The 1st Battalion (Attack), 3rd Aviation Regiment was constituted on 18 April 1963 in the Regular Army as Company A, 3rd Aviation Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division. It was activated on 15 July 1963 in Germany. The assets of A Company, 3rd Aviation Battalion significantly increased the Division's mission capabilities as well as provided a responsive source of firepower to the ground commander.

The unit was deactivated on 15 January 1967 and reactivated on 21 August 1978 in Wurzburg, Germany.  On 16 August 1987, 1-3 was reorganized as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Aviation Regiment.  The unit was concurrently relieved from assignment to the 3rd Infantry Division and reassigned to the 2nd Armored Division at Fort Hood, Texas.  On 11 October 1990 the battalion deployed with 1st Cavalry Division to Saudi Arabia in support of operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.  The battalion returned to Fort Hood on 15 April 1991 and was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation for its actions during the conflict.

The unit was again deactivated from 15 August 1991 until 25 April 1996 when the 24th Infantry Division was red flagged as the 3rd Infantry Division at Hunter Army Airfield.  On 16 February 1998, the Vipers deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Desert Thunder and received recognition as the 1998 Army Aviation Association of America Outstanding Unit of the Year.

In March 1999, the 1st Battalion (Attack), 3rd Aviation Regiment was selected as the 3rd Battalion to field the AH-64D Longbow.  1-3 Aviation successfully completed the Longbow Unit Fielding and Training Program at Fort Hood, Texas in February 2001. 

In January 2002, 1-3 Aviation deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Desert Spring.  The unit deployed again to Kuwait and Iraq on 26 January 2003 in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

In January 2005, 1-3 Aviation deployed again to Kuwait and Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III.  Over the course of the year, the Viper battalion flew over 22,600 combat flight hours on more than 2,000 missions in and around Baghdad, Iraq.  These operations included Close Combat Attacks in support of ground troops in contact with hostile forces, counter-mortar, man-pad, rocket interdiction, area security operations, convoy security, area, route and zone reconnaissance, air assault security, VIP escort, MEDEVAC escort, aerial cordons in support of ground troop searches, 24-hour Quick Reaction Force (QRF) operations, aerial security operations for coalition and civilian fixed and rotary-wing aircraft arriving and departing at Baghdad International Airport (BIAP). The III/V platoon pumped over 1,759,860 gallons of JP-8 in combat, without accident or incident. In addition, maintainers conducted over forty-six phase maintenance inspections on a fleet of 24 Apache Longbow helicopter in grueling operational conditions and environments.

1-3 Aviation was vital in the security of Iraq's first democratic elections, the establishment of the Interim Iraqi Government and Transitional National Assembly, the ratification of Iraq's first democratic constitution, and finally the election and establishment of the newly formed democratic Iraqi government. The Viper Battalion redeployed on January 2006.