged illustration pays homage to the "Spiders" gun platoon of the 188th Assault Helicopter Company called the "Black Widows."

"Our history goes back," said Chief Warrant Officer Evan Shipton, from Newbury Park, Calif., Co. A, 4-3rd Avn. Regt. "It's an honor to keep that lineage. It's a pride thing to accomplish our mission, knowing our lineage. We wanted to keep the heritage."

The present-day Spiders are descendants of the 9th Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Black Widows. In May of 2004 the entire battalion moved from the 101st Abn. Div. (AASLT) to Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, at Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Ga. Because of the extensive history the Black Widows had with the 101st Abn. Div. (AASLT), the Black Widows name stayed with the original division. The 4-3rd Avn. Regt. needed to be re-flagged and chose to honor the Black Widows' gun platoon, 'Spiders', said Sgt. Jason Harrison, Co. A, 4-3rd Avn. Regt.

"There's a lot of pride," said Harrison, from Huntsville, Ala. "We have higher expectations. Other Soldiers want to come to Alpha Company. If you're not good, we'll know about it."

The Soldiers of Co. A, 4-3rd Avn. Regt., put effort into keeping in contact with the original Vietnam Spiders Platoon. For a short time, Company A was in possession of the original guidon, which has since been moved to the Fort Campbell museum.

Dick Detra, former door gunner with the Spiders Platoon in Vietnam, connected with the Soldiers of Co. A, 4-3 Avn. Regt. when they were still the Co. A, 9-101st Black Widows in May, 2004, and has stayed in touch with them since.

"When they were re-designated as Co. A, 4-3 Avn., at Fort Campbell, Ky., a bunch of the old Vietnam era Black Widows, including myself, showed up for their awards day," Detra said. "The entire company was former Black Widows so now our lineage has split to include Co. A, 4-3 Avn. It's a beautiful thing for us old rotor heads."

For Chief Warrant Officer Chris Daily, Co. A, 4-3rd Avn. Regt., having the Spider lineage is a source of dignity and also a sort of accountability for the unit.

"We always really like hearing the infantry guys asking specifically for our unit by referring to us as the 'spider people,'" Daily said. "Back during Vietnam, they had spiders, black widows, on their aircraft and the infantry Soldiers would ask to work with and do missions with the 'spider people.' Seeing that spider (on the aircraft) gives us – one, a sense of pride, and two, a reason to uphold a standard. We're seen if we do things right, and they see us if we do things wrong."

Today the Spiders Company has two more Black Hawks than the Spiders Platoon of Vietnam had Hueys and more than twice the manpower. Since deploying to Iraq, Co. A, 4-3rd Avn. Regt., has executed 50 air assault missions that have led to the capture of 200 detainees. They were integrated in the largest air assault in the 3rd CAB, Operation Marne Courageous, which included eight Black Hawks, two Chinooks, two Apaches, two Kiowas and approximately 400 infantry Soldiers.

"The Spiders and what they did, and the Black Widows and what they did – they flew some real missions," Harrison said. "It carries on. We've got a lot of high expectations. The pilots demand perfection."