1968 TET offensive. Lieutenant Colonel (Major General, Retired) R.J. Fairfield, Jr. assumed command of the 1st Battalion, 69th Armor on 31 July, 1965. Welcome to the 6th Armored Division virtual museum. This deactivation came to an end when the unit was re-designated as the 69th Medium Tank Battalion in August 1950. The unit was deactivated in 1946. 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor served with the 42nd ID, a National Guard Division based in NY. With the establishment of the regimental combat arms system, the formerly fragmented elements of the 2nd Battalion were remade into the 69th Armored Regiment. Col. Ethan J. Diven, commander of the "Spartan Brigade," 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, passes the unit colors to new brigade senior enlisted advisor, Command Sgt. The Battalion served under Multi-National Division Baghdad on the Karada Peninsula as well as the Al Muthana and Al Jedidah regions of Eastern Baghdad. We now have the room block reserved and you can make your reservations, more event details will follow, just follow this link: Click here for 2012 Norfolk Reunion Photos! It was reassigned to the 6th Armor Division in February, 1942, where it remained until September of 1943 when elements of the Regiment were broken up and reassigned. A/2-69 AR, D/2-69 AR, HHC/2-69 AR, and FSC/2-69 AR, along with B/1-30 IN operated out of CAMP CORREGIDOR and COMBAT OUTPOST on the eastern side of Ar Ramadi. Hq., Cn. Tanks from 1st Platoon, A Company, 369 AR entered the Baghdad International Airport (BIAP)shortly after midnight on 4 April and 369 AR captured (BIAP)later that day, after limited resistance from elements of the Hammurabi Division of the Republican Guard. List of battleships of the United States Navy, List of aircraft of the Malaysian Armed Forces, The Institute of Heraldry - 69th Armor Regiment, Articles incorporating text from public domain works of the United States Government, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, Armored regiments of the United States Army, Military units and formations established in 1940, 2 Combined Arms Battalions, no Regimental HQ, LTC Ricardo Sanchez, during Operation Desert Storm 90-91, LTC Jeffery R. Sanderson, May 2002 - June, 2004, LTC Robert R. Roggeman, June 2004 - June 2006, LTC Robert Ashe, July 2008 - January 2011, LTC Jessie L. Robinson, 27 July 2008 - October 2009, LTC Jeff Denius, October 2009 - October 2011, LTC Orestees "Bo" T. Davenport, October 2011 October 2013, LTC Harry "Zan" Hornbuckle, October 2013 Present. B Company was given the mission of reaction force and route security between k T and the besieged Special Forces border camp of Ben Het. Sign up to receive our newsletter regarding Veterans, Reunions, Military, Veteran Benefits, Military Pictures, Jokes, Military History, It participated in the Battle for Jalibah Airfield. The Battalion displaced its forward headquarters in March, from Hwy 14S to Camp Radcliff in An Khe, under the operational control of the 173rd Airborne Brigade and was again involved in fighting along the coastal plain near Bong Son. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The 6th Armored Division was created February 15, 1942 at Fort Knox, For its actions and the extraordinary heroism of its soldiers, A Company was awarded the Valorous Unit Citation. Joe was 97 years old. In January 2003, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor deployed to Kuwait awaiting orders to begin combat operations. During this period Alpha Company supported the three Sky Trooper brigades in heavy combat operations along the South China Sea coast, distinguishing itself in savage fighting against Main Force Viet Cong, for countless fortified village complexes in Binh Dinh province and the Bong Son plain area. [2], A Company was committed within two hours of its disembarking from LSTs in Saigon, as a reaction force to combat in the Filhol Rubber Plantation west of Saigon. During this period Alpha Company supported the three Sky Trooper brigades in heavy combat operations along the South China Sea coast, distinguishing itself in savage fighting against Main Force Viet Cong, for countless fortified village complexes in Binh Dinh province and the Bong Son plain area. The 69th Armored Regiment's history began on 15 July 1940 when it was formed and assigned to the 1st Armored Division. [page 210] . We will not forget Joe and his band of brothers either. The unit's combat actions earned the Presidential Unit Citation and the Navy Unit Commendation. MILITARY UNITS - 69th Armored Division VetFriends Veteran ID Card Quick Links. Regtl. B Company was given the mission of reaction force and route security between Dak To and the besieged Special Forces border camp of Ben Het. In 2002 the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor deployed with 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division to Operation Desert Spring in preparation for future combat operations in a six-month training mission. The 2017 Annual Reunion will be in Virginia Beach, VA at the North Beach Holiday Inn Sept. 21-24, 2017. Thank you for signing up for the VetFriends Newsletter! The 69th Tank Battalion, as part of the 6th Armored Division, was included in various European campaigns including Normandy, the Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace and Central Europe. This original assignment did not last for long. The bulk of the battalion was moved in May 1966 to Qui Nhon via LST, then overland along the infamous QL (Highway) 19 to join B Company at Camp Enari near Pleiku, the home of the 4th Infantry Division. I had a great time and intend to go again next year. In July 2003, following the downfall of the regime under Saddam Hussein. 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor served with the 42nd ID, a National Guard Division based in NY. Joe was 97 years old. Until VE-day the 69th patrolled and policed its area. It was temporarily stopped south of the Karbala Gap due to intense sandstorms and a need to wait for logistical support. Each battalion had its own insignia. With the inactivation of the 24th ID, and the activation of the 3rd ID at Fort Stewart, the unit was reassigned once more, becoming part of the 3rd Infantry Division, based still at Fort Stewart, Georgia. It was subsequently deactivated in late 1991 with the Regimental Colors returning to the 2nd Battalion at Fort Benning, Georgia. On this site we publish articles about the men wo fought so bravely. Also during this period, a provisional detachment of tanks taken from each line company, was detailed to support elements of the 101st Airborne Division and the 44th ARVN Regiment in the Phan Thiet-Song Mao area. The Battalion's first major combat operation took place in April, 1966 in the tangled jungle growth of the Hobo Woods and along the trails of the Filhol Rubber plantation again, northwest of Saigon. The Fighting 69th Infantry Division Website. No stranger to the Regiment, LTC Fairfield had seen previous service as Commanding Officer of A company and as S3 of the 89th Medium Tank Battalion in Korea in 1952. The 9th Armored, which was activated in 1942, was late in getting overseas. A Company completed its mission with the 1st Cavalry in October, 1967 and returned to Camp Enari with Battalion HQ. For its actions and the extraordinary heroism of its soldiers, A Company was awarded the Valorous Unit Citation. The 69th Tank Battalion, as part of the 6th Armored Division, was included in various European campaigns including Normandy, the Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace and Central Europe. Attached below and to the sides of the shield a Silver scroll inscribed VITESSE ET PUISSANCE in Black letters. 6th AD was formed under the 1942 Table of Organization and Equipment. Plus, its a place where wives, children, grandchildren and friends to learn about the wartime service of their loved ones in the Unit histories, Company Photos and the post-war bulletins now being placed online in a Google-searchable format. In 2013, 3rd Battalion was deployed to eastern Afghanistan in Wardak, Nangarhar, & Ghazni Provinces. Co A, 86th Cml Mort Bn: 7 Apr 45-28 Apr 45: Field Artillery. Military Catalog, Sales, Discounts & more. Part of the 2nd Battalion was redesignated the 109th Amphibious Tank Battalion and also participated in key amphibious operations in the PTO distinguishing itself at Saipan and Tinian and was also awarded the Navy Presidential Unit Citation. If you have a tribute, please email it to Webmaster Michael McKibben at mmckibben@leader.com and it will be posted shortly. Bradley Fighting Vehicles attached to 369 AR were the first regular army elements to cross the berm into Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom I. Two days later, Division patrols in the area between the Elbe and the Mulde Rivers contacted Russian troops in the vicinity of Riesa and again at Torgau. During a reaction force operation just prior to Tet in January, 1968, Sp5 Dwight Hal Johnson, gunner on B11, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty. We wonder about the rest that served with us in the artillery unit we served in. The first address you sent me is my buddy. 3d Battalion, 69th Armor similarly operated with the 24th Division during war.[2]. The battalion served first under 2nd BCT, 2ID and later under 4th BCT, 10th MTN DIV while detached from the rest of the 3rd HBCT. All Rights Reserved. New Apr 2020 "814th Tank Destroyer Battalion: December 1944: (Attached to 7th Armored Division) Combat Interviews, After Action Report, Morning Reports" by Wesley Johnston.Maj. But once on fighting soil it wasted no time. Co A, 777th Tk Bn: 6 Mar 45-8 Mar 45: 777th Tk Bn: 29 Mar 45-15 Jun 45: Chemical. Click here to read about Joe's: EARLY LIFE | MILITARY CAREER This original assignment did not last for long. Moreover, it now boasted a V12 Continental Diesel engine which more than doubled the tank's combat range and significantly reduced the hazard of fire. If you have a tribute, please email it to Webmaster Michael McKibben at. The 69th Armor Regiment was constituted on 15 July, 1940, at Fort Knox, Kentucky, in the Regular Army and initially assigned to the 1st Armor Division. Search input Search LTC William Grant assumed command of 1/69 Armor as the Battalion was given the mission of securing the primary routes of communicationon QL 19, between Qui Nhon on the coast and Duc Co on the Cambodian border; and on QL 14 between Dak To in the north to Ban Me Thout in the south. B Company elements engaged units of the 18th and 22nd NVA Regiments, as well as the 2nd VC Main Force Regiment in heavy combat between 10 and 25 April in the area of Ky Son, inflicting over 100 enemy KIA. In June 2005, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor was called to be the tip of the spear against the insurgent influence in the city of Ramadi in the Al Anbar province. The unit, along with many others, was deactivated in 1946 following the end of the Second World War. Earlier, in September, the Battalion, along with the other elements of the 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division became part of the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division in a swap of brigades in place. [2], 1/69 Armor played a critical role in the defense of Pleiku, Kontum, Dak To and Highway 19 during the Jan/Feb. In June, 1996, a M48A3 tank was obtained from Vietnam, refurbished and placed in the Patton Museum of Cavalry and Armor at Fort Knox. The Battalion continued to support the 4th Infantry Division along the Hwy 19 corridor, from Qui Nhon to Duc Co during the period, where it fought hot actions in and around LZ Schuller, An Khe, Plei Djereng and Plei Me. If you have an item that you would like to add to the museum than you can contact us through the form on this website. 1/69 Armor played a critical role in the defense of Pleiku, Kontum, Dak To and Hwy 19 during the Jan/Feb. The 69th Tank Battalion, as part of the 6th Armored Division, was included in various European campaigns including Normandy, the Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace and Central Europe. It was amended to add a crest on 18 May 1965. The 6th Armored Division was one of General George S. Patton's famous Third Army divisions during World War II in Europe. The Battalion then redeployed to Fort Benning, Georgia in October 2010. LTC William Grant assumed command of 1/69 Armor as the battalion was given the mission of securing the primary routes of communication on QL 19, between Qui Nhon on the coast and Duc Co on the Cambodian border; and on QL 14 between k T in the north to Ban Me Thuot in the south. The Battalion continued operations west of Pleiku and along the coastal plain during 1969 with both the 4th Division and the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Bravo Company's 1st Platoon, detailed to provide additional firepower to the SF camp, fought what was to be the only engagement between U.S. and NVA armor on the night of 3 March. These routes were notorious for ambush actions dating back to the French Indochina War of the 1950s. Able-co/2-69 AR, Delta/2-69 AR, HHC/2-69 AR, and E/203 SB (FSC/2-69 AR) along with B/1-30 IN operated out of CAMP CORREGIDOR and COMBAT OUTPOST on the eastern side of Ar Ramadi. Moreover, it now boasted a V12 Continental Diesel engine which more than doubled the tank's combat range and significantly reduced the hazard of fire. Its post-war alumni association disbanded at its final reunion in Louisville, KY in September, 2000. We will miss him. These routes were notorious for ambush actions dating back to the First Indochina War of the 1950s. LTC Theodore S. Riggs took command of the Battalion in March, 1968, prior to its displacement to An Khe. Wisely, peacetime conscription started in September 1940, with the Selective Training and Service Act. [2], LTC (Lieutenant General, Retired) Paul S. Williams, Jr. took command of 1/69 Armor in March 1967 and continued operations in support of the 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. LTC (MG Retired) Stan R. Sheridan assumed command of 1/69 Armor in September, 1968 as the Battalion forward HQ again moved, this time west to the area of the Oasis, HQ of the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division along QL 19W, conducting numerous reconnaissance-in-force operations north and east of Duc Co and along the Cambodian border. The battalion assumed responsibility for an area of operations once belonging to two battalions and a brigade headquarters. It moved to Camp Chaffee on 15 March 1942 to make way for other Armor units, and then completed . The panther is symbolic of the tremendous power and striking ability of the Regiment. By January 1943 or earlier, the widening WWII and its troop demands brought these plans out again. [2], Similarly, B Company's actions along the Plei Me/Duc Co corridor, paralleling the Cambodian border set the tone for future savage fighting Battalion elements would encounter in this critical Central Highlands area of enemy infiltration. Archer | No. A Company was charged with the security of Hwy 19E between An Khe and Mang Jiang Pass, and on 10 April, routed a regimental size ambush attempt on a convoy which effectively destroyed the NVA 95B battalion as a fighting force. The division was activated on 15 February 1942 at Fort Knox. $10.95 + $3.95 shipping. Up until five weeks ago, Joe was still emailing about website business. "The Fighting 69th" became the Division motto after the troops passed their first test of battle with flying colorsgoing into the front lines on February 11, 1945, and quickly smashing through the vaunted Westwall, dubbed the "Siegfried Line" by American and British troops. For its actions A Company was awarded the Valorous Unit Citation. The 52 ton M48A3 more than earned its stripes during this initial two week blooding and the unit set the example for future tactical employment of Armor in Vietnam. Please send updates. 2,951,373. Deployment commenced on 25 January 1966 with the Battalion laying over in Okinawa to take over 52 new M48A3 tanks and familiarize crews with the new series, AN-GRC 12 radios. [2], LTC Fairfield was promoted and subsequently reassigned as command of 1/69 Armor passed to LTC Clyde O. Clark. LTCs Leo M. Brandt, Donald J. Pagel and MAJ George Latturner each commanded the Battalion for short periods, from April to December, 1969. Anne & Sherry Lipsius' address: 6314 Deerings Hollow, Norcross, GA 30092-1800, annejoelip@bellsouth.net. [2], 1st Platoon, B Company earned a special Presidential Unit Citation in August 1966 for their actions at LZ 27 Victor, a small Korean enclave in the triple canopy jungles of the Ia Drang-Chu Pong mountain area, where nine months earlier, the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) fought savage battles with infiltrating North Vietnamese units. Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Both Battalions have had subsequent deployments to the Kuwait desert in support of Coalition forces. Contrasting with the old battalion M48A2 vehicles, the new A3 models still featured the 90mm cannon, a M2HB cupola mounted .50 caliber machinegun and a 7.62mm, M72 coaxial machinegun. 6th Armored Division. Webmaster, Sadly, Anne and Sherry Lipsius, wife and daughter, notified us on September 6, 2015 that our intrepid Webmaster, Joe Lipsius, passed away peacefully that morning. View our site visit statistics. I really hope some other people can find this service and get in touch with people like I did. Archer 1/35 U.S. 69th, 71st, 95th, 98th, 106th Infantry Division Patches FG35035. Click here to read: Tributes to Joe Lipsius, We endeavor in these pages to remember the heroic service of the men of The Fighting 69th Infantry Division during World War II. The battalion then redeployed to Fort Benning, Georgia in October 2010 and was awarded the Meritorious Unit Award. Free shipping for many products! Each battalion had its own insignia. Div. Throughout Operation Iraqi Freedom 369 AR was featured several times on CNN, ABC News, and the PBS documentary Back to the Front[1] detailing the deployment of Sgt Michael Murphy. Once again it assigned to the 6th Armored Division, where it served until it was stood down in 1956, ending its assignment to the 6th Armored Division. . 1968 Tet Offensive. [2] Both received the Superior Unit Award. It was redesignated for the 69th Armor Regiment on 25 July 1958. The former Company C, 69th Tank Battalion, was reconstituted on 21 August 1950 in the Regular Army as Company C, 69th Medium Tank Battalion, an element of the 6th Armored Division. On March 19, 2003, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor was the tip of the spear, leading the famous "March to Baghdad." We were stationed in Germany in 1975 through 1978. Operations were based in the Chalis Qada area. The Regimental Headquarters and 1st Battalion remained with the 6th Armor Division as the 69th Tank Battalion; the 3rd Battalion was redesignated as the 708th Amphibian Tank Battalion and participated in most of the key amphibious assault campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations. The battalion displaced its forward headquarters in March, from Hwy 14S to Camp Radcliff in An Kh, under the operational control of the 173rd Airborne Brigade to join Operation Walker and was again involved in fighting along the coastal plain near Bong Son. How cool is that. In March 2003 the battalion, under the command of LTC Ernest P. "Rock" Marcone, deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom I, where it served as the "Point of the Spear" for the 3rd Infantry Division, participating in many 1BCT battles, to include the seizure of Baghdad International Airport. On April 19, 1945, the Division captured Leipzig. By January 1943 or earlier, the widening WWII and its troop demands brought these plans out again. He said we were like brothers and then all of a sudden, we lost all contact. ABMC Headquarters 2300 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 703-584-1501 Armored. The 69th Infantry Division was originally scheduled for activation before the end of World War I, but Armistice Day, November 11, 1918, halted this. We raced volkswagens on our time off and we'd go to the range and shoot all day. A large group of infantry and some supporting unit officers were called from the 96th Infantry Division training at Camp Adair, Oregon, to supply the cadre (nucleus) for The 69th Infantry Division, which trained at Camp Shelby, near Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Find your friends and loved ones * * *, Sadly, Anne and Sherry Lipsius, wife and daughter, notified us on September 6, 2015 that our intrepid Webmaster, Joe Lipsius, passed away peacefully that morning. The gauntlet and lightning flashes symbolize armor and striking power. Medal of Honor Recipients of the 69th Armor Regiment. By the end of WWII, more than 10 million men had been inducted. The Battalion was instrumental in keeping these vital roads open for re-supply of units heavily engaged with the North Vietnames during the heavy battles around Dak To and Kontum in November, 1967. Following great successes in Chalis Qada and Ar Ramadi, the Battalion redeployed to Fort Benning, Georgia in January 2006.
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