2-69 AR is currently stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia as part of the 3rd Armor Brigade Combat Team ("Sledgehammer"), 3rd Infantry Division and 3-69 AR is stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia as part of the 1st Armor Brigade Combat Team ("Raider"), 3rd Infantry Division. 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. Tactical strategy Combat Mission Black Sea features 369 AR BN in one of its campaigns. It was subsequently deactivated in late 1991 with the Regimental Colors returning to the 2nd Battalion at Fort Benning, Georgia. [2], LTC Fairfield was promoted and subsequently reassigned as command of 1/69 Armor passed to LTC Clyde O. Clark. The battalion was based primarily at FOB Brassfield-Mora,[3] Patrol Base Uvanni,[4] and Patrol Base Olsen. 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. It reactivated on 15 February 1942 at Fort Knox, KY, ( the 69th Armored Regiment was concurrently relieved from assignment to the 1st Armored Division and assigned to the 6th Armored Division). 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. Gen. Robert V. Maraist (Aug 45 - inactivation), Rhineland(15 Sep 44 - 21 Mar 45)Central Europe(22 Mar 45 - 11 May 45). 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, killing over 100 enemy. Colonel Bedford H. Forrest was killed in action in France November 26, according, to word received by his mother Mrs. Mattie S Forrest of Saluda. Lieutenant Colonel (Major General, Retired) R.J. Fairfield, Jr. assumed command of the 1st Battalion, 69th Armor on 31 July, 1965. Thank you for signing up for the VetFriends Newsletter! After a successful tour, Task Force 369 AR redeployed to Fort Stewart in January 2006. [2], 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. Throughout the 1990s, the battalion deployed in support of numerous war-time missions including Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Iraq. The mission of enabling security and protecting the people of Iraq was accomplished through advising and assisting the Iraqi Security Forces as well as transitioning the overall responsibility for the security of Iraq from US forces to the Iraqi government. We raced volkswagens on our time off and we'd go to the range and shoot all day. 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. After helping destroy the Iraqi 11th Infantry Division at Nasiriyah, 3ID turned north-west, covering unprecedented distance rapidly. Company A was attached to the 1st Cavalry Division until October, 1967. It was concurrently reassigned to the 25th Infantry Division, and activated to Hawaii (its organic elements concurrently constituted and activated). [2], 1/69 Armor played a critical role in the defense of Pleiku, Kontum, Dak To and Hwy 19 during the Jan/Feb. 69th Infantry Division US Army Divisions Infantry 1-65 1st Infantry 2nd Infantry 3rd Infantry 4th Infantry 5th Infantry 6th Infantry 7th Infantry 8th Infantry 9th Infantry 10th Mountain 23rd Infantry 24th Infantry 25th Infantry 26th Infantry 27th Infantry 28th Infantry 29th Infantry 30th Infantry 31st Infantry 32nd Infantry 33rd Infantry Bradley Fighting Vehicles attached to 369 AR were the first regular army elements to cross the berm into Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom I. Do you have 69TH ARMORED DIVISION Reunion information you'd like to share, "When I Joined VetFriends, I read about the email locator service, and sent an email to my old friend. 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. The unit's combat actions earned the Presidential Unit Citation and the Navy Unit Commendation. Following great successes in Chalis Qada and Ar Ramadi, the Battalion redeployed to Fort Benning, Georgia in January 2006. 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. Joe did not want us to forget what each and every brave man and woman of the Fighting 69th did for their families, their country, and the world. In March 2007, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor was deployed as part of the Baghdad "surge." The insignia was redesignated for the 69th Medium Tank Battalion on 25 February 1954. For its actions A Company was awarded the Valorous Unit Citation. The unit and its component line companies were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation, the Valorous Unit Award, the Meritorious Award, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm and the Vietnam Civic Action Award First Class.[2]. The bumper number reads "B31", as in Bravo Company, 3rd Platoon, 1 track (platoon leader's tank). ABMC Headquarters 2300 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 703-584-1501 Anne & Sherry Lipsius' address: 6314 Deerings Hollow, Norcross, GA 30092-1800, [email protected]. 1/69 Armor played a critical role in the defense of Pleiku, Kontum, Dak To and Hwy 19 during the Jan/Feb. It inactivated there on 16 March 1956. Attached below and to the sides of the shield a Silver scroll inscribed VITESSE ET PUISSANCE in Black letters. 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. 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. The 6th Armored Division was created February 15, 1942 at Fort Knox, The unit spearheaded no fewer than ten campaigns, from 1951 through the Armistice in 1953 with the 25th Division and earned the Presidential Unit Citation and the Navy Unit Commendation. The 89th Tank Battalion returned to Hawaii with the 25th Infantry Division where it remained until deactivation in 1957. LTC (Lieutenant General, Retired) Paul S. Williams, Jr. took command of 1/69 Armor in March of 1967 and continued operations in support of the 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. The 6th Armored Division was one of the divisions in wwii that saw the most action. [2], LTC James L. Marini took command in December, 1969 and continued operations until the Battalion stood down with the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division and returned to the U.S. in mid-1970. Medal of Honor Recipients of the 69th Armor Regiment. Fortunately he had also become a member and responded to my email. Contact us | Terms of Use 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. LTCs Leo M. Brandt, Donald J. Pagel and MAJ George Latturner each commanded the Battalion for short periods, from April to December, 1969. It is an interlocked. The battalion also participated in Intrinsic Action in Kuwait and Kosovo Force Operation support in Kosovo. The Battalion redeployed in May 2008 to Fort Benning, Georgia and awarded the Valorous Unit Award. 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. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! The 1st Battalion was alerted to begin preparations for deployment to the Republic of Vietnam in December 1965. The 52 ton M48A3 performed well during this initial two-week fight and the unit set an example for future tactical employment of armor in Vietnam. Motto: VITESSE ET PUISSANCE (Speed and Power). With the left over elements of the 69th and the 89th Tank Battalions, the 69th Armored Regiment was re-designated the 69th Armor, a parent regiment under the Regimental Combat Arms system. In February 1942 it was reassigned to the 6th Armored Division where it continued to serve until September 1943 when elements of the Regiment were divided and reassigned. Meanwhile, B and C Companies were placed OPCON to the Republic of Korea's 'Tiger' Division, headquartered near Qui Nhon at Camp Townes to support Operation Maeng Ho 11. 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. They suffered three casualties that year.[4]. LTC Robert J. Graebener, March 1990 - October 1991 (Colors Cased), LTC Lon E. Maggart, April 1984 April 1986, LTC Ricardo Sanchez, during Operation Desert Storm 9091, LTC Jeffery R. Sanderson, May 2002 June 2004, LTC Robert R. Roggeman, June 2004 June 2006, LTC Robert Ashe, July 2008 January 2011, LTC George E Bolton Jr., June 2019 - Present, 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 July 2015, LTC Johnny A. Evans Jr., July 2015 May 2017, LTC Stewart W. Wallace June 1985 - June 1987, LTC J. Steven Hunter June 1987 - October 1987, This page was last edited on 27 July 2022, at 11:53. 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. These routes were notorious for ambush actions dating back to the French Indochina War of the 1950s. I called the number ans wow he was blown away when he found out who I was. [2], LTCs Leo M. Brandt, Donald J. Pagel and MAJ George Latturner each commanded the Battalion for short periods, from April to December, 1969. It inactivated on 16 April 1986 in Germany and was relieved from its assignment in the 3rd Infantry Division. Our prayers and sympathies go out to the Lipsius family. The 69th Armored Regiment was constituted on 15 July, 1940 in the Regular Army and initially assigned to the lst Armored Division. The 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment (3-69 AR) is a United States Army combined arms battalion and part of the Third Infantry Division based at Fort Stewart, Georgia. [2], 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 Landing Zone Oasis, HQ of the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division along QL 19W, conducting numerous reconnaissance-in-force operations north and east of c C and along the Cambodian border. [2], A Company completed its mission with the 1st Cavalry in October, 1967 and returned to Camp Enari with Battalion HQ. 3d Battalion, 69th Armor similarly operated with the 24th Division during war.[2]. It was temporarily stopped south of the Karbala Gap due to intense sandstorms and a need to wait for logistical support. E/203 SB was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation. 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 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. "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. This original assignment did not last for long. Mission was to follow advance of 9th Armored Division and mop up enemy pockets which had been bypassed. Free Shipping On All Orders Above $100 Go shop . [2], 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. 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. Background: The coat of arms was originally approved for the 69th Armored Regiment on 7 September 1942. The 69th Armored Regiment's history began on 15 July 1940 when it was formed and assigned to the 1st Armored Division. It was a wonderful moment that we will both remember for the rest of our lives, and we owe it to VetFriends. We will not forget Joe and his band of brothers either. Until VE-day the 69th patrolled and policed its area. This fifteen-month deployment was part of the General Petraeus "surge" of force. Unit troops discovered Leipzig-Thekla concentration camp, a subcamp of Buchenwald. Hq., Cn. [2], LTC James L. Marini took command in December 1969 and continued operations until the battalion stood down with the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division and returned to the U.S. in mid-1970. The 2017 Annual Reunion will be in Virginia Beach, VA at the North Beach Holiday Inn Sept. 21-24, 2017. In January 2005,Deploying to FOB Scunion (adjacent to FOB Warhorse) the partial Battalion again deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The period from 9 to 21 March was spent in mopping up activities and training. The unit, along with many others, was deactivated in 1946 following the end of the Second World War. The 4th Battalion was reactivated in 1972 at 1st Brigade HHC 8th Infantry Division at Robert E. Lee Barracks in Mainz Gonsenheim Germany. The unit, along with many others, was deactivated in 1946 following the end of the Second World War. Being always alert, the black variety of panther is considered the most dangerous of all the feline family. 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. 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. [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. The 1st Battalion was again reactivated and assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division in Germany in 1975. The unit, along with many others, was deactivated in 1946 following the end of the Second World War. In February 1942 it was reassigned to the 6th Armored Division where it continued to serve until September 1943 when elements of the Regiment were divided and reassigned. 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. This deployment was part of the transition from Operation Iraqi Freedom to Operation New Dawn. $10.95 + $3.95 shipping. The battalion assumed responsibility for an area of operations once belonging to two battalions and a brigade headquarters. [2], LTC Fairfield was promoted and subsequently reassigned as command of 1/69 Armor passed to LTC Clyde O. Clark. Redisignated as the 69th Medium Tank Battalion in August, 1950 and reactivated in Korea. 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. Activated 15 May 1943 Entered Combat 11 Feb 1945 Days of Combat 86 Casualties 1,506, Maj. Gen. Charles L. Bolte (May 43 - Sep 44)Maj. Gen. Emil F. Reinhardt (Sep 44 - Aug 45)Brig. Military Catalog, Sales, Discounts & more. In November 1951, it was again reflagged the 89th Tank Battalion and assigned to the 25th Infantry Division. What a conversation we had. The 6th Armored Division ("Super Sixth") was an armored division of the United States Army during World War II. 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. The 69th Armor is an armored (tank) regiment of the United States Army. It was subsequently deactivated in late 1991 with the Regimental Colors returning to the 2nd Battalion at Fort Benning, Georgia. The Battalion played an important role by providing security assistance during the crucial Iraqi national elections in March 2010. We will be posting a tribute and the family's eulogy. In July, 1994, a monument was erected and dedicated to the tank Soldiers of the 69th Armor Regiment, from all battalions, in Armor Memorial Park at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Armored. The unit and its component line companies were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation, the Valorous Unit Award, the Meritorious Award, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm and the Vietnam Civic Action Award First Class. [2], A Company completed its mission with the 1st Cavalry in October 1967 and returned to Camp Enari with Battalion HQ. 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. 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. 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. The battalion then redeployed to Fort Benning, Georgia in October 2010 and was awarded the Meritorious Unit Award. 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 unit, along with . 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. Thanks for making it possible!" We wonder about the rest that served with us in the artillery unit we served in. [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. Each battalion had its own insignia. This original assignment did not last for long. 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. LTC Theodore S. Riggs took command of the Battalion in March, 1968, prior to its displacement to An Khe. [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. When the campaign started, 369 AR led the rest of 3ID on the drive to Baghdad. U.S. Some 16,500,000 were registered by October 1940, and the first group of conscripts, called selectees, was called in the next month. All rights reserved. The battalion was instrumental in keeping these vital roads open for re-supply of units heavily engaged with the North Vietnamese during the heavy battles around k T and Kontum in November 1967. 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. 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. C/2-69 AR, along with additional attachments, remained in Chalis Qada to serve with the Iraqi Army in that area. Online FPS game Enlisted features 369 AR as an unlockable 'squad'. FG35039 | 1:35 . In February 1942 it was reassigned to the 6th Armored Division where it continued to serve until September 1943 when elements of the Regiment were divided and reassigned. The Division went over to the attack, 27 February, capturing the high ridge east of Prether to facilitate use of the Hellenthal-Hollerath highway. Both Battalions have had subsequent deployments to the Kuwait desert in support of Coalition forces. 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. 69th ARMORED REGIMENT Constituted 15 July 1940 in the Regular Army as Company B, 69th Armored Regiment, an element of the 1st Armored Division Activated 31 July 1940 at Fort Knox,. Company A was attached to the 1st Cavalry Division until October 1967. 69th Armored Infantry Battalion 23rd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron (Mechanized) 216th Armored Engineer Battalion 156th Armored Signal Company 16th Armored Division Artillery 393rd Armored Field Artillery Battalion 396th Armored Field Artillery Battalion 397th Armored Field Artillery Battalion 16th Armored Division Trains 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. KIA. 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. The unit was reassigned on 16 October 1987 to the 24th Infantry Division and activated at Fort Stewart, Georgia. The battalion played an important role by providing security assistance during the crucial Iraqi national elections in March 2010. The unit's combat actions earned the Presidential Unit Citation and the Navy Unit Commendation. [2], The battalion continued operations west of Pleiku and along the coastal plain during 1969 with both the 4th Division and the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Nearly 200 of the enemy were killed during this two day action with no U.S. KIA. 31 December 1944 The 69th Infantry Division was originally scheduled for activation before the end of World War I, but Armistice Day, November 11, 1918, halted this. This operation proved the value of Armor in reducing the number of friendly casualties while significantly increasing losses to the enemy. The unit was deactivated in 1946. History [ edit] Members of the 44th Armored Infantry, supported by tanks of the 6th Armored Division, move in to attack German troops surrounding Bastogne. 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. Veteran L. Prickett, "Dear VetFriends, Thanks so much for your help! The Division was activated May 15, 1943. LTC James L. Marini took command in December, 1969 and continued operations until the Battalion stood down with the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division and returned to the U.S. in mid 1970. the 1st Battalion 69th Armor distinguished itself in fierce combat in all areas of its operations during over four years of deployment in the Republic of Vietnam. The 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment (369 AR) is a United States Army combined arms battalion and part of the 3rd Infantry Division based at Fort Stewart, Georgia. [2], LTC 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. Throughout the deployment, B/2-69 AR and E/2-69 AR were attached to 1-10 FA and served in the Baqubah area. The 9th Armored Division was cited for extraordinary heroism and gallantry in combat in the vicinity of Waldbillig and Savelborn, Luxembourg from 16-22 December 1944 during which they repulsed constant and determined attacks by an entire German division. It inactivated on 1 July 1963 in Hawaii and relieved from assignment to the 25th Infantry Division. Regtl. 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. This chart is available for purchase at HistoryShots.com. 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. The battalion continued its second half of the deployment north of Ramadi, and executed numerous expeditionary combat operations near Lake Tharthar, Habbaniyah, and the southern region of the Salah ad Din Province. 11 April: Patrolled vicinity of Mulhausen. In six days after hitting France the 9th Armored was in Luxembourg near the German frontier. B/2-69 AR and E/2-69 AR were awarded the Meritorious Unit Citation. Div. T he 6th Armored Division had three Tank Battalions: the 15th, the 68th and the 69th. Further, we want these pages to be a gateway for 69ers to locate and contact "buddies" and obtain service information from the military. 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.