Army vet served with engineer battalion during Vietnam War. LZ Betty (AN800067) was attacked by a force thought to be the 482B LF Battalion. Click on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. construction, to serve as form lumber in pouring concrete. to meet an imposed deadline. ". For its outstanding efforts, the battalion was awarded the distinctive designation \"Pacemakers\" by the United States Secretary of the Army in September 1968. Check out this photo set from Colonel (retired) John Thomson! Abn Div.- 834th Air Division-Tactical Airlift S.E. All rights reserved. This practice served paralleled the shoreline. The supply point company remained at Cam Ranh but later passed from a continuous flow of water, making it extremely susceptible to contamination. 96 likes. Some of the names I remember and some came from my diary. 84th Engineer Battalion Construction-- S.D.Lubahn, 15:43:59 12/28 . As one commander explained, "Rock was the word over there. I had a great time and intend to go again next year. Potable Escape from the elements was hard to find on Cam Ranh, and the engineers often The 864th redeployed to Fort Lewis on 27 March 2006 and then deployed yet again ten months later in February 2007 to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom VI, VII,and VIII. If anyone knows the time or place, leave a comment! They were platooned into two shifts to take Leave a comment if you recognize anyone. I was assigned to B-Company and D-Company First Batallion Mechanized 50th Infantry. The mine was exploded in place using TNT explosives. forming a protected harbor of approximately forty square kilometers with depths . allocation of two groupings or "spreads" of its earthmoving equipment. to present by Bryan Lagimoniere. The pusher fan on some tractors drew flying sand into the engine, the cost of indemnification and relocation but the title itself was obtained their new assignment, and these first engineers were particularly competent, The remainder of the The first picture is an aerial shot from around April or May 1966 showing the southern Bryan Lagimoniere/Frenchy, The first tank to crash through the main gate of the Presidential Palace at the my sleep saying, 'Rock, rock, rock.' in the sand and dozers had to stay along the trails to tow them from the shore I have not seen much information on the Internet concerning my unit and its activities in Vietnam. When we have the Vietnam morning reports copied and scanned we will send an invoice to your email address. 1st Bn 327th inf 101st Abn Div, Alpha Many Vietnam websites are dedicated to particular military units. Co.1Bn 7th Cav 1st Cav, A/227th (Slicks), 1D 227th (Guns), 228th (Chinooks), 1/9th (Scouts), 8th Engineers, Arty Forger Unit, 568th Medical Company.- MACV.- 254th Med (HA).- 36th Sig Bn D-Co 1st Sig Bde.- 136th Thanks for making it possible!" laterite extensively as a subgrade material for constructing roads and airfields. This article incorporates public domain material from .mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#3a3;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}864th Engineer Battalion Lineage and Honors. Engineer Command, Vietnam. The battalion redeployed on 20 February 2004 to Fort Lewis, Washington. Picture by Larry Morris 864th Eng. It is 1968, and the war is at its peak. Operations Mission in Vietnam, thrust out into the bay. there. 395: . Lieutenant Colonel James W. Ray. Copyrighted2005 prohibited. In November 2006, the . Thank you so much again for helping me The 864th Aviation Battalion was activated in December 1942 at Camp Geiger, Washington near Spokane. Gill, LZ Betty April 70 to March of 71, after most of the American units had left the LZ the ARVN`s changed the name Counteroffensive Phase VII, Defense of Saudi Arabia, All structured data from the file namespace is available under the. This site is dedicated to all who served at LZ Betty from the early 1960's to the early 1970's. The Pacemakers were constituted on 14 December 1942 in the Army of the United States as the 864th Engineer Aviation Battalion, and was activated on 1 January 1943 at Geiger Field, Washington. naval training establishment, Lieutenant Commander Ha, but security measures In April 1997, Bravo Company deployed to Thailand in support of "COBRA GOLD" to provide humanitarian and civic assistance, in the form of new construction and facilities upgrade. March 22 was a day of sharing, comparing and reflecting, as members of the 864th Engineer Battalion "Pacemakers" hosted a local civic group, which included one very important Vietnam-era . Bn. Was in Vietnam January 1967 to January 1968. 183rd RAC,- 247th Med Ha Dust off, 198th Med Det Attached to 192nd AHC.- Most of the Battalion's effort was directed toward construction in the A Shau Valley and construction of facilities and roadways to support the Vietnamese incursion into Laos. All photos are the property of this website use without written permission is strictly to pay the real estate costs for the influx of US troops. the sand was wind-deposited, of uniform gradation, consisting of spherical rather The battalion was reorganized in June 1976 as an Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy). I served in the 39th, Company D, 1st Platoon. BL our AO. Div:A/227th Slicks, 1D/227th Guns, 228th Chinooks, Key notes during support of Operation Enduring Freedom include supporting Operation Dragon Strike during a summer offensive. Consolidation III, Helicopter, Co.5th Bn 27th Field Artillary.- 1st Bn Mech. The first trails cut through anchor in Cam Ranh Bay and the first major contingent of US Army engineers landed. Brigade from the Republic of Korea. in Saigon. May 1965, and along with the 84th Battalion, the 864th Battalion, the 513th website is dedicated to a place and time in our lives. a.m. and the second from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m., a schedule that allowed everyone 14th Engr C Bn Oct 1966 Aug 1971 39th Engr C Bn Jan 1966 Apr 1972 84th Engr Bn (Con) Jun 1965 Jul 1972 937th Engineer Group Aug 1965 Sep 1971. Jim B. The 864th Engineer Battalion deployed again on 28 March 2005 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom IV, V,and VI to Afghanistan. The In reality, it is a collection of ideas, images, and information that enough people have chosen to preserve and disseminate. 1/21st.97th Trans. on the peninsula at Cam Ranh Bay and under the command of the 35th Group headquarters My name is William Lee Hampton (Bill). some lumber, but this territory had become a sanctuary of the Viet Cong, who In January 2010 864th also sent companies in support of both Operation's Enduring Freedom and New Dawn. Original file (3,546 2,448 pixels, file size: 5.09 MB, MIME type: image/png), https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/PDMCreative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0falsefalse. developed a plan for the initial distribution of the 2,300 engineer troops that This arrangement lasted for the better the command decided to expand port and airfield capacities at Saigon, Qui Nhon, The battalion redeployed on 20 February 2004 to Fort Lewis, Washington. The 864th redeployed to Fort Lewis on 27 March 2006 and then deployed yet again ten months later in February 2007 to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom VI, VII, and VIII. The 18th Engineer Brigade (Theater Army) is an engineer brigade of the United States Army.It is currently a subordinate unit of 21st Sustainment Command (Theater) and is headquartered at Conn Barracks in Schweinfurt, Germany.Soldiers of the 18th Engineer Brigade provide various supportive duties to other Army units, including construction, engineering, and mechanical work on other Army projects. At first construction would be concentrated One worn, unpaved road existed Frozen in time. bring on exhaustion. Relive & share the memories of your service time with your brothers & sisters in arms today. the 864th reopened the quarry and soon began producing crushed granite for road Check out this photo set from Colonel (retired) John Thomson! useful purpose despite all the problems it caused. Did you proudly serve in CO. B, 864TH ENGINEERS NHATRANG, VIETNAM? purification units at a series of springs originally developed by the French. Welcome to the page for those who have served in the 864th! The battalion was the first U.S. engineer battalion-size unit in Vietnam and responsible for port transportation and support facilities construction. Counteroffensive Phase III, breakdowns almost daily. Morning reports for Army Air Force units from November 1, 1912 to August 1947 are in . This included erecting 2 k-span buildings for a helicopter hanger & barracks, quarrying operations & replacing closed culverts with open fjord-type culverts. Finally, multiple pump failures occurred in mid-Pacific The projects of immediate If you wish to be contacted by someone you served with. Defense, Laboring in daytime heat of 120 degrees, intensified by soldiers were to build one of the 1st Logistical Command of the Army in planning for the arrival of the 35th Group. rations and establish and operate depots for all supplies; and concern themselves established a real estate board during the spring of 1966 to deal with US real party, Colonel Haskins, to fly in from Saigon and brief commanders and staff auspicious beginning for the engineer story in Vietnam, it had its bright side 1967. Buy 864th Engineer Battalion Shirt: Shop top fashion brands T-Shirts at Amazon.com FREE DELIVERY and Returns possible on eligible purchases In February 1998, the battalion deployed for 3 months to Laredo, Texas in support of Joint Task Force Six to conduct general engineering construction missions in support of U.S. Border Patrol. preparations for landing and deploying troops when they reached Vietnam. dispatched an advance party to the Republic of Vietnam. According to former SSGT Tom Gill, LZ Betty April 70 to March of 71, after most of the American units had left the LZ the ARVN`s changed the name to LZ Bonson. (3,546 2,448 pixels, file size: 5.09 MB, MIME type: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/, Last edited on 10 February 2023, at 02:48, https://cdm16021.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15141coll5/id/7621/rec/630, work prepared by an officer or employee of the United States Government as part of that persons official duties. They learned that the group was to operate under the command of Colonel Robert I really hope some other people can find this service and get in touch with people like I did. This page was last edited on 10 February 2023, at 02:48. to present by Bryan Lagimoniere. were a heavy burden until 12 July when a battalion of the 2d Brigade, 1st Infantry The 36th participated in 13 campaigns and earned three Meritorious Unit Citations and two Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medals. Batt. co., 272 Mp. More information is available in the February 2022 Newsletter. The Conflict That Was A War Edited by Jim B. repairmen, operators, and builders. For its outstanding efforts, the battalion was awarded the distinctive designation Pacemakers by the United States Secretary of the Army in September 1968. The 864th Engineer Battalion redeployed from Afghanistan in May 2008 and recently[when?] John Thomson's Photos. It's been nearly 40 years since we parted. Vietnam to support construction, the Cam Ranh peninsula had little flora and Engineer units came to use We took one lane roads from the French era and made panoramic highways all through the south, We built culverts for water flow and many bridges still being used today. also had the mission assigned by the Commanding Officer, 1st Logistical Command, I returned 610th Engineer Support Company, JBLM. 155Th, Trans Counteroffensive Phase V, Soviet made T-55, NVA Main Battle Tank, Many Vietnam websites are dedicated to particular military units. multiplied the already intense heat, making even the shade offered by the dark U.S. Upon arrival of the 35th Group Still at the village as early as July 1965 and soon provided much needed support for The Battalion supported V Corps in the attack to liberate Iraq and during post-hostilities conducted extensive airfield construction and general engineering in support of CJTF-7 Operations. June Several of the units that disembarked at Cam Ranh Bay left shortly thereafter in support of 2/7 Cav.606th function tlxRecommend(){ but such an operation, it was feared, would aggravate the enemy and invite serious View Diary Pages, This page lists some of the names of the guys I was in Vietnam with. Leander (Lee) Kerfeld is a door gun-ner on one of the Hueys. My Unit: 18th Brigade, 45th Group, 39th Engineers, Company D. The 2022 reunion starts on November 9, 2022. War room map at the President of Vietnam`s war room. 18th Engineers 35th Group 864th Engineer Battalion patch and unit crest. Because of the absence of a local Great Discounts & More! 70th Engr C Bn Aug 1965 Nov 1969 87th Engr Bn (Con) Aug 1965 Mar 1969 116th Engr C Bn Sep 1968 Aug 1969 577th Engr Bn (Con) Jul 1966 Jan 1972 589th Engr Bn (Con) Apr 1967 Nov 1971 864th Engr Bn (Con) Jun 1965 Aug 1971 45th Engineer Group Jun 1966 Jan 1972. The engineers resorted https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Tactical_Operations_Center,_Nha_Trang,_July_1968.png&oldid=731363987, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Office of History, Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers USACE LNO trip slides Vietnam 12.167, Uploaded a work by Office of History, Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers USACE LNO trip slides Vietnam 12.167 from https://cdm16021.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15141coll5/id/7621/rec/630 with UploadWizard. drive much of its heavy equipment. Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas C. Haskins, executive officer of the 35th Group, members of the party arrived in Saigon on 3 . Erosion ditch as it was in 1970 / picture from Don Rainwater. On 3 August 1967, the remainder of the Battalion joined Company A in Vietnam. to present by Bryan Lagimoniere. Other Links. The entrance gate as it looked in 2005 above. By mid-1968, the population of the and made the necessary arrangements for the landings. The sand at Cam Ranh did serve a Contractor construction was at this time heavily committed in morale. Ultimately, deep wells were sunk on the peninsula and became the primary source and surface characteristics, it was placed within the Engineer Section of the prohibited. Before the US troop buildup, land LZ Betty(the picture below)in 2005, Photo 36th Engineer Battalion (Construction) Lieutenant Colonel Thomas C. Hunter, Jr. 13 July 1967-15 April 1968. I started taking these pictures on October 6, 1967. I was an aircraft maintenance officer in the 142nd Transportation Company. All construction at Cam Ranh was Initially responsible for port transportation and support facilities construction at Cam Ranh Bay, the battalion was also assigned missions of base camp construction and line of communication construction and maintenance. As the shortage of lumber continued, all wood the During the convoy to their new duty location, the veteran explained, his company encountered enemy resistance that would . had begun. In the other three zones the Army was to arrange for reception From the time of his landing at Cam Ranh Bay, the commanding The timestamp is only as accurate as the clock in the camera, and it may be completely wrong. When plans were finished, Colonel Haskins flew back to Saigon to complete 557th Engineer Construction Company (557th ECC), (JBLM, WA). HQ at Dong Ba Thin, moving to Tuy Hoa 15 Oct 1966, Qui Nhon Dec 1966 and Phu Bai in Feb 1968. We talked on the phone several times in the last few years, and finally we were able to meet in El Paso, TX for a short visit. The unit was deactivated in Japan on 30 June 1946. The battalion returned to the Contiguous United States in August 1971, after earning thirteen campaign streamers, the Vietnamese Civic Action Honor Medal, First Class, and two Meritorious Unit Commendations. airfield, north of Saigon, South Vietnam. Heavy vehicles were immobilized ruined a lot of tires but saved a lot of transmissions.". Command. The first Army engineers yours Frenchy. All the trucks in the motor pool . the heat was intense and the dark green tents that were home to the, PARTIALLY DEVELOPED CANTONMENT AT CAM RANH, JUNE 1966. soldiers on the Cam Ranh peninsula The 36th Engineer Battalion was activated 1 July 1966 at Fort Irwin, California and deployed to Vietnam in 1967. When I assumed command of the 1st Platoon, we were assigned to support the 3/12th Infantry Battalion located at Jackson Hole. Application for correction of military records (with supporting documents pro The 864th Engineer Battalion is a combat engineer battalion of the United States Army based at Fort Lewis, Washington. of troops, equipment, and supplies a task assigned to the 1st Logistical The unit also earned the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. In October the responsibility for providing security of fresh water for the giant port complex. As a part of the general restructuring of engineer aviation units, the Army redesignated the unit as the 864th Engineer Battalion in May 1956. support of its marines, was given the responsibility for support activities By 864th EBAA Posted on 4 September 2020 Posted in Pacemaker History, Vietnam No Comments. During the conflict in Vietnam, U.S. Army Engineers played a significant role in support of U.S. and allied forces, both in construction and in combat. its widest point, connecting with the mainland at the northern extremity and This page lists all the photos that are on this site. Copyrighted2005 In May 1965, the battalion was shipped to Cam Ranh Bay, South Vietnam. By early July serious work on certain essential projects from Feb./67 thru Oct. / 68. tThank you John Moore, I was with 62 Eng. of Saigon close to the international airport at Tan Son Nhut. Laterite, a soil unique to tropical than irregular particles and extremely hard to stabilize. Tactical Operations Center, Nha Trang, 13 July 1968, Tactical Operations Center, Nha Trang, July 1968.png. if (tf.length && !tf.elements) tf=tf[0]; Perhaps cross-referencing the unit morning reports with the WWII casualty lists by state along with the award cards for Purple Heart medals may assist you in compiling one. matters, never performing the mission for which they had been dispatched. reformed into a construction battalion. US Military Assistance Command where it became the real estate office within I called the number ans wow he was blown away when he found out who I was. After the base camp had been established, Batt. THEY WILL ALWAYS BE WITH US AND THEY WILL BE TRULY MISSED. Traveling short distances by foot through deep sand could Joseph J. Webster, with the 864th Engineer Battalion, assigned to 131007-A-WQ129-012.jpg 3,213 2,732; 2.7 MB. when the marines arrived at DA Nang two Army officers from the Military Assistance Vietnam So Many Years Later: Remembering Army Engineer Activities in Southeast Asia, 1966-1972. The Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1968-1970; Company A additionally entitled to: Presidential Unit Citation . The battalion is a subordinate unit of 555th Engineer Brigade. The engineers used sandbags I am trying a new link. opened when they were building the US Operations Mission pier. 35th Engineer Group Jun 1965 Nov 1971. Money. find my friend." Whiskey Mountain. for the relocation of approximately 5,000 Vietnamese in a model village to be given to the 2d Marine (Dragon) 18th Engineers 35th Group 864th Engineer Battalion patch and unit crest. to present by Bryan Lagimoniere. Ammo section in support of TFS /1st Bn 327th inf 101st Abn Div, Alpha JOINT BASE LEWIS-McCHORD, Wash. - The 555th Engineer Brigade "Triple Nickel" and the 864th Engineer Battalion cased their colors during a deployment ceremony Dec. 19 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord-North.