[2], 1/69 Armor played a critical role in the defense of Pleiku, Kontum, Dak To and Highway 19 during the Jan/Feb. find my friend." Throughout Operation Iraqi Freedom 3-69 AR was featured several times on CNN, ABC News, and the PBS . LTC Fairfield was promoted and subsequently reassigned as command of 1/69 Armor passed to LTC Clyde O. Clark. Further, we want these pages to be a gateway for 69ers to locate and contact "buddies" and obtain service information from the military. The unit's combat actions earned the Presidential Unit Citation and the Navy Unit Commendation. FG35039 | 1:35 . [2], 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 panther is symbolic of the tremendous power and striking ability of the Regiment. Free Shipping On All Orders Above $100 Go shop . 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 had previously decimated this same unit in the streets of Pleiku during TET. Crest: On a wreath of the colors Argent and Vert between two ruined towers Sable, the dexter charged with a fleur-de-lis Or and the sinister with an anchor of the like, a cubit arm in armor, the hand in a gauntlet Proper grasping two lightning flashes fesswise Gules. The 69th Armor is an armored regiment of the United States Army.The 69th Armor Regiment is part of the U.S. Army Regimental System with only two battalions, the 2nd and 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, existing in separate brigades and representing the regiment as a whole. The unit's combat actions earned the Presidential Unit Citation and the Navy Unit Commendation. In January 2005, the Speed and Power Battalion deployed again under the command of LTC Mark Wald[2] in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom III. Company A was attached to the 1st Cavalry Division until October, 1967. Activated 15 May 1943 Entered Combat 11 Feb 1945 Days of Combat 86 Casualties 1,506, Maj. Gen. Charles L. Bolte (May 43 - Sep 44)Maj. Gen. Emil F. Reinhardt (Sep 44 - Aug 45)Brig. Military Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Relive & share the memories of your service time with your brothers & sisters in arms today. Both battalions have transformed from tank pure battalions into combined arms battalions (CAB), Each comprising two tank companies and one mechanized infantry company as of August 2019. ABMC Headquarters 2300 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 703-584-1501 On 19 March 2003, 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor was the tip of the spear, leading the famous "March to Baghdad." The 52 ton M48A3 performed well during this initial two-week fight and the unit set an example for future tactical employment of armor in Vietnam. 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. Meanwhile, B and C Companies were placed OPCON to the Republic of Korea's 'Tiger' Division, headquartered near Qui Nhon at Camp Townes to support Operation Maeng Ho 11. 2-69 AR is currently stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia as part of the 2nd Armor Brigade Combat Team ("Spartans . [2], A Company was charged with the security of Hwy 19E between An Khe and Mang Jiang Pass, and on 10 April, routed a regimental size ambush attempt on a convoy which effectively destroyed the NVA 95B battalion as a fighting force. Div. Joe did not want us to forget what each and every brave man and woman of the Fighting 69th did for their families, their country, and the world. B Company was given the mission of reaction force and route security between Dak To and the besieged Special Forces border camp of Ben Het. How cool is that. ABMC Headquarters 2300 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: 703-584-1501 During this period Alpha Company supported the three Sky Trooper brigades in heavy combat operations along the South China Sea coast, distinguishing itself in savage fighting against Main Force Viet Cong, for countless fortified village complexes in Binh Dinh province and the Bong Son plain area. The 69th was originally nicknamed "Boltes Bitching Bivouacking Bastards" or "The Four Bs" because of the troops hatred for the many bivouacs in DeSoto National Forest south of Camp Shelby ordered by its original Division Commander, Charles L. Bolte. Earlier, in September, the battalion, along with the other elements of the 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division became part of the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division in a swap of brigades in place. The 69th Infantry Division arrived in England, 12 December 1944, where it continued its training. Tanks from 1st Platoon, A Company, 369 AR entered the Baghdad International Airport (BIAP)shortly after midnight on 4 April and 369 AR captured (BIAP)later that day, after limited resistance from elements of the Hammurabi Division of the Republican Guard. It was a wonderful moment that we will both remember for the rest of our lives, and we owe it to VetFriends. We will be posting a tribute and the family's eulogy. In six days after hitting France the 9th Armored was in Luxembourg near the German frontier. ". The 69th Armored Regiment was constituted on 15 July, 1940 in the Regular Army and initially assigned to the lst Armored Division. In November, 1951, it was again redesignated as the 89th Medium Tank Battalion and assigned to the 25th Infantry Division. Justbeforethe 69th departed the USA for Europe, Major General Emil F. Reinhardt took division command. Thanks for making it possible!" Click here to read about Joe's: EARLY LIFE | MILITARY CAREER In 2002 the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor deployed with 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division to Operation Desert Spring in preparation for future combat operations in a six month training mission. 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 1st Battalion was again reactivated and assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division in Germany in 1975. 69TH ARMORED DIVISION. It was subsequently deactivated in late 1991 with the Regimental Colors returning to the 2nd Battalion at Fort Benning, Georgia. General Reinhardt met Soviet 58th Guards General Rusakov on April 25, 1945. 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. find my friend. The Battalion continued to support the 4th Infantry Division along the Hwy 19 corridor, from Qui Nhon to Duc Co during the period, where it fought hot actions in and around LZ Schuller, An Khe, Plei Djereng and Plei Me. It landed in Le Havre, France, 24 January 1945, and moved to Belgium to relieve the 99th Division, 12 February, and hold defensive positions in the Siegfried Line. Unit troops discovered Leipzig-Thekla concentration camp, a subcamp of Buchenwald. Because the 15th was known as the Wolf Pack, it h. The insignia was amended to revise the symbolism of the crest on 29 October 1965. In March 2007, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor was deployed as part of the Baghdad "surge." 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. 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. The battalion continued its second half of the deployment north of Ramadi, and executed numerous expeditionary combat operations near Lake Tharthar, Habbaniyah, and the southern region of the Salah ad Din Province. Operations were based in the Chalis Qada area. The battalion also participated in Intrinsic Action in Kuwait and Kosovo Force Operation support in Kosovo. [2], LTC Theodore S. Riggs took command of the Battalion in March, 1968, prior to its displacement to An Khe. Site support by Leader Technologies provider of Leader Phone audio conferencing and teleconferencing services. 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. As President Franklin D. Roosevelt watched, a blindfolded Secretary of War Henry C. Stimpson selected the first number in the draft lottery, drawing from a huge container filled with numbers assigned to registered young Americans aged 21 to 36. After a successful tour, Task Force 369 AR redeployed to Fort Stewart in January 2006. 69th Tank Battalion, 6th Armored Division | American Battle Monuments Commission Cemeteries & Memorials Burial Search Education About Us News Data Multimedia Contact Us 69th Tank Battalion, 6th Armored Division Home 69th Tank Battalion, 6th Armored Division Legacy ID 19993 Legacy Alias /db-abmc-burial-unit/69th-tank-battalion-6th-armored-division 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. Description: A Silver color metal and enamel device 1 1/8 inches (2.86cm) in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned: Per bend Argent and Vert on the first a panther passant on division line, head to chief Sable. The unit, along with many others, was deactivated in 1946 following the end of the Second World War. . . Mission was to follow advance of 9th Armored Division and mop up enemy pockets which had been bypassed. It moved to Camp Chaffee on 15 March 1942 to make way for other Armor units, and then completed . In October 2009, the Battalion deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom for a fourth time, operating as an Advise and Assist Battalion in Babil and Karbala Provinces building the economic capacity and governance capabilities of local Iraqi government. It is an interlocked. This original assignment did not last for long. 11 April: Patrolled vicinity of Mulhausen. The motto translates to Speed and Power.. The Battalion continued to support the 4th Infantry Division along the Hwy 19 corridor, from Qui Nhon to Duc Co during the period, where it fought hot actions in and around LZ Schuller, An Khe, Plei Djereng and Plei Me. Lt Col Bedford Hayne Forrest. This deployment was part of the transition from Operation Iraqi Freedom to Operation New Dawn. Free shipping for many products! The 69th Armor Regiment was constituted on 15 July, 1940, at Fort Knox, Kentucky, in the Regular Army and initially assigned to the 1st Armor Division. The 6th Armored Division ("Super Sixth") was an armored division of the United States Army during World War II. It participated in the Battle for Jalibah Airfield. Co. & 69th Inf. Being always alert, the black variety of panther is considered the most dangerous of all the feline family. Fortunately he had also become a member and responded to my email. It crossed to England in August of 1944 and did not reach Normandy until a month later. Motto: VITESSE ET PUISSANCE (Speed and Power). These routes were notorious for ambush actions dating back to the French Indochina War of the 1950s. This is a beachfront resort Hotel directly on the ocean. The Division went over to the attack, 27 February, capturing the high ridge east of Prether to facilitate use of the Hellenthal-Hollerath highway. Individual soldiers received the Congressional Medal of Honor, several Distinguished Service Crosses, numerous Silver Stars, countless Bronze Stars and Purple Hearts for their extraordinary heroism in combat with the enemy. If you have a tribute, please email it to Webmaster Michael McKibben at mmckibben@leader.com and it will be posted shortly. Symbolism: The shield is in the green and white (silver) of the Armored Force. The Regimental HQ and 1st Battalion remained with the 6th Armored Division as the 69th Tank Battalion, while the 3rd Battalion was re-designated as 708th Amphibian Tank Battalion and was a participant in several critical amphibious campaigns and distinguished itself during the bloody fighting on Okinawa earning the battalion the Navy Presidential Unit Citation. This original assignment did not last for long. 2,951,373. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [2], LTC Paul S. Williams Jr. took command of 1/69 Armor in March 1967 and continued operations in support of the 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. This deployment was part of the transition from Operation Iraqi Freedom to Operation New Dawn. Earlier, in September, the Battalion, along with the other elements of the 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division became part of the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division in a swap of brigades in place. It has no heraldic significance. The 1st Battalion was alerted to begin preparations for deployment to the Republic of Vietnam in December 1965. 2023 Copyright VetFriends.com. The Battalion was instrumental in keeping these vital roads open for re-supply of units heavily engaged with the North Vietnames during the heavy battles around Dak To and Kontum in November, 1967. Re-designated on 15 August 1983 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 69th Armor, the unit was assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division, and activated in Germany. (69th Tank Battalion relieved 1 February 1957 from assignment to the 6th Armored Division) Redesignated 15 February 1957 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d Medium Tank Battalion, 69th Armor, assigned to the 25th Infantry Division, and activated in Hawaii (organic elements concurrently constituted and activated) 3/69 Armor similarly operated with the 24th Division during this massive assault. KIA. This fifteen-month deployment was part of the General Petraeus "surge" of force. 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. Anne & Sherry Lipsius' address: 6314 Deerings Hollow, Norcross, GA 30092-1800, annejoelip@bellsouth.net. B/2-69 AR and E/2-69 AR were awarded the Meritorious Unit Citation. Gen. Robert V. Maraist (Aug 45 - inactivation), Rhineland(15 Sep 44 - 21 Mar 45)Central Europe(22 Mar 45 - 11 May 45). 1/69 Armor played a critical role in the defense of Pleiku, Kontum, Dak To and Hwy 19 during the Jan/Feb. The unit, along with many others, was deactivated in 1946 following the end of the Second World War. 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. C/2-69 AR, along with additional attachments, remained in Chalis Qada to serve with the Iraqi Army in that area. 10 April: Reported to White Battalion, 273rd Infantry Regiment, 69th Division, and formed part of the advance guard for Combat Command A, 9th Armored Division. The 89th Medium Tank Battalion returned to Hawaii with the 25th Infantry Division where it remained until deactivation in 1957. Joe was 97 years old. Colonel Forrest, who was 34 years of age was. The 3rd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment (3-69 AR) is a United States Army combined arms battalion and part of the Third Infantry Division based at Fort Stewart, Georgia. The 9th Armored, which was activated in 1942, was late in getting overseas. The 2nd Battalion at Fort Benning, and the 3rd Battalion assigned to Fort Stewart, Georgia, were organic to the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized). Earlier, in September, the Battalion, along with the other elements of the 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division became part of the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division in a swap of brigades in place. Eilenburg fell, 23 April, and the east bank of the Mulde River was secured. $10.95 + $3.95 shipping. 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. Following great successes in Chalis Qada and Ar Ramadi, the Battalion redeployed to Fort Benning, Georgia in January 2006. An element of the former organization was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation for service in Europe. [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. Air Force Units Army Units Coast Guard Units Marine Corps Units Navy Units . 12 April: . 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. Operations were based in the Chalis Qada area. The unit spearheaded no fewer than ten campaigns, from 1951 through the Armistice in 1953 with the 25th Division and earned the Presidential Unit Citation and the Navy Unit Commendation. The battalion then redeployed to Fort Benning, Georgia in October 2010 and was awarded the Meritorious Unit Award. Both battalions have transformed from tank pure battalions into Combined Arms Battalions (CAB), each comprising two mechanized infantry and two tank companies. A/2-69 AR, D/2-69 AR, HHC/2-69 AR, and FSC/2-69 AR, along with B/1-30 IN operated out of CAMP CORREGIDOR and COMBAT OUTPOST on the eastern side of Ar Ramadi. Many document need the free Adobe Reader to view. Once again it assigned to the 6th Armored Division, where it served until it was stood down in 1956, ending its assignment to the 6th Armored Division. Hq., Cn. A Company had previously decimated this same unit in the streets of Pleiku during TET. United States Army combined arms battalion, Thunder Run: The Armored Strike to Capture Baghdad, Baghdad International Airport (BIAP) formerly Saddam International Airport, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=3rd_Battalion,_69th_Armor_Regiment&oldid=1099274630, Armor battalions of the United States Army, Articles with dead external links from April 2019, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2012, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, LTC Ernest P. "Rock" Marcone, 2002 2004, LTC Jessie L. Robinson, 27 July 2008 October 2009, LTC Jeff Denius, October 2009 October 2011, LTC Orestees "Bo" T. Davenport, October 2011 October 2013, LTC Harry "Zan" Hornbuckle III, October 2013 July 2015, LTC Johnny A. Evans Jr., July 2015 May 2017, LTC William F. Coryell, May 2017 May 2019, This page was last edited on 19 July 2022, at 22:40. All rights reserved. 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. Once the weather improved, the division resumed its advance, clearing the gap and turning north-east towards Baghdad. [2], As part of the 197th Brigade (Separate), 2d Battalion, 69th Armor led the assault of the 24th Infantry Division into Iraq during Operation Desert Storm in February 1991. With the inactivation of the 24th ID, and the activation of the 3rd ID at Fort Stewart, the unit was reassigned once more, becoming part of the 3rd Infantry Division, based still at Fort Stewart, Georgia. 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. Our prayers and sympathies go out to the Lipsius family. In January 2005,Deploying to FOB Scunion (adjacent to FOB Warhorse) the partial Battalion again deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Battalion redeployed in May 2008 to Fort Benning, Georgia. Personal experience as a member of the Heavy Mortar Platoon, CSC (later HHC) 2/69th AR, Fort Benning, GA from August 1984 December 1985; US War Casualties Afghanistan (by date), http://www.benning.army.mil/armor/eARMOR/content/issues/1988/JAN_FEB/ArmorJanuaryFebruary1988web.pdf, The Institute of Heraldry 69th Armor Regiment, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=69th_Armor_Regiment&oldid=1100734449. 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor served with the 42nd ID, a National Guard Division based in NY. It activated on 5 September 1950 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. 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. The Battalion displaced its forward headquarters in March, from Hwy 14S to Camp Radcliff in An Khe, under the operational control of the 173rd Airborne Brigade and was again involved in fighting along the coastal plain near Bong Son. The unit, along with many others, was deactivated in 1946 following the end of the Second World War. 369 AR was the first conventional US unit to enter Iraq in 2003, and among the first units to serve four tours in Iraq. It inactivated there on 16 March 1956. LTC William Grant assumed command of 1/69 Armor as the Battalion was given the mission of securing the primary routes of communication on QL 19, between Qui Nhon on the coast and Duc Co on the Cambodian border; and on QL 14 between Dak To in the north to Ban Me Thout in the south. The unit, along. In January 2005, the Battalion again deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Shield: The shield is in the green and white of the Armored Force. Deployment commenced on 25 January 1966 with the Battalion laying over in Okinawa to take over 52 new M48A3 tanks and familiarize crews with the new series, AN-GRC 12 radios. The Battalion displaced its forward headquarters in March, from Hwy 14S to Camp Radcliff in An Khe, under the operational control of the 173rd Airborne Brigade and was again involved in fighting along the coastal plain near Bong Son. The 4th Battalion was reactivated in 1972 at 1st Brigade HHC 8th Infantry Division at Robert E. Lee Barracks in Mainz Gonsenheim Germany. LTC (MG Retired) Stan R. Sheridan assumed command of 1/69 Armor in September, 1968 as the Battalion forward HQ again moved, this time west to the area of the Oasis, HQ of the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division along QL 19W, conducting numerous reconnaissance-in-force operations north and east of Duc Co and along the Cambodian border. In this section you can see items that are related to the 6th Armored Division. It was redesignated for the 69th Armor Regiment on 25 July 1958. The 69th Armor Regiment was constituted on 15 July, 1940, at Fort Knox, Kentucky, in the Regular Army and initially assigned to the 1st Armor Division. [2], LTC (MG Retired) Stan R. Sheridan assumed command of 1/69 Armor in September, 1968 as the Battalion forward HQ again moved, this time west to the area of the Oasis, HQ of the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division along QL 19W, conducting numerous reconnaissance-in-force operations north and east of Duc Co and along the Cambodian border. The unit, along with many others, was deactivated in 1946 following the end of the Second World War. Following great successes in Chalis Qada and Ar Ramadi, the Battalion redeployed to Fort Benning, Georgia in January 2006. 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. The 2017 Annual Reunion will be in Virginia Beach, VA at the North Beach Holiday Inn Sept. 21-24, 2017. 1968 TET offensive. This original assignment did not last for long. C/2-69 AR, along with additional attachments, remained in Chalis Qada to serve with the Iraqi Army in that area. A Company was committed within two hours of its disembarking from LSTs in Saigon, as a reaction force to combat in the Filhol Rubber Plantation west of Saigon. The battalion continued to support the 4th Infantry Division along the Highway 19 corridor, from Qui Nhon to c C during the period, where it fought hot actions in and around LZ Schueller, An Khe, Plei Djereng and Plei Me. U.S. 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. Obviously surprised by the presence of the U.S. tanks, the enemy fled the field after the B Company M48s destroyed several of the assaulting PT 76b tanks and BTR50 fighting vehicles. The 69th Armored Regiment's history began on 15 July 1940 when it was formed and assigned to the 1st Armored Division. View our site visit statistics. 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 unit, along with . After a successful tour, Task Force 369 Armor redeployed to Fort Stewart, Georgia in March 2008, to train in preparation of future operations. The panther is symbolic of the tremendous power and striking ability of the Regiment. 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. It was redesignated for the 69th Tank Battalion on 4 November 1943. Welcome to the 6th Armored Division virtual museum. Following the outbreak of hostilities on the Korean peninsula, the 708th Amphibian Tank Battalion was subsequently restructured and re-designated the 89th Medium Tank Battalion. [2], A Company was charged with the security of Highway 19 between An Khe and Mang Yang Pass, and on 10 April, routed a regimental size ambush attempt on a convoy by the 95B Regiment killing 45 VC and capturing seven crew-served weapons; U.S. losses were one killed. [2], A Company was committed within two hours of its disembarking from LSTs in Saigon, as a reaction force to combat in the Filhol Rubber Plantation west of Saigon. If you have an item that you would like to add to the museum than you can contact us through the form on this website. 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. 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. Contrasting with the old Battalion M48A2 vehicles, the new A3 models still featured the 90mm cannon, a M2HB cupola mounted .50 caliber machinegun and a 7.62mm, M72 coaxial machinegun. [2], LTCs Leo M. Brandt, Donald J. Pagel and MAJ George Latturner each commanded the battalion for short periods from April to December 1969. The Regimental HQ and 1st Battalion remained with the 6th Armored Division as the 69th Tank Battalion, while the 3rd Battalion was re-designated as 708th Amphibian Tank Battalion and was a participant in several critical amphibious campaigns and distinguished itself during the bloody fighting on Okinawa earning the battalion the Navy Presidential Unit Citation. It was subsequently deactivated in late 1991 with the regimental colors returning to the 2nd Battalion at Fort Benning, Georgia. Thanks for making it possible, Thanks so much VetFriends.com for your help and genuine concern for locating this long lost buddy of mine, Please Enter a Valid email address with no spaces, VetFriends Members: A large group of infantry and some supporting unit officers were called from the 96th Infantry . After helping destroy the Iraqi 11th Infantry Division at Nasiriyah, 3ID turned north-west, covering unprecedented distance rapidly.