Maryland Army National Guard dedicates newly expanded aviation facility to fallen Soldier

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”1835″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css_animation=”fadeIn” css=”.vc_custom_1500569354359{margin: 0px !important;border-width: 0px !important;padding: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1500569608175{margin-top: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;}”]Brig. Gen. Timothy Gowen and Chief Warrant Officer 4 William R. Ruth’s wife unveil the plaque for the Ruth Army Aviation Maintenance Facility.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1500569383494{margin-bottom: 0px !important;border-bottom-width: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Photos and Story by 2nd Lt. Jessica Donnelly[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css_animation=”fadeIn” css=”.vc_custom_1500569554723{margin-top: 0px !important;border-top-width: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;}”]Maryland Army National Guard, Ruth Army Aviation Maintenance Facility, Chief Warrant Officer 4 William R. Ruth, Edgewood Area of Aberdeen Proving Ground, CH-47 Chinook, 29th Combat Aviation Brigade, 1100th Theater Aviation Sustainment Maintenance Group, 1st Security and Support Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment

The Maryland Army National Guard dedicated a newly expanded aviation facility, Dec. 13, to a highly decorated aviator, who was killed during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The Guard named the Ruth Army Aviation Maintenance Facility in honor of Chief Warrant Officer 4 William R. Ruth, during a ceremony at the Edgewood Area of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.

“It is a great day to honor a great American,” said Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Alberto Jimenez, former assistant adjutant general-Army. “This is not a moment of sadness; this is a moment of celebration. …This is a moment that we want to enjoy who [Ruth] was.”

Ruth served as a military aviator for more than 36 years in the U.S. Marine Corps and the Maryland Army National Guard. He spent more than 25 of those years assigned to the original aviation facility at the Edgewood Area. During his military career, he served as an enlisted service member, warrant officer and commissioned officer, and he completed more than 800 combat aviation missions in Vietnam and Operation Desert Storm. Ruth served in multiple positions throughout his career, with his final assignment working for the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel at the Pentagon.

“He made a career of sacrificing for others… until the day he made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Brig. Gen. Timothy Gowen, 29th Infantry Division deputy commander. “We as Guardsmen, Family members, employees, employers, citizens and especially Americans, should forevermore dedicate ourselves to this example.”

The Maryland National Guard officially recognized the expansion and renovation of the aviation facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Sept. 25.

The expansion added nearly 100,000 square feet to the original structure, allowing for six additional CH-47 Chinook parking points, increased storage and office space, classrooms, a physical fitness area, and modernized shops to support Army aviation and maintenance. The project also renovated more than 38,000 square feet of the existing building. The upgrades created a first-class facility that is better able to support the training and operational needs of the Maryland Army National Guard aircrew members, ground crews and other aviation support personnel, explained Maj. Aaron Harding, 29th Combat Aviation Brigade executive officer. The expansion also supports the Guardsmen’s ability to respond, if needed, during a state emergency.

“Ruth emulated everything that is great in the United States military, United States Army aviation, and particularly, the Maryland National Guard,” said Gowen. “[This] will serve to remind the Soldiers who work here, and all the Soldiers who pass through here, and everyone else who flies here… what a model aviator CW4 Ruth was, and what we all should strive to be.”

The Maryland National Guard officially recognized the expansion and renovation of the aviation facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, Sept. 25. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Thaddeus Harrington)

The Ruth Army Aviation Maintenance Facility houses the Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 29th CAB, headquarters of the 1100th Theater Aviation Sustainment Maintenance Group, Headquarters and Headquarters and Alpha Companies of the 1st Security and Support Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, C Company of the 2nd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, C Company of the 1st General Support Aviation Battalion (MEDEVAC) 169th Aviation Regiment, B Company of the 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion (lift), 126th Aviation Regiment, F Company of the 1st General Support Aviation Battalion (Air Traffic Services), 111th GSAB (Air Traffic Services), and Detachment B of the 642nd Aviation Support Battalion.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]