Back to the New 150th
Page Dear Congressman Montgomery:
This is a thank you and a request on behalf of the 150th Combat Engineer
Association composed of veterans who served in the original 150th during
WW II.
First, it was great and an honor to meet and participate with you in the
outstanding Activation Ceremony of the new 150th Combat Engineer
Battalion. It was obvious that this group of young people will serve the
State and Nation well whenever the opportunity arises.
Second and last, there seems to be some question as to whether the new
150th can be a part of the old 150th and wear the ribbons and carry the
streamers on the colors that are warranted by unit citations that were
earned by our service in WW II. If possible please take the necessary
action to allow the new unit to wear our ribbons and carry our colors.
In closing, thank you for your many services to veterans and soldiers. You
will be missed.
Respectfully yours,
150th Combat Engr. Bn Association
| WASHINGTON OFFICE: 2184 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING Washington, DC 20515-2403 (202)225-5031 COMMITTEES: VETERANS' AFFAIR RANKING MINORITY MEMBER NATIONAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT: |
G.V. 'SONNY" MONTGOMERY 3D District, Mississippi Congress of the United States House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515-2403 |
District OFFICES: 2100 Ninth St. Room 302 MERIDAN. MS 39301 (601) 693-6681 2080 AIRPORT ROAD. Suit D COLUMBUS, MS 39701 (601)327-2766 110-D Airport Road |
June 4, 1996
Mr. Robert W. Pearl
President
150th Combat Engineer Btln Association
Dear Bob:
Please find attached a letter I have just received from the Department
of the Army in reply to my inquiry on your behalf.
I believe you will find the report self-explanatory; however, should you
have further questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact
me.
It has been a pleasure to have been of service to you in this matter and
I hope you will continue to call upon me, as your representative in
Congress, whenever you require assistance with matters affecting the
Federal Government.
With warm regards, I am
Sincerely,
GILLESPIE V. MONTGOMERY
Member of Congress
GVM:sj
Enclosure
Page 2 (Enclosure)
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
THE CENTER OF MILITARY HISTORY
1099 14TH STREET NW
WASHINGTON DC 20005-3402
REPLY TO
ATTENTION OF
Organizational History Branch
Honorable Gillespie V. Montgomery
Representative in Congress
2184 Rayburn House Office Building
Washingngton, DC 20515-2403
Dear Mr. Montgomery:
This is in response to your request of May 8, 1996, on behalf of your constituent Robert W. Pearl, concerning the 150th Engineer Battalion.
The 150th Engineer Combat Battalion, with which Mr. Pearl served during World War II, was activated on February 25, 1943, Fort Devens, Massachusetts, and inactivated on October 29, 1945, at Camp Shanks, New York. The battalion fought in five campaigns in Europe during the war (Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe) and was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for its actions on the Sauer and Our Rivers in Luxembourg and Germany between February 7 and February 13, 1945. After the war, the battalion served briefly in the Organized Reserves at Boston, Massachusetts, between March 22, 1949, and June 30, 1950. It has not been active since that time.
There is no relationship Battalion of World War II and Mississippi. The history and Honors of National Guard Units are traced at the local level between the 150th Engineer Combat the current battalion in honors of Army National Guard units within a particular state. The number 150 was allotted to the Mississippi Army National Guard in 1954 for a transportation battalion, which, in 1980, became a quartermaster battalion, and in 1994 became the headquarters company of a new engineer battalion. The battalion's other companies were organized from new and existing units in Mississippi. Its Company B, for example, displays a silver band for service in Southwest Asia as an element of the 786th Transportation Company. Except for the coincidence of sharing the same number, there is no connection between the current and former engineer battalions.
Under Army regulations there is a provision for the Secretary of the Army to reconstitute a disbanded Army National Guard organization at the request of the state. The state's clear intent to perpetuate the older organization creates the official link between the disbanded and reconstituted organization. In this case, however, the battalion desired to be reconstituted was allotted to the Organized Reserves (now designated as the Army Reserve) with no previous link to Mississippi. There is also a provision in the regulations that on rare occasions the Secretary might grant an active organization the honors of a disbanded organization as "a challenge and trust." Since such an endowment would not establish a lineal link between the two units, the honors could be displayed on the battalion colors, but the unit members would not be authorized to wear ribbons associated with such honors. We have no record that the former 150th Engineer Combat Battalion was ever authorized colors; the current battalion carries colors that were originally authorized for the 150th Transportation Battalion. The state of Mississippi may request, through the National Guard Bureau, the honors of the former 150th Engineer Combat Battalion as "a challenge and trust." The request should include substantial justification for such an unusual action to be approved.
I hope this information is useful to your constituent. Your
correspondence is returned.
Sincerely,
John T. Greenwood
Chief, Field Programs and
Historical Services Division
Enclosure
May 10, 1996
Dear President Wojtusik,
This is a letter of introduction and a request for your assistance and
support.
First I am the President of the 150th Combat Engr Bn Assn composed of
nearly 300 members who fought together in WW II. Our Bn fought in the
ETO received many citations including a Pesidential unit citation and
five campaign stars including the Ardennes. Some of us are members of
the VBOB and will attend the meeting in Hyannis.
Now in 1995 a unit of the Mississippi National Guard became the 150th
Combat Engr Bn. (Our unit was deactivated in 1945) and some of us were
invited and did attend the activation ceremony in Meridian Ms on Dec.
4th. Since this is a new unit and a National Guard unit, it is our
understanding that they will not be able to wear our streamers on their
colors or our ribbons on their uniforms.
We would like an official order from the Army or preferably a
Presidential Order declaring the new unit a reactivation of the WW II
150th and authorizing the wearing of our Presidential Citation, other
service ribbons, and streamers with the colors.
I have written two letters to Congressman Montgomery and I understand
that these have been forwarded to the Army but this was in Jan. and Feb.
and no reply has been forthcoming. There is a large gathering of the
National Guard in Quitman scheduled for October with perhaps 10,000
people in attendance and the new 150th would like to have the
reactivation order at that time with some of our unit in attendance.
Surely as close as you are you can in some way help to move an order
through the process. Ms Sharon Johnson in Congressman Montgomery's
office is a beginning contact.
Since we played a role in the BOB, you and the VBOB might gain by
participating in the official union of the two 150ths.
Sincerely and Thanks,
Robert W. PearlEmail: Click here for email