BRAVEHORSES PLACE Etowah
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BRAVEHORSES WARRIORS 105 Etowah Creek Warriors 
Etowah Indian Mounds State Park Cartersville, Georgia Just west of the confluence of Pumpkinvine Creek and the Etowah River a V-shape rock wall impedes the water of the rivers. At least 500 years old the wall is one of the lasting reminders of the Mississippian Culture who controlled this portion of Northwest Georgia. A few feet from it are three much larger reminders of this culture, huge mounds that gave these Native Americans their common name, Moundbuilders. The culture that began in the Mississippi Delta perhaps more than 4,000 years ago spread to this part north Georgia as early as 850AD and flourished at this site from 950AD to 1450AD, when they left, perhaps moving further northeast. Near this ancient city runs the Hightower Trail, its name a corruption of the Creek word for city italwa. By the time Hernando deSoto visited the area in 1540-41, the Moundbuilder population was in steep decline. Today, many people believe that the Creek are descendants of this earlier culture. Purchased after the sixth Georgia land lottery by Lewis Tumlin, he and his family served as caretakers of the mounds for almost 120 years. When the land was sold to the state for a park in 1953, Henry Tumlin served as superintendent until 1981. The last pre-historic cultural development in North America was the Mississippian Culture, thriving from approximately 800 AD until the arrival of European explorers. The Mississippian Culture spanned from Wisconsin and Minnesota in the north, through Georgia to the south, and westward into the Great Plains. These people enjoyed an intricate system of trading, were accomplished craftsmen, and practiced sophisticated religious beliefs. Chief Priests governed their fortified towns. These leaders lived in temples atop large earthen mounds overlooking a central ceremonial plaza. Lesser leaders might also live on mounds, but the tallest would be for the temple of the Chief Priest. Upon the death of the Chief Priest, his temple would be destroyed and another layer of earth would be added for his successor. Ones social standing would be reflected in how close his home was to the plaza. "It is altogether unknown to us what could have induced the Native Americans to raise such a heap of earth in this place . . . It is reasonable to suppose, however, that they were to serve some important purpose in those days, as they were public works, and would have required the united labor and attention of a whole nation." --William Bartram, writer/naturalist, 1775. Population centers were found in river basins, as their culture was sustained by the cultivation of crops. Towns were subordinate to other towns with more powerful Chief Priests; thus confederacies were established. Etowah was a capital city in this river floodplain. Although the Mississippian people, particularly the Chief Priests, were of significantly larger physical stature than the Europeans explorers who encountered them, they had no immunities to the explorers' diseases. Even the common cold was a killer. The spread of diseases introduced by the Europeans, as well as violent encounters, hastened the decline of the Mississippian Culture. Visiting the Etowah Indian Mounds A museum in the visitors center serves as an introduction to the Moundbuilder culture and the society that lived at this site. The most notable pieces in the Etowah collection are "Ike" and "Mike," the two largest effigies ever discovered in a Moundbuilder site. Visitors then cross a bridge over one of the "borrow pits" that encircle the mound. Once believed to have been moats, these pits were excavated to create the three predominant mounds roughly in the center of the park. Stairs allow access to the largest of the mounds, known as Mound A. Once on the top of this mound, turn around to see the ceremonial plaza much as one of the culture's religious leaders might have viewed in the 1400's. From this vantage point notice the other, smaller mounds, near the outskirts of the plaza. http://gastateparks.org/info/etowah/ 2007-11-11©bravehorseswarriors™105 
Warriors, Places, & Events 
Posted by adjunctprofessor
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Updated: Thursday, 20 September 2007 4:54 AM EDT
BRAVEHORSES WARRIORS 103 US Army PFC Silvestre Herrera
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BRAVEHORSES WARRIORS 103 US Army PFC Silvestre Herrera Medal of Honor Winner Wounded in Action Mexican American Warrior 
US Army Private First Class Silvestre Herrera Organization: Company E, 142d Infantry, 36th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Mertzwiller, France, 15 March 1945. Entered service at: Phoenix, Ariz. G.O. No.: 75, 5 September 1945. Warriors Citation Silvestre Herrera advanced with a platoon along a wooded road until stopped by heavy enemy machinegun fire. As the rest of the unit took cover, he made a 1-warrior frontal assault on a strongpoint and captured 8 enemy soldiers. When the platoon resumed its advance and was subjected to fire from a second emplacement beyond an extensive minefield, PFC Herrera again moved forward, disregarding the danger of exploding mines, to attack the position. He stepped on a mine and had both feet severed but, despite intense pain and unchecked loss of blood, he pinned down the enemy with accurate rifle fire while a friendly squad captured the enemy gun by skirting the minefield and rushing in from the flank. The magnificent courage, extraordinary heroism, and willing self-sacrifice displayed by PFC Herrera resulted in the capture of 2 enemy strong points and the taking of 8 prisoners. A year after Silvestre received his adopted Nation's highest award, the Medal of Honor; the Nation of his birth took the unprecedented step of awarding him its highest award for valor the "Premier Merito Militar". Today Silvestre wears both with pride; he is the only living warrior in the world authorized to wear the Medal of Honor and Mexico's equivalent. Silvestre is proud of his Mexican birth and heritage, and equally proud to be a citizen of the United States of America. His home town has named an elementary school for him. His services both during World War II as a soldier, and as a patriot since that fateful period of his life, have brought him continued honors and distinctions. Still he remains a humble man, proud not so much of his own achievements, but proud of both his heritage and his citizenship. From: historical accounts & records 2007-11-09©bravehorseswarriors™103 Warriors, Places, & Events
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BRAVEHORSES EVENT Liberation of Cabanatuan
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BRAVEHORSES WARRIORS 101 Liberation of Cabanatuan Warrior Rangers 
Warriors Citation Liberation of Cabanatuan The more than 500 American warriors inside the barbed wire of the Cabanatuan POW camp in early 1945 were survivors from America’s darkest days, the fall of the Philippines in 1942. They were the lucky ones – if “lucky” means staying alive to be continually starved and mistreated by their captors. Somehow these Soldiers, Marines, Sailors and Airmen, as well as American civilians and some allies, had survived the valiant but doomed battles of Bataan and Corregidor. Somehow many of them had survived the Bataan Death March which followed Bataan’s surrender on April 9, 1942 (Corregidor surrendered on May 6.) Somehow they had survived almost three years of starvation, mistreatment, minimal medical care and executions for various offenses proscribed by their guards. Somehow, they had missed the fate of thousands of their comrades who had died when American planes and submarines attacked and sank Japanese ships transporting them from the Philippines. The ships bore no indication of the human cargo they were carrying, so they were routinely attacked by the U.S. Navy and Army Air Force in the campaign to cut the enemy’s supply lines. As U.S. forces returned to the Philippines on Oct. 20, 1944, with the landing at Leyte, followed on Jan. 9, 1945, by landing on Luzon, the question became whether the POWs would be liberated before time ran out for them. It wasn’t only a matter of malnutrition and disease catching up to the prisoners or their being moved farther away from the advancing American forces; it was whether they would be murdered before they could be freed. This was a very real possibility. About 150 American prisoners at a POW camp on the Philippine island of Palawan had been killed by their guards on Dec. 14, 1944. A survivor of this massacre had reached friendly forces and what had happened was known to U.S. Army intelligence by the time of the Luzon invasion. A similar fate for any captive Americans on Luzon could not be overlooked. The U.S. Army was determined those who had upheld America’s honor in the opening days of the war would not suffer so ignoble a fate. To that end, the commanding general of Sixth U.S. Army, Lt. Gen. Walter Krueger, called on the commander of a unique unit under his command, the 6th Ranger Battalion, the only Ranger battalion in the Pacific theater (During World War II, the Army had six Ranger battalions. The 1st through the 5th fought in either the Mediterranean or European theaters; the 6th fought in the Philippines.) Lt. Col. Henry A. Mucci, a 1936 graduate of West Point, commanded the 6th Ranger Battalion. He had taken command of it in April 1944 in New Guinea when it was the 98th Field Artillery Battalion and led it through its re-designation and transformation into the 6th Ranger Battalion, putting its members through a demanding training program and weeding out those who couldn’t or wouldn’t measure up to Ranger standards. By January 1945, his men were all volunteers and ready for a mission. The 6th Rangers landed on three islands in Leyte Gulf Oct. 17 and performed some commando-type missions. Now they were called upon to raid the Cabanatuan POW camp. Specifically, Mucci was to infiltrate about 30 miles behind enemy lines, reach the camp, overcome the guard force, liberate the prisoners and return them safely to friendly lines before the Japanese could react. The ground to be covered was open and great care would have to be taken to avoid being spotted enroute to the camp. In addition to the camp’s guard force to be overcome, there were numerous other enemy forces in the area. Because of its proximity to major roadways, the camp often played host to Japanese units in transit. Due to American aircraft, the Japanese made troop movements at night. A Japanese battalion regularly bivouacked about a mile from the camp and a division-sized unit was believed to be around Cabanatuan City, three to four miles from the camp. These Japanese units had tanks and tanks were also known to be included in the nocturnal movements around the camp. To accomplish the mission, which he would personally lead, Mucci chose one company of the 6th Rangers, Company C, commanded by Capt. Robert W. Prince. Company C would be reinforced by the 2nd Platoon of Company F, led by 1st Lt. John F. Murphy. The Ranger force would also include four combat photographers from the 832nd Signal Service Battalion and two teams of Sixth Army’s elite recon unit, the Alamo Scouts. Counting a few additions from elsewhere in the battalion, the Ranger force consisted of about 120 men. The Rangers would receive invaluable support from several hundred Filipino guerrillas under the commands of Captains Eduardo Joson and Juan Pajota. The guerrillas would provide intelligence, carry out security along the route to and from the camp, and interface with the civilian population for needed support for the Rangers and the liberated prisoners. The guerrillas would also play a critical role during the assault on the camp. When Mucci briefed them on the mission, the Rangers immediately knew just how important it was and how difficult it was going to be to pull it off. Each was given the opportunity to stay back. None took it. It was clear to all of them that they were the only hope to bring out the survivors of Bataan and Corregidor before the Japanese killed them. Mucci ordered them to take an oath to die fighting before letting any harm come to those they were to rescue. The Raid The Rangers moved out early on Jan. 28 and soon linked up with guerillas commanded by Joson. By dark, the combined Ranger-guerilla force was inside enemy territory. At the village of Balincarin, the Rangers were provided the latest intelligence from the Alamo Scouts who had started their recon duties a day earlier. They were also joined there by Pajota’s guerilla force. Working with Pajota, Prince coordinated for the guerillas to provide security, collect enough carabao carts to transport liberated POWs too weak to walk back and prepare enough food for several hundred men. Mucci delayed the raid for a day in order to gather additional intelligence and to allow a large force of Japanese transiting the area to move away from the camp. The delay also allowed the Rangers to gather detailed information on the camp and its defenders. The plan for the night-time assault on the compound gave the two guerilla forces the vital mission of stopping any enemy reaction forces coming from nearby Cabanatuan City and Cabu. A Ranger bazooka section would be attached to the guerillas to deal with expected Japanese tanks. The other Rangers would hit the camp from two sides, with Murphy’s 2nd Platoon of Company F assaulting the rear entrance and Prince’s Company C storming through the front of the camp. To distract the guards while the Rangers positioned themselves for the assault, a P-61 night fighter would fly overhead just prior to the attack. The Rangers and guerillas moved into position at twilight on Jan. 30. The force attacking the front of the camp had to crawl a mile across open ground to reach their jump-off position. The overflight by the night flyer worked as planned, drawing the attention of both guards and prisoners to the sky. At 7:45 p.m., Murphy on the rear side of the compound fired the first shot, the signal for the attack to commence. The Rangers hit the Japanese soldiers with overwhelming ferocity, using every weapon they had. They concentrated initially on the guard towers, pillboxes and all Japanese in the open. When all enemy positions had been neutralized, the Rangers stormed into the compound and continued to eliminate enemy soldiers and interior defensive positions. Meanwhile the guerillas at the blocking positions had their own battle to fight. Pajota’s men opened fire on the Japanese battalion in the bivouac next to Cabu Creek. Guerilla machine gunners stopped the Japanese counterattacks at the Cabu Creek Bridge while the Ranger bazooka teams knocked out two tanks and a truck. The other roadblock under Joson was not attacked, thanks to attacks by P-61 night fighters on a Japanese convoy headed toward Joson’s position. In less than 15 minutes, all serious resistance inside the POW compound had been eliminated, though a final trio of mortar rounds wounded six men and mortally wounded the battalion surgeon, one of only two Rangers to die in the attack. A total of seven were injured. Within half an hour from the opening shot by Murphy, Prince had completed two searches of the camp and had determined all the prisoners had been found and removed from the camp. Although no prisoners were killed during the fighting, one weakened man suffered a fatal heart attack while leaving the camp. One British POW who hid in the latrines during the raid wasn’t found by the Rangers, but he was picked up the next day by Filipino guerrillas. The Rangers and liberated prisoners made their withdrawal while Pajota continued to stop all Japanese attempts to pursue. By the time Pajota’s men disengaged, they had essentially destroyed an enemy battalion while suffering no fatalities or serious wounds themselves. Filipino citizens provided food and water to the liberated prisoners on the route back. Additional carabao carts arrived to transport former prisoners too weak to walk. The guerillas continued to provide all-around security. About 12 hours after the assault on the camp, radio contact was made with Sixth Army. Trucks were requested to meet the force. A couple of hours later, the Rangers and prisoners returned to friendly lines and shortly thereafter, the heroes of Bataan and Corregidor were undergoing medical examination at the 92nd Evacuation Hospital. The mission, which rescued 511 American and Allied POWs and killed or wounded some 520 Japanese at the cost of two Rangers killed, was completed. The Cabanatuan raid rescuers and rescued may not have been able to recite the Warrior Ethos of today’s Army, but they lived it. From: US military records 2007-11-07©bravehorseswarriors™101 / Am - C - D - D5 - / Am - C - D - D5 - Am - - - / Warriors, Places, & Events
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Updated: Thursday, 20 September 2007 4:56 AM EDT
BRAVEHORSES WARRIORS 88 SFC Eugene Ashley Jr
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BRAVEHORSES WARRIORS 88 SFC Eugene Ashley Jr African American Warrior 
Warriors Citation UNITED STATES ARMY SERGEANT FIRST CLASS EUGENE ASHLEY Jr. SFC Eugene Ashley, Jr 5 January 1970 U.S. Army, Company C 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces Near Lang Vei Republic of Vietnam Entered service at: New York, N.Y. Born: 12 October 1931, Wilmington, N.C. Citation: SFC. Ashley, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving with Detachment A-101, Company C. SFC. Ashley was the senior special forces Advisor of a hastily organized assault force whose mission was to rescue entrapped U.S. special forces advisors at Camp Lang Vei. During the initial attack on the special forces camp by North Vietnamese army forces, SFC. Ashley supported the camp with high explosive and illumination mortar rounds. When communications were lost with the main camp, he assumed the additional responsibility of directing air strikes and artillery support. SFC. Ashley organized and equipped a small assault force composed of local friendly personnel. During the ensuing battle, SFC. Ashley led a total of 5 vigorous assaults against the enemy, continuously exposing himself to a voluminous hail of enemy grenades, machinegun and automatic weapons fire. Throughout these assaults, he was plagued by numerous booby-trapped satchel charges in all bunkers on his avenue of approach. During his fifth and final assault, he adjusted air strikes nearly on top of his assault element, forcing the enemy to withdraw and resulting in friendly control of the summit of the hill. While exposing himself to intense enemy fire, he was seriously wounded by machinegun fire but continued his mission without regard for his personal safety. After the fifth assault he lost consciousness and was carried from the summit by his comrades only to suffer a fatal wound when an enemy artillery round landed in the area. SFC. Ashley displayed extraordinary heroism in risking his life in an attempt to save the lives of his entrapped comrades and commanding officer. His total disregard for his personal safety while exposed to enemy observation and automatic weapons fire was an inspiration to all men committed to the assault. The resolute valor with which he led 5 gallant charges placed critical diversionary pressure on the attacking enemy and his valiant efforts carved a channel in the overpowering enemy forces and weapons positions through which the survivors of Camp Lang Vei eventually escaped to freedom. SFC. Ashley's bravery at the cost of his life was in the highest traditions of the military service, and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army. From: historical accounts & records 2007-10-26©bravehorseswarriors™88
Warriors, Places, & Events
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BRAVEHORSES WARRIORS 87 MSgt Gary I Gordon
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BRAVEHORSES WARRIORS 87 MSgt Gary I Gordon Medal of Honor Winner Killed in Action Special Forces Delta 
UNITED STATES ARMY MASTER SERGEANT GARY I. GORDON Warriors Citation US Army MSgt Gary I. Gordon 3 October 1993 U.S. Army. TASK FORCE RANGER Mogadishu, Somalia. Born: Lincoln, Maine. Citation: UNITED STATES ARMY MASTER SERGEANT GARY I. GORDON Sniper Team Leader, TASK FORCE RANGER distinguished himself by actions above and beyond the call of duty in Mogadishu, Somalia, on 3 October 1993. Sergeant Gordon’s sniper teams provided precision fire from the lead helicopter during an assault, and at two helicopter crash sites, while subjected to intense automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenade fire. When Sergeant Gordon learned ground forces were not immediately available to secure the second crash site, he and another sniper unhesitatingly volunteered to be inserted to protect the four critically wounded personnel, despite being well aware of the growing number of enemy personnel closing in on the site. After his third request to be inserted, Sergeant Gordon received permission to perform his volunteer mission. When debris and enemy ground fire at the site caused them to abort the first attempt, Sergeant Gordon and his fellow sniper were inserted 100 meters south of the crashed helicopter, under intense small arms fire from the enemy, they fought their way through a dense maze of shanties and shacks to reach the critically injured crew members. Sergeant Gordon immediately pulled the pilot and crew from the aircraft, establishing a perimeter which placed him and his fellow sniper in the most vulnerable position. Sergeant Gordon then went back to the wreckage, recovering the crew’s weapons and ammunition. Despite the fact he was critically low on ammunition; he provided some to the dazed pilot and then radioed for help. Sergeant Gordon continued to travel the perimeter, protecting the downed crew. After his team member was fatally wounded, and his own rifle ammunition exhausted, Sergeant Gordon returned to the wreckage, recovering a rifle with the last five rounds of ammunition and gave it to the pilot with the words “Good Luck.” Then, armed only with his pistol, Sergeant Gordon continued to fight until he was fatally wounded, while saving the pilot’s life. From: historical accounts & records 2007-10-25©bravehorseswarriors™87
Warriors, Places, & Events
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BRAVEHORSES WARRIORS 71 USAF Air Commandos
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BRAVEHORSES WARRIORS 71 USAF Air Commandos Air Warriors 
Warriors Citation Air Force Special Tactics Air Force Air Commandos Air Force Special Tactics are special operations personnel of the United States Air Force under the Air Force Special Operations Command or AFSOC, a branch of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). The 720th Special Tactics Group is responsible for all Special Tactics personnel and consists of six operational squadrons and numerous supporting organizations. There are several types of USAF special operations personnel, they are: Combat Controllers (CCTs), Pararescuemen (PJs, AKA Pararescue Jumpers or Parajumpers), Special Operations Weather Technicians (SOWT), Combat Rescue Officers (CROs) which are the officer version of PJ's, and Special Tactics Officers (STOs) which are the officer version of CCT's. CROs and PJs share a separate pipeline from STOs and CCTs (who also share a pipeline). SOWT personnel do not attend either the Pararescue or CCT pipeline, but attend a separate weather school and receive Basic Airborne qualification from the U.S. Army's Airborne School at Ft. Benning. They typically operate in close cooperation with other special operations units, such as the Marine Corps Force Recon, Army Rangers, Army Special Forces, and Navy SEALs. Combat Control 720th Special Tactics Group The Combat Controllers (Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) 1C2X1) are ground operators certified to act as air traffic controllers in hostile and dangerous enviorments. They can take over or construct an airstrip, set up navigational equipment, and direct airplanes and helicopters to a safe landing without the use of a tower or elaborate communications system. They also control air attacks of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft from all military services. Their training includes Air Traffic Control School at Keesler AFB, Combat Controller School at Pope AFB, U.S. Army Basic Airborne Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, AFSOC Advanced Skills Training at Hurlburt Field, Florida, U.S. Air Force Combat Dive Course in Panama City, Florida, U.S. Army Military Freefall School, and U.S. Navy Underwater Egress Training at NAS Pensacola. Their training pipeline lasts approximately two years and is sometimes referred to as "Superman School". On average, eight out of every ten trainees fail to graduate. Combat controllers are a part of the 720th Special Tactics Group and are assigned to 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 320th, 321st, 123rd Special Tactics Squadron and 125th Special Tactics Squadron. They can be distinguished by their scarlet beret. Warrior Motto: "First There, Last Out". Pararescue Pararescuemen (AFSC 1T2X1) have what some consider to be the most difficult job in all of the armed forces—combat search and rescue, typically of (but not limited to) downed pilots. They are trained and able both to fight with virtually any special operations unit and are paramedics on the battlefield. In addition to some of the initial training listed above, they must first pass a ten week indoctrination course. The goal of the indoctrination is to weed out all of those who are not physically and mentally fit enough to be pararescuemen. A 24-week Paramedic Course at Kirtland AFB, Albuquerque, New Mexico to attain EMT-Paramedic certification, a 20-week Pararescue Recovery Specialist Course (for integrating what they have learned in the pipe-line training; i.e. combat tactics, advanced parachuting, helicopter insertion and extraction, mountaineering, and field tactics training), U.S. Air Force Combat Dive Course in Panama City, Florida (open and closed circuit), and Underwater Egress Training at Spokane, Washington. Their training pipeline lasts approximately two years and is sometimes referred to as "Superman School". On average, nine out of every ten trainees fail to graduate. Warrior Motto: "That Others May Live". They wear maroon berets and many tattoo green footprints on their body. The green feet originated in Vietnam due to a tradition of calling the rescue helicopters used "The Jolly Green Giant". Special Operations Weather Technician Special Operations Weather Technicians (special duty AFSC 1W0X1C) are airmen that gather and interpret meteorological and oceanographic information, as well as act as forward ground combatants. Their primary mission is collecting and disseminating forward observations in denied, hostile or otherwise data-sparse regions. They are a critical element in mission planning and work mostly with Army Special Operations. Recruits must score high to meet the entrance score requirement, and must already be in the weather career field. In addition to weather technical school and the initial training listed up top, selected trainees attend the final two phases of AFSOC Advanced Skills Training which includes modes of employment, weapons training, small unit tactics, advanced communication, navigation, et al. Special Operations Weather Technicians are a part of the 720th Special Tactics Group and are assigned to the 10th Combat Weather Squadron, 24th, 320th, and 321st Special Tactics Squadron. SOWT is an acronym referring alternately to both Special Operations Weather Technician and Special Operations Weather Team. Warrior Motto: "Coela Bellatores" or "Weather Warriors". They can be identified by their gray berets. Special Tactics Officer (STO) Special Tactics Officers (AFSC 13DXB), formerly known as Combat Control Officers, are commissioned officers whose primary responsibility is to manage and lead Special Tactics Teams (STTs) comprised of, but not limited to, the three AFSCs specified above. Because their training mirrors that of the CCT pipeline, they can function on a team as mission commander or direct combatant or they can serve on battle staffs to provide expertise in terminal control, reconnaissance, and personnel recovery operations. Combat Rescue Officer (CRO) In 2000 the Air Force, recognizing the importance of the personnel recovery/combat search and rescue mission, created the Combat Rescue Officer career field (AFSC 13DXA). CROs are commissioned officers whose primary duties are to lead PR/CSAR operations as direct combatants, provide advocacy for the Pararescue & SERE Specialist programs, and serve on battle staffs to provide expertise to commanders and facilitate command and control during rescue and recovery operations. Their training pipeline mirrors that of the Pararescue pipeline (minus the in-depth field medicine and Paramedic level training a "PJ" receives) in order to understand Pararescue capabilities. CROs also attend advanced SERE training as well as various command and control courses that focus on PR/CSAR operations. Unit Formations • Combat Control Teams, or CCTs, consist of Combat Controllers in the role of extending the Air Force's operational reach. • Special Operations Weather Teams or SOWT, are Special Operations Weather Technicians attached to Army Special Forces, Rangers, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) (SOAR), or operating on their own. (They are not to be confused with Combat Weather Teams or CWTs that provide meteorological support to conventional Army units without a ground combatant role.) • Special Tactics Teams, or STTs, consist of airmen from the three aforementioned careers: combat control, pararescue and SOWT. This formation allows the unit to operate as a self-sufficient unit in the commando role. History After the Quebec Conference in August 1943, the 5318th Air Unit was re-designated "Provisional Composite No. 1 Air Commandos" and tasked with supporting the Chindits. Eventually they were designated the 1st Air Commando Group. The group consisted primarily of C-47 air transports but it also contained gliders, fighter, fighter bomber, bomber and liaison aircraft From: historical accounts & records 2007-10-07©bravehorseswarriors™71
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BRAVEHORSES WARRIORS 70 US Navy SEALs
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BRAVEHORSES WARRIORS 70 US Navy SEALs Water Warriors Warrior Motto: The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday 
Warriors Citation Naval Special Warfare Command was commissioned April 16, 1987, at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in San Diego, CA. As the Naval component to the United States Special Operations Command headquartered in Tampa, Fla., Commander, Naval Special Warfare Command provides vision, leadership, doctrinal guidance, resources and oversight to ensure component maritime special operations forces are ready to meet the operational requirements of combatant commanders. NSW provides a versatile, responsive and offensively focused force with continuous overseas presence. The major operational components of Naval Special Warfare Command include Naval Special Warfare Groups ONE and THREE in San Diego, CA, and Naval Special Warfare Groups TWO and FOUR in Norfolk, VA. These components deploy SEAL Teams, SEAL Delivery Vehicle Teams, and Special Boat Teams world wide to meet the training, exercise, contingency and wartime requirements of warrior commanders. With approximately 5,400 total active-duty personnel--including 2,450 SEALs and 600 Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC)--NSW forces are busier than ever answering "911 calls" from around the globe. NSW also calls upon a 1,200-person reserve of approximately 325 SEALs, 125 SWCC and 775 support personnel. Small Investment, Big Real-World Dividends A tactical force with strategic impact, NSW mission areas include special reconnaissance (SR), direct action (DA), unconventional warfare, combating terrorism, foreign internal defense, information warfare, security assistance, counter-drug operations, personnel recovery and hydrographic reconnaissance. NSW core training is focused on SR and DA - critical skills needed to combat current and future terrorist's threats. Although NSW personnel comprise less than one percent of U.S. Navy personnel, they offer big dividends on a small investment. SEALs' proven ability to operate across the spectrum of conflict and in operations other than war in a controlled manner, and their ability to provide real time intelligence and eyes on target, offer decision makers immediate and virtually unlimited options in the face of rapidly changing crises around the world. The most important trait that distinguishes Navy SEALs from all other military forces is that SEALs are maritime Special Forces, as they strike from and return to the sea. SEALs (Sea, Air, Land) take their name from the elements in and from which they operate. Their stealth and clandestine methods of operation allow them to conduct multiple missions against targets that larger forces cannot approach undetected. Physically Fit, Highly Motivated, Combat-Focused From 1962 when the first SEAL teams were commissioned, to present day, Navy SEALs have distinguished themselves as an individually reliable, collectively disciplined and highly skilled maritime force. Because of the dangers inherent in NSW, prospective SEALs go through what is considered by many military experts to be the toughest training in the world. The intense physical and mental conditioning it takes to become a SEAL begins at Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training which is conducted at the Naval Special Warfare Center in San Diego, CA. Candidates must complete a mentally and physically demanding 6-month basic training course, 3 weeks of parachute training and a 15-week advanced training period prior to becoming a SEAL and earning the Trident--the warfare pin insignia of all SEAL operators. Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen (SWCC) operate and maintain the inventory of state-of-the-art, high-performance boats and ships used to support SEALs and special operations missions. Individually, SEALs and SWCC go through separate, but similar, specialized training programs that emphasize special operations in the maritime environment. SWCC are trained extensively in craft and weapons tactics, techniques and procedures. Focusing on clandestine infiltration and exfiltration of SEALs and other special operations forces, SWCC provide dedicated, rapid mobility in shallow water areas where larger ships cannot operate. Like SEALs, SWCC must be physically fit, highly motivated, combat-focused and responsive in high stress situations. NSW forces can operate independently or integrate with other U.S. special operations forces or within U.S. Navy carrier battle groups and amphibious ready groups. With half of the world¹s industry and population located within one mile of an ocean or navigable river, NSW forces have a proud history of mastering these vital littoral regions. Naval Special Warfare History Today's Naval Special Warfare operators can trace their origins to the Scouts and Raiders, Naval Combat Demolition Units, Office of Strategic Services Operational Swimmers, Underwater Demolition Teams, and Motor Torpedo Boat Squadrons of World War II. While none of those early organizations have survived to present, their pioneering efforts in unconventional warfare are mirrored in the missions and professionalism of the present Naval Special Warfare warriors. To meet the need for a beach reconnaissance force, selected Army and Navy personnel assembled at Amphibious Training Base, Little Creek, on 15 August 1942 to begin Amphibious Scouts and Raiders (Joint) training. The Scouts and Raiders mission was to identify and reconnoiter the objective beach, maintain a position on the designated beach prior to a landing and guide the assault waves to the landing beach. The first group included Phil H. Bucklew, the "Father of Naval Special Warfare," after whom the Naval Special Warfare Center building is named. Commissioned in October 1942, this group saw combat in November 1942 during OPERATION TORCH, the first allied landings in Europe, on the North African coast. Scouts and Raiders also supported landings in Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, Normandy, and southern France. A second group of Scouts and Raiders, code-named Special Service Unit #1, was established on July 7, 1943, as a joint and combined operations force. The first mission, in September 1943, was at Finschafen on New Guinea. Later ops were at Gasmata, Arawe, Cape Gloucester, and the East and South coast of New Britain, all without any loss of personnel. Conflicts arose over operational matters, and all non-Navy personnel were reassigned. The unit, renamed 7th Amphibious Scouts, received a new mission, to go ashore with the assault boats, buoy channels, erect markers for the incoming craft, handle casualties, take offshore soundings, blow up beach obstacles and maintain voice communications linking the troops ashore, incoming boats and nearby ships. The 7th Amphibious Scouts conducted operations in the Pacific for the duration of the conflict, participating in more than 40 landings. The third Scout and Raiders organization operated in China. Scouts and Raiders were deployed to fight with the Sino-American Cooperation Organization, or SACO. To help bolster the work of SACO, Admiral Ernest J. King ordered that 120 officers and 900 men be trained for "Amphibious Roger" at the Scout and Ranger school at Ft. Pierce, FL. They formed the core of what was envisioned as a "guerrilla amphibious organization of Americans and Chinese operating from coastal waters, lakes and rivers employing small steamers and sampans." While most Amphibious Roger forces remained at Camp Knox in Calcutta, three of the groups saw active service. They conducted a survey of the Upper Yangtze River in the spring of 1945 and, disguised as coolies, conducted a detailed three-month survey of the Chinese coast from Shanghai to Kitchioh Wan, near Hong Kong. In September of 1942, 17 Navy salvage personnel arrived at ATB Little Creek, VA for a one-week concentrated course on demolitions, explosive cable cutting and commando raiding techniques. On 10 November 1942, this first combat demolition unit succeeded in cutting a cable and net barrier across the Wadi Sebou River during Operation TORCH in North Africa. Their actions enabled the USS DALLAS (DD 199) to traverse the river and insert U.S. Rangers who captured the Port Lyautey airdrome. Plans for a massive cross-channel invasion of Europe had begun and intelligence indicated that the Germans were placing extensive underwater obstacles on the beaches at Normandy. On 7 May 1943, LCDR Draper L. Kauffman, "The Father of Naval Combat Demolition," was directed to set up a school and train people to eliminate obstacles on an enemy-held beach prior to an invasion. On 6 June 1943, LCDR Kaufmann established Naval Combat Demolition Unit training at Ft. Pierce. By April 1944, a total of 34 NCDUs were deployed to England in preparation for Operation OVERLORD, the amphibious landing at Normandy. On 6 June 1944, in the face of great adversity, the NCDUs at Omaha Beach managed to blow eight complete gaps and two partial gaps in the German defenses. The NCDUs suffered 31 killed and 60 wounded, a casualty rate of 52%. Meanwhile, the NCDUs at Utah Beach met less intense enemy fire. They cleared 700 yards of beach in two hours, another 900 yards by the afternoon. Casualties at Utah Beach were significantly lighter with 6 killed and 11 wounded. During Operation OVERLORD, not a single demolitioneer was lost to improper handling of explosives. In August 1944, NCDUs from Utah Beach participated in the landings in southern France, the last amphibious operation in the European Theater of Operations. NCDUs also operated in the Pacific theater. NCDU 2, under LTjg Frank Kaine, after whom the Naval Special Warfare Command building is named, and NCDU 3 under LTjg Lloyd Anderson, formed the nucleus of six NCDUs that served with the Seventh Amphibious Force tasked with clearing boat channels after the landings from Biak to Borneo. Some of the earliest World War II predecessors of the SEALs were the Operational Swimmers of the Office of Strategic Services, or OSS. Many current SEAL missions were first assigned to them. British Combined Operations veteran LCDR Wooley, of the Royal Navy, was placed in charge of the OSS Maritime Unit in June 1943. Their training started in November 1943 at Camp Pendleton, moved to Catalina Island in January 1944, and finally moved to the warmer waters in the Bahamas in March 1944. Within the U.S. military, they pioneered flexible swim fins and facemasks, closed-circuit diving equipment, the use of swimmer submersibles, and combat swimming and limpet mine attacks. In May 1944, GEN Donovan, the head of the OSS, divided the unit into groups. He loaned Group 1, under LT Choate, to ADM Nimitz, as a way to introduce the OSS into the Pacific Theater. They became part of UDT-10 in July 1944. Five OSS men participated in the very first UDT submarine operation with the USS BURRFISH in the Caroline Islands in August 1944. Admiral Chester Nimitz's "Granite Plan" for central Pacific operations required an efficient amphibious force. Many of the targeted islands were coral atolls with reefs that acted as natural obstacles to landings. During early November 1943, SeaBees engaged in experimental underwater blasting work were assembled at Waipio Amphibious Operating Base on Oahu to begin training in underwater demolition. On 23 November 1943, the U. S. Marine landing on Tarawa Atoll emphasized the need for hydrographic reconnaissance and underwater demolition of obstacles prior to any amphibious landing. After Tarawa, 30 officers and 150 enlisted men were moved to Waimanalo Amphibious Training Base to form the nucleus of a demolition training program. This group became Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT) ONE and TWO. The UDTs saw their first combat on 31 January 1944, during Operation FLINTLOCK in the Marshall Islands. FLINTLOCK became the real catalyst for the UDT training program in the Pacific Theater. In February 1944, the Naval Combat Demolition Training and Experimental Base was established at Kihei, Maui, next to the Amphibious Base at Kamaole. Eventually, 34 UDT teams were established. Wearing swim suits, fins, and facemasks on combat operations, these "Naked Warriors" saw action across the Pacific in every major amphibious landing including: Eniwetok, Saipan, Guam, Tinian, Angaur, Ulithi, Pelilui, Leyte, Lingayen Gulf, Zambales, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Labuan, Brunei Bay, and on 4 July 1945 at Balikpapan on Borneo which was the last UDT demolition operation of the war. The rapid demobilization at the conclusion of the war reduced the number of active duty UDTs to two on each coast with a complement of 7 officers and 45 enlisted men each. The Korean War began on 25 June 1950, when the North Korean army invaded South Korea. Beginning with a detachment of 11 personnel from UDT 3, UDT participation expanded to three teams with a combined strength of 300 men. As part of the Special Operations Group, or SOG, UDTs successfully conducted demolition raids on railroad tunnels and bridges along the Korean coast. On 15 September 1950, UDTs supported Operation CHROMITE, the amphibious landing at Inchon. UDT 1 and 3 provided personnel who went in ahead of the landing craft, scouting mud flats, marking low points in the channel, clearing fouled propellers, and searching for mines. Four UDT personnel acted as wave-guides for the Marine landing. In October 1950, UDTs supported mine-clearing operations in Wonsan Harbor where frogmen would locate and mark mines for minesweepers. On 12 October 1950, two U.S. minesweepers hit mines and sank. UDTs rescued 25 sailors. The next day, William Giannotti conducted the first U.S. combat operation using an "aqualung" when he dove on the USS PLEDGE. For the remainder of the war, UDTs conducted beach and river reconnaissance, infiltrated guerrillas behind the lines from sea, continued mine sweeping operations, and participated in Operation FISHNET, which severely damaged the North Korean's fishing capability. Responding to President Kennedy's desire for the Services to develop an Unconventional Warfare (UW) capability, the U.S. Navy established SEAL Teams ONE and TWO in January of 1962. Formed entirely with personnel from Underwater Demolition Teams, the SEALs mission was to conduct counter guerilla warfare and clandestine operations in maritime and riverine environments. SEAL involvement in Vietnam began immediately and was advisory in nature. SEAL advisors instructed the Vietnamese in clandestine maritime operations. SEALs also began a UDT style training course for the Biet Hai Commandos, the Junk Force Commando platoons, in Danang. In February 1966, a small SEAL Team ONE detachment arrived in Vietnam to conduct direct-action missions. Operating out of Nha Be, in the Rung Sat Special Zone, this detachment signaled the beginning of a SEAL presence that would eventually include 8 SEAL platoons in country on a continuing basis. Additionally, SEALs served as advisors for Provincial Reconnaissance Units and the Lien Doc Nguoi Nhia, or LDNN, the Vietnamese SEALs. The last SEAL platoon departed Vietnam on 7 December 1971. The last SEAL advisor left Vietnam in March 1973. The UDTs again saw combat in Vietnam while supporting the Amphibious Ready Groups. When attached to the riverine groups the UDTs conducted operations with river patrol boats and, in many cases, patrolled into the hinterland as well as along the riverbanks and beaches in order to destroy obstacles and bunkers. Additionally, UDT personnel acted as advisors. On May 1, 1983, all UDTs were redesignated as SEAL Teams or Swimmer Delivery Vehicle Teams (SDVT). SDVTs have since been redesignated SEAL Delivery Vehicle Teams. Special Boat Units can also trace their history back to WWII. The Patrol Coastal and Patrol Boat Torpedo are the ancestors of today's PC and MKV. Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron THREE rescued General MacArthur (and later the Filipino President) from the Philippines after the Japanese invasion and then participated in guerrilla actions until American resistance ended with the fall of Corregidor. PT Boats subsequently participated in most of the campaigns in the Southwest Pacific by conducting and supporting joint/combined reconnaissance, blockade, sabotage, and raiding missions as well as attacking Japanese shore facilities, shipping, and combatants. PT Boats were used in the European Theater beginning in April 1944 to support the OSS in the insertions of espionage and French Resistance personnel and for amphibious landing deception. While there is no direct line between organizations, NSW embracement is predicated on the similarity in craft and mission. The development of a robust riverine warfare capability during the Vietnam War produced the forerunner of the modern Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewman. Mobile Support Teams provided combat craft support for SEAL operations, as did Patrol Boat, Riverine (PBR) and Swift Boat sailors. In February 1964, Boat Support Unit ONE was established under Naval Operations Support Group, Pacific to operate the newly reinstated Patrol Torpedo Fast (PTF) program and to operate high-speed craft in support of NSW forces. In late 1964 the first PTFs arrived in Danang, Vietnam. In 1965, Boat Support Squadron ONE began training Patrol Craft Fast crews for Vietnamese coastal patrol and interdiction operations. As the Vietnam mission expanded into the riverine environment, additional craft, tactics, and training evolved for riverine patrol and SEAL support. SEAL Delivery Vehicle Teams historical roots began during WWII, however with Italian and British combat swimmers and wet submersibles. Naval Special Warfare entered the submersible field in the 1960's when the Coastal Systems Center developed the Mark 7, a free-flooding SDV of the type used today, and the first SDV to be used in the fleet. The Mark 8 and 9 followed in the late 1970's. Today's Mark 8 Mod 1 and the soon to be accepted for fleet use Advanced SEAL Delivery System (ASDS), a dry submersible, provide NSW with an unprecedented capability that combines the attributes of clandestine underwater mobility and the combat swimmer. Post-Vietnam War operations that NSW forces have participated in include URGENT FURY (Grenada 1983); EARNEST WILL (Persian Gulf 1987-1990); JUST CAUSE (Panama 1989-1990) and DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM (Middle East/Persian Gulf 1990-1991). Additionally, NSW conducted missions in Somalia, Bosnia, Haiti, Liberia. In response to the attacks on America Sept. 11, 2001, Naval Special Warfare forces put operators on the ground in Afghanistan in October. The first military flag officer to set foot in Afghanistan was a Navy SEAL in charge of all special operations for Central Command. Additionally, a Navy SEAL captain commanded Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force (CJSOTF) South. Commonly referred to as Task Force K-BAR, the task force included U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force and Coalition SOF forces. During Operation Enduring Freedom, NSW forces carried out more than 75 special reconnaissance and direct action missions, destroying more than 500,000 pounds of explosives and weapons; positively identifying enemy personnel and conducting Leadership Interdiction Operations in the search for terrorists trying to escape by sea-going vessels. Naval Special Warfare has played a significant role in Operation Iraqi Freedom, employing the largest number of SEALs and SWCC in its history. NSW forces were instrumental in numerous special reconnaissance and direct action missions including the securing of the southern oil infrastructures of the Al Faw peninsula and the off-shore gas and oil terminals; the clearing of the Khawr Abd Allah and Khawr Az Zubayr waterways that enabled humanitarian aid to be delivered to the vital port city of Umm Qasr; reconnaissance of the Shat Al Arab waterway; capture of high value targets, raids on suspected chemical, biological and radiological sites; and the first POW rescue since WWII. Additionally, NSW is also fighting the war on terrorism in other global hot spots including the Philippines and the Horn of Africa. NSW is committed to combating the global terrorist threats. In addition to being experts in special reconnaissance and direct action missions, the skill sets needed to combat terrorism; NSW is postured to fight a dispersed enemy on their turf. NSW forces can operate from forward-deployed Navy ships, submarines and aviation mobility platforms as well as overseas bases and its own overseas units. From: military records 2007-10-08©bravehorseswarriors™70
Warriors, Places, & Events
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at 12:55 AM EDT
BRAVEHORSES WARRIORS 68 Island of Wild Horses
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BRAVEHORSES WARRIORS 68 Island of Wild Horses Equine Warriors 
Island of 300 Wild Horses Cumberland Island and Cumberland Island National Seashore Georgia Barrier Islands Cumberland Island was inhabited by Native Americans as far back as 4,000 years ago, and more recently was the site of Spanish missions and British colonial forts. Revolutionary War hero Nathaniel Greene purchased land on the island in 1783 and his widow, Catherine Greene, built a four-story home that she named Dungeness. In the 1890's "The Settlement" was established at the north end of the island for black workers. The First African Baptist Church, established here in 1893 and rebuilt in the 1930s, is one of the few remaining structures of this community. In the 1880's Thomas Carnegie, brother of steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, began building a mansion on the site of Dungeness, though he never lived to see its completion. Today, the ruins of the mansion remain on the southern end of the island. Plum Orchard, an 1898 Georgian Revival-style mansion built for son, George, and his wife, Margaret Thaw, was donated to the National Park Foundation by Carnegie family members in 1971. Cumberland Island National Seashore is the largest and southernmost barrier island in Georgia, offering guests over 17 miles of secluded white, sandy beaches. Wild horses and other island wildlife roam freely throughout the ruins and along the beach. Glimpses of the Carnegie lifestyle can be easily imagined throughout the ruins of Dungeness, abandoned luxury vehicles, Plum Orchard, and Greyfield Inn. The island is a complex ecological system of interdependent animal and plant communities. A system of fore-dunes protects the interdune meadow and shrub thickets. A canopy of live oak trees stretches out beyond the back dunes that provide protection from the salt spray. In the central and northern sections of the island, pine trees tower over mixed hardwood forests. On the western side of the island, saltwater marshes pulse with the tidal flow. The saltwater marshes support large populations of fish, shellfish, plants, and bird life. They also act as nurseries for the variety of vegetation found on the island. Cradled in the branches of the maritime forest, resurrection ferns spring up above the draped Spanish moss to comfort the lives of such birds as painted buntings, summer tanagers, cardinals, pileated woodpeckers, yellow-throated warblers, and Carolina wrens. Deeper in the forests you may catch a glimpse of the island's numerous whitetail deer, raccoons, bull alligators, and armadillos. On the beach, you can watch shorebirds such as sandpipers, sea gulls, and osprey hunt for their latest meal. Loggerhead turtles have chosen the deserted beaches of Cumberland to come ashore and lay their eggs. http://www.tribeequus.com/easternusa.html 2007-10-07©bravehorseswarriors™68
Warriors, Places, & Events
Posted by adjunctprofessor
at 12:50 AM EDT
BRAVEHORSES WARRIORS 66 Marine Corps Force Recon
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BRAVEHORSES WARRIORS 66 Marine Corps Force Recon Warrior Motto: Swift, Silent, Deadly 
United States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance Warriors Citation United States Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance (Force Recon) units are special-purposes units roughly analogous to the Navy SEALs, Air Force Air Commandos, or U.S. Army Special Forces and are widely recognized as the "special operations forces" of the United States Marine Corps. Marine Force Recon personnel, or "operators", perform highly specialized, small scale, high-risk operations, such as: • Amphibious and deep ground surveillance. • Assisting in specialized technical missions such as Nuclear, Biological, Chemical, Radio, sensors and beacons, etc. • Assisting in ordnance delivery (i.e., designating targets for close air support, artillery and naval gunfire). • Conducting direct action raids, such as gas and oil platform (GOPLATS) raids and the capture of specific personnel or sensitive materials. • Behind Enemy Lines Assault • Deep Reconnaissance • Hostage/prisoner of war rescue • Unconventional warfare • Foreign Internal Defense • Counter-Terrorism The Marine Corps Force Recon got its start during WWII in the South Pacific as the Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion. In 1957 the Marine Corps merged the amphibious reconnaissance company with an experimental recon team to form the 1st Force Reconnaissance Company. Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance was then reconceived at Marine Base Camp Pendleton, outside of San Diego, California, when an experimental recon team was formed. Three years later, that team merged with an existing amphibious reconnaissance company to form the 1st Force Reconnaissance Company. The precursor of Force Recon was from World War II, the Amphibious Reconnaissance Battalion commanded by Captain James L. Jones. In 1958, half the Marines in 1st Force were removed from the Company and hauled over to the Eastern seaboard, forming the 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company. 1st Force supplemented Fleet Marine Force Pacific (FMFPac), while 2nd, Fleet Marine Force Atlantic (FMFLant). Force Reconnaissance received their baptism by fire during the Vietnam War, arriving first in 1965 and staying for five years. Forty-four Marines of 1st Force were killed or missing in action through the course of the war. After US withdrawal from Vietnam, 1st Force and 3rd Force were both deactivated in 1974, and the existing Force Marines were rolled into the non-Force 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion in order to maintain Marine Corps deep recon capabilities. However, the roll-in was never completed to a satisfactory condition, and 1st Force Reconnaissance was reactivated as an individual unit in 1986, and was later deployed in the Gulf War. Several Force Recon Companies are in existence today, and have been deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan. From: historical accounts & records 2007-09-05©bravehorseswarriors™66 Warriors, Places, & Events
Posted by adjunctprofessor
at 12:48 AM EDT
BRAVEHORSES WARRIORS 64 US 82 Airborne Division
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BRAVEHORSES WARRIORS 64 US 82 Airborne Division Warrior Nickname: All American 
United States Army 82nd Airborne Division Warriors Citation The 82nd Division was activated at Camp Gordon, Georgia, on 25 August 1917. It was one of the National Army divisions of conscript warriors. As the Division filled, it was discovered there were warriors from every state. Through a popular contest, the nickname "All American" was chosen to reflect the unique composition of the 82nd. On 25 April 1918, the Division sailed for Europe. The 325th Infantry Regiment was chosen to parade before the King of England on 11 May to show America's commitment to the Allies. Early in June the 82nd sent small groups of officers and noncommissioned officers to the British held Somme sector of the front to gain experience in small unit operations. During one such action, Captain Jewett Wiliams of the 326th Infantry Regiment became the first 82nd soldier to give his life in combat. On 16 June 1918, the 82nd Division moved by train from its location in Somme to Toul, France. Since the Division had moved into a French sector, the troops were issued French Chauchat automatic rifles and Hotchkiss 8mm machineguns, thus making re-supply easier. The Division's assignment was to relieve the 26th Division in the Lagney Sector, northeast of Toul. That section of the western front was known as the Woevre Front. The mission was conducted on 25 June. Although the area was considered a defensive sector, the 82nd actively patrolled and conducted raids. The first large scale raid by the Division occurred on 4 August when companies K and M of the 326th Infantry Regiment, supported by the 320th Machine Gun Battalion, attacked German positions at Flirey and penetrated over 600 meters. The raid was small compared to the operations the Division would soon conduct, but it provided valuable experience. On 18 July, the sector was reduced and re-designated Lucey at which time command was given to the 82nd. On 10 August, the 82nd was relieved by the 89th Division, and moved to the area west of Toul. The 82nd was ordered to relieve the 2nd Division in the Marbache Sector on 15 August. The Division trained in this area until 11 September. On the 12th, the Division was committed to the St. Mihiel Offensive. After completing its mission the 82nd was once again stationed in the Marbache Sector from 17-20 September. On the 20th, the Division was relieved at the front and moved to Marbache to prepare for the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, ending its participation in the Lorraine Campaign. The Allies had planned two large offensive operations for the fall of 1918 that would reduce German pockets of resistance in France. One of these was the St. Mihiel salient, which penetrated nearly 25 kilometers into Allied lines, and severed the Verdun-Toul railroad. The French had been trying to dislodge the Germans from the salient since 1914, but had been unsuccessful. It was hoped that the arrival of the American divisions would turn the tide. To reduce the St. Mihiel salient, the American First Army was formed with the I, IV, and V Corps - a total of 665,000 troops. The 82nd was assigned to the I Corps, and was placed on the far right flank on the south side of the salient. Its missions was to make contact and keep pressure on the enemy. On 12 September the First Army began its attack. The main thrust of the 82nd was on the west bank of the Moselle River heading north to Norroy. Throughout the 14th, the German artillery shelled the area with high explosives and mustard gas, but the 82nd held. On the 15th, the Division continued the attack, entering Vandieres and securing Hill 128 to the north. The 82nd was relieved on 21 September. Heavy casualties had been caused by enemy artillery. Overall casualties for the Division numbered more than 800 for the St. Mihiel offensive. Colonel Emory Pike, who died of wounds received during the operation, earned the Medal of Honor for his actions, making him the first member of the 82nd to be decorated with the nation's highest military award. The second large-scale offensive planned by the Allies for the fall of 1918 was aimed at reducing German positions in the Meuse River Valley and the Argonne Forest. The key objective was the Carigan-Sedan-Mezieres railroad, which was a vital enemy supply line. On 6 October, the 82nd was ordered to clear the east edge of the Argonne to relive pressure on the 1st Division. The following day, the 164th Brigade seized its first two objectives -- Hill 180 and Hill 223. On the 10th, the 163rd Brigade joined the fight and by evening the Division held Cornay, high ground to the north, a portion of the Decauville Railroad, and had cleared the eastern half of the Argonne Forest. The second phase of the 82nd's operation called for the Division to fight astride the Aire River. Moving north, the 82nd captured St. Juvin on the 14th and defended it against a heavy counter-attack the following day. For the next few days the 82nd was involved in fighting in the Agron River Valley and the Ravin aux Pierres. By the 21st the Division had both in its possession. For the next several days the Division patrolled and manned outposts. During its service in the Meuse-Argonne, the 82nd had suffered over 7,000 casualties and had another Medal of Honor recipient -- CPL Alvin York of G Company, 328th Infantry Regiment. The 82nd was relieved in the Argonne on 1 November, thus ending its combat participation in the Great War. The 82nd Division was demobilized on 27 May 1919, but was reconstituted on 24 June 1921. The Division Headquarters was organized at Columbia, South Carolina, in January 1922. The 82nd formed part of the new Organized Reserves. Elements of the Division were located in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. On 30 January 1942, the 82nd Division was renamed the 82nd Infantry Division. Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 brought the United States to war again. The 82nd Infantry Division was called to active duty on 25 March 1942 with Major General Omar Bradley as commander and Brigadier General Matthew Ridgway as assistant commander. At Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, the Division was organized as a triangular division, built around three infantry regiments. Alvin York was invited to visit the Division to build esprit-de-corps. A Division song was even written for the occasion. In June, Ridgway succeeded Bradley in command of the 82nd. Due to its high level of training, the 82nd Infantry Division was designated the US Army's first airborne division. The 82nd was reorganized and re-designated the 82nd Airborne Division on 15 August 1942. The original organization called for one parachute infantry regiment and two glider infantry regiments. On 1 October the 82nd moved to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where training continued and final organizational changes were made. The final structure contained the 504th and 505th Parachute Infantry Regiments, the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment, 319th and 320th Glider Field Artillery Battalions, 376th and 456th Parachute Field Artillery Battalions, 80th Airborne Anti-Aircraft Battalion, 307th Airborne Engineer Battalion, and various support units. In April 1943, the 82nd departed Fort Bragg and eventually arrived at Casablanca, Morocco, on 10 May. Shortly, the Division moved to Oujda where intense training was conducted for the invasion of Sicily -- Operation HUSKY. The 505th, commanded by Colonel James Gavin, was chosen to spearhead the assault. The 505th was reinforced with the 3rd Battalion, 504th. On 9 July 1943, Gavin's 505th Combat Team conducted the first American regimental combat parachute assault in the vicinity of Gela, Sicily. The parawarriors were widely scattered, but were able to gather into small groups to harass the enemy. Colonel Gavin formed one group on Biazza Ridge where the Herman Goering Division was stopped before reaching the newly established American beachhead at Gela. On the evening of 11 July, the remainder of the 504th parachuted into Sicily. Passing over the American fleet, the transports were mistaken for enemy bombers and 23 were shot down. Eighty-one warriors were killed, including the assistant division commander, Brigadier General Charles Keerans. The 82nd continued its fighting in Sicily by leading Patton's westward drive to Trapani and Castellmare. In five days, the Division moved 150 miles and took 23,000 prisoners. On 9 September 1943, General Clark's Fifth Army launched Operation AVALANCHE with an amphibious landing at Salerno, Italy. Several operations had been planned for the 82nd, including a drop on Rome, but were cancelled. Within four days the Allied beachhead was in trouble. General Clark sent an urgent request to General Ridgway who was in Sicily with the 82nd. On 13 September 1943, Colonel Reuben Tucker led his 504th combat team (minus 3rd battalion) on a parachute assault at Paestum, south of Salerno. On the 14th, the 505th jumped. The parawarriors were rushed to the front line where they engaged the enemy in the rugged hills and drove them back. On the 15th, the 25th and 3/504th conducted an amphibious landing near Salerno. Throughout September and October the 82nd conducted operations in the Salerno/Naples area. The 82nd was the first unit to enter Naples. The Division advanced north to the Volturno River, cleared the area of the enemy, and became the first unit to set sail for England, via Ireland, to prepare for the invasion of Normandy. The 504th, meanwhile, continued fighting in the Venafro sector of Italy until being relieved on 27 December. By 22 January 1944, the 504th Combat Team was back in action as part of Fifth Army's amphibious assault at Anzio during Operation SHINGLE. The 504th took up positions on the right flank of the beachhead along the Mussolini Canal. The 3rd Battalion was committed to fighting in the northern sector where it earned a Presidential Unit Citation for actions in the town of Aprilia. While operating along the Mussolini Canal, a German officer noted in his diary, "American parachutists -- devils in baggy pants --- are less than 100 meters from my outpost line. Seems like the black-hearted devils are everywhere." The 504th encountered elements of the Herman Goering Division, the 16th SS Panzer Granadier Division, and the 3rd Panzer Grenadier Division. The 504th was finally withdrawn from Anzio on 25 March 1944 and set sail for England to join the Division once again. While the 82nd was in England, a decision was made to add a parachute regiment to the airborne divisions for the upcoming invasion of Normandy. With the 504th still in Italy, two regiments were needed. The 2nd Airborne Brigade, containing the 507th and 508th Parachute Infantry Regiments, was sent from Fort Bragg to join the Division. Early in the morning of 6 June 1944, the 505th, 507th, and 508th, along with artillery and engineers, parachuted into Normandy to being Operation NEPTUNE, the assault phase of OVERLORD. The mission of the Division was to seize the town of St. Mere Eglise and crossings over the Merderet River. By dawn, the 505th had secured St. Mere Eglise and a bridge over the Merderet at La Fiere. Gliders carrying the 325th and antitank guns began to arrive and join the fighting. Some of the heaviest fighting occurred on 9 June as the Division seized the causeway at La Fiere. During the action, PFC Charles DeGlopper of C Company, 325th GIR, earned the Medal of Honor. The 82nd continued fighting in Normandy for 33 days, leading the Allied advance west across the base of the Cotentin Peninsula. The Division earned the Presidential Unit Citation, two French Croix de Guerre, and the French Fourragere of the Croix de Guerre. The 82nd was relieved in Normany on 8 July and returned to England to prepare for future airborne operations. On the afternoon of 17 September 1944, the 82nd conducted its fourth parachute assault, this time into Holland as part of Operation MARKET. The Division's objectives were to seize bridges over the Maas and Waal Rivers, and hold the high ground between Nijmegen and Groesbeek. The 504th was returned to the 82nd and the 507th left. The 508th remained with the 82nd. The majority of the drops were on target and assembly was rapid. The bridge over the Maas River at Grave was captured on the 17th. On 20 September, the 505th launched an attack through Nijmegen to capture the south end of the bridge over the Waal River. The 504th, with C Company, 307th Engineers, launched a simultaneous attack across the river to capture the north end of the bridge. The first wave suffered 50 percent casualties, but captured its objective. On the 21st, PVT John Towle of C Company, 504th, single handedly broke up an enemy counter attack consisting of 100 men and two tanks. For his actions, Towle received the Medal of Honor. After 56 days of combat in Holland, the 82nd was relieved on 11 November and sent to rest camps near Rheims, France. On 16 December 1944, lead elements of a German offensive broke through the American line in the Ardennes Forest of Belgium. The only reserve forces available were the 82nd and 101st. The 82nd was alerted on the 17th and by the next evening was in Webermont, Belgium, on the northern shoulder of the bulge created by the enemy attack. On the morning of the 19th, the 82nd took up defensive positions along the Salm River. There, the 82nd stopped Von Runstedt's armored offensive. In the fierce fighting of the Battle of the Bulge, 1SG Leonard Funk of C Company, 508th, earned the Medal of Honor. The 82nd was on the offensive by January 1945. The Division moved through Belgium and the Hurtgen Forest, penetrated the Seigfried Line, and arrived at the Roer River by February. On 30 April 1945, the 82nd conducted its last combat operation of World War II with an assault crossing of the Elbe River near Bleckede, Germany, On 2 May 1945, Major General Gavin accepted the surrender of 150,000 troops of the German 21st Army. On the same day, troopers of the Division liberated survivors of the Woebbelin Concentration Camp. After six campaigns spanning 442 days in combat, the war was over for the 82nd. From August to December 1945, the 82nd conducted occupation duty in Berlin. There, while being reviewed by General George Patton, the 82nd received its title "America's Guard of Honor." In January 1946, the 82nd returned to the United State aboard the Queen Mary and led the victory parade in New York City on the 12th. On 19 January 1946, the 82nd returned to Fort Bragg and began training for the uncertain Cold War years. The 82nd became a strategic deployment force as it trained for a variety of conditions and tested new airplanes with greater capacity and range. In 1948, the 82nd was allotted to the Regular Army, ensuring its active status. In 1957, the 82nd underwent reorganization for the Pentomic structure. The Division consisted of five Airborne Battle Groups that were capable of independent operations on a nuclear battlefield. Fortunately, that concept did not have to be tested in a real war. In 1964, the 82nd was again reorganized under the ROAD concept, which called for three brigades of infantry, each with three battalions, and a brigade of artillery with three battalions, plus the usual division support elements. In 1965 the 82nd was able to test the ROAD concept in combat. On 29 April the 3rd Brigade (1st and 2nd 505th and 1st 508th) was alerted for deployment to the Dominican Republic in Operation POWER PACK. The Brigade arrived on 30 April and secured the Duarte Bridge over the Ozama. A link up was conducted with Marines in Santo Domingo and a corridor was established to isolate the rebel forces. An attack was launched by rebel forces on 15 June, but was stopped by the 82nd after two days of heavy fighting. Most of the Division returned home by late summer 1965. The 1st Brigade remained to maintain order. By 21 September 1966, the last elements redeployed to Fort Bragg. The 1960s were a turbulent decade. The 82nd sent small contingents to the Congo in 1964 and 1967. The Division also participated in several civil disturbance operations. The largest were in Detroit in 1967 and in Washington, DC, in 1968. With the TET Offensive in Vietnam during February 1968, additional US troops were needed in a hurry. On 14 February, the 3rd Brigade deployed to Vietnam in Operation ALL AMERICAN. The Brigade arrived at Chu Lai and moved north to Phu Bai near Hue. In March, the 3rd Brigade troopers fought alongside the 101st in Operation CARENTAN I. The Brigade conducted combat operations for 22 months, fighting along Highway 1, the Song Bo River, Hue, and Saigon. In September 1969, the Brigade conducted its last combat operation in Vietnam -- YORKTOWN VICTOR -- in the iron triangle. The 3rd Brigade returned to Fort Bragg and the 82nd on 12 December 1969. During the 1970s, the 82nd was alerted several times. An antitank task force armed with the new TOW missile deployed to Vietnam in the spring of 1972. Other alerts such as the Middle East crisis of 1973, the Zaire hostage crisis of 1978, and the Iran hostage situation of 1979, did not see the 82nd deploy. The 82nd was, however, the first US Army unit to participate in the Multinational Force and Observers peacekeeping mission in the Sinai in March 1982. On 25 October 1983, the combat capabilities of the 82nd were put to the test again in Operation URGENT FURY to rescue American students and prevent revolution on the Caribbean Island of Grenada. The Division conducted airland operations at Point Salines Airfield on the south side of the island. Fighting lasted several days as the 82nd encountered the People's Revolutionary Army and Cuban forces. Using aviation assets, the 82nd rescued students on the Lance aux Epines peninsula and captured General Hudson Austin, commander of the People's Revolutionary Armed Forces. The last 82nd elements returned to Fort Bragg on 12 December 1983. On 17 March 1988, the 1/504 air landed in Honduras as part of GOLDEN PHEASANT, an exercise designed to ensure regional security. The 2/504 parachuted in the next day. The exercise provided a show of support for Honduras and tested the rapid deployment capabilities of the 82nd. On 20 December 1989, the All American Division conducted its first combat parachute assault since World War II. The 82nd parachuted into Torrijos Airport, Panama, in Operation JUST CAUSE to restore a duly elected government. Armored vehicles -- the M551 Sheridan -- were parachuted into combat for the first time. Airmobile operations were conducted against Fort Cimmarron, Tinajitas, and Panama Viejo. The Division moved to Panama City where it took part in the attack and eventual surrender. The last elements of the 82nd returned home on 12 January 1990. It was not long before the 82nd was back in combat again. On 2 August 1990, Iraqi armor and troops rolled into Kuwait. The 82nd deployed on 8 August in Operation DESERT SHIELD. Standing across the border from the Iraqi tanks, the 82nd drew a line in the sand with its light M551 Sheridans, TOW missiles, and AH-64 Apache helicopters. The United States assembled an allied coalition of forces and committed to the largest military deployment since Vietnam. Air strikes against Iraq began on 16 January 1991. On 24 February 1991, the ground phase of the war --- Operation DESERT STORM -- began. The 82nd conducted airmobile and mounted operations on the allied left flank, penetrating deep into Iraq. With its mission complete, the 82nd began to deploy home on 7 March. By April, the entire Division was back at Fort Bragg. Early in the evening of 18 September 1994, nearly 3,000 paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division were en-route to Haiti to launch Operation RESTORE DEMOCRACY. Aviation elements were already deployed to the nearby island of Great Inauga. Elements of the 3/73 Armor were waiting aboard ships off the coast. When Haitian leaders heard the 82nd Airborne Division was on the way, a peace agreement was reached, and the 82nd was recalled. From 26 September to 25 October, elements of the 3/73d Armor supported peacekeeping operations in Haiti. During FY01, the Division experienced 525 reportable airborne operations accidents and one (MIRPS) fatal accident. 421 of the reportable accidents were parachute landing fall-related injuries. Also, there were 21 static line injuries, 34 DZ hazard, 11 entanglement, and 6 tree-landing related injuries. Issues that need special attention: PLFs, continue to account for more than 80% of all airborne operations injuries. Static line injuries appear to be on the increase. From: historical accounts & records 2007-10-03©bravehorseswarriors™64
Warriors, Places, & Events
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