XVIII AIRBORNE CORPS ASSOCIATION SKY DRAGONS

XVIII AIRBORNE CORPS ASSOCIATION
SKY DRAGONS
Spring 2012
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82ND DOMINATES XVIII ABN CORPS
NCO AND SOLDIER OF YEAR COMPETITION
Left to Right – CSM (Ret) Ted Gaweda, Pfc. Jeremy Shivick, Sgt. Jason Thomas, Alan Yeater
On 5 April in a ceremony conducted at Sports USA, a huge sports bar at Ft. Bragg, North
Carolina, two paratroopers of the XVIII Airborne Corps' 82nd Airborne Division were selected as the
XVIII Airborne Corps' 2012 NCO and Soldier of the Year. They were Sgt. Jason T. Thomas, 26, and
Pfc. Jeremy Shivick, 21. Both Soldiers are assigned to the 1st Platoon, C Company, 2nd Battalion, 505th
Parachute Infantry Regiment, which is part of the division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team (BCT). This is
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the first time that both winners were from the same unit.
The competition was held from 2 to 4 April, and the winners were announced during the
ceremony which was presided over by the Ft. Bragg Garrison Command Sergeant Major (CSM)
Samuel Campbell and the command sergeant major of XVIII Abn Corps' NCO Academy, CSM
Nicolino Parisi.
These were four days of grueling, early morning and late night events which included basic
Soldier skills, the Army physical fitness test, a written exam, urban map orienteering, M4 rifle
qualification, a weapons event, and an interview board. The competition certainly challenged the
confidence and motivation of the Soldiers. Twenty-one Soldiers competed, representing each
subordinate unit of the XVIII Abn Corps.
Spc. Michael C. Lauritzen, from Jackson, Michigan, assigned to the 716th MP Battalion, 16th
MP Brigade, Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, was quoted saying, “I'm grateful for being here, glad that my
leadership had the confidence in me to compete at this level. I don't have to be a sergeant to encourage
my peers and motivate them.” (This quote and most of the information in this article from the “Paraglide,” 4/19/12, Spc. Paul
Martin, XVIII Abn Corps PAO)
Pfc. Jillian C. Wilson, from San Diego, California, the only female competitor, assigned to the
108th Quartermaster Company, 49th Quartermaster Group, Ft. Lee, Virginia, was quoted saying,
“Sometimes you are the only female in the competition, so I got used to it. It's all about what prior
training you had before coming here, especially at this level. It didn't matter whether you were male or
female, every Soldier is trained the same way.”
The winners, Sgt. Thomas and Pfc. Shivick, will go on to compete in the U.S. Forces Command
NCO and Soldier of the Year Competition. If they are fortunate to win this competition, they would
move on to the Department of the Army competition, whose winners are the Army's NCO and Soldier
of the Year.
THE ARMY AND THE XVIII ABN CORPS LOSE A GOOD ONE
(Most info from the Fayetteville Observer, 5/16/12, Henry Cuningham)
On 15 May, at the main parade field at Ft. Bragg, Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick, the commander of
the XVIII Abn Corps and Ft. Bragg relinquished command and then retired from the Army after a 32year career. And what a career it was! Your editor will highlight just a few of his command
assignments – Multi-National Security Transition Command – Iraq, Southern European Task Force
(Airborne), in Vicenza, Italy, Assistant Division Commander, 101st Abn Div. (Air Assault), Ft.
Campbell, Kentucky, Ranger Training Brigade, Ft. Benning, Georgia, and 504th Parachute Infantry
Regiment (PIR), 82nd Abn Division.
Some of his staff assignments were with the 82nd Abn Division, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the
Office of the Secretary of Defense, where he was the senior military adviser to the deputy secretary of
defense.
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The main speaker at the ceremony was the Director of the CIA, David Petraeus, as I'm sure all
the readers know, a retired 4-star general who is considered to be one the best Army generals since
World War II. Helmick served under Petraeus at Ft. Bragg and in Iraq.
LTG Frank Helmick and CIA Director David Petraeus (Fayetteville Observer, Staff photos by Paul R. Rubiera)
Petraeus called Helmick, “A man who is truly a national treasure.” He praised him for his sheer
energy and infectious enthusiasm, his mental and physical toughness, and his ability to give energy to
people around him.
Petraeus presented awards and letters of appreciation to Helmick and his wife, Melissa, and
daughters Jane and Christina. He pointed out that during Helmick's career, she had to move 20 times,
and served as “Mrs. Dad,” and a great mother and father. He said she often pitched in to help on
projects without making it known she was the wife of the commanding general.
Helmick graduated from the Military Academy at West Point in 1976, while Petraeus graduated
in 1974. Petraeus said that Helmick's nickname at West Point was “Helmazoid,” and he confessed that
his own nickname there was “Peaches.”
Lt. Gen. Helmick then addressed the crowd of hundreds of well-wishers, which included
Gen. Ret.) James Lindsay, Lt.Gen. John Holland, commander of Army Special Operations Command,
LTG Michael Barber, commander of Joint IED Defeat Organization, Maj. Gen. Rodney Anderson,
deputy commander of the XVIII Abn Corps and Ft. Bragg, and Association members
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Gen.Ret.) Dan McNeill, LTG (Ret) William “Buck” Kernan, CSM (Ret.), Tadeusz “Ted” Gaweda and
Donna Tabor, XVIII Abn Corps Historian. Two former deputy secretaries of defense, Paul Wolfowitz,
and Gordon England, and the mayor of Fayetteville,Tony Chavone, also attended.
Helmick said “I do not want to refer to today as a retirement because I am not concluding my
professional career, but just diving into another phase.” He added, “You may take this Soldier out of
the Army, but you will never take the Soldier out of my heart.”
He hailed his wife of 34 years, Melissa, calling her “my sounding board on so many issues.”
He said his daughters were the best “Daddy's little girls in the world.” He also remembered his mother
and father, saying “ I wish my Mom and Dad were here to see this too.” He added, “ I never had a bad
boss or assignment.”
LTG Helmick became commander of the XVIII Abn Corps in November, 2009, and during his
command the XVIII Abn Corps was heavily involved in relief efforts in Haiti in response to the
earthquake on 10 January 2010, Ft. Bragg absorbed Pope Air Force Base, and Ft. Bragg also saw the
arrival of U.S. Forces Command and the U.S.Army Reserves Command Headquarters.
Certainly the most difficult challenge LTG Helmick faced was serving in Iraq as commander of
the XVIII Abn Corps and deputy commander of U.S. forces there during the final phase of Operation
New Dawn which involved closing out the U.S. military presence. He had all U.S. military forces, and
their equipment, out of Iraq by the end of December, 2011, deadline. As promised, he had them all
home for the Christmas holiday.
A relinquish of command ceremony was held just before the retirement ceremony, and it was
presided over by Gen. David Rodriguez, commander of U.S. Forces Command. Rodriguez was a
classmate of Helmick's at West Point. Helmick relinquished command to Maj. Gen. Rodney Anderson
who will serve as the acting XVIII Abn Corps and Ft. Bragg commander until the arrival of Maj. Gen.
(Promotable) Daniel Allyn, who is scheduled to arrive in June.
CORPS' 82ND ABN DIV HQ AND
TWO BRIGADES IN AFGHANISTAN
(Paraglide, 4/12/12, Sgt. Michael MacClean, 1st BCT, 82nd Abn Div. PAO)
In the Winter 2012 newsletter it was reported that the XVIII Abn Corps' 82nd
Abn Division had it's headquarters and its commander, Maj. Gen. James Huggins,
along with the division's 4th Brigade Combat Team (BCT) in southern Afghanistan.
Maj. Gen Huggins is the commander of Regional Command-South. It was also pointed out that the
division's Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) was also there, serving in Regional Command-East
These units have now been joined by the 1st BCT which is serving in Regional Command-East.
The 1st BCT, commanded by Col. Mark Stock, is serving in Ghazni Province, and officially took over
in the province at a transfer of authority ceremony held in April at Forward Operating Base (FOB)
Warrior which is located in the southern part of the province.
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The province is separated from the Pakistan border by the provinces of Paktika and Paktia. It is
southwest of Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, but is separated from the city by Logar and Wardak
provinces.
The main road leading south from Kabul to Kandahar Province, and it's capital, Kandahar City,
the second largest city in Afghanistan, goes through the eastern part of the province, and it's capital,
Ghazni (City). The province is so important because of this road, and also because the Taliban use the
trails leading from Pakistan through Paktika Province, and then into Ghazni, as one their main entries
into Afghanistan.
During the ceremony at FOB Warrior, the governor of the province, Musa Khan, said he hoped
to have the same level of cooperation with the 1st BCT as he had with the Polish forces there because
this was the main reason for all the achievements of the last two years.
He said the security gains included few civilian casualties and suicide bombers as compared
with other provinces, along with successful, unilateral Afghan operations against the enemy.
He was quoted saying, “To secure Ghazni, you must secure Andar, both a district in the
province and a tribe of Pashtun ethnicity, heavily influenced by the Taliban. If you secure Andar, you
have secured Ghazni, and you have secured Afghanistan.”
The 1st BCT is not replacing the Polish Soldiers of Polish Task Force Bravo, 15th Mechanized
Brigade. It is taking over the last, big clearing operation of the war, allowing Polish Task Force White
Eagle to consolidate around the province capital, Ghazni (City), in northern part of the province.
Three Polish officers spoke at the ceremony, Brigadier General Piotr Blazeusz, outgoing
commander of Task Force White Eagle, Brigadier General Tworkowski, incoming commander of Task
Force White Eagle, and Lt.Col. Waslaw Samocik, local commander in southern Ghazni.
Tworkowski reminded those in attendance that the last time Polish and American paratroopers
worked together was to defeat the Nazi regime during World War II in Operation Market Garden. The
82nd 's 1st BCT includes the famous 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment (now just two battalions) that
parachuted into Holland during that operation, as did the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade.
Col. Mark Stock praised the Afghan and Polish forces for holding the line as the insurgency has
of late been pressed into the province. He said, “Now as the campaign, in it's final stage, shifts focus to
Ghazni, the paratroopers of the 1st Brigade stand ready to support our Afghan partners as we drive the
enemy from our midst and bring a richly deserved peace to the people of Afghanistan.”
Ghazni Province is about the size of the state of New Jersey, and has a population of about one
million. It includes about 3,000 agrarian-based villages. The southern part of the province is largely
desert.
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1ST BRIGADE COMBAT TEAM SUFFERS CASUALTIES
Sadly, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) continue to be the the cause of most casualties in
Afghanistan, and several Soldiers of the 1st BCT have been killed by them since deploying to Ghazni
Province.
On 22 April, 1st LT Jonathan P. Walsh, 28, Cobb, Georgia, and Pfc. Michael J. Metcalf, 22,
Boynton Beach, Florida, were killed when an IED struck their vehicle in the southern part of the
province. Both were assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 504th PIR.
Then on 28 April, Pfc. Christian R. Sannicolas, 20, Anaheim, California, was killed in Kandahar
Province when his Mine Resistant Ambush Protected ( MRAP) vehicle was struck by an IED in
Kandahar Province. He was assigned to the the 1st Battalion, 504th PIR. (Note – editor does not know why this 1st
BCT Soldier was in Kandahar Province, unless some of the battalion is located there)
On 7 May three members of the brigade's 3rd Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, were killed by
an IED in southern Ghazni Province when their MRAP was struck by an IED. They were Sgt. Jacob
M. Schwallie, 22, Clarksville, Tennessee, Spc. Chase S. Marta, 24, Chico, California, and Pfc. Dustin
D. Gross, 19, Jeffersonville, Kentucky.
IS THERE A SOLUTION TO THE IED THREAT?
The IEDS, also known a roadside bombs, continue to cause the vast majority of deaths and
injuries to our military personnel in Afghanistan. In fact, they have caused over 66% of U.S. casualties
since the beginning of the war in the fall of 2001. They have been the leading cause of death for NATO
Soldiers since the war began.
Last year, a record high of 16,000 IEDs were discovered in Afghanistan. Many of these were
discovered by our troops before they exploded, but ,sadly, many of them were not discovered until they
caused death or serious injury to our service members.
In 2006, our government formed a special organization to do something about the threat of
IEDs facing our service members in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is called the Joint Improvised Explosive
Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) and was first led by a retired four-star general, Montgomery
Meigs. Since its beginnings six years ago, JIEDDO has spent more than $17 billion trying to come up
with solution to this deadly problem.
Of course, with our troops out of Iraq, the focus has been on Afghanistan. In spite of the huge
sums of money spent on developing some type of device to discover IEDs, or perhaps to explode or
neutralize them before our troops get within their lethal range, nothing has been developed.
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Michael Oates, an Association member, was in charge of JIEDDO from Dec.
2009 to Mar., 2011, when he retired from the Army. He was quoted saying in an interview shortly
before he retired, “There are no silver bullets that are going to solve this problem.” He said, “ The
most effective IED detectors today are the same as before JIEDDO, and they don't hum, whir, shoot,
scan, or fly, They talk. And they bark. The best bomb detectors are still dogs working with handlers,
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local informants, and the trained Soldier's eye.”
The 1st BCT of the 82nd Abn Division has a platoon of eight K9 teams spread throughout the
brigade's area of operation in Ghazni Province. They are part of the brigade's 1st Brigade Special
Troops Battalion. These are great teams, of highly trained Soldiers and dogs, but the toll continues to
mount as IEDs continue to kill and injure our Soldiers.
Even the MRAP's, the large, armored vehicles specially designed to withstand or deflect
explosions, are no sure protection against the IEDs being used by the insurgents. These IEDs are now
primarily homemade bombs made from fertilizer composed of ammonium nitrate, or artillery rounds,
often strung together, with very simple detonators. And they are becoming more powerful, enough to
kill our troops inside MRAPs.
Where does this ammonium nitrate fertilizer, the detonators, and the insurgents trained to
assemble and place these devices come from? It's Pakistan!
We may not be at war with Pakistan, but what kind friendly nation permits IED materials to
enter Afghanistan.? What kind of nation gives sanctuary to those who are trained as bombers, and then
permits them to cross the border into Afghanistan to kill and injure coalition Soldiers?
We may not be at war with Pakistan, which has its own terrorist problem, but they have also not
permitted supplies for our troops to enter Afghanistan through their nation since last November, after
24 of their soldiers on the border fired at our Soldiers in Afghanistan, and their soldiers were killed
when ours fired back at them in self-defense. They continue to demand an apology from us, but are
now considering opening their border so supplies for our forces can reach them, but at a price of $5000
per vehicle.
And to show their support for our elimination of Osama bin Laden, who was hiding in their
country for several years, in a town with their military academy, their government convicted a Pakistani
doctor of treason for contributing to our intelligence operation force that killed this terrorist leader
responsible for the death of more than 3,000 innocent civilians on 9/11, and sentenced him to 33 years
in prison (The recently said he was not charged with treason, but of supporting a terrorist
organization?).
Your chairman agrees with the decision to gradually withdraw our forces from the war in
Afghanistan, and as they withdraw, to focus on training the Afghan security forces to take over the
responsibility of defending their country from the insurgents. As long as we have a friend like Pakistan
just across the eastern border of Afghanistan, there will no reduction in the dangerous threat of IEDs
facing our coalition forces who are serving in Afghanistan.
82ND'S 4TH BCT SERVES IN RC-S IN KANDAHAR PROVINCE
The 82nd's 4th Brigade Combat Team (BCT) has been in Kandarhar Province in southern
Afghanistan since February. The brigade is commanded by Col. Brian Mennes.
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On 29 March, two of the brigade's Soldiers, Spc. David W. Taylor, 21, Dixon, Kentucky, and
Spc. Jonathan F. Davis, 20, Griffin, Georgia, were killed in Kandahar Province. Taylor, assigned to the
2nd Battalion, 508th PIR, was accidentally killed while moving some ammunition, and Davis was killed
by enemy small-arms fire.
In April, the brigade lost two more Soldiers in Kandahar, both By IEDs. They were SSG Tyler
J. Smith, 24, Licking, Missouri, assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th PIR, and Spc. Benjamin H. Neal,
21, Oxfordville, Wisconsin, assigned to the 1st Battalion, 508th PIR.
On 30 May, Cpl. Nicholas H. Olivas, 20, Fairfield, Ohio, was killed in the province
MANY OF THE BRIGADE'S TROOPERS ARE ON SMALL OUTPOSTS
(Fayetteville Observer, 5/1/12, Drew Brooks)
To get to Combat Outpost (COP) Zarif Khel in Kandahar Province, you have to take a rather
crude gravel road which crosses two riverbeds which are sometimes filled with water several feet deep.
It's far from the creature comforts of those serving on larger COPs, and even more so from what you
find at large bases like Kandahar Airfield which has a TGI. Friday's, Nathan's Hot Dogs, etc.
It's a meager existence in a COP like Zarif Khel where D Company of the 2nd Battalion, 508th
PIR is serving. The food is cooked by fellow Soldiers and hot showers are not taken for granted.
COP Zarif Khel, like many of the COPs that share their post within an Afghan community, have
no hot showers,mail delivery, or hot meals. To get that, the Soldiers have to go to one of the larger
COPs.
But if you talk to the Soldiers of this paratrooper outfit, you'll find they like it this way. Spc.
David Worsham, 21, Phoenix, Arizona, said, “It's like a brotherhood here. You see the same guys
everyday, and we talk to each other, in part because it's so small. We enjoy being away from the hustle
and bustle of the larger bases. There are no strangers here.”
Pfc. Albert Keyes, 20, Parsippany, New Jersey, said,“You're never really alone. You're living
close together and everyone's friends.”
Besides, life on the front lines never leaves enough free time in the day to enjoy additional
comforts if they had them, many said. There is the constant circulation of pulling guard duty, going out
on missions, and completing the necessary chores on base.
The biggest danger is the small IEDs that litter the landscape outside the wire. They are
routinely found on patrol. It is common for villagers and Afghan Local Police to bring disarmed IEDs
to the base for rewards. In some cases, girls as young as six walk to the guard towers carrying IEDs.
The close living quarters and the danger of the missions have tightened the bond among the
Soldiers.
1st LT Gene Connors, 3rd Platoon leader, was quoted saying, “Every time you step outside the
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wire, there's potential for anything. Living here, these guys are close. And they're loyal. If I asked
them to run through a wall, they would.” It's a sentiment echoed by many of the paratroopers. Pfc.
Cody Stiegel, 20, Dubois, Pennsylvania, said, “You may have best friends at home, but none of them
will die for you. We're closer together because of this small base”
Pfc. Mike Stotts, 22, Phoenix, Arizona, said, “When you're in the Army, you're already close.
Here it's a lot different. We have a bond, a brotherhood. We're all trying to stay alert and get everyone
home safe.”
82ND'S CAB STILL SERVING IN EASTERN AFGHANISTAN
(Fayetteville Observer, 5/16/12, Drew Brooks)
As reported in the last newsletter, the 82nd's Combat Aviation Brigade has been serving in
eastern Afghanistan since last August, serving the 11 provinces of Regional Command-East. The unit
has it's headquarters at Bagram Airfield, north of Kabul.
The brigade commander, Col. T.J. Jamison, likes to stay close to the action, even though while
serving in Iraq in 2006 he was lucky to escape with his life while flying a Kiowa Warrior helicopter.
He and his co-pilot, Chief Warrant Officer 2, George Siegler, had just landed at the airfield in Mosul,
Iraq, then a very dangerous city. The airfield was often hit with mortars and rockets.
Just as they landed their helicopter after a seven-hour mission, the airfield was under attack
again. Jamison didn't miss a beat, and immediately took off again to attack the rocket sight, following
the contrails of the rockets to its location. They didn't have any time to waste, because the rocket
launching team moves as quickly as possible. They were flying at about 50 feet, spotted the attackers
and approached, but ended up in an ambush.
Their Kiowa was the target of machine guns and rocket propelled grenades (RPGs). An
exploding RPG shattered their windshield, dazing his co-pilot, before Jamison was able to roll the
helicopter out of the ambush.
Jamison was quoted saying, “I knew the aircraft had taken a lot of damage. There was smoke
everywhere, and CW2 Seigler was slumped over. Jamison said he feared the worst about his co-pilot,
but he came to, and Jamison said he checked him for blood and he was not wounded.
It was then Jamison's turn to cause worry. “Siegler asked me, Sir, are you OK?” I said, “I'm
fine.” Jamison said that Siegler then grabbed my throat and shoved his hands up my helmet. Siegler
had seen the hole in Jamison's helmet and was checking for blood.
He said, “Sir, I don't want you to get upset or panic, but there's a hole in your head” Jamison
said that the bullet had cut some hair, and he didn't even know he had been hit.
Jamison said that the experience was less eye-opening and more rage-inducing. “I got really
mad. We flew back to Mosul and got an undamaged helicopter so we could continue the pursuit of the
attackers.” They were killed a week later.
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CORPS' 3RD ID HAS BEGUN
DEPLOYMENT TO AFGHANISTAN
As reported in the last newsletter, the XVIII Abn Corps' 3rd Infantry Division,
back in the Corps again, was the only division to be deployed to Iraq four times. It
will now be deploying to Afghanistan as the division commander, Maj.Gen. Robert “Abe” Abrams, and
the division headquarters are scheduled to deploy in August. As the last newsletter was being written,
the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Heavy Brigade Combat Team (HBCT), was arriving in
Afghanistan. The “Battle Boars” are now serving in northern Afghanistan conducting village stability
operations. They are located in Balkh Province which borders Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. They are
part of Regional Command-North, which has its headquarters in the city of Mazar-e-Sharif, which is
the also the location of the Afghan province government.
At this time, the rest of the 2nd HBCT, after completing their validation at the National Training
Center, are moving into southern Afghanistan. Two other (still not announced) subordinate units of the
division will also deploy to Afghanistan later this summer and fall.
The 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB) and elements of the 3rd Sustainment Brigade will be
assigned to Regional Command-South towards the end of 2012.
A TRUE “DOG FACE SOLDIER” RETIRES FROM THE ARMY
Your chairman was invited to the retirement ceremony of Lt. Col. Timothy “Tim” Stoy which
was held at the Hall of Heroes in the Pentagon on 16 May. Tim graduated from the U.S. Military
Academy in 1981, and after his initial infantry training at Ft. Benning, Georgia, his first assignment
was with the 3rd Infantry Division, which at that time was based at Wildflecken,West Germany. He was
a platoon leader of the 3rd Platoon, A Company, 2nd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment.
This was the first of several assignments Tim had with the 3rd Infantry Division, and as a result,
he is very proud of serving in that great division, especially the 15th Infantry Regiment. Tim loves
military history, and is especially interested in 3rd Infantry Division history. For the last several years,
he has been the historian of the 3rd Infantry Division Association.
In 1993, he married, Monika, an Army captain he met at Bad Toelz, Germany, in 1990, and
knowing her, it's easy to see why. She is as proud as he is of serving in the 3rd Infantry Division, and is
just as much, or even more, a military history enthusiast.
What these two have done for the 3rd Infantry Division and its Association is truly outstanding!
They are responsible for more than 80 plaques or small monuments located in those areas of Europe
where the 3rd ID served during World I and World War II.
They have also organized several historical seminars, sometimes occurring over a three-day
period, about military operations of World War II in which the 3rd ID fought.
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Your chairman has attended two of these, one focusing on the invasion of southern France in
August, 1944, Operations Dragoon, and the other dealing with the Battle of the Colmar Pocket, in the
Alsace, France, in January and February, 1945. These were excellent seminars, with several veterans
of these operations in attendance, including a Medal of Honor winner from WW II, Robert D. Maxwell.
The 3rd Infantry Division is certainly one of the best divisions in the Army. And what a history!
Activated during WW I, it earned its nickname, “Rock of the Marne,” for the way it defended against
the German attack known as the 2nd Battle of the Marne. Gen.“Black Jack” Pershing, commander of
American Expeditionary Forces called the division's performance one of the most brilliant in U.S.
military history.
Left to Right- Col. Henry Bodson - 3rd ID, WWII; Trained Audi Murphy in calling and adjusting artillery before invasion of southern
France in Aug., 1944, LTC Egon Halfield - served with Stoy in his first battalion, 2/15 Inf. Reg., Wildflecken, Germany, Col. William E.
Ryan, Jr. - 3rd ID, WWII; 53 yrs. active duty, Maj. Charlie Riordan – Tim's S3 in Wildflecken, LTC Tim Stoy, LTC Tom Askias – Tim's
first company commander, A 2/15 Inf. Reg. in Wildflecken, Brig. Gen. (P) William P. Hix – Tim's classmate at USMA , Maj.Gen. (Ret)
Lloyd B. Ramsey (in wheelchair), 3rd ID WWII; CG Americal Div. in Vietnam, Pfc. Michael Oden – VA National Guard, Capt.(Ret)
Monika Stoy – Tim's wife, served in XVIII Abn Corps and 3rd ID Photo taken at Hall of Heroes, Pentagon
During WW II, it was one of the few divisions to fight the Axis forces on all European fronts –
North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France, Germany, and Austria.
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The division suffered more combat deaths in WW II than any other division, more than 50,000.
Its combat deaths in all wars rank it third among modern U.S divisions, behind only the 2nd Infantry
Division in the Korean War, and behind only the 1st Cavalry Division in the Vietnam War.
It has more Medal of Honor winners than any other Division, 51. One of these during WW II
was Audie Murphy, the most decorated Soldier of that war. The first Medal of Honor awarded during
Operation Iraqi Freedom was another 3rd ID Soldier, SFC Paul Smith.
CORPS' 10TH MT DIVISION HAS ALL
ITS BCTS AT HOME
The XVIII Abn Corps's 10th Mountain Division now has all its brigade combat
teams at home. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd BCTs are at Ft. Drum, New York, and the 4th BCT
at Ft. Polk, Louisiana. The 3rd BCT, commanded by Col. Patrick Frank, completed its
return from Afghanistan in April.
However, there are Soldiers from Ft. Drum, in units that are attached to the division, which are
either now in Afghanistan or now deploying there. Two units of the 10th Sustainment Brigade are now
in Afghanistan. One of these is the 548th Combat Sustainment Battalion,which assumed support
operations in April in Regional Command-East and the Capital (Kabul).
The other is the 7th Engineer Battalion. Sadly, two members of its 630th Engineer Company
were killed in Logar Province on May 2 by an IED. They were 2nd Lt. David E. Rylander, 23, Stow,
Ohio, and Spc. Junot Mevs Legrand Cochilus, 34, Charlotte, North Carolina.
Another unit of the 10th Sustainment Brigade, the 563rd MP Company, 91st MP Battalion, will
soon be on the way to Afghanistan. The unit held a flag casing ceremony 15 May in the Magrath Gym
at Ft. Drum. The colors will be uncased once they begin operations in Afghanistan.
101ST ABN DIV (AIR ASSAULT) TRAINS FOR
DEPLOYMENTS
(SOME 2ND BCT SOLDIERS NOW IN AGHANISTAN )
(Ft Campbell Courier, 5/3/12/ Sgt. Joe Padula, 2nd BCT)
Last year the 101st Abn Division (Air Assault), which surprisingly has not returned to the
XVIII Abn Corps as a subordinate unit, had all four of its BCTs in Afghanistan, where it suffered over
200 KIA's. At this time, all the BCTs are home at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, but some Soldiers of 2nd
BCT, the “Strike Brigade,” deployed to Afghanistan, in new teams of trainers.
These new Strike Force Teams left for Afghanistan the end of April. Maj. Gen. James
McConville, the commander of the 101st, spoke to them in a ceremony before they left. He was quoted
saying, “You are going to Afghanistan at a decisive time. You are going to shift the responsibility to
the Afghan National Security Force, a very important mission at a very, very important time.”
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Five months ago, a fraction of the brigade's 3,500 Soldiers were selected to receive Afghan
specific and unique training for the new Afghan mission, handing over the combat reigns to Afghan
forces. Some of the training was on foreign weapons, how to effectively teach Afghan forces on the
battlefield, and understanding the Afghan culture and their two main languages, Dari and Pashto.
Capt. Peter McClain, a team commander with a deployed unit from the Strike Brigade's 1st
Squadron, 75th Cavalry Regiment, said, “One of the challenges is going to be language, so we focused
much towards learning both their languages. Using their language will help us connect the Afghan
National Security Forces to the Afghan people, and will also show we respect their culture.”
Those members of the brigade still operating at Ft. Campbell are known as Team Campbell
Strike and will support the deployed teams, as well as continue training for their next mission.
Col. Dan Walrath, commander of the 2nd BCT, said, “Team Campbell Strike's” mission is as
equally important and just as challenging. They will continue to maintain and improve their readiness
because there will be another mission of the Strike Brigade in the future. It will be a challenge, but we
are Strike Soldiers and we fight where were are told and win where we fight.” Walrath deployed with
the Strike Teams.
XVIII ABN CORPS' HISTORY OFFICE POSSIBLY CLOSING
As you are probably aware, after our nation's involvement in wars has ended, there has always
been major cuts in the Defense Department's budget, which leads to major cuts in the budgets of our
armed forces. Unfortunately, some of these cuts have led to our nation and its military being
unprepared when we find ourselves engaged in another conflict. With our troops out of Iraq, and
withdrawal of our forces from Afghanistan continuing, it appears that this could happen again, and our
Army could be facing major cutbacks and reductions.
Your editor realizes that reductions among our Soldiers and civilians who record the history of
our Army will not a major affect on its preparedness for future conflict, but your editor does feel that it
is important to have our Army's history properly recorded. He also feels that our young, Army recruits
need to have more of our Army's history taught to them. It is a great history, one that should inspire not
only the new recruits, but all those who served or have served in its ranks.
Sadly, the closing of the History Office of the XVIII Abn Corps is a possibility. Ms. Donna
Tabor has been the XVIII Abn Corps historian since 1998, and she has done a tremendous job in that
position. The XVIII Abn Corps has a proud history, and is still going strong since its creation in
August, 1944, with then Maj.Gen. Matthew Ridgway as the commander. It would be a tragedy if the
History Office of the XVIII Abn Corps would be eliminated, and especially if the XVIII Abn Corps
would lose the talents of the present XVIII Abn Corps historian, Ms. Donna Tabor. Donna, by the way,
was one of the first female paratroopers in the XVIII Abn Corps, serving in the 35th Signal Brigade.
It was due to her initiative that the XVIII Abn Corps now has its own office, in fact, its own
building at Ft. Bragg, a small office that she has also made into a fine museum, that should be visited
by anyone who is serving or has served in the XVIII Abn Corps.
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Let's hope that those who will make the decision about the status of the History Office of the
XVIII Abn Corps realize how important it is to have the history of the XVIII Abn Corps and Ft. Bragg
properly recorded and told in the future.
A FOOT SOLDIER'S MEMORIES OF WORLD WAR II
by Martin Logan
(Continued from Winter 2011-2012 Newsletter)
As the serialization of this book ended in the last newsletter, Marty, also know
as “Foxhole” and “Finchy,” was
trying to survive German 88 fire which had targeted his 1 st Platoon, L Company, as they
and the rest of his 86th Infantry
Division were taking part in the Ruhr Pocket Campaign in the beginning of April, 1945. During this operation, the 86 th Infantry Division,
the “Blackhawks,” was part of the XVIII Abn Corps. His company and the rest of the, 2 nd Battalion, 342nd Infantry Regiment,were
attacking the German town of Bonzell.
We drew 88 Fire. One of those shells hit a tree in what is called a “tree-burst,” killing Pfc.
Helinsky and wounding Sgt. Johnson, Pfc. Enarson, McCarties and Patch.
The next day, we were relieved by the 341st Regiment, and L Company moved into Bonzell
which had surrendered to other companies of the 342nd Regiment. Later that day, we moved out of
Bonzell.
We walked (still going north) to Grevenbruch, some three miles, and moved into billets (civilian
houses). We moved out of the houses the next morning, walking some seven miles to Attendorn, which
had been taken by the 1st Battalion. Though cleared, L Company was assigned the task of searching the
buildings for stragglers and snipers.
I remember Attendorn because one of the men in my platoon shot himself through the leg
lengthwise from the knee down and out of his boot. We never did know what happened to him after
that. We left Attendorn by truck and rode all night, all miserable night, and finally de-trucked around
5:00 A.M. Our objective was the large city of Ludenschied.
This was going to be a large operation involving the entire 86th Division. NOTE: Trucks in
combat have no door. They are wide open in case of air raids or ambush, and the driver doesn't have to
waste any time opening the door. When a truck is hauling troops, there is no tarp covering for the same
reason. Also, trucks and jeeps sometimes drove with the windshield folded down. The Germans would
string piano wire across the road which would cut the driver's head off, so all trucks and jeeps had a
wire cutter welded up from the bumper, which would catch the wire and break it.
The operation was so large it required not only the 86th Division but also several other infantry
and armored divisions. Fortunately for all of us, the people of Ludenschied did not want their city all
shot up, and negotiated a truce with some general, and the city was occupied with few casualties on
either side.
Hartwell's journal says we left Ludenscheid on April 15, 1945, by truck. For some reason, I
remember we de-trucked and began walking towards Worden, and the company split up. This I
remember vividly because my platoon once again got lost (seems like we were always getting lost).
We were approaching a very long hill, covered with pine trees and some type of vegetation that was
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between the knees and waist in height.
I was out on point (leading), along with Sgt. Skeen, 1st Platoon Sergeant, and Lt. Meskers. We
had just begun to climb the hill when a Jerry soldier, about mid-way up, suddenly jumped up with his
hands over his head. The three of us froze. Lt. Meskers said, “Watch out,” then in a loud voice he
yelled, “Deutch Soldot, Komenze here!” Immediately, the whole hill was alive with Jerry soldiers, all
with hands up. They were just waiting to see if we would shoot the first guy. If we did, they would
have shot us. I can't tell you how many there were now, but I do remember there were more of them
than there were of us.
We and the 1st Platoon continued up the hill which was full of abandoned equipment. There
were rifles, pistols, helmets, machine guns, field glasses, everything. It was here I picked up a
beautiful German Lugar pistol and stuck it in my pocket. When you get caught in an artillery barrage
and hit the ground, you can't get close enough to it, even your buttons feel like they are two feet thick.
So I knew I had to do something with the Lugar. The first chance came when our bed rolls (which we
had not seen since leaving Camp Old Gold) finally caught up with us. I, like others, put my Lugar in
my bedroll. Big mistake! The next time we saw our bedrolls was much later and it was pitch black.
No one could see their name on their bedroll, we were worn out and tired, so everyone just grabbed a
bedroll. Somebody got my Lugar, and I got somebody's 7.65 (32 cal.) automatic. I'm still bitter about
that.
All of the Jerrys were sent back to the rear. Hartwell says that the Ludenscheid operation
bagged 5,000 POWs. We, the 1st Platoon, continued towards the town of Woren by map and compass,
and somehow managed to be in the front of L Company. My squad, 2nd Squad, was point for the
platoon. We had just passed a stone farmhouse and we were out in the middle of an open field with a
row of bushes along one side. All of a sudden, the air was filled with whistling, screaming, shrieking
artillery shells. They caught us smack dab out in the open. Sgt.Warren, my squad leader, and several
others got hit.
The rest of the platoon, being close to the farmhouse, picked up the wounded and made a mad
dash for it. All the time the artillery kept coming in hot and heavy. Hartwell says that it was 88 fire,
but I don't agree. I think they were rockets from a multi (six) barreled rocket launcher called a
Nebelwerfer, which explained why there were so many explosions so close together. More on this
shortly.
In the meantime, the rest of L Company caught up with us and took shelter in the stone house.
The medic was with them, and the wounded were taken care of.
Still out in the open field was my squad - Caponga, West, Smith, Espinoza, Leply, and me. We
were trying to dig foxholes, but every time one of us moved, a round would come screaming in. I was
the closest to the farmhouse, and we had been trying to dig in for sometime, when we realized we were
alone.
I told Leply that I was going to find out what was going on. I jumped up and started to run, and
here came a cluster of screamers. Down I would go, and up I would jump, dash a few yards, and in
came the screamers, and back down. This went on all the way back to the farm house.
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When I got inside, Captain McSpadden asked if anyone else was out there, and then ordered
me to go back out and bring them in. It was the same thing all over, run a few yards, and hit the dirt,
run a few yards, and hit the dirt. All the way out and all the way back, up, down,up, down. We made it
and no one was hit. Once safe inside, the medics were treating the wounded.
Then Captain McSpadden sent the 1st Platoon out on a search and destroy mission to find the
German battery, while the rest of L Company moved out toward the next objective, the large city of
Letmathe (now part of Iserlorn). The 1st Platoon was to catch up as soon and as fast as we could.
Strangely, when the patrol and company moved out, the artillery fire had stopped, and here's
why. I think they were rockets and not 88s they were firing at us. We, the patrol, did come across a
multi-barrel rocket launcher just sitting there, no ammo, no personnel. I think they just used up all the
rockets they had and took off.
Just as we, the 1st Platoon, caught up with our company, the lead scouts on point were
ambushed by a couple of Jerrys using burp guns. It was called that because it was a fast firing machine
gun that sounded just like a burp. There was a rumor going around that it fired so fast, that there were
five rounds in the barrel at the same time. The technical name for the Burp Gun is Strumgewehr
(MP43).
In the ambush, two of our platoon, Pfc. Meyers and Pfc. Riffle, were cut down. Immediately,
the company formed up and began marching fire. That is, firing your rifle from your hip or shoulder
while marching forward. Needless to say, the ambushers did not survive.
Letmathe was defended by lots of artillery of all calibers, including big, large caliber railroad
cannons. Like battleships, the diameter of the projectiles is measured in inches, hence an 8-inch shell
(projectile) means it is 8 inches around. The length of an 8-inch is 36 inches. The diameter and length
go up from there in weight. The 8-inch shell weighs 200 pounds.
The 88 mm was just under 4 inches in diameter, and was extremely high velocity, so fast that it
actually screamed coming in. When you heard it, you better drop to the ground. And I don't mean get
down on the ground, I mean DROP right now or you're dead from shrapnel or being blown to pieces.
The railroad cannons were probably 8 or 12 inches, and they came in with a whoosh. When
they hit, it was furiously loud and caused a small earthquake. They scared the hell out of you!
After taking care of the bush whackers, the company moved forward, which brought us a
mixture of all of the above artillery, everything. I mean we really got plastered, including 20 mm flack
cannons which normally are used as anti-aircraft, but the Germans turned them down and used them
against infantry and tanks. The 20 mm was mounted on a truck chassis and consisted of 4 barrels, very
much like our quad 50 caliber.
Letmathe is plenty vivid in my mind and partly confused. Confused, because my squad was
walking point for the company early in the morning, not completely daylight, but light enough to see.
We went down a hill planted in winter wheat to a large barn made out of field stone. No sooner had we
entered the barn when the artillery started coming in. How long we remained there, I don't remember,
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but in time we got orders to come back up the hill to the rest of L Company. There wasn't a whole lot
of that wheat field left, nor the barn.
Running up the hill with your rifle at your side, steel helmet, belt cartridge, canteen, bayonet,
pockets full of hand grenades, boots, several layers of clothing, artillery shells bursting all around you,
was physically and mentally demanding. No one dared stop, just run as fast as possible.
Just as I reached the crest of the hill, I got a big push from behind. The next thing I knew, I was
face down on the ground, my pants were in shreds, and my belt was broke.
For a minute I lie there waiting for the pain. None came, so I jumped up, grabbed my pants and
rifle, and started running when my longjohns fell down, and again, I was flat on my face. This time I
laid there catching my breath, while all hell was going on around me
I remember how funny I thought it was seeing tops of trees jump off . That was caused by
armor piercing shells passing through them. (To be continued in the Summer 2012 newsletter`)
NEWS ABOUT ASSOCIATION MEMBERS
Gen. Lloyd J. Austin, III, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, and former commander of the
XVIII Abn Corps, was the guest speaker on 4 May at the commissioning ceremony for seven Army
ROTC graduates of Fayetteville State University which was held at the Airborne & Special Operations
Museum in downtown Fayetteville, North Carolina.
A movie trailer for the documentary being produced about James “Maggie” Megellas, the
most decorated officer in the history of the 82nd Abn Division, has now been released. The
documentary, titled “James Megellas: All The Way,” is being produced by Tim Gray, a Rhode Islandbased filmmaker. The narrator of the film is Kyle Chandler, Emmy Award-winning actor and star of
NBC TV's “Friday Night Lights” and the movie,“Super 8.” Your chairman has seen the trailer, and it
shows that the documentary will a great one.
Megellas was awarded 25 medals and decorations because of his heroic actions in World War
II, including the Distinguished Service Cross. He has been nominated twice by Congressional
resolution to receive the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of the Bulge.
HISTORY OF THE ARMY SONG
(Courtesy of XVIII ABN CORPS' History Office)
Your editor wanted again to show what the XVIII Abn Corps historian, Donna Tabor, has been doing to remind all
those who served in the XVIII Abn Corps, and who are presently serving there, of the great history of the Army and its
XVIII Abn Corps.
Your editor is certain that sometime in the past all members, both male and female, have visited a restroom in
which someone has written or drawn something on the walls of the bathroom stall. In some cases, this was done because
the individual had nothing to read, to keep his or her mind occupied.
Well, in 2007, Ms. Tabor, began producing “The Toilet Paper,” which is a large, 11 by 17 inch sheet of paper, on
one side of which are articles and photos about the history of the Army, XVIII Abn Corps, and Ft. Bragg. A copy of this
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monthly paper, which Ms. Tabor, has noted under its title has “Our mission: Two ply you with historical knowledge,” can
usually be found in all the restrooms at the XVIII Abn Corps headquarters, and other buildings on post.
An article about the Army Artillery song, “The Caissons Go Rolling Along,” was included in the July, 2008 issue.
“The Caissons Go Rolling Along,” with a few changes, became the official Army song in 1956. That article, and some
information about the official Army song, follows:
The song was written in April, 1908, by then Lt. Edmund L. Gruber, who was serving in the Fifth Field Artillery
Regiment in the Philippines. He was asked to write the song when the 1st Battalion of the Regiment came to the Philippines
to join the rest of the regiment. His bosses wanted a song that symbolized the spirit of the reunited regiment.
The song was inspired by an incident that occurred during the difficult march across the Zambales Mountains,
made by the 2nd Battalion in 1907. Lt. Gruber was sent ahead with a detachment to select a route and repair stream
crossings.
In the afternoon, the battalion was so late that he and a sergeant went to the top of a high peak to see what progress
the main body was making. The rolling countryside was visible for miles, but there was no sign of the battalion. Listening
carefully, he finally heard the distant rumble of the carriages, which was soon punctuated by the echoing shouts and
commands of the drivers as their urged their teams along. The sergeant turned to Lt. Gruber and said, “They'll be all right,
lieutenant, if they keep em rolling.” As the battalion neared camp on the other side of the divide, Lt. Gruber heard one of
the Soldiers call out to his drivers, “Come on, keep em rolling!” The song he wrote was first sung at a farewell party for one
of the battalions just before it sailed for the U.S.
During the last days of World War I, senior artillery leaders wanted an official marching song. An artillery officer
who did not know of Gruber, and thought “The Caisson Song” dated back to the Civil War, gave it to composer and
bandmaster, John Philip Sousa, and asked him to fix it up.
Sousa incorporated Gruber's piece into his composition which he titled, “The U.S. Field Artillery March,” a few
beginning measures being his own and the balance from Gruber. The song became a big hit in WW I, selling over 750,000
records. Gruber heard it and asked Sousa, “How about some money, since I wrote the song?” The innocent Sousa made
sure Gruber got his royalties. Here are the original lyrics, on the left, and the retitled “The Army Goes Rolling Along,”
on the right, now the official Army song:
Over hill, over dale, we have hit
the dusty trail, and those caissons
go rolling along.
In and out, hear them shout: Counter
march and right about.
And those caissons go rolling along.
Then it's Hi! Hi! Hee!, in the field artillery,
sound off your numbers loud and strong.
Where e'er you go you will always know
that those caissons are rolling along.
First to fight for the right, and to build
the Nation's might, and the Army goes
Rolling along. Proud of all we have done,
fighting till the battle's won, and the Army
Goes Rolling Along.
Then it's Hi! Hi! Hee!, the Army's on its
way, count off the cadence loud and strong;
For where'er you go, you will always know
That The Army Goes Rolling Along.
Gruber Road on Ft. Bragg is named after Edmund L. “Snitz” Gruber, who was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on 11
Nov., 1879. He graduated from West Point in 1904 and was commissioned in the Artillery Corps. He served in the Army
until 1942, and had artillery assignments in Kansas, Utah, Wyoming, California, and North Carolina. He attended the
Mounted Service School at Ft. Riley, Kansas, and the Imperial Military Riding School in Germany. He was a tactics
instructor at West Point. During WW I, he served as commander of several artillery regiments in the States, and Assistant
Chief of Artillery in Washington, D.C. From 1920 to 1922, he was the Assistant Commandant, Field Artillery, at Camp
Bragg, North Carolina. He attended the General Staff College from 1922-1923, and was an instructor at the Cavalry
School, at Ft. Riley, from 1924 to 1926. He graduated from the Army War College in 1927, and served as an instructor for
five years at the Command and General Staff School. From 1932-1935, he served in the Panama Canal Zone; 1935 to 1939
in the War Dept. General Staff, Chief of Artillery, 1st Division, ; and Commandant, Command and General Staff School and
commanding general of the 7th Corps at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, in 1940, where as a brigadier general, he died in 1940.