27th combat engineer battalion vietnam

Unfortunately, many of the engineers and others serving alongside are still suffering from the effects. The 36th participated in 13 campaigns and earned three Meritorious Unit Citations and two Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medals. Cleared land mines and other unexplored ordinance on and around, This page was last edited on 23 July 2022, at 23:43. 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. R. Ploger, Brigadier General Charles 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. Unfortunately, not all of the crew made it out alive. I really hope some other people can find this service and get in touch with people like I did. Between October 2014 and March 2015, members of theUSACE Veterans Curation Programdigitized approximately half of the slides and worked with caption lists to create a finding aid for the collection. When they can get away with it, they don't wear boots or socks. Thank you so much again for helping me Lieutenant Colonel Richard In another situation, a UH-1 slick, the primary utility helicopter in Vietnam, was carrying a higher engineer officer over the area at a very low altitude. There was doubt all the areas could be searched before President Nixon's June 30 deadline for the withdrawal of American troops in Cambodia. 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. History [ edit] The base was established in mid-1965 and was located approximately 35 km north of Bin Ha in Phc Thnh Province. L. Sutton, Lieutenant Colonel Donald Division), Lieutenant Colonel Matthew He said we were like brothers and then all of a sudden, we lost all contact. "Sometimes we work 18 to 20 hours a day.". Some of the cabs on the D7s were adorned with scrounged sheet metal. After he completed basic training at Fort Knox and was granted the welder MOS with no further training. 380 horsepower Clark-Michigan 290M scrapers with 20-yard pans moved dirt and Caterpillar Model 12 graders leveled the terrain to standard. 15 RESULTS. Thanks. The battalion sustained 71 killed in action and 179 wounded in action during the 70-day-long battle. The fatal accident did not happen . J. L. Kelly, 17 January 4966-23 December C. Clement, Lieutenant Colonel John I was with the 630th Engineers in Vietnam in 1969-'70. . SENIOR ENGINEER COMMANDERS 27th Engineer Battalion Dickies 8 oz. Lieutenant Colonel James "We felt that by going in there we would run into heavy enemy activity," he said. After the termination of hostilities, the unit was demobilized. management. IN VIETNAM, 1965-1970-Continued, Assumption or Well done bro. 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). I'm the first to ever contact him. Built FSC Company Area After Battalion Transformation. Wood, Jr. $29.99 $24.99. mounts. A. Karst, Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Add to Cart. D. Triem, Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Lieutenant Colonel Harlan T. Gay III, 326th Engineer Battalion (101st Although the overall story is accurate, the author cannot guarantee that every statement or photo caption is fully correct. D. Peixotto, Lieutenant Colonel John The radio-man hit the dirt just as the soldier was aiming. Subsequently, the 209th participated in the India-Burma Campaign. Dillard 1, Brigadier General Robert 39th Engineer Battalion (combat) 26 November 1966 to 10 May 1967 Company . 27th In Regt L (B-W) T-Shirt. T. O'Donnell, Brigadier General Kenneth This is the official public website of the Headquarters U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. L. Moore, Lieutenant Colonel Charles After 20 days in the cache laden Fish Hook region, military officials estimated that only 30 percent of the sanctuary areas had been uncovered. Photo by Mark Sigrist. OK Several incidences stick out in Daves memory related to travel on the road. The 984th joined them June 15 after completing their cut out at Binh Son. Thank you for your registration! 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. While in Somalia the 27th performed various infrastructure improvement projects for the Somali people. Redesignated 29 April 1947 as the 27th Engineer Combat Battalion; Activated 18 September 1950 at Fort Lewis, Washington; Inactivated 26 October 1950 at Fort Lewis, Washington . By 1800 an LZ large enough to accommodate an infantry battalion was completed. 1968, Lieutenant Colonel Gerald This move known as Operation Blue Light was the longest and largest military airlift to a combat zone in history to date. 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. W. Martin, Assumption or Duration The history of the 27th Engineer Battalion (COMBAT) (AIRBORNE) began on 16 January 1918 at Fort Meyer, VA, as the second battalion of Twenty years later, World War II erupted, and on 14 July 1941, the 37th Engineer Regiment was reactivated at Camp Bowie, Texas. An incident almost beyond belief occurred one evening. Lieutenant Colonel Robert L. Spruill, Lieutenant Colonel Paul The large unit was still housed in tents, which raised some eyebrows, and was tasked with building a national road including many bridges. United States Army Center of Military History. St. Patrick's Day Sale! BATTALION 27TH INFANTRY. 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. J. Plunkett, Lieutenant Colonel Michael E. Sells, Lieutenant Colonel Dale A. Howard, Jr. C. Remson, Jr. On the 24 February 1991, the battalion, attached to the French 6th Light Armored Division, became the lead engineer battalion for XVIII Airborne Corps in its push up the western allied flank during Operation Desert Storm. God Bless America. They then used these materials to brief their leadership in country and the Office of the Chief of Engineers and other Washington-based officials. E. Gray, Lieutenant Colonel Marion T. Robinson, Lieutenant Colonel Charles The history of the 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat)(Airborne) began on 16 January 1918 at Fort Myer, VA, as the 2d Battalion, 37th Engineer Regiment. A paper change was made and we became C Company, 168th Combat Engineer Battalion. They don't have to worry about their hair being an inch to long or if they shave everyday. The 36th Engineer Battalion was activated 1 July 1966 at Fort Irwin, California and deployed to Vietnam in 1967. 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. Some have time for writing letters, while others sit and stare blindly into the jungle wondering what Charlie has in mind. During the Vietnam War, the brigade numbered over 13,000 officers and enlisted men organized into three engineer groups, with 14 battalions and 31 separate companies and detachments. L. Sargent, Jr. 20 September 1965-16 August We were stationed in Germany in 1975 through 1978. The 19th Combat Engineer Battalion developed 20 miles of roads and a 25-unit permanent heliport near Qui Nhon in preparation for the arrival of South Korea's Tiger Division, which would . After threats were made, Dave ended all future rat eradication by gunfire inside of inhabited bunkers. I served with Charlie Compan, 299th Combat Engineer Battalion in Kontum and in Bong Son, Republic of South Vietnam from October 20th 1968 to October 19th 1969. Qui Nhon Dec 1966 and Phu Bai in Feb 1968. My first duty post in-country was the sole engineer assigned to 2nd Civil Affairs Co. My duty was primarily handling demolitions and some minor construction in my "free time". A. Debelius, Lieutenant Colonel James 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. 1969, Lieutenant Colonel Gilbert B. On 31 January 1972, the battalion returned to the United States and relocated to Fort Bragg, NC, where it became a non-divisional combat airborne engineer battalion. "We don't have time to worry about how we look," said Specialist Richard Davis, plow operator for the 60th. 1967, Lieutenant Colonel John My Unit: 18th Brigade, 45th . E. Edgar, Lieutenant Colonel William U.S. Thanks! The battalion worked with the 10th Mountain Division (Light) and established Base Camp Dragon and Castle. G. Madison, Jr. W. Lombard, Lieutenant Colonel Robert If the terrain would allow, vegetation outside the perimeter would be pushed back as much as 200 meters for obvious reason. 3rd Battalion, 27th Marines Marker. He was using a red-lensed flashlight and his 1917 Colt Service revolver to successfully pop a few. E. Kallman, Lieutenant Colonel Windle On 23 August 1990, the battalion was again called upon, this time to Saudi Arabia, to support Operation Desert Shield. 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. Len Ignatowski - 1970. Many times people are searching for old friends or family members and make requests for help. M. Wells. Dave and Don soon parted as the road moved forward and the battery leapfrogged out. F. Brandes, Lieutenant Colonel James SENIOR ENGINEER COMMANDERS They feel they have a unique job and they like to talk about it. 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. Lieutenant Colonel Newman Gray, Jr. Got my fish and parrots and hooks and beaks mixed up. P. Monfore, Lieutenant Colonel Leonard J. Gow, Lieutenant Colonel Ted E. Redesignated for the 27th Engineer Battalion (Combat) on 15 July 1955. FORT DRUM, NY -- Command Sgt. A. Seelye, 17 January 1966-5 September Lieutenant Colonel John Never forget. 7:20 | On his second Vietnam tour, Bill Ray commanded a combat engineer battalion. Dave was a certified welder before induction into the Army. At that time, A Shau Valley was a North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and Viet Cong (VC) stronghold. It's been nearly 40 years since we parted. HQ located at Bien Hoa. The blade is "canted" to the right and there is a heavy guide bar about three feet above the blade. 27Th Combat Engineer Battalion Vietnam T-Shirts. Lieutenant Colonel Andrew S. Fullerton, 16 February 1967-17 November The brigade had expanded Lieutenant Colonel John 27th Replacement Draft 28th Marine Regiment 28th Replacement Draft 30th Interrogator-Translator Team 30th Replacement Draft J. Corley, Lieutenant Colonel William Rush III. The unit entered World War I on the 10 July 1918, which its participation in the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne campaigns. The first address you sent me is my buddy. Johnstone, Jr. 15th Engineer Battalion (9th The battalion deployed with the 20th Engineer Brigade from 22 September through 5 November 1994. The 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry was transferred to the 3rd Brigade as its third battalion and the 2nd Battalion, 9th Artillery was attached as the direct support artillery battalion as well as Troop C, 3/4th Cavalry as the brigade's reconnaissance element. The three of us were able to reunite 18 months later back in the world.. operated as a command organization in South Vietnam), Lieutenant Colonel William Company C received two Meritorious Unit Commendations for its actions in Afghanistan. Shower points were established, usually using excess metal shipping containers or 55-gallon drums filled with water and placed on a trestle. C. Costanzo, Lieutenant Colonel Al S. The 588th Engineer Battalion (Combat) served in Vietnam from 1965 to 1970. All of these units required heavy resupply efforts, the beans-and-bullets necessary for the mission. Division), Lieutenant Colonel William S. Kem, Lieutenant Colonel Charles 5th Battalion 27th Artillery, OPCON to 1st Brigade (Seperate) Nov 65 - Jun 67 Troop A, 2/17th Cavalry (Airborne) (OPCON to Tiger Force 327th Infantry) (aka; 4th Provisional Rifle Company while assigned to 1st Bde Sep) July 65 - Feb 72 101st Support Battalion (Provisional) Departed 19 Dec 67 Support Battalion (Airborne) (Provisional)Jul 65 - Nov 67 I am Robert Frey, of Phila, PA. He is so thankful I called and we exchanged addresses and he wants to come and visit. During the operation, 56 separate contacts was reported. Thank you SAM for posting this, thanks to all who served our country. The regiment was broken up in March 1943. After the termination of hostilities, the unit was demobilized. We specialize in hard-to-find US military unit patches. R. Manning, Lieutenant Colonel John Lieutenant Colonel Howard Shield: Gules, a rock Argent within a garland of oak leaves and acorns Proper within a bordure of the second. F. Fraser, 20 September 1967-28 February The platoon is filling sandbags a seemingly never-ending chore that everyone complained about doing but frequently were very glad to have for cover. Roper, Colonel John H. Elder, Jr. J. Eineigl, Lieutenant Colonel Clifford Veteran L. Prickett, "Dear VetFriends, Thanks so much for your help! V. Cole, Lieutenant Colonel Richard As the withdrawal date loomed closer and the mechanized units continued to plow into Communist territory, a series of constant ambushes plagued the operation. Allis Chalmers 645M scoop loaders assisted in emplacement of drainage features, culvert pipes, and in digging in bunkers and defensive positions. I guess I was just lucky. Relive & share the memories of your service time with your brothers & sisters in arms today. 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 thought I was a goner, but his weapon misfired and he ran off. Not everyone was able to exit the crashed bird. Operation Cedar Falls, the first in a series of U.S. offensives in 1967, was about to violate this sanctuary. 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. Motto: OMNES RES BENE FACERE (To Do All Things Well). Occasionally, observation platforms or towers would be constructed. 1966. You can now save a custom design or favorite a product. IN VIETNAM, 1965-1970, Assumption or Duration of Daves intent with this photo was to show that when supplies were needed, it wasnt an easy trip down to NAPA or AutoZone. F. Reilly, 23 November 1967-16 November They also built some airstrips way down in the delta where he encountered entertainer Martha Ray, to his great surprise. HE WAS KILLED MAY 11TH 1968. . Make a bold statement with our 27Th Combat Engineer Battalion Vietnam T-Shirts, or choose from our wide variety of expressive graphic tees for any season, interest or occasion . Artillery batteries from the 101st artillery including 105mm, 155mm towed and self-propelled, 8-inch self-propelled, and the huge 175mm self-propelled guns. F. Castro, Lieutenant Colonel James (P) Selected for promotion before assuming command. E. Leonard, Lieutenant Colonel Vito The operation began June 4 and terminated on June 24 after 1,694 acres had been cut. (P) Selected for promotion before assuming command. The motor pool/maintenance guys and their equipment closely followed the dirt movers. He served in Korea from 1950-1952 in B Company, 65th Combat Engineers, 25th. 66 machine shop truck with gull wing doors alongside temporary work area with troops working on an undefined project. The Office of History. A crazy coincidence occurred one evening. World War Ion 10 July 1918, with its participation in the Saint-Mihieland After the termination of hostilities, the unit was demobilized. 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. C. Schrader. The 588th and 168th served with recognized distinction while in Vietnam." 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.