Both battalions continue to operate with the now 3rd Infantry Division (following redesigination of the 24th)(Mechanized) as part of the Army's Rapid Deployment Forces and have distinguished themselves both in armored combat and as key elements of the ready force of the United States Army. 9th Armored Division (United States) - Wikipedia The Battalion redeployed in May 2008 to Fort Benning, Georgia. 69th Armor tankers learned on-the-job the importance of rear and flank security, the effect of canister in dense jungle, the exaggerated needs for constant maintenance halts and the value and down-sides of assorted OVM and equipment. 6th Armored Division. Operations were based in the Chalis Qada area. The Battalion continued operations west of Pleiku and along the coastal plain during 1969 with both the 4th Division and the 173rd Airborne Brigade. This operation proved the value of armor in reducing friendly casualties while significantly increasing losses to the enemy. Please submit 69er names that are not yet entered in Taps - we want to remember EVERY 69er * * * Bulletins are scanned, online and searchable! 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. A Company completed its mission with the 1st Cavalry in October, 1967 and returned to Camp Enari with Battalion HQ. 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. What a conversation we had. After helping destroy the Iraqi 11th Infantry Division at Nasiriyah, 3ID turned north-west, covering unprecedented distance rapidly. It relieved the 80th Division in Kassel, 5 April, seized Munden on the 8th and Weissenfels on the 14th against sharp opposition, and captured Leipzig, 19 April, following a fierce struggle within the city. 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! [2], LTC Fairfield was promoted and subsequently reassigned as command of 1/69 Armor passed to LTC Clyde O. Clark. 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. We will try to record some of the many outstanding feats of our Division and to recognize the thousands who trained in the 69th but were sent out as replacements to other units, including reinforcements to the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944. The 1st Battalion was again reactivated and assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division in Germany in 1975. This original assignment did not last for long. 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. Stories of The Fighting 69th Infantry Division in World War II, 69th involvement in The Battle of the Bulge, Read the latest memories from 69th family, friends and buddies, Search military records medical benefits awards & decorations, Search for date of KIA (killed in action) and burial location overseas, Social Security site recommended to help vets apply for disability benefits, Donate to the development and enhancement of this website, 69th Annual Reunion, 2017, Virginia Beach, VA, Sep. 22-25, 2016. 3d Battalion, 69th Armor similarly operated with the 24th Division during war. Site support by Leader Technologies provider of Leader Phone audio conferencing and teleconferencing services. Thank you so much again for helping me By the end of WWII, more than 10 million men had been inducted. By January 1943 or earlier, the widening WWII and its troop demands brought these plans out again. It moved to Camp Chaffee on 15 March 1942 to make way for other Armor units, and then completed . 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. 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. (Click for explanation of photos.) [page 210] . 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. The Fighting 69th Infantry Division Crest: The two ruined towers bearing a fleur-de-lis and an anchor allude to the two areas, Europe and the Pacific. In March 2007, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor was deployed as part of the Baghdad "surge." 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. LTC Theodore S. Riggs took command of the Battalion in March, 1968, prior to its displacement to An Khe. 3-69 AR was the first conventional US unit to enter Iraq in 2003, and among the first units to serve four tours in Iraq. 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. It's been nearly 40 years since we parted. Joe was 97 years old. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. At a glance. On March 19, 2003, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor was the tip of the spear, leading the famous "March to Baghdad." Wisely, peacetime conscription started in September 1940, with the Selective Training and Service Act. [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. 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. Background: The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 69th Armored Regiment on 7 September 1942. 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. We would be glad to add photos of your item to this section. A large group of infantry and some supporting unit officers were called from the 96th Infantry . This web site strives to tell the wartime story of our great Divisionfrom its formation to its meeting Soviet soldiers at The Elbe River on April 25, 1945 as seasoned veteransa critical event that hastened the end of the war in Europe two weeks later on May 9, 1945 (Victory in Europe or V-E Day). Because of this Act, the men of The 69th Infantry Division entered the Army, by draft or voluntary enlistment. 6th Armored Division (United States) - Wikipedia Maj . 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. 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. An element of the former organization was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for service in Europe. 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. [2], 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. With the remaining elements of the 69th and 89th Tank Battalions, the 69th Armor Regiment was redisignated the 69th Armor, a parent regiment under the new system. "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. find my friend." Following a successful transition into Operation New Dawn, Task Force 369 redeployed in December 2010. 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. [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. After a successful tour, Task Force 369 Armor redeployed to Fort Stewart, Georgia in March 2008, to train in preparation of future operations. The battalion played an important role by providing security assistance during the crucial Iraqi national elections in March 2010. This chart is available for purchase at HistoryShots.com. ABMC Headquarters 2300 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 703-584-1501 The Battalion shipped from Okinawa to Vietnam and, and true to the policy at the time, was fragmented, with the Battalion HQ, trains, A and C companies going to Cu Chi supporting the main elements of the 25 Division, while B Company joined the 3rd Brigade of the 25th Division in Pleiku. [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. [5] This time the battalion served as the 1st Brigade Combat Team's and 42nd Infantry Division's main effort in Samarra, Iraq. It participated in the Battle for Jalibah Airfield. Lineage and Honors Information as of 16 May 2012, Robert J. DalessandroDirector, Center of Military History, 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, Kentucky, Inactivated 10 January 1942 at Fort Knox, Kentucky, Activated 15 February 1942 at Fort Knox, Kentucky (69th Armored Regiment concurrently relieved from assignment to the 1st Armored Division and assigned to the 6th Armored Division), Reorganized and redesignated 20 September 1943 as Company B, 69th Tank Battalion, Reorganized and redesignated 10 July 1945 as Company B, 69th Amphibian Tractor Battalion (69th Tank Battalion concurrently relieved from assignment to the 6th Armored Division), Inactivated 8 March 1946 at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, Redesignated 21 August 1950 as Company B, 69th Medium Tank Battalion, an element of the 6th Armored Division, Activated 5 September 1950 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, Inactivated 16 March 1956 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, (69th Medium Tank Battalion relieved 1 February 1957 from assignment to the 6th Armored DIvision), Redesignated 1 July 1957 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Medium Tank Battalion, 69th Armor (organic elements concurrently constituted), Battalion assigned 8 July 1957 to the 10th Infantry Division and activated in Germany, Relieved 14 June 1958 from assignment to the 10th Infantry Division and assigned to the 2d Infantry Division, Inactivated 1 March 1963 at Fort Benning, Georgia, and relieved from assignment to the 2d Infantry Division, Redesignated 21 March 1973 as the 2d Battalion, 69th Armor, assigned to the 197th Infantry Brigade, and activated at Fort Benning, Georgia, Relieved 16 October 1991 from assignment to the 197th Infantry Brigade and assigned to the 24th Infantry Division, Relieved 16 February 1996 from assignment to the 24th Infantry Division and assigned to the 3d Infantry Division, Relieved 16 March 2004 from assignment to the 3d Infantry Division and assigned to the 3d Brigade Combat Team, 3d Infantry Division, Redesignated 1 October 2005 as the 2d Battalion, 69th Armored Regiment, *Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2003, Presidential Unit Citation (Navy), Streamer embroidered SAIPAN AND TINIAN, Presidential Unit Citation (Navy), Streamer embroidered OKINAWA, Presidential Unit Citation (Navy), Streamer embroidered WONJU-HWACHON, *Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered BAGHDAD, *Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2009-2010, Navy Unit Commendation, Streamer embroidered PANMUNJOM, *Army Superior Unit Award, Streamer embroidered 1994, Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered YUSUFIYAH, IRAQ. Company A was attached to the 1st Cavalry Division until October, 1967. This fifteen-month deployment was part of the General Petraeus "surge" of force. 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. Excerpts from the second English version of a book in German by historian Karl-Heinz Lange were used for this link at first, but a 2005 updated translation from German is now linked here. 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. 69th Tank Battalion, 6th Armored Division | American Battle Monuments Occupation duties were given to the Division until it left for home and inactivation 7 September. Further, we want these pages to be a gateway for 69ers to locate and contact "buddies" and obtain service information from the military. Our prayers and sympathies go out to the Lipsius family. [2], LTC Fairfield was promoted and subsequently reassigned as command of 1/69 Armor passed to LTC Clyde O. Clark. If you have a tribute, please email it to Webmaster Michael McKibben at. LTC Fairfield was promoted and subsequently reassigned as command of 1/69 Armor passed to LTC Clyde O. Clark. We wonder about the rest that served with us in the artillery unit we served in. [2], The battalion's first major combat operation took place in April 1966 in the tangled jungle growth of the Ho Bo Woods and along the trails of the Filhol Rubber plantation again, northwest of Saigon. In June 2005, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor was called to be the tip of the spear again against the insurgent influence in the city of Ramadi in the Al Anbar province. The 89th Tank Battalion returned to Hawaii with the 25th Infantry Division where it remained until deactivation in 1957. With the establishment of the regimental combat arms system, the formerly fragmented elements of the 2nd Battalion were remade into the 69th Armored Regiment. In January 2005, the Battalion again deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. 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 Battalion served under Multi-National Division Baghdad on the Karada Peninsula as well as the Al Muthana and Al Jedidah regions of Eastern Baghdad. . For its actions A Company was awarded the Valorous Unit Citation. The bulk of the Battalion was moved in May of 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. We will not forget Joe and his band of brothers either. The Battalion played an important role by providing security assistance during the crucial Iraqi national elections in March 2010. If you have a tribute, please email it to Webmaster Michael McKibben at mmckibben@leader.com and it will be posted shortly. It distinguished itself on Okinawa where it was awarded the Navy Presidential Unit Citation.