Relocating Armor History and Lineage to Fort Benning

(Editor’s note: The following article is provided as an update to “BRAC: Relocating Armor History, Honor and Lineage” published in the March-April 2009 edition of ARMOR.) Fort Benning has grown and changed significantly since Dan Nelson reported on the relocation of Armor and Cavalry history, lineage and honor from Fort Knox, KY, to Fort Benning, GA, in the March-April 2009 edition of ARMOR. Many Maneuver Center of Excellence and Armor School leaders and countless hardworking subordinates have worked to ensure the proud Armor and Cavalry heritage is appropriately displayed at Harmony Church and across the MCoE. This important work is organized into six categories that capture the history and lineage of Armor and Cavalry. At Harmony Church, vehicle displays, streets and athletic fields are branded in recognition of historic Armor and Cavalry units. Armor School ranges, training areas and buildings at Fort Benning are memorialized to recognize and honor distinguished Armor and Cavalry soldiers and leaders and inspire future generations of mounted warriors. One of the most visible and important aspects of Armor and Cavalry branding is display of a representative collection of historic armored vehicles. As of this ARMOR issue’s publication, Fort Knox has shipped its entire collection of historic armored vehicles to Fort Benning. Twenty historic vehicles from Knox are now positioned strategically around Harmony Church and at the Fort Benning Boulevard access-control point adjacent to the future home of the National Armor and Cavalry Museum (Figure 1). Construction is nearly finished on anew elevated pedestal at the Harmony Church ACP along Highway 27/280. Once construction is complete, an M1A1 Abrams tank will occupy this elevated pedestal to welcome visitors to Fort Benning and the Armor School. Plans are under development to display an M551 Sheridan tank alongside airborne artifacts near historic Eubanks Field and the U. S. Army Airborne School. The 12 primary roads and streets in and around Harmony Church have been named to honor the history of both active and inactive Armor and Cavalry organizations whose contributions extend from World War II through the ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan (Figure 2). Harmony Church roads and streets pay tribute to abroad array of armored divisions, separate tank The M1 Abrams tank is displayed on Fort Benning Boulevard adjacent to the access-control point, marking the future home of the National Armor and Cavalry Museum. This tank represents 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment’s actions with 197th Infantry Brigade (Mechanized), 24th Infantry Division, which contributed to the liberation of Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm. During the coalition ground offensive in February 1991, the 2/69th penetrated deep into Iraq to choke off enemy supply routes in the Euphrates River valley and cut off the escape route of the Iraqi Republican Guard divisions. BG Ted Martin, Armor School commandant, and CSM Ricky Young, Armor School command sergeant major, officially cut the ribbon May 26, 2011, to dedicate the M1 and M4A3E8 displays as well as the future home of the National Armor and Cavalry Museum. 48 On June 20, 2011, 194th Armor Brigade and 316th Cavalry Brigade uncased their colors in a ceremony on Brave Rifles Field at Fort Benning, GA. (photos by Kris-tian Ogden) Update: Relocating Armor History, Honor and Lineage to Fort Benning by LTC Matthew Boal and CPT Miles Murray

E. Kouma, LTG D. VanVoorhis and CPL J. L. Wickam. Others are less familiar names – they are mounted warriors from our Army’s more recent conflicts like SGT J. E. Proctor, SPC H. F. Bradfield and CSM E. F. Cooke. Regardless of when they served, these extraordinary heroes will continue to inspire the next generation of mounted warriors and leaders who will train over the course of their careers at the Armor School. The Armor School and MCoE leadership also selected the names of six famous mounted formations for five new athletic fields and one new parade field at Harmony Church. Tank crewmen and Cavalry scouts in training will conduct physical training on fields named Blackhorse, Iron Knights, Thunderbolt and Steel Tigers. The fifth athletic training field at Harmony Church 37th Tank Bn St 13th AR Reg St 761st Tank Bn Rd 9th AD St 8th Div Rd 8th Div Rd Jamestown Rd 1st Cavalry Reg St 4th AD Loop 7th Cavalry Reg Rd 1st Armored Div Rd 2nd Cavalry Reg Rd 69th Armor Reg Rd 6th Armored Div Rd 49 will be named Leatherneck in honor of U. S. Marine Corps tank crewmen, who have trained and fought alongside Army tank crewmen for years. Appropriately, all future generations of Cavalry scouts and tank crewmen will graduate from training on Brave Rifles Parade Field, the centerpiece of the new 194th Armored Brigade footprint at Fort Benning.

Fifteen new small-arms ranges and two new mounted-gunnery ranges represent a significant portion of the recent construction at Fort Benning (Figure 2). These ranges will be memorialized in honor of mounted-force luminaries who span the entire history of the branch – from BG Casimir Pulaski of the Continental Army to SGT J. L. Butler and SSG S. A. Booker from Operation Iraqi Freedom. Other notable mounted warriors such as CPT F. J. Baum, PFC R. H. Brooks and 1LT R. A. Steindam will also find homes on new live-fire ranges at Fort Benning. Four training areas, created specifically to support mounted-training requirements, are also set aside to memorialize Armor and Cavalry leaders. For example, new Armor lieutenants will learn to maneuver individual vehicles, sections and platoons in the Arracourt Maneuver Training Area, while Abrams and Bradley mechanics will hone their recovery skills in the Sandy Hook Recovery Training Area. Soldiers in scout and tank-crewman one-station unit training will learn to drive their assigned vehicles at the Kall River Driver Course, then further develop those skills at the Buffalo Soldier Maneuver Training Area (Figure 3). The proud heritage of the Armor and Cavalry force is on display at the Armor School in Harmony Church. Our notable and inspirational mounted leaders are well represented at Fort Benning. Perhaps more importantly, the MCoE leadership has asked that we leave some new facilities unnamed to recognize and honor future generations of distinguished Armor and Cavalry warriors. Future mounted heroes have anew home at Fort Benning, where they will only add to the rich history and traditions of our storied branch. Starting in late Fall 2011, the Armor School will begin to formally dedicate our new facilities through a series of dedication ceremonies at Harmony Church, sponsored by our Armor School brigades and their subordinate battalions and squadrons. We will publish memorialization-ceremony schedules and more planning information in future editions of ARMOR. LTC Matt Boal is executive officer of the Armor School’s management staff at Fort Benning. He has served in a variety of leadership and staff positions in Germany and at Forts Riley, KS; Rucker, AL; and Irwin, CA, during his career. His military education includes the U. S. Army Command and General Staff College. He holds a bachelor’s of arts degree from Penn State University and a master’s degree in military arts and sciences from Command and General Staff College. CPT Miles Murray is an operations officer for the Armor School’s management staff, also stationed at Fort Benning. He has served as a platoon leader and company executive officer in 1st Battalion, 77th Armor, 4th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, at Fort Bliss, TX, prior to assignment at the Armor School. His military education includes the Armor Basic Officer Leader Course and Cavalry Leader Course. He holds a bachelor’s of science degree from West Point. Figure 3. Fifteen small-arms ranges and two mounted-gunnery ranges honor mounted-force luminaries who span the Armor Branch’s history. Four training areas, created specifically to support mounted-training requirements, are also set aside to memorialize Armor and Cavalry leaders. Oscar 1 Zero, CPT D. W. Lee (WWII, MoH) Oscar 2 MRFR, CPL D. M. Call (WWI, MoH) Oscar 3 MRFR, CPL E. L. Copple (K, DSC) Oscar 4 Zero, SP4 F. Davis (VN, SS) Oscar 5 FMR, SSG C. B. Morris (VN, MoH) Oscar 6 MRFR, SGT W. McBryar (IW, MoH) Oscar 7 MRFR, 2LT T. W. Fowler (WWII, MoH) Oscar 8 Zero, SGT J. L. Butler (OIF, SS) Oscar 9 MRFR, BG C. Pulaski (RW) Oscar 10 Zero, SSG R. H. Dietz (WWII, MoH) Oscar 11 MRFR, 1LT R. A. Steindam (VN, MoH) Oscar 12 MRFR, CPT F. J. Baum (WWII, MoH) Oscar 13 Zero, PFC E. Soto (WWII, DSC) Oscar 14 FMR, SSG S. A. Booker (OIF, SS) Oscar 15 FMR, CW2 L. G. Pool (WWII, DSC) Oscar Range Complex Memorialization ACP – access-control point MCoE – Maneuver Center of Excellence Acronym Quick-Scan 50