The Night Stalker Legacy Lives

The Night Stalker Legacy Lives
by
James Dietz

From the initial days of Task Force-160 to the modern day 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), “The Night Stalker Legacy Continues” commemorates the first 25 years of Army Special Operations Aviation history. This print reflects the essence of Night Stalking from the organization’s plank holders in 1981 to today’s generation of Night Stalkers engaged in continuous support of the Global War on Terrorism in multiple theaters of operation. Historically accurate depictions of aircraft, equipment and gear represent significant eras in the 160th’s distinguished history. Each model of aircraft ever flown in the 160th fleet of AH-MH-6 “Little Bird,” MH-47 Chinook and MH-60 Black Hawk helicopters are represented, along with uniforms from the past two and a half decades. These images capture Night Stalker participation in major combat operations including Urgent Fury in Grenada, Prime Change and Earnest Will in the Persian Gulf, Mount Hope III in Northern Chad, Just Cause in Panama, Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Iraq and Kuwait, Gothic Serpent in Somalia, Uphold Democracy in Haiti, Assured Response in Liberia, Enduring Freedom in the Philippines and Afghanistan, and Iraqi Freedom in Iraq. More difficult to capture, yet most important, is the character of a Night Stalker. Soldiers representing aviators, crew members and support personnel are positioned in the forefront of this print signifying the special operations forces truth that humans are more important than hardware. Night Stalkers live by a creed that states the importance of placing the mission and supporting the ground force above all else, no matter how dangerous or impossible a task may seem, with precision and unwavering dedication to accomplishment.
In unforgiving weather, terrain, day and night missions and against many determined enemies, Night Stalkers have proven time and again that they live up to the motto
“Night Stalkers Don’t Quit.”