. FORT DRUM, NY -- Command Sgt. The 209th disembarked at Bombay, India on 23 October 1943, and immediately set to work on the Ledo Road. On 18 September, 1950 the 20th Engineer Combat Battalion was reactivated at Fort Bragg, North Carolina under the command of LTC Howard W. Penney. W. Jamison, 1 November 1968-27 December C. Costanzo, Lieutenant Colonel Al S. C. Remson, Jr. Bright Star 82 included deployment of factions of the 82D Airborne Division to the Sinia Desert in Egypt. Following active combat duty, he served in 179th Military Police Company at Fort. E. Gray, Lieutenant Colonel Marion Operation Cedar Falls, the first in a series of U.S. offensives in 1967, was about to violate this sanctuary. G. Robinson, Lieutenant Colonel James Could also hear the action. I was at Quang Tri and all of the combat troops were gone. M. Roper, Jr. . You're set for email updates from CafePress. I had a great time and intend to go again next year. R. Brinkerhoff, Lieutenant Colonel Richard The regiment was broken up in March 1943. If you aren't on the machines or welding a blade that has been destroyed by a land mine, they can be found filling sand bags, cleaning weapons or double checking their defenses. They did not receive satisfaction from their own motor pool, so Dave, a civilian-certified welder, volunteered to have a go at it. Thanks for your service. Lieutenant Colonel Homer A. Flertzheim, Lieutenant Colonel James In 1968 the 27th Battalion and 591st were ordered to construct, upgrade, and maintain highway Route 547 from the Hue City area of northern South Vietnam westward towards Laos into the A Shau Valley. Unfortunately, many of the engineers and others serving alongside are still suffering from the effects. He is so thankful I called and we exchanged addresses and he wants to come and visit. Division), Lieutenant Colonel Carroll Commanders of the 20th Engineers in Vietnam. L. Anderson, Jr. The most recent deployment was in response to Operation Uphold Democracy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. 27th In Regt L (B-W) T-Shirt. [220] SENIOR ENGINEER COMMANDERS IN VIETNAM, 1965-1970-Continued [221] SENIOR ENGINEER COMMANDERS IN VIETNAM, 1965-1970-Continued [222] SENIOR ENGINEER COMMANDERS IN VIETNAM, 1965-1970-Continued [223] Rifle fire, machine gun bullets, and an M79 grenade followed that VC for a hundred yards to no effect. 39th Engineer Battalion Newsletters - May 2021, February 2022. This article was published in a magazine titled "The Hurricane" dated September 1970 Vol 35, a publication of II Field Force Vietnam, written by: SP-4 Dave Massey. of Command. Engineer Battalion Just 20 miles north of Saigon, the "Iron Triangle" was a near impenetrable stronghold where the jungle protected a labyrinth of enemy staging areas and resupply points. The history of the 27th Engineer Battalion (COMBAT) (AIRBORNE) began on 16 January 1918 at Fort Meyer, VA, as the second battalion of the 37th Engineer Regiment. In 1974 they transferred the set to the Engineer Museum, part of the U.S. Army Engineer School. Lieutenant Colonel Joseph They found a bunker complex but couldn't get in because of heavy enemy contact, so the Rome plows were requested. D. Millward, Lieutenant Colonel Donald The battalion was again deployed to Afghanistan in December 2009 where it was on route clearance duty, responsible for clearing roadside bombs and other improvised explosive devices that were planted by Taliban insurgents. The 35mm color slides are generally in remarkably good condition, with only a small percentage suffering from correctable color degradation. Although the intent was to keep the roadway at less than 6 percent slopes, some locations were well in excess of the prescribed slope due to the mountainous terrain. The rock, taken from the Arms of Saint-Mihiel and the oak leaves emblematic of the Meuse-Argonne, indicate the service of the 37th Engineer Regiment in World War I, while the border indicates descent of the 209th Engineer Battalion from the 37th Engineer Regiment. In that split second my whole life flashed in front of me. M51 series dump trucks hauled aggregate and dirt. Though he suffered from what has come to be known as PTSD and from the effects of the defoliants, he only recently turned to the Veterans Administration for assistance. Lieutenant Colonel Reuben R. Needham, Lieutenant Colonel Harry Engineers from the 27th repaired the runways, among other responsibilities. A. Seelye, 17 January 1966-5 September Mines, snipers, and ambushes occurred even with the best of defensive efforts of armored gun trucks, personnel carriers, and the occasional tanks in addition to the ubiquitous helicopter air cover. Cavalry Division), Lieutenant Colonel Robert C. Clement, Lieutenant Colonel John (P) Selected for promotion before assuming command. The CO needed an operator more than he needed a welder! Lieutenant Colonel James U.S. G. Broumas, Lieutenant Colonel Scott After threats were made, Dave ended all future rat eradication by gunfire inside of inhabited bunkers. (P) Selected for promotion before assuming command. We'll keep you posted! 27thEngineer Battalion Constituted 16 January 1918 in the National Army at Fort Myer, Virginia, as the 2d Battalion, 37th Engineer Regiment Demobilized in March 1919 at Camp Upton, New York. D. Snoke, Lieutenant Colonel Allen Combat engineers in Vietnam: the first year Correspondents who covered the Vietnam War typically concentrated on the more glamorous branches of the combat . After 20 days in the cache laden Fish Hook region, military officials estimated that only 30 percent of the sanctuary areas had been uncovered. The army recognized that ability and sent him to sniper school. What a conversation we had. $29.99 $24.99. Veteran C. Young, After 30 years and learning the computer and finding VetFriends, I went to my first reunion of the USS Navasota AO-106. find my friend." Lieutenant Colonel George World War Ion 10 July 1918, with its participation in the Saint-Mihieland After the termination of hostilities, the unit was demobilized. - At least 3 of the following: uppercase, [5] 20th Engineer Brigade insignia, with "Airborne" tab. I am Robert Frey, of Phila, PA. Change View. Longer-lived bases usually had various sizes of tents or even more traditional wooden buildings. E. Cox, 4th Engineer Battalion (4th All of the maintenance on the 591st Engineers equipment was done under field conditions, that is, in the dust, mud, and high humidity. M. Duke. Lieutenant Colonel Harry SENIOR ENGINEER COMMANDERS 1967, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Check out Popular Patch's collection of United States Army Combat Engineering Unit patches. D. Gabe, Lieutenant Colonel Charles "You can't see where you're going and you have to rely on the light observation helicopter for direction. 2nd Battalion became as the 209th Engineer Combat Battalion. F. Thomas. They were among the first to arrive in Cambodia, and with five plows they completed a company-size task. HE WAS KILLED MAY 11TH 1968. . The 20th Engineer Battalion (Combat) was equipped to perform forward area construction, obstacle preparation, demolition work and fighting as infantry. I guess I was just lucky. 4th Battalion 77th Artillery, Valorous Unit Award8 Feb-8 Apr 71, RVN Gallantry Cross w/Palm18 Apr-31 Aug 71 and 6- 19 Sep 71; 1 Mar-9 Oct 71. Division), Lieutenant Colonel William Lieutenant Colonel Thomas R. Heiberg, Lieutenant Colonel John Lieutenant Colonel Colin Dave Flinn was killed in December 2018, when a van ran a stop sign and hit him. 7:20 | On his second Vietnam tour, Bill Ray commanded a combat engineer battalion. Also found were water purification and malaria tablets, vitamins, two printing presses, 44 bicycles and 200 pounds of documents. E. Kallman, Lieutenant Colonel Windle Scheider, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph It's been nearly 40 years since we parted. This ingenuity truly exemplified the commitment to the 591st unit motto: Drive On., Dave said, We un-assed from the vehicles to see where the fire was coming from. Crest: On a wreath of the colors Argent and Gules a mythological chinthe (Burmese lion) sejant of the first gorged with a mural crown Azure surmounting a grove of bamboo Vert the top arched above the chinthe and the base between four billets, two and two, Or each charged with three barrulets of the second. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the Maj. Sean Goodridge ( far right) , the senior noncommissioned officer assigned to 152nd Brigade Engineer Battalion, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, speaks during the change of responsibility ceremony at Fort Drum, NY, Nov. 7 at when he assumed responsibility of the 152nd BEB from outgoing command sergeant major, They then used these materials to brief their leadership in country and the Office of the Chief of Engineers and other Washington-based officials. The 209th was inactivated at the conclusion of World War II, and in 1947 was redesignated as the 27th Engineer Combat Battalion. I really hope some other people can find this service and get in touch with people like I did. HQ located at Bien Hoa. Compare. The unit entered World War I on 10 July 1918, with its participation in the Saint-Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne campaigns. Unit arrived in India on 12 October 1943, where it immediately participated in the India-Burma Campaign. They know their mission is important and the consequences of a second rate job are costly. Janairo, Lieutenant Colonel Paul It was a wonderful moment that we will both remember for the rest of our lives, and we owe it to VetFriends. Thanks. United States Army Center of Military History. P. Monfore, Lieutenant Colonel Leonard T. Gay III, 326th Engineer Battalion (101st Theyre certainly not of professional quality, but do tell the story from the point of view of a self-described equipment operator. One of Daves regrets was that most of the photos he took were lost a few days before his DEROS (Date Expected to Return from Over Seas) as a result of a rocket destroying his bunker (he was on the perimeter berm), so the photo story is somewhat incomplete. While not professional shots, they provide a unique look into the daily activities of combat engineers. The images primarily depict army engineer activities and sites in Vietnam, Thailand, Okinawa, and elsewhere; a smaller number show activities and facilities of the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, South Vietnamese armed forces, and other international military units. Lieutenant Colonel William 1967, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas F. Meador, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph for its motto. 27th Replacement Draft 28th Marine Regiment 28th Replacement Draft 30th Interrogator-Translator Team 30th Replacement Draft "It's always good to get back to the NDP," said Wentworth, "but we still have lots of work left. C. Wisdom, Lieutenant Colonel Authur 3rd Battalion, 27th Marines Marker. E. Edgar, Lieutenant Colonel William When we got there, we ran into a NVA soldier. Bn. Lieutenant Colonel Donald The Contractor Full Disclosure T-Shirt. operated as a command organization in South Vietnam), Lieutenant Colonel William As of 2022, this number had surpassed 4,100. All rights reserved. One of these soldiers, Al Gore, would later become Vice President of the United States. "Our objective in this operation was to gain entry into active areas of the Fish Hook where enemy contact was heavy," Major Kerver added. You're out front by yourself and you know if there's an ambush you'll be the first one hit," Bulceco added. Some of the cabs on the D7s were adorned with scrounged sheet metal. The battalion deployed again in August 1992 to Miami-Dade County, Florida, for Hurricane Andrew relief. The Engineer Liaison Officers made twenty-two trips around Vietnam and to other Far East locations between 1966 and 1972 and compiled over 6000 slides and captions. . the 79th assumed command of the newly arrived 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat), and in October the 86th Engineer Battalion (Combat). Daves construction platoon was equipped with Caterpillar D7 dozers, Clark 290M 20-yard scrapers, and related miscellaneous machines. A. Selleck, Jr. 26 September 1967-29 August After the termination of hostilities, the unit was demobilized. The mission was in support of the 101st Airborne Divisions efforts to deny the enemy of a safe haven area, logistic dumps, and communications (supply) routes, that is, a leg of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Hard-working equipment in harsh conditions, dust, mud, and high humidity needs a lot of maintenance. Over those years, an OCE (Office of the Chief of Engineers) Liaison Officer routinely traveled to various locations in Southeast Asia to visit army officers and engineer troops and to gather information on the many activities and projects undertaken by army engineers in the region. The company used both mechanical clearance equipment and modern mine detectors to clear hundreds of thousands of square meters of land mines and other explosive hazards. Lieutenant Parker was proud of his men as he explained their mission during May. Sign up to receive our newsletter regarding Veterans, Reunions, Military, Veteran Benefits, Military Pictures, Jokes, Military History, H. Phillips, 31 January 1968-25 February Got my fish and parrots and hooks and beaks mixed up. Dave was a certified welder before induction into the Army. 6 November 1966 - 588th mission to support 27th Engineer Battalion at Xuan Loc with four (4) D-&E Dozers and operators for 30 days for purposes of clearing dense jungle growth in preparation for Base Camp construction for 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment accomplished. Dillard 1, Brigadier General Robert Veteran L. Prickett, "Dear VetFriends, Thanks so much for your help! Disclaimer: On October 4, BLT 2/26 was just south of the DMZ and six miles north of a place called "The Rockpile" which was on Route 9. u.s. army special troops battalion, 1st bct, 3rd infantry division unit crest (dui) . "Our job was to make the cache sites accessible by improving or widening any trails or roads we found," Lt. Parker said, but in several cases when the infantry couldn't go in, the plows would. 1968, Lieutenant Colonel Gerald The lineage of the 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat)(Airborne) springs from the 2D Battalion, redesignated as the 209th Engineer Combat Battalion. 10/68 assigned to the 35th Combat Engineers at Da Nang, Battalion sent me to B co at Camp Eagle, Company assigned me to 3rd Platoon at Hill 24, Lang Co. Whether you want a sarcastic t-shirt or a geeky t-shirt to embrace your inner nerd, CafePress has the tee you're looking for. Headquarters & Headquarters Battery, RVN Gallantry Cross w/Palm23 Dec 68-14 May 69, RVN Civil Actions Honor Medal, FC25 Oct 68-2 May 70. V. Dutchyshyn, 65th Engineer Battalion (25th Duration They don't have to worry about their hair being an inch to long or if they shave everyday. Lieutenant Colonel Richard F. Reilly, 23 November 1967-16 November 1st Battalion became 37th Engineer Combat Battalion, thence separate Lineage. On 23 August 1990, the battalion was again called upon, this time to Saudi Arabia, to support Operation Desert Shield. If the results of the accumulated documents show the operation was a success, the Plow operators have a right to be proud. After that I was with the 27th Eng. P. Richmond, Lieutenant Colonel Kent When they can get away with it, they don't wear boots or socks. The battalion worked with the 10th Mountain Division (Light) and established Base Camp Dragon and Castle. The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 27th Engineer Combat Battalion on 19 March 1951. Activated once more in 19501951 briefly at Ft. Lewis, Washington, and then at Ft. Campbell, KY, the unit on 23 October 1960 earned the nickname "Tiger Battalion" through its rugged field maneuvers and training. D. Patterson, 15 February 1967-16 October The 20TH Engineer Brigade currently consists of four engineer battalions headquartered throughout the eastern United States. As the operations moved forward, the engineers built laager-type areas to be used as mini-bases for logistic, staging, and maintenance. Edelstein, Lieutenant Colonel John J. Walter, Lieutenant Colonel Andre The 36th Engineer Battalion was activated 1 July 1966 at Fort Irwin, California and deployed to Vietnam in 1967. History [ edit] The base was established in mid-1965 and was located approximately 35 km north of Bin Ha in Phc Thnh Province. S. Townsley, Lieutenant Colonel Francis Lieutenant Colonel Frederick A. Schewski. Lieutenant Colonel John Each slide is linked to its detailed explanatory caption and has also been provided keywords, subject headings, and geographic locations, when known, thus providing users several ways to search the images on the Digital Library. He had no further contact with his military comrades. V. Cole, Lieutenant Colonel Richard He served in Korea from 1950-1952 in B Company, 65th Combat Engineers, 25th. in colors suggested by the flag of the Republic of Vietnam refers to the battalion's five Vietnam decorations (4 Meritorious Unit Commendations, VIETNAM, and Republic . F. Grum, Lieutenant Colonel Albert The history of the 27th Engineer Battalion (COMBAT) (AIRBORNE) began on 16 January 1918 at Fort Meyer, VA, as the second battalion of the 37th Engineer Regiment. 1. Roper, Colonel John H. Elder, Jr. J. Andre, Lieutenant Colonel Connelly The coat of arms was originally approved for the 209th Engineer Battalion on 15 February 1945. L. Sutton, Lieutenant Colonel Donald Ploger, Major General William T. u.s. army 1st field artillery regiment unit crest (dui) Division), Lieutenant Colonel Gerhard G. Delbridge. Plows have names like "The Living End" or "Hey Jude" and "The Iron Coffin." The guys watched in disbelief as the fire slowed down and stopped. C. Katt, Lieutenant Colonel Charles "I've been in a lot of bad situations," commented Specialist Michael Bulceco, operator from the 60th, "but the worst is operating lead plow." Lieutenant Colonel Marvin Cutting began June 4. W. Chapman, Jr. Brigadier General Edwin The Office of History is continuing to prepare the remainder of the slide collection and will post additional files to the Digital Library until the entire collection of 6000+ public domain slides is available to researchers to download. Potable water provided by purification platoons deployed to the hurricane Agnes ravaged Appalachians in 1972. According to Major Kerver, the initial plan was for the two units to start several miles inside Cambodia and cut, in a Y pattern, toward the border, but due to the weather and the numerous amounts of supplies uncovered. F. Pelosky, Lieutenant Colonel John The cutting also uncovered communication equipment, small arms, automatic weapons, rocket launchers, 10,000 pounds of various caliber small arms ammunition and 500 mortar rounds. United States ARMY 1st Engineer Battalion Military Patch VIETNAM 4742 $9.85. They took a wild ride down the mountain before crashing into the river below. Seven combat engineers from 27th Engineer Battalion were killed when a pile of the BLU-97 duds they were tasked with clearing from the airfield detonated at once. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries. Dave visited the Engineer Museum at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, during the 2017 Route 66 MVPA Convoy and was surprised to find an exact duplicate of his baby, a Vietnam-era D7E with cage and plow. Working at Camp Eagle, Bastone, Phu Thu, Phu Bai, and constructing Rt 547 into the A Shau Valley in support of the 101st Airborne Division. Rank, 14 August 1966-20 September Twenty years later, World War II erupted, and on 14 July 1941, the 37th Engineer Regiment was reactivated at Camp Bowie, Texas. The unit entered World War I on the 10 July 1918, which its participation in the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne campaigns. The operation began June 4 and terminated on June 24 after 1,694 acres had been cut. In January 2003, Company C deployed to Afghanistan and became the first counter-mine company in the entire US Army since the Vietnam War. These major effort-type of operations required a huge amount of support and supplies. The Combat action badge should be retro active to Vietnam. 4th Combat Engineer Battalion 4th Dental Battalion 4th Engineer Battalion 4th Force Reconnaissance Company 4th Force Service Regiment . D. Peixotto, Lieutenant Colonel John These liaison officers wrote reports, took photographs, and captioned the images. How cool is that. They also built some airstrips way down in the delta where he encountered entertainer Martha Ray, to his great surprise. The battalion remained in Florida as part of Task Force All-American until 26 September 1992. After chatting for a few minutes, they got a fire mission, and Dave watched as Don loaded his gun for a maximum effort shoot. R. Roberts, Lieutenant Colonel Allen During the first several days of cutting resistance was light, but after the enemy had a chance to regroup, everyday meant contact. At that time, A Shau Valley was a North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and Viet Cong (VC) stronghold. Artillery batteries from the 101st artillery including 105mm, 155mm towed and self-propelled, 8-inch self-propelled, and the huge 175mm self-propelled guns. Since the time when he was a kid, Dave was a phenomenal shot. Thanks. W. Prentiss, Lieutenant Colonel Raymond This move known as Operation Blue Light was the longest and largest military airlift to a combat zone in history to date. In August 1965, the Battalion arrived at the port of Qui Nhon to become the first US combat engineer battalion in Vietnam.The 70th Engineers' mission upon arrival was to prepare for Operation Highland, the deployment of the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) to positions around An Khe. Occasionally, observation platforms or towers would be constructed. The large unit was still housed in tents, which raised some eyebrows, and was tasked with building a national road including many bridges. Thank you so much again for helping me I was with the 630th Engineers in Vietnam in 1969-'70. . "On May 29, the 199th made contact again while investigating several caches east of Myron. u.s. army 1st engineer battalion, 1st abct, 1st infantry division unit crest (dui) $11.99. He and I talked about doing this write-up during a hunting trip in October 2018. They don't wear shirts because it's murderously hot under the flak jackets they must wear for protection against exploding mines and rocket propelled grenades (RPG?s). The roots of the 27th Support Battalion can be traced back to 1 September 1921 when its predecessor, the 27th Ordnance Company which was constituted in the Regular Army of the United States and assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division. Infantry Division. Did not know of your dozers tho'. C. Rhodes. Lieutenant Colonel John Convoys of M35 and M54 cargo trucks, M131 fuel tankers and M127 semi-trailers were constantly on the road hauling everything from rations and spare parts to barb wire, ammo, and explosives. The battalion worked with the 10th Mountain Division (Light) and established Base Camp Dragon and Castle. L. Gardner, Lieutenant Colonel Fred The 27th had been in Vietnam since February. The dozers pulled back to Firebase Birmingham where the 591st was in short-term residence. These usually had a 4-foot wall of sandbags around the outside wall, frequently interspersed with 55-gallon drums full of dirt. CafePress is committed to creating an inclusive experience for people with disabilities. After the termination of hostilities, the unit was demobilized. Activated once more in 19501951 briefly at Ft. Lewis, Washington, and then at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, the unit on 23 October 1960 earned the nickname "Tiger Battalion" through its rugged field maneuvers and training. 1968, Lieutenant Colonel Anthony After a lengthy exchange of fire, one of the VC stood up and ran to the rear. Human congregations quickly tended to draw rats. The India-Burma Campaign concluded on 28 January 1943, Redesignated 29 April 1947 as the 27th Engineer Combat Battalion, Redesignated 8 June 1953 as the 27th Engineer Battalion. ABMC Headquarters 2300 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 703-584-1501
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