By direction of General Order Number 463 dated 18 November 1966 the 191st Assault Helicopter Company was organized at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The 26th Signal Detachment and the 606th Transportation Detachment were attached at this time. On 23 February 1967 these units were assigned to the 82nd Aviation Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg. The 191st was attached to the 637th Supply and Service Battalion (GS), a host unit, for the purpose of providing administrative, training, operational and logistical support. Due to a tremendous recurring program subjected by the 627th, the 191st Assault Helicopter Company did not have a formal orderly room, nor did they have a great deal of administrative control. The 191st was greatly stabilized upon assignment to the 82nd Airborne Division just three months prior to its deployment to Vietnam. The 191st training program consisted of seven weeks of formal training, a seven day FTX, and a three day ORT. Operations was established at Simmons Army Airfield, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The 191st then received a rating of combat ready.
The 191st Assault Helicopter Company was given until 10 April 1967 to move all aircraft to Sharpe Army Depot. A crash maintenance program had to be established and the first aircraft departed Fort Bragg on 30 March 1967. The remainder of the aircraft departed during the next five days and were all ferried to Sharpe Army Depot by the specified date. 75% of the unit’s personnel were on the ferry flight. Upon their return final packing was completed on 20 April 1967.
The 191st arrived in Vietnam on 24 May 1967 where it was assigned to the 214th Combat Aviation Battalion. In-country orientation was completed on 21 June 1967 and the company was declared operational.
Upon its arrival at Bearcat, Republic of Vietnam, the 191st was faced with the enormous task of building a new base. Help in building the mess hall was given by the Engineers, but the men of the company had to construct aircraft revetments, bunkers, tents, maintenance sheds, and orderly room and an operations hut. The construction was greatly hampered by the heavy monsoons, but the end product was a fine example of workmanship and determination.