The original Air Assault Badge was awarded to the 11^th Air Assault Division by Commanding General Kinnard in December 1964, before the 11^th Air Assault Division was merged with the reactivated 1^st Cavalry Division and shipped to Vietnam. The original Air Assault Badge was "designed to duplicate the espirit that the paratrooper and aviator wings achieved." The original Air Assault Badge was never approved by the Army. The original Air Assault Badge was terminated with the loss of the 11^th Air Assault Division.

Reference: "The 1^st Cav in Vietnam: Anatomy of a Division", by Shelby L. Stanton, 1987

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The original Air Assault Badge was worn by the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam as the Airmobile Badge.
Criteria for the Vietnam Era Airmobile Badge was six months assigned to the 101st Airborne Division.

See letter dated 4 AUG 1997 from 101st Airborne Division to Bill Lux - Official Communications link

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GENERAL HARRY KINNARD, first CG of the 1st Air Cav Div
wrote in the January 2002 issue of the SABER, re original AIR ASSAULT BADGE.
Quoted in part, "So proud of the men and officer in the 11th Air Assault
Division, (Test Division for Air Mobility and predecessor of the 1st Air Cav
Div), the Air Assault Badge was created and issued to the 1st Abn Brigade
and later the 2nd Brigade. Never officially approved by the Army, later the
second and current Air Assault Badge was submitted by the 101st Air Mobile
Div and approved." I wear my original Air Assault Badge proudly as may
anyone in the first shift of the Jumping Mustangs and as far as the rest of
you, I personally authorize it. I doubt if anyone will question you. (JM6 17
Feb 02)