History
In 1965 the 2nd Battalion, 16th
Infantry Regiment was alerted for shipment to Vietnam as a part of the 2nd
Brigade, 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas. The battalion departed
on the USS Gordon for Vietnam on 14 July 1965. This marked the first time
since the Philippine Insurrection that the "Rangers" set foot on Asian soil.
The "Rangers" immediately began to the task of building a new base camp at
Long Binh. While the construction was going on at the aptly named Camp Ranger,
platoon-size operations were taking place to the Southeast of Long Bihn. In
July Staff Sergeant Frank M. Semens, Company A, 2nd Battalion was leading his
squad when they were surprised by a small group of Viet Cong in a clearing. In
the brief firefight that ensued, one Viet Cong was killed, marking the first
confirmed V.C. killed by the 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division.
During the last week in August the "Rangers" started a series of operations
which never seemed to end. The initial phase took place just across the river
from Bien Hoa Air Base in an area infested with bunkers, booby traps and
tunnels. The V.C. in one bunker put up exceptionally tough resistance, but SP4
Wayne Beck of Rolla, Missouri refused to be kept pinned down. With complete
disregard for his own safety, he charged the bunker aperture, pulled the
trigger of his flame-thrower, and completely gutted the emplacement. For this
act of valor and courage he received the first Silver Star awarded to a Big
Red One soldier since their arrival in Vietnam.
In the many operations that followed, the "Rangers" continued to distinguish
themselves, fighting in perhaps some of the most difficult conditions known to
an infantryman. The enemy had to be found before he could be destroyed and to
find him the troops had to remain almost constantly in the field. "Search and
Destroy" operations such as operations MASTIFF, ABILENE, BIRMINGHAM, EL PASO,
ATTLEBORO, CEDAR FALLS, and JUNCTION CITY found the unit operating as far as
70 miles from its base camp. In the thick, nearly impenetrable jungles of Tay
Ninh near Cambodia, the "Iron Triangle" near Lai Khe, and northeast of Bia Gia
towards the South China Sea, the "Rangers" inflicted heavy losses on enemy
supplies and manpower.
There were times, however, when the price of victory was often costly. On
Easter Sunday afternoon, 11 April 1966, C Company became engaged in one of the
toughest battles of the Vietnamese War. Facing an estimated battalion of North
Vietnamese Regulars in a well-fortified base camp, the "Rangers" fought
fiercely, often hand to hand, for hours into the night. Although they suffered
heavy casualties, the "Rangers" held their own until a relief force arrived
the following morning. The Viet Cong however, had paid an even heavier toll.
With close to 150 killed and their base camp destroyed, they were once again
forced to flee to a new location and recuperate from their losses.
Toward the end of 1966, the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry began a series of
pacification or revolutionary development operations. The overall mission of
these operations was to move into a semi-populated area and conduct extended
operations. During operations ALLENTOWN and FAIRFAX, the battalion inflicted
significant losses among the local guerrillas in the provinces of Gia Dinh,
Thu Duc, and Lai Thieu.
Shortly after the New Year, the "Rangers" participated in Operation LAM SON in
the Phu Loi area. This pacification operation had been continuously maintained
by one of several infantry battalions for over six months prior to the arrival
of the 2nd Battalion. The operation made use of practically all infantry
tactics used in counterinsurgency operations, including day and night
ambushes, village seal and search, heliborne assault, search and clear, and
search and destroy. During the operation, the battalion compiled an impressive
record and it was stated that the "Rangers" were the most successful infantry
battalion to conduct such operations since the start of LAM SON. The
Vietnamese showed their appreciation by recommending ten (10) individuals
within the battalion for Vietnamese decorations.
In 1969, the "Iron Rangers" were involved in the Vietnamization process, yet
combat in and around areas like the Iron Triangle, Michelin Rubber Plantation,
the Catcher's Mitt, Ben Cat and Lai Khe, and participation in Operations BEAR
TRAP, FRIENDSHIP, KENTUCKY COUGAR, IRON DANGER, and TOAN THANG IV accounted
for an additional 426 enemy soldiers killed or captured. Ambush patrols and
the sealing off of villages characterized operations during the year.
The operations were typical of the
aggressiveness, drive and competence shown by both battalions of the 16th
Infantry during their tour of duty in the Republic of Vietnam. Today, as they
have since the organization of the regiment over 135 years ago, the "Rangers"
continue to be one of the finest units in the United States Army and stand
ready to defend "Old Glory" when their nation calls.
The American Traveler
November 20, 1990
First IDF has long, proud
history
The First Infantry Division
(Forward), commonly referred to as the 1st IDF, has a long and
proud history dating back to World War I. It is part of a division with 73
years of continuous active service, the longest of any division currently in
the United States Army.
Formed on May 24, 1917, along
with its parent unit and organized two weeks later on June 8, the 1st
IDF’s original designation was Headquarters Troop, 1st
Expeditionary Division. When the division dropped the word “expeditionary”
from its name on July 6, 1917, the troop designation was also changed.
The Headquarters Troop’s
lineage and honors reveal a distinguished campaign record during World War I.
After being the vanguard of America’s war effort, the First Division remained
in Europe for occupation duty in Germany. The last elements of the division
returned to the United States in December, 1919.
On February 13, 1921,
Headquarters Troop was reorganized and predestinated as Headquarters and
Military Police Company, retaining this name until 1942. By that time, the
United States had become involved in World War II and was preparing to send
troops to the European theater. On May 15, the First Division was designated
the First Infantry Division: the Headquarters and Military Police Company
simultaneously became Headquarters Company, 1st Infantry Division.
The 1st Inf. Div.
was sent to England in August 1942 and, in November of that year, participated
in the first American ground offensive of the war against Germany. “Operation
Torch,” the invasion of North Africa, began a series of campaigns which would
take the division to Sicily, the invasion of France at Normandy on June 6th
of 1944, through northern France and throughout Germany. The division’s march
ended at Elbogen, near Cheb, Czechoslovakia on May 8, 1945, when peace was
declared.
The division remained in
Germany first for occupation duty, and then as part of the NATO deterrent
until 1955, when it was reassigned to Fort Riley, Kansas.
Headquarters Company, 1st
Infantry Division was disbanded on April 20, 1960 but was reactivated on
January 2,nd, 1964 as part of the Reorganized Army Division (ROAD) program.
The unit’s new designation with the division was Headquarters and Headquarters
Company (HHC), 3rd Brigade, nicknamed the “Iron Brigade.”
During the early 1960’s there
was a growing danger that South Vietnam would fall to communist aggression.
The United States sent military advisors there to assist the South Vietnamese
Army, but as the danger of a communist victory grew, American ground troops
were committed. The second brigade of the division, the first American Army
infantry unit to be sent to Vietnam, arrived at Cam Ranh Bay on July 12,
1965. By November 1st the remainder of the division had arrived
and was ready for combat operations. The 1st Infantry Division
compiled an impressive campaign record in Vietnam during more than four years
of service there.
The 3rd Brigade’s
units included the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry, the 1st
Battalion, 26th Infantry, the 2nd Battalion, 2nd
Infantry and the 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry.
The division was withdrawn
from Vietnam on April 15, 1970, redesignated the 1st Infantry
Division (Mechanized), and assumed the mission of the 24 Infantry Divison.
The 24th Infantry
Division had been stationed in Germany with two brigades located in Ausburg
and with its 3rd Brigade garrisoned in Munich. In 1968, as part of
a program to reduce American troop strength in Europe, the 1st and
2nd Brigades were withdrawn and reassigned to Fort Riley, while the
3rd Bridage was moved to Augsburg.
Since the 3rd
Brigade ws stationed alone in Germany, the 1st Infantry Division
(Forward) headquarters under the command of a brigadier general, was
established above the brigade headquarters. The brigade remained in Sheridan
Kaserne until 1972 when it was alerted that it would move to the Stuttgart-Ulm
area to follow Army Security Agency assets tobe consolidated in Augsburg. By
September 1972, the move had been completed. The division (forward)
headquarters and the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry were
relocated to Cooke Barracks in Goeppingen. The 1st Support
Battalion (Provisional), which had been activated in 1971 to perform functions
similar to a division support command, also moved to Goeppingen.
The 1st Batt., 16th
Infantry was relocated to Panzer Kaserne in Boeblingen, along with Troop C, 1st
Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment. In September 1972, the 4th
Battalion, 73 Armor was activated there and the 3rd Brigade
headquarters was also located in Boeblingen to provide command support to the
units stationed on the compound.
The 2nd Battalion,
33rd Field Artillery, the 5th Battalion, 32nd
Field Artillery (an Honest John missile unit) and Company D, 1st
Engineer Battalion went to Wiley Barracks in Neu Ulm. Only the 3rd
Battalion, 63rd Armor remained in Augsburg.
The 1st Infantry
Division (Forward) has experienced several inactivations, redesignations, and
relocations since 1972. In 1974, the 1st Support Battalion
(Provisional) was inactivated, but it was reactivated three years later. On
May 21, 1974 the 5th Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery was
inactivated at Neu Ulm. In Augsburg, the 3rd Battalion, 63rd
Armor was reassigned to the 3rd Infantry Division on July 1, 1977.
Between December 1982 and February 1983, Company D, 1st Engineer
Battalion was relieved of attachment to the 2nd Battalion, 33rd
Field Artillery and moved to Boeblingen. It remained a separate company until
August 1984 when it was attached to 2-37 Armor. Later, the engineer company
was attached to the 1-16 Infantry.
The year 1983 witnessed
several redesignations due to the changeover from Combat Arms Regimental
System to the Army Regimental System. Under this program, the 1-26th
Infantry was inactivated at Cooke Barracks and, simultaneously, the 4th
Battalion, 16th Infantry was activated on February 24th.
Four days later, the 4th Battalion, 37th Armor and the 2nd
Battalion, 33rd Field Artillery was designated the 4th
Battalion, 5th Field Artillery.
These changes were made in
order to match designations in the 1st Infantry
Division (M) at Fort Riley as part of the Army’s regimental plan.
On October 20, 1983, the 1st
Support Battalion (Provisional) was inactivated and replaced by the 299th
Support Battalion. The new unit was recognized by the Department of the Army
as inheriting the lineage and honors of the 7th Support Battalion,
which had served with distinction in Vietnam.
(In the four years since
Capt. Hanson wrote his history of the 1st IDF, additional changes
in locations and unit designations have occurred. The 3rd
Brigade’s headquarters moved in the 1st IDF headquarters at Cooke
Barracks. In August of 1989, after 14 years, the designation “3rd
Brigade” was used again.
In November of 1987 Troop C,
¼ Cav became Troop A, ¼ Cav and, in 1988, 2-37 Armor was designated 3rd
Battalion, 34th Armor. Finally, in September of this year, Troop
A, ¼ Cav was reassigned to the 1st ID(M) at Fort Riley. The
Brigade Scout Platoon, attached to the 3rd Battalion, 34th
Armor, came into being after the cavalry troop departed.)
Contributors:
16th Infantry Regiment Association web site
The American Travler
Chris Webb
Curtis Hatterman
