For a second he just stared at us, he raised his rifle. Unfortunately, many of the engineers and others serving alongside are still suffering from the effects. After the termination of hostilities, the unit was demobilized. Caterpillar D7 dozers led the way, clearing and initially shaping the ground for the roads, bases and revetments. After the termination of hostilities, the unit was demobilized. J. Gow, Lieutenant Colonel Ted E. Intro to the 591st Engineer Company (Light Equipment): Daves unit, the 591st Engineer Company (Light Equipment) was part of the 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat), 45th Engineer Group (Construction), 18th Engineer Brigade (the parent unit for all Army engineers in Vietnam). The history of the 27th Engineer Battalion (COMBAT) (AIRBORNE) began on 16 January 1918 at Fort Meyer, VA, as the second battalion of 1966, Lieutenant Colonel George C. Donovan, Lieutenant Colonel Charlie Vietnam veteran, Sp4 David Flinn, 591st Engineers, left us with this photographic record of his units activities in the A Shau Valley. If you'd rather wear your own personalized design, create a custom t-shirt just for you. L. Heimerl, Lieutenant Colonel Donald $29.99 $44.99. Lieutenant Colonel Taylor 27th In Regt L (B-W) T-Shirt. Battalion Combat on 28 April 1951, and activated at Fort Campbell, Kentucky the following month. After 20 days in the cache laden Fish Hook region, military officials estimated that only 30 percent of the sanctuary areas had been uncovered. Frequently, field expedient kept the equipment running. 7:20 | On his second Vietnam tour, Bill Ray commanded a combat engineer battalion. 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. As it turned out, I the author of this piece was the third spoke of this brotherhood trio. Unknown to the other two, I was in Vietnam in the south. These major effort-type of operations required a huge amount of support and supplies. Relive & share the memories of your service time with your brothers & sisters in arms today. 1967, Lieutenant Colonel James E. Crowley, Lieutenant Colonel Valentine I am Robert Frey, of Phila, PA. 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. Did not know of your dozers tho'. Even though the mission was plagued with ambushes and mortar attacks, the men were glad for the chance to rip into the sanctuaries that had been off-limits for so long. Bn. 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 588th and 168th served with recognized distinction while in Vietnam." At that time, A Shau Valley was a North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and Viet Cong (VC) stronghold. Engineers . In May 2015, Office of History staff continued the project; in August 2018, an Office of History contractor converted the 300 remaining slides to digital files. In the excitement, some of us didnt take very good cover. They broke out cheering as that VC ran out of sight. E. Lane, Jr. 380 horsepower Clark-Michigan 290M scrapers with 20-yard pans moved dirt and Caterpillar Model 12 graders leveled the terrain to standard. It was a wonderful moment that we will both remember for the rest of our lives, and we owe it to VetFriends. The 19TH Engineer Battalion (Construction Effects) is located at Fort . On 31 January 1972, the battalion returned to the United States and relocated to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where it became a non-divisional combat airborne engineer battalion. By removing the dense cover, they were denying its use to the Communist. V. Cole, Lieutenant Colonel Richard This is the official public website of the Headquarters U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. We work all day and then we have to work all night to get the dozers ready for the next day.". . D. H. Berry, Lieutenant Colonel James of Command, Lieutenant Colonel Amos In November 2001, the battalion deployed to Kosovo in support of Operations Joint Guardian. Dave walked over to the stream to wash up and saw a guy he had known since the second grade and called, brother.. According to Major William A. Hokanson, S-3, 62nd Engineer Battalion, each plow requires 60 to 70 gallons of gas and 70 gallons of water a daily. We raced volkswagens on our time off and we'd go to the range and shoot all day. I called the number ans wow he was blown away when he found out who I was. Ran mine sweeps north towards Phu Bai. [2] The battalion was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation for their service. The first address you sent me is my buddy. The mission also included establishment and construction of firebases, helicopter and artillery revetments, and other facilities along the route which went over and through the dissected landscape of mountains and small valleys. 372d Engineer Aviation Battalion 342.9 412th Telegraph Battalion 111.7 445th Quartermaster Depot 338.11.4 465th Bombardment Wing 342.9 500th Military Intelligence Group 319.23 513th Military Intelligence Group 319.23 593d Engineer Depot 338.11.4 601st Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion 338.13, 338.14 693d Radar Squadron 342.9 69/70/71 RVN. Extended a runway at a municipal airport in North Carolina. 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. R. Wray, Lieutenant Colonel Louis Redesignated for the 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat) on 15 July 1955. W. Chapman, Jr. Brigadier General Edwin Bradley, Major General John A. R. Roberts, Lieutenant Colonel Allen Division), Lieutenant Colonel William 102nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 27th Infantry Division: 4127th Quartermaster Truck Company: 102nd Engineer Regiment, 27th Division: 4128th Quartermaster Service Company: 102nd Evacuation Hospital: 412th Motor Truck Company: 102nd Field Artillery Battalion: 412th Telephone Battalion, Signal Corps: 102nd Field Artillery Battalion, 26th Infantry . Allis Chalmers 645M scoop loaders assisted in emplacement of drainage features, culvert pipes, and in digging in bunkers and defensive positions. 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. 1st Battalion became 37th Engineer Combat Battalion, thence separate Lineage. T. Gay III, 326th Engineer Battalion (101st R. McDonald, Lieutenant Colonel Richard After threats were made, Dave ended all future rat eradication by gunfire inside of inhabited bunkers. A land clearing company consists of 30 Rome plows and approximately 100 men, including operators, maintenance men, NCO's and officers. Check out Popular Patch's collection of United States Army Combat Engineering Unit patches. "Our objective in this operation was to gain entry into active areas of the Fish Hook where enemy contact was heavy," Major Kerver added. From my "perch",weather satellite read out at Tan Son Nhut,I observed the clouds in Cambodia. Compare. He served in Korea from 1950-1952 in B Company, 65th Combat Engineers, 25th. Motto: OMNES RES BENE FACERE (To Do All Things Well). 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. Company C received two Meritorious Unit Commendations for its actions in Afghanistan. After the men return to the NDP, they can look forward to hot chow, mail and cold beer. 1968, Lieutenant Colonel Gerald Photo by Mark Sigrist. Concertina wire, barbed wire, claymores and land mines would ring the perimeter beyond the berm. I just want to thank you for starting this thread. Lieutenant Colonel Coleman After that I was with the 27th Eng. R. Heiberg, Lieutenant Colonel John 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 teams receive rations and security from the tactical units they support. The 20TH Engineer Brigade currently consists of four engineer battalions headquartered throughout the eastern United States. The state of the 20th Engineer Battalion upon reactivation was desperate. 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. Thanks. The 27th had been in Vietnam since February. Lieutenant Colonel Howard You guys kicked ass. E. Kirk, Lieutenant Colonel Manley It's been a nice break from the negativity of the politics of the day. Not everyone was able to exit the crashed bird. F. Miley. Flanigan, Lieutenant Colonel Robert The motto of the 27th Combat Engineers, known as the Tiger Battalion, is "To do all things well." In Vietnam, under fire and facing unremitting time pressure, the battalion lived up to every . R. Vavra, Lieutenant Colonel Byron 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). Usually operators aren't ordered to go on dismount but this time I was. In April 1966 the Tiger Battalion was alerted for duty in the Republic of Vietnam. The most recent deployment was in response to Operation Uphold Democracy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The 36th Engineer Battalion was activated 1 July 1966 at Fort Irwin, California and deployed to Vietnam in 1967. You're out front by yourself and you know if there's an ambush you'll be the first one hit," Bulceco added. Cuban engineers blew craters in Grenada's airport runways. 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. The 591st was awarded unit citations during Daves tenure; Two Meritorious Unit Commendations and the RVN Civil Actions Honor Medal, First Class. Mud would get like grease, causing vehicles to slide off the road. Dave was a certified welder before induction into the Army. All rights reserved. As of October 1999, they had the last and only Airborne well-driller detachment/platoon left in the United States Army. H. Leiser, 25 February 1968-29 September G. Ton, Lieutenant Colonel George Read more about this topic: 27th Engineer Battalion (United States), The history of persecution is a history of endeavors to cheat nature, to make water run up hill, to twist a rope of sand.Ralph Waldo Emerson (18031882), It may be well to remember that the highest level of moral aspiration recorded in history was reached by a few ancient JewsMicah, Isaiah, and the restwho took no count whatever of what might not happen to them after death. The coat of arms was originally approved for the 209th Engineer Battalion on 15 February 1945. S. McGarry, Lieutenant Colonel Nick On 18 September, 1950 the 20th Engineer Combat Battalion was reactivated at Fort Bragg, North Carolina under the command of LTC Howard W. Penney. management. (updates Feb. 2019; Jan. 2021). R. Manning, Lieutenant Colonel John After the men return to the NDP, they can look forward to hot chow, mail and cold beer. L. Gardner, Lieutenant Colonel Fred Brigadier General Curtis "You can't see where you're going and you have to rely on the light observation helicopter for direction. D. Gabe, Lieutenant Colonel Charles They took a wild ride down the mountain before crashing into the river below. COMBAT AFTER ACTION REPORT, VIETNAM 1969. "On May 16, B Company, 199th Light Infantry Brigade was pinned down south of Fire Support Base (FSB) Myron. L. Blalock, 864th Engineer Battalion Rosin, Lieutenant Colonel Donald Realizing this, it was then decided to send land clearing units into the Fish Hook area. For example, a vehicle in which he was riding struck a landmine. J. Waldrop, Lieutenant Colonel Robert Temperatures inside the cabs reach 130 degrees: red ants, which nest in the trees, sometimes make working almost impossible because of their painful bite; dust clings to their sweaty, unshaven faces and snipers make sudden death a constant companion. 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. Logistics prevented B Company from being relocated. RARE Vietnam Era 27th Combat Engineer Airborne Battalion Paratrooper Jump Badge - Veteran Owned Premier Relics All artifact orders $199+ ship FREE. J. Corley, Lieutenant Colonel William Use promo code FREESHIP at checkout. Some have time for writing letters, while others sit and stare blindly into the jungle wondering what Charlie has in mind. During the first several days of cutting resistance was light, but after the enemy had a chance to regroup, everyday meant contact. P. Gardiner, Lieutenant Colonel William Do you have 27TH ENGINEER BATALLION IN PHU BAI VIETNAM Reunion information you'd like to share, "When I Joined VetFriends, I read about the email locator service, and sent an email to my old friend. Soldiers of the battalion have received numerous decorations in both theaters to include Rashe Hall - Silver Star (Afghanistan) and Scott Smullen - Soldier's Medal (Afghanistan) as well as individual companies receiving unit citations. We would spend 1 night at Lang Co, 2 nights at bridge 28 with the 101st, and one night at an ARVN compound. Lieutenant Colonel Reuben A paper change was made and we became C Company, 168th Combat Engineer Battalion. February 18, 1968 - September 10, 1968. The 984th joined them June 15 after completing their cut out at Binh Son. find my friend. of Command, Lieutenant Colonel Phillip This was the only engineer. Lieutenant Colonel James "It's always good to get back to the NDP," said Wentworth, "but we still have lots of work left. Lieutenant Colonel Emmett The regiment was broken up in March 1943 and its elements were then reorganized and redesignated. Engineers from the 27th repaired the runways, among other responsibilities. Elements of these Rome Plow units moved into Cambodia May 3, two days after the first American troops crossed the border. The 2022 reunion starts on November 9, 2022. A. Smith, Lieutenant Colonel William P. Rodolph, Jr. 23 December 1966-10 September 1967, Lieutenant Colonel Henry The battalion remained in Florida as part of Task Force All-American until 26 September 1992. The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 27th Engineer Combat Battalion on 19 March 1951. Lieutenant Colonel George A. Karst, Lieutenant Colonel Arthur A. Howard, Jr. HQ located at Bien Hoa. Enlarge This series primarily consists of command chronologies of U.S. Marine Corps units that served during the time of the Vietnam Conflict, and includes the records of those units that served in Vietnam as well as domestically and throughout the world. Rank, 14 August 1966-20 September Operation Cedar Falls, the first in a series of U.S. offensives in 1967, was about to violate this sanctuary. The soldiers are in Kosovo as part of the peace-keeping mission, Operation Joint Guardian. Many times they must fight as infantrymen and not as mechanics or tractor drivers. u.s. army special troops battalion, 2nd brigade combat team, 1st armored division unit crest (dui) $11.99. In April of 1968 the 591st and the 27th Eng. It was not uncommon to pull and replace D7 Caterpillar engines or final drives, or truck power packs as the construction went on nearby. Y. Epling, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Potable water provided by purification platoons deployed to the hurricane Agnes ravaged Appalachians in 1972. E. Edgar, Lieutenant Colonel William Reunion Details The battalion's 50 year reunion will be held at the Elks Lodge at 640 E. Elva St. in Idaho Falls. One of these soldiers, Al Gore, would later become Vice President of the United States. The platoon is filling sandbags a seemingly never-ending chore that everyone complained about doing but frequently were very glad to have for cover. Thank you SAM for posting this, thanks to all who served our country. A crazy coincidence occurred one evening. Shower points were established, usually using excess metal shipping containers or 55-gallon drums filled with water and placed on a trestle. Are you looking for someone who is or was in 27TH ENGINEER BATALLION IN PHU BAI VIETNAM? Dedicated to those who were there. L. Sargent, Jr. 20 September 1965-16 August Although the overall story is accurate, the author cannot guarantee that every statement or photo caption is fully correct. 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, A. Melton. Then, Don watched as Dave pulled motor stables maintenance on his D7. In addition to supplying aggregate for Highway Route 547, the rock crusher supplied material for road improvements for much of I Corps and as far north as the demilitarized zone (DMZ). On 27 March 1991, the 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat)(Airborne) returned to its home at Fort Bragg, NC. 3rd Battalion, 27th Marines (3/27) was the shortest serving Marine battalion to deploy to Vietnam and was composed of over 400 Marines . God Bless America. Lieutenant Colonel Harlan Division), Lieutenant Colonel Gerhard Phu Tai 10 Mar 1970. . L. Ackerson, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Although the pilot was warned, the helicopter struck a wire, crashed, and burned. Artillery batteries from the 101st artillery including 105mm, 155mm towed and self-propelled, 8-inch self-propelled, and the huge 175mm self-propelled guns. E. Ayers, Lieutenant Colonel Charles J. Eineigl, Lieutenant Colonel Clifford In effort to reduce risks to hostile fire, heavy airborne applications of defoliants (which later became be known as agent orange) covered wide swaths of the route way and potential firebase locations. Infrequently, these observation towers would be equipped with a searchlight. During the operation, 56 separate contacts was reported. H. West, Lieutenant Colonel Richard 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. While in Somalia the 27th performed various infrastructure improvement projects for the Somali people. E. Read, 7 October 1966-29 September at Camp Eagle, which was at Gia Le, our project was the A Shau Expressway (QL547 & QL548). A. Yore, Lieutenant Colonel Lawrence Plows have names like "The Living End" or "Hey Jude" and "The Iron Coffin." As of October 1999, they had the last/only Airborne well-driller detachment/platoon left in the United States Army. C. Levanger. Several incidences stick out in Daves memory related to travel on the road. Fortunately he had also become a member and responded to my email. Lieutenant Colonel John Every Vietnam veteran had more than enough on the job training filling sandbags. Lieutenant Colonel Robert The Contractor Full Disclosure T-Shirt. 3rd Battalion, 27th Marines Marker. 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. Primary Sponsorship. Thank you so much again for helping me In 1966 the 1/27th Arty was activated as a 155mm self-propelled howitzer battalion at Fort Sill. On 21 July 1966, the battalion entered the Vietnam War, serving honorably and effectively in 13 campaigns, received five Meritorious Unit Commendations and the Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal (1st Class), with 19 campaign streamers for actions in Vietnam. W. Wilkinson, Lieutenant Colonel Joe H. Components of the battalion participated in operation "Bright Star 82" deploying to the port city of Berbera, Somalia, which is located on the central North coast of Somalia on the Gulf of Aden. Sheridan, Illinois (late 1952). The Office of History. 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. Thanks! Lieutenant Colonel Richard L. Harris, 16 December 1965-13 July 1966 Lieutenant Colonel Robert L. Gilmore, 14 July 1966-5 July 1967 V. McGuinness, Jr. 9 December 1966-7 September M. Miller, Lieutenant Colonel Tenho Built FSC Company Area After Battalion Transformation. With roots that can be traced back to WWII, the 591st Engineer Company (Light Equipment) was inactivated in Vietnam on 1 January 1972 (the Company was reactivated 16 September, 2007 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky). Disclaimer: OK The dirt pans, front-end loader, and graders would join the dozers in leveling and shaping the terrain and digging in fighting positions, trenches, bunkers, artillery and mortar positions, ammo storage points, vehicle parking and maintenance/repair areas, and drainage features. Photos and memories from a tour in Vietnam as a combat medic with the 2/2nd Infantry (Mechanized) Ramrods (April - Sept. '67) and 2/28th Infantry Black Lions (Sept. '67 - April '68), 1st Infantry Division. 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. "On May 29, the 199th made contact again while investigating several caches east of Myron. The 7th Communications Battalion T-Shirt by Rod Ad, USMC - 2nd Bn - 1st Marines w SVC Ribbons Men's Fi, The Contractor Competi Men's Fitted T-Shirt (dark), Army - 20th Engineer Bde w SVC Ribbons Men's Fitte, 4th Marine Division Men's Fitted T-Shirt (dark), why dont i go the 148th battalion needs me - anony, 2nd Marine Division Men's Fitted T-Shirt (Dark), 2nd Marine Division 2 Women's Classic T-Shirt, Army - 1-77 ARTY w Vietnam SVC Ribbons Long Sleeve, 1st Marine Division Men's Fitted T-Shirt (Dark), We cannot find an account with that email address, Password must be less than 128 characters, An account already exists for this email address, Email Address must be less than 128 characters, Create password must be less than 128 characters, The password does not meet the requirements below. Lieutenant Colonel Donald Inscription. Thus, what is have written here was dredged up from small fragments of memory of past conversations. The research for this After Action Report included OPERATIONAL REPORTS, DAILY STAFF JOURNALS and DUTY OFFICER S LOGS at the Battalion, Brigade and Division levels located in the National Archives and Records Administration, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001. A. "But of course in an operation like this, we measure our success on what we find." Janairo, Lieutenant Colonel Paul As the operations moved forward, the engineers built laager-type areas to be used as mini-bases for logistic, staging, and maintenance. J. Rochefort. Along with a radio-man, we went to check out the bunker. Regardless, Dave got more than just a little time on the welder and twisting wrenches to make repairs. All Departments. They got to spend a few evenings together on the bunker line watching the perimeter. Visit the full collection on the Digital Library. Capt. The guys watched in disbelief as the fire slowed down and stopped. The sun was usually hot enough to heat the drums enough to provide lukewarm showers. The 27th Engineer Battalion (A) rapidly deploys expeditionary combat and general engineer in support of world-wide contingency operations, in order to support maneuver commanders during. We were at Fort Gordon, Georgia in 1964 and 1965, and moved to Viet Nam in 1965. Dave and his bunker buddy were transporting a Cat road grader on a lowboy when the recently installed brakes failed.