Air Wing Helmet

This helmet spotlights the courageous work of DEA’s special agent/pilots, who support drug law enforcement operations with their diverse experience and expertise. The Aviation Division was established in 1971 by one of DEA’s predecessor agencies, the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. The idea came from a seasoned special agent and former U.S. Air Force pilot named Marion Joseph. In the field, he observed police using planes for surveillance, search and rescue, and even capturing fugitives. He believed federal agents could do the same and more with their own air fleet.

Special Agent Joseph pitched the idea to his superiors, and they agreed: a single plane could do the work of five agents on the ground. But there was a problem: no money was available to purchase aircraft. Special Agent Joseph needed to find an airplane. If he did, the Bureau promised to reconsider plans for an Air Wing.

Joseph immediately contacted his old employer: the U.S. Air Force. Under the Bailment Property Transfer Program, the military could assist government entities in need of supplies, including airplanes. The Air Force provided the Bureau with a Cessna Skymaster, a surplus plane from the Vietnam War.

With one plane, one pilot, and a budget of $58,000, the Bureau’s Aviation Division was born. Soon after the plane’s first flight, requests poured in for more aircraft. Agents across the United States quickly realized how beneficial air support could be to drug law enforcement operations. By 1973—the year DEA was formally established—the Air Wing had 41 special agent/pilots and 24 aircraft.

At that time, most of the aircraft were fixed-wing, single-engine airplanes, and they were primarily used for surveillance in the United States. Today, the Air Wing has more than 90 aircraft, which include not just single-engine planes, but helicopters and jets, too.

It takes a lot of skill to fly these aircraft, especially on operations outside the United States. Every pilot must train to be a special agent first, then they receive additional instruction on flying, survival, and intelligence gathering skills. They participate in classes on water survival, mountain flying, and how to understand weather charts and patterns.

Click here to view this artifact’s episode of “Stories from the Collection,” a monthly video series on the DEA Museum’s most exciting objects.