P. Richmond, Lieutenant Colonel Kent Crest: The unit's World War II campaign service for which it was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation (Army), MYITKYINA, is denoted by the mythological chinze from the Burma State Seal and the blue mural crown of Myitkyina, the heavily fortified town in north Burma, the capture of which was vital in breaking the land blockade of China; blue is the color of the Presidential Unit Citation (Army) streamer. The sun was usually hot enough to heat the drums enough to provide lukewarm showers. The regiment was broken up in March 1943. "But of course in an operation like this, we measure our success on what we find." Following 2 years of carrying out combat engineering tasks . Thanks. If the terrain would allow, vegetation outside the perimeter would be pushed back as much as 200 meters for obvious reason. The battalion colors bear a Presidential Unit Citation for action at Myitkyina Airfield, five Meritorious Unit Commendations for actions in Vietnam, one Meritorious Unit Commendation for actions in Southwest Asia, the Superior Unit award for AHAUS TAURA '90, the Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal (1st Class), and 19 campaign streamers. "Sometimes we work 18 to 20 hours a day.". 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. Regardless, Dave got more than just a little time on the welder and twisting wrenches to make repairs. Lieutenant Colonel Marvin The history of the 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Airborne) began on 16 January 1918 at Fort Myer, Virginia, as the 2 D Battalion, 37th Engineer Regiment. 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. 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. W. Jamison, 1 November 1968-27 December The unit entered World War I on the 10 July 1918, which its participation in the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne campaigns. In the excitement, some of us didnt take very good cover. This article incorporates public domain material from .mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#3a3;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}27th Engineer Battalion Lineage and Honors. N. Schriever, Assumption or Duration posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its M. Duke. D. Snoke, Lieutenant Colonel Allen The 60th Land Clearing Company, in tactical support of C Company, 1st Squadron, 11th ACR was then sent south of Snoul in the Fish Hook region. Lieutenant Colonel Elvin J. Hatch. Lieutenant Colonel John G. Hagedon, 15 September 1965-17 January Bn. FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson. operated as a command organization in South Vietnam), Lieutenant Colonel William Caterpillar D7 dozers led the way, clearing and initially shaping the ground for the roads, bases and revetments. Thanks for making it possible, Thanks so much VetFriends.com for your help and genuine concern for locating this long lost buddy of mine, Please Enter a Valid email address with no spaces, VetFriends Members: A. Yore, Lieutenant Colonel Lawrence | Save Up to 35% Sitewide!| Price as marked | See Details | Shop All Deals. After the termination of hostilities, the unit was demobilized. P. Rodolph, Jr. 23 December 1966-10 September Several incidences stick out in Daves memory related to travel on the road. A. Ghormley, Lieutenant Colonel Hugh G. Ton, Lieutenant Colonel George 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. 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. They are launched from a bazooka-like device held by one man. Sheard, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Comments: I am the daughter of ROY B KIEFER, Army Veteran of Korean War, from Chicago, IL. Mud would get like grease, causing vehicles to slide off the road. D. Patterson, 15 February 1967-16 October B. Cooper, 921st Engineer Group (never It did occasionally rain hard enough that in the daytime, you could hold your hand out at arms length and not see it for several minutes. Dave was a certified welder before induction into the Army. ABMC Headquarters 2300 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 703-584-1501 Longer-lived bases usually had various sizes of tents or even more traditional wooden buildings. Concrete truck doing a pour for a civilian public affairs project. How cool is that. L. Sargent, Jr. 20 September 1965-16 August C. Katt, Lieutenant Colonel Charles A. Teague, Lieutenant Colonel Richard It was redesignated for the 27th Engineer Combat Battalion on 19 March 1951. CafePress is committed to creating an inclusive experience for people with disabilities. S. McGarry, Lieutenant Colonel Nick The history of the 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat)(Airborne) began on 16 January 1918 at Fort Myer, Virginia, as the 2 D Battalion, 37th Engineer Regiment. I. Aguilar, Lieutenant Colonel Max B. Lieutenant Colonel Carl Lieutenant Colonel Reuben It was a wonderful moment that we will both remember for the rest of our lives, and we owe it to VetFriends. Edelstein, Lieutenant Colonel John Commenting on the units accomplishments, Major Kerver said, "Results of the operation will be measured at a later date. This plaque is dedicated to Marines and Corpsmen who served with 3rd Battalion 27th Marines in the Republic of Vietnam. Got my fish and parrots and hooks and beaks mixed up. F. Meador, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph 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. I was at Quang Tri and all of the combat troops were gone. E. Lynch, Lieutenant Colonel Clarence From my "perch",weather satellite read out at Tan Son Nhut,I observed the clouds in Cambodia. 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. The battalion deployed again in August 1992 to Miami-Dade County, Florida, for Hurricane Andrew relief. Major Kerver felt the high contact rate was a good indication the operation was headed in the right direction, but there wasn't enough time to complete the job. The Battalion ran across a samll, but well-entrenched enemy force; they called in the 16-inch firepower of the battleship USS New Jersey and wiped out the enemy force. The Vietnam Trip Briefing slide collection provides a valuable historical visual record of army, especially army engineer, activity during the Vietnam years. L. Curl, 8th Engineer Battalion (1st R. Wray, Lieutenant Colonel Louis The battalion deployed with the 20th Engineer Brigade from 22 September through 5 November 1994. D. Gabe, Lieutenant Colonel Charles They lost two men before pulling back. OK 1968, Lieutenant Colonel Maurice (P) Selected for promotion before assuming command. I just want to thank you for starting this thread. Hansen, Lieutenant Colonel Laurence Also found were water purification and malaria tablets, vitamins, two printing presses, 44 bicycles and 200 pounds of documents. 2,951,275, MILITARY UNITS - 27th engineer batallion in Phu Bai Vietnam. Lieutenant Colonel Clyde Lieutenant Colonel Richard Like most Vietnam veterans, Dave had arrived in Vietnam by himself as a replacement into his Company. You had a thankless and tough job, the iron triangle, hobo woods, Cu Chi tunnel area and many other places that needed your expertise to try and flush charly and to reduce casualties, are not forgotten. The unit entered World War I on 10 July 1918, with its participation in the Saint-Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne campaigns. The regiment was broken up in March 1943 and its elements were then reorganized and redesignated. But the plow operators of a land clearing company are experts and take pride in their job. Although the overall story is accurate, the author cannot guarantee that every statement or photo caption is fully correct. Division), Lieutenant Colonel Gerhard Company B of the 27th is the only company in the United States Army that specializes in rough terrain airborne insertion. An official website of the United States government, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters Website, About the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Headquarters Website, Vietnam So Many Years Later: Remembering Army Engineer Activities in Southeast Asia, 1966-1972, Deactivated Nuclear Power Plant Program (DNPPP), Regional Environmental and Energy Offices REEOs, Industry Information Re: COVID-19 Support, Strategic Sustainability Performance Plans, Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville, Humphreys Engineer Center Support Activity, G-1 Reserve Component Augmentation, Office of Human Resources Directorate, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. M. Connell, Lieutenant Colonel Walter Meanwhile, the water would accumulate around your feet on flat ground to ankle depth! The Office of History. The history of the 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat)(Airborne) began on 16 January 1918 at Fort Myer, Virginia, as the 2D Battalion, 37th Engineer Regiment. 1967, Lieutenant Colonel Robert I was with the 630th Engineers in Vietnam in 1969-'70. . 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. 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. 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. L. Anderson, Jr. Since the time when he was a kid, Dave was a phenomenal shot. I served in the US Army as a combat engineer in Vietnam from March 1967 to February 1968. L. Jorns, Lieutenant Colonel Edwin On 23 August 1990, the battalion was again called upon, this time to Saudi Arabia, to support Operation Desert Shield. These major effort-type of operations required a huge amount of support and supplies. The diagonal cant and the guide bar cause the trees and brush that are cut to fall off to the right of the dozer. $59.99 $45.00. They got to spend a few evenings together on the bunker line watching the perimeter. P. Stefanik, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Sources: Red Thunder, Tropic Lighting, The World of a Combat Division in Vietnam by Eric Bergerud Vietnam 1965-1970, The 25th Infantry Division published by Turner Publications. Lieutenant Colonel Pendleton A. Karst, Lieutenant Colonel Arthur 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. Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Branch of Service: Army Unit of Service: Headquarters Company, 27th Combat Engineer Battalion Location of Service: Fort Ord, California; Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Long Binh, Vietnam Highest Rank: E-5 Dates of Service: 1965-1968 Entrance into Service: Enlisted Military Status: Veteran Materials What a conversation we had. They have participated in many actions and projects in Iraq and Afghanistan since. L. Burns, Lieutenant Colonel Wilson 1 The 35mm color slides are generally in remarkably good condition, with only a small percentage suffering from correctable color degradation. FORT DRUM, NY -- Command Sgt. L. Spruill, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Scheider, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph I was supply sergeant, D Co., 39th Eng. V. Parish, Jr. Lieutenant Colonel Robert Commanders of the 20th Engineers in Vietnam. Not readily apparent, but this Clark 290m scraper has suffered from incoming hostile fire. D. H. Berry, Lieutenant Colonel James J. Andre, Lieutenant Colonel Connelly The Combat action badge should be retro active to Vietnam. Some have time for writing letters, while others sit and stare blindly into the jungle wondering what Charlie has in mind. 1966, Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Logistics prevented B Company from being relocated. 45th Engineer Group Jun 1966 - Jan 1972. More information is available in the February 2022 Newsletter . 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. The men know the plows must be kept in working condition to complete their mission. The blade is "canted" to the right and there is a heavy guide bar about three feet above the blade. COMBAT AFTER ACTION REPORT, VIETNAM 1969. N. Andrews, Lieutenant Colonel Gwynn After the men return to the NDP, they can look forward to hot chow, mail and cold beer. F. Thomas. The 209th disembarked at Bombay, India on 23 October 1943, and immediately set to work on the Ledo Road. When we got there, we ran into a NVA soldier. Lieutenant Colonel Homer There's no discipline problem, they look out for each other. 27th Engineer Battalion Long-Sleeve Cotton T-Shirt -FF. L. Sutton, Lieutenant Colonel Donald It is referred to as a blade because it actually has a cutting edge which is sharpened daily. C. Lee, Jr. 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.
27th combat engineer battalion vietnam