INFANTRY [citation needed]. In addition, members of Charlie Company were present at President Ronald Reagan's inauguration, 20 January 1981. WebCompany C, 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 50th Infantry, Vietnam Photos "C" Company Photographs 1st Bn (Mech), 50th Infantry Click on any Company Guidon image above to go to that Company's page. Arrivals in Vietnam: December 13, 1967 clipping One-third (about 200 men) of the battalion were killed or wounded, but the unit took out 30 enemy tanks and inflicted 500 to 1,000 casualties. His company was transported by helicopters into a suspected enemy held area. Stuart Jamison recalls observing the reality and immediacy of death as his unit assaults a Viet Cong company during Phase II of the Tet Offensive. 30 - beginning of candid photos WebUnit of Service: Charlie Company, 3rd Infantry; Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 506th Regiment, 2nd Division; Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 1st Battalion, 502nd Regiment, 101st Infantry Division Location of Service: Fort Meyer, Virginia; Camp Greaves, South Korea; Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia; process of scanning in parts of his copy of the yearbook so that It wasnt just one of the bloodiest moments in the Vietnam War, but it marked the turning point in strategy and public opinion towards the conflict and could even have contributed to the beginning of the end for the armed resistance against the communist forces in the country. This was the first U.S. military force to be deployed to the Middle East since the end of World War II. - VNI-302 1st Platoon, D Company, 1st Battalion, 506th A 155mm high explosive U.S. artillery shell had landed in the Week of December 11 Jul 1968-14 May 1969, Various Web1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Vietnam December 1967 photos from Michael Rodriguez (B Co, 1st BN, 1967-1968) Wake Island re-fueling stop for a C-141 Starlifter, which was taking 1st Battalion Currahees from Fort Campbell, KY to Bien Hoa,Vietnam during "Operation Eagle Thrust"the world's largest and longest airlift directly into a combat zone. During the Baghdad clearance operations that set the stage for the Iraq War troop surge of 2007 under General David Petraeus, the 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry conducted the first deliberate clear-hold-build operation in the Doura Market as part of Operation Together Forward II under Multi-National Division Baghdad (MND-B). When it was over, four bunkers were taken out by one man. The initial battlespace encompassed an area approximately 2,809 square miles, to which the task force added responsibility for five additional districts, encompassing approximately 560 square miles, within Paktika Province in the final months of the deployment. Currahee is a Cherokee Indian word meaning "Stands Alone," a phrase which later became the Regiment's motto. Regimental elements have served with the 101st in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Don F. Pratt Museum-101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) 1-506th Infantry operated in Korea as part of 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. To Jim Littig and to President Kennedy, it was a place to take a stand against communism. of The Screaming Eagle weekly Army newspaper; - VNI-301 3rd Platoon, D Company, Recon Platoon, 1st Battalion, There were 3 phases to the "Mission," patrolling, guardpost duty, and training. if you have any information concerning the creation, awarding, Part 1 of 2. The battalion deployed to various training missions across the United States. Every soldier in a spider hole was armed with a rifle and a RPG launcher. Instead of returning to Korea, the battalion redeployed to Fort Carson, Colorado, on 30 September 2005 to be reflagged to 2-12th Infantry Regiment. On 16 December, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander on the Western Front, ordered them to move into the Belgian town of Bastogne by 18 December, so that the Germans would not gain access to its important crossroads. Operational Reports - Lessons Learned -from 1968 to 1971. It was the first US ground forces in the Philippines since WWII> Just before the Cuban Missile Crisis, on 1 October 1962, C Company (the Division's alert-ready unit at the time) was deployed to Oxford, Mississippi to assist in restoring order after James Meredith arrived to integrate the University of Mississippi. Easy Company's trials, which included D-Day action and bursting into Hitler's home, were the subject of a 10-part HBO miniseries produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. His company command at the Cua Viet River was just the way Richard Jackson liked it. WWll 1942-1945; 1st Airborne Battle Group; 4th BCT, 506th; Task Force Currahee; Republic of Korea 1987-2004; Airborne-Air Assault W. Fuller (A Co, 1st BN, 1970-1971) 506th Infantry, constructing a landing zone, ? 101st Airborne - VNI-274 Recon Team 2, B Company, 1st Battalion, 506th An activation ceremony was held on 15 April 1987 at Camp Greaves, Republic of Korea. Part 1 of 3. While in Vietnam, the Regiment was converted from Airborne to Airmobile Infantry. Jerry Wise, Sr. (D Co, 1st BN, 1970) These photographers came out to where B Company was training Maybe if the top brass had planned better, or if friendly fire had not killed seven and wounded 53 of their own men things would have turned out differently. The next assault was in the Ia Drang Valley and they were perhaps too successful. (Airborne) Infantry, 18-19 March 1968 - Robert Cave): world's largest issued to a Screaming Eagle in Vietnam. (A Co, 1st BN, 1967-1968), 1-506th On order, reinforces JSA and secures artillery logistics assets, 2nd Infantry Division Main, and Aviation Brigade to protect critical assets and evacuate noncombatants; Be prepared to attack or defend to achieve assigned missions. In the time during which TF Red Currahee was responsible for the battlespace, kinetic activity increased at a rate of 144 percent compared to previous years, making it the most kinetic[citation needed] province in RC-East. Honeycutt protested at this, and forced his men to remain in the field. Tom Duckett, III (B Co, 1st BN, 506th, 1971), Fairfield Honors Reluctant War As Marine Captain Ron Christmas fought to regain the city of Hue, he found the enemy adept at concealment and surprise. The nickname "Rakkasans" is derived from the Japanese word for umbrella. 116 - beginning of HHC individual photos 18 They include Operation Golden Sword, the brigades' relocation from the III Corp to I Corp in late 1968, and three reports on sapper attacks at the specified Fire Support Bases. Screaming Eagle weekly Army newspaper; submitted In 2004, 1-506th was deployed from Korea to Habbaniyah, Iraq. Cache, B Co, 1st BN: clippings Why were the Montagnard units getting no contact? The 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry had been decorated 12 times. 09-03-2017 19:22:33 ZULU, E Company (Fwd Spt), 801st Brigade Support Battalion. Careful examination of their TTPs (techniques, tactics, and procedures) for this combined, joint operation with the Iraqi National Police and Iraqi Police resulted in the emulation of their tactics for similar operations across Baghdad for the next six months, a temporary measure until surge forces could arrive and set up joint security stations (JSS). Shamsheer was instrumental in the success for 1-506IN as they provided enemy TTP's and locations. During the siege, there were reports of problems with tying in the gap in between the 501st PIR and the 506th. This reassignment was as part of the transformation to the US Army's new modular force structure. One three-man team, known as the Shamsheer team, part of the OCCP, was widely used in collecting intel, finding high-value targets and locating caches with the Afghan police. A. Rosenthal (C Co, 1st BN, 1970-1971) The unit returned to Fort Carlson Colorado in July 2005 with 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division and was subsequently reflagged as 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry. It wasn't any ragtag Viet Cong, it was a battalion of NVA that was assaulting the artillery battery where Sammy Davis was stationed in the Mekong Delta. Everyone breathing in a uniform was hurriedly mobilized by the 82nd Airborne as they scrambled to reply to Gen. Westmoreland's demand for more troops. ' click here to view the navigation menu and home page of The 506th Airborne Infantry Regiment Association (Airmobile-Air Assault).' It was determined that they weren't going out far enough and on the second patrol that ventured further, Jim Bolan and the combined unit ran into the back of a VC ambush. : newspaper WebOn the road to LZ Action, Company A, 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 50th Infantry moves cautiously east down Highway 19 in 1969. The 506th was deactivated in 1945, then was re-activated as the 506th Airborne Infantry Regiment in 19481949, again in 19501953 and finally, in 1954 to train recruits. 506th Infantry Fred Lindley (A/B/HHC, 1st BN, 1970-1971) is in the After 18 years pursuing a career, he returned to the Army. Hero: May 6, 2007, Evansville Hitler's grounds in Berchtesgarden on the Austria and Germany border were rife with liquor, fancy cars and weapons. 1st Apr-31 Aug 1971 and 6-19 Sep 1971, DAGO#6, 1974 Daily Staff Journals describe, by day/hour/minute, actions recorded at the Battalion level. The coat of arms was redesignated for the 506th Airborne Infantry Regiment on 18 Mar 1949. Download Regular Membership Application [pdf], Download Associate Membership Application [pdf]. October 7, 2007, South Florida Sun-Sentinel Orders#22, 1976: (page All 30 officers completed it, including 2nd Battalion commander Major Robert Strayer. 996 - July 11, 1969: narrative At 0100 hours, 6 June 1944, the Regiment jumped into the skies over France as the lead element of the massive Allied D-Day invasion. What they needed was steel. Belgian Croix de Guerre with Palm. We were looking for a fight. After the hard fight at Hamburger Hill, Gordon Roberts moved to an artillery fire base to protect it for a few days, then it was back to search and destroy missions in the A Shau Valley. Part 3 of 4. In November 1945, the 506th Infantry was inactivated at Auxerre, France. 2008 article (with photos) by Greg For their bravery, the regiment was decorated with 2 Presidential Unit Citations with 25 Curahees earning the Distinguished Service Cross for their actions in Normandy. (Interview conducted at, and with the assistance of, the Military Heritage Museum- https://freedomisntfree.org/.). Eagle Vietnam Diary: from Tom Agnew was apprehensive on the way to Vietnam and wondering if he was up to the task. Valorous Unit Award (2) The grenade taped to his hand might have killed him if the VC had found his hiding place. The Pentomic structure was abandoned in 1964 in favor of brigades and battalions, and the 1st ABG, 506th Infantry was reorganized and redesignated as 1st Battalion (Airborne), 506th Infantry. 101 airborne 1968 VIETNAM yearbook; submitted 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry [Regiment] "White Currahee". (Medic), 1st BN, 506th, Aug 68-Dec 69] and Paul At 1142 hours, Company A, 1st Battalion, 506th Airbornewas searching east of the ORIENTAL RIVER at XT430113 when it ran into the base camp of an estimated VC company. Vietnam Written Interview Collection: Battle That Changed The Course of the Vietnam )[7][8], Redesignated 1 October 2005 as the 506th Infantry Regiment[5], Re-aligned 16 April 2014 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky under 1st and 3d BCTs, 101st Abn Div. In September of 1991, DMZ responsibilities were transferred to the ROKA 1st Infantry Division, and A Company was relocated to Camp Giant in 1992. It was later reorganized as an air assault battalion, 1-506 Infantry (Air Assault) and eventually switched brigades in a 2nd Infantry Division reorganization in 1994. Situation Report - these pages were taken from the 3rd Brigade Daily Journals. For many years the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment (Air Assault) was one of the most forward deployed combat units in the United States Army. 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, "Red Currahee," deployed to Paktya and Khowst Provinces at the end of April 2013. In addition to being an Airborne unit, it tested new Army airmobile concepts, and was part of the Army's strategic reserve. Concurrently, a "new" 1-506th was created by reflagging an existing battalion within the 101st and assigning it to the division's 4th Brigade Combat Team. It was on this day that one of the most tragic events of the whole battle took place, and one that would have revolted and disgusted the public back in the States as well as damaged morale among the forces in Vietnam. It was Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Division, who made it there first and plundered the spoils, sampling Hitler's stash of food and booze. The battalion was reactivated on 16 March 1987 as part of the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division in Korea, by reflagging the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, at Camp Greaves. On 27 Feb 1958 it was redesignated for the 506th Infantry. After a summary of the brigades' activities in the beginning of each report, the reports then lists the significant 'Lessons Learned' for the reporting period. The ground forces of British XXX Corps linked up with elements of the 101st Airborne on the second day of operations but the advance of the ground forces was delayed while engineers replaced the Son bridge with a Bailey bridge. 3rd Brigade Vietnam; 1st Battalion 506th Infantry; 2nd Battalion 506th infantry; 3rd Battalion 506th Infantry; WWII 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment; Medal of Honor Recipients; Books, Movies, and Music . He marveled at the toughness and courage of the fighters who traced the unit's lineage back to the French Colonial Airborne. 1st BN, 1970-1971) On 30 September 2005 it was relieved (less personnel and equipment) from assignment to the 2d Infantry Division and assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). This valley was situated near the border with Laos, and it had become a haven for the communist forces and a major infiltration route into the south. The battalion was reactivated on 16 March 1987 as part of the 2nd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division in Korea, by reflagging the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, at Camp Greaves. The airborne component of Operation Market Garden, Operation Market was composed of American units (82nd Airborne Division, the 101st Airborne Division, and the IX Troop Carrier Command), British units (1st Airborne Division) and Polish units (1st Independent Parachute Brigade). Copyright 2023 Witness To War. Corps Fighting: from He and his medical platoon performed missions treating civilians in their villages and he relates a chilling story of a child used by the enemy to attack one of these operations. Paratroopers in training ran from Camp Toccoa up Currahee Mountain and back with the shout "three miles up, three miles down!". Vietnam When US soldiers pressed into Hitler's mountain hideaway near the end of World War II, they found jewels beyond comprehension. checkframed("../index.htm"); 128 - beginning of B Company individual photos 'This page is intended as part of a framed document, ' + Gene Overton (C Co, 1st BN, 1967-1968), III 11 BRAVO To him, it was an honorable enterprise and the only right course at the time and it is his belief that it contributed to the fall of Soviet communism. He went through basic training and jump school at Fort Benning and, after a tour in Europe, was sent to the 101st Airborne in Vietnam. Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, It was the day he helped out one of the APC crews, though, that earned him recognition. Through a campaign that balanced both the requirement to develop ANSF tactical and operational capacity as well as the necessity to defeat a very active enemy force, TF Currahee attacked into enemy support zones alongside its partnered ANSF, despite operating at a reduced strength of 2,400 soldiers. The daylight schedule resulted in well-targeted and controlled drops into the designated zones. by the 101st Airborne Division; submitted by The final significant event of World War II occurred when the Regiment drove into southeastern Germany and overran Hitler's famed "Eagle's Nest" and accepted the surrender of the German 82nd Corps from its commander, General Tolsdorff, at Gestein. (Airmobile), 506th Infantry, 6 February 1970. NOTE: there are typographical errors, missing names, clipping (with photo) from the March To Jim Littig, the way the end of the war unfolded was very irritating, with multiple failures by the government. However, as difficult as this experience was, this was nothing compared to the Tet Offensive. Later in his Army career, it was time for a masters degree and Jim Littig chose an unusual major. He knew what he had to do and his actions brought him consideration for the nation's highest military honor, the Medal of Honor. Jumper: the Chapter Ends: article 1972 When he located the besieged squad, the battle became intense and they were in danger of being wiped out. The 2nd Battalion's Company D (Delta) served in some of the most brutal firefights of the deployment, losing seven soldiers during rotation. 1970 DAGO#48, 1971. 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry 1970 yearbook submitted by Darrell Vaughn This is NOT one of the generic 101st Division Vietnam yearbooks. 1st As the battle shifted to Hill 937, Conmey moved the 1/506th to the southern side of the hill and Honeycutt airlifted Bravo Company to the area, and the rest of the battalion made their way by foot and met up with the 1/506th and Bravo on the 19th of May. As his graduation neared in 1967, he and his fellow officers in training naively worried that the war might be over before they could get there. Vietnam submitted by Larry Goodell (A Co, 1st 1st Battalion was deployed to the Ghazni, Wardak, and Western Paktika Provinces with the exception of Company A (Alfa), split in half (1st and 2nd platoons) along with a platoon from Company D (Delta) to assist a team from 10th Special Forces Group in the Northern province of Kapisa in the outpost Forward Operating Base (FOB) Kutchsbach for the first six months of the deployment. This valley was heavily forested, and above it stood Ap Bia Mountain, otherwise known as Hill 937 or Hamburger Hill. The mission of the 506th was to hold the town of Neville, four miles to north. Threat: December 5, 1971, final The World War II actions of the regiment's Company E ("Easy Company") were portrayed in the 2001 HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. Jim Littig shuffled through several assignments as the war was winding down for US forces. group shots, and any orders/payments for the yearbooks at that time. COL(R) Steve Perry (HHC, 2nd BN, 1971), Memorable 62 - 1st Platoon, B Company photo and unidentified platoon photo The engagement came about due to Operation Apache Snow commencing, which had the aim of clearing the PAVN from the A Shau Valley in South Vietnam. It could be tough getting resupplied in the field in Vietnam. Maybe if the top brass had planned better, or if friendly fire had not killed seven and wounded 53 of their own men things would have turned out differently. [citation needed] The entire Battlegroup deployed to Oxford. WebThe 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 50th Infantry served in Vietnam from 22 September 1967 to 13 December 1970 in II Corps (Central Highlands), providing our combat power to major units as and where it was most needed. While he was beginning his shift as the night duty officer, Lawson Magruder would marvel at the wrecked helicopters brought back to base. Tragically, this would not be the last friendly fire incident during the battle, as the thick jungle made life incredibly difficult for helicopter pilots. 244 were here. Members of the unit wear the spade () symbol on the helmet outer and the Screaming Eagle patch (indicating membership in the 101st Airborne Division) on the left sleeve. Part 1 of 2. The battalion colors were inactivated on 5 June 1984 when all of the infantry battalions of the brigade were reflagged as elements of the 502nd Infantry. In April of 1968 1st Brigade was in the A Shau Valley near the border of Laos, blocking enemy activity from entering South Vietnam along the Ho Chi Minh trail. Co, 1st BN, 506th Vietnam: 2009 Stand Down After Action Report, Hang Son Doong (Mountain River The 101st captured all but one bridge, the one at Son, which its German defenders blew up as the airborne units approached. Company A occupied the combat outpost, which shared the facility with the HHC medical aid station (Voodoo), elements of Company E, 801st BSB (Wrench), and a platoon of sappers from Company C, 876th Engineer Battalion, part of the 2nd Brigade, 28th Division, Pennsylvania National Guard. 506th Infantry 1970-1971), the yearbook was offered by Korean photographers. 44 - 2nd and 3rd Platoon, C Company photos The 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry was assigned on 16 March 1987 to the 2d Infantry Division and activated in Korea. Colonel Weldon Honeycutt had control of the 187th Infantry, and he sent Charlie and Bravo companies to move up towards the summit of Hamburger Hill on different routes. Two days after Gordon Roberts arrived in the A Shau Valley, the battle began to grow, and lasted ten days as a vast bunker complex was discovered and taken. After redeployment from Fort Polk, "Hardcore Charlie" was detached to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry, for operation Bright Star'81 in September, to "round out" that unit when it deployed to the Sinai for peacekeeping duties. of the A/1-506th Company Monument, Camp Evans, April 1971: by Alfred M. May (XO, The Regiment prevented the Viet Cong from seizing Phan Thiet. Part 1 of 5. Web3rd Brigade Vietnam; 1st Battalion 506th Infantry; 2nd Battalion 506th infantry; 3rd Battalion 506th Infantry; WWII 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment; Medal of Honor Recipients; Books, Movies, and Music . Four battalions of the 2nd Infantry Division patrolled the US Sector of the DMZ, and the 506th Infantry was tasked during the winter time because of its close location. Eagle Coin: coin 1st Medic Marvin Cole nearly had a Chinook land on top of him in the fog. Its mission was to man the guard posts along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), provide quick reaction forces, and patrol the United Nations Command MACHA "B" sector of the DMZ during the harsh Korean winter months of December through February. 139 - beginning of D Company individual photos The 2nd Battalion was deployed primarily in the Khost regions, with elements serving in eastern Paktika and Kandahar provinces. '