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31st
Transportation Battalion |
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| 31st Trans Bn (Inf Div) History | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1957 - 19.. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 31th Transportation Bn DUI |
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| ORGANIZATION (Dec 1960): | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| [1] STATION LIST, 31 Dec 1960 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (Source: Email from George O. Smith, CO of Co B, 31st Trans Bn, Sept 1961 - June 1962) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Re Your request for information on subject unit. I was assigned as CO Company B, 31st Transportation Bn in September 1961 upon completion of my 2 yr. Combat Arms detail to Armor following appointment to Regular Army Commission. The unit was stationed at Will Kaserne in North Munich. Principal garrison activity was training drivers from the 1st Battle Group, 21st Infantry in preparation for the transition of the 24th Division from a Pentomic Division to a Mechanized Division. Driver training although the principal garrison duty did not supplant the primary mission as the major mobility component of 24th Infantry Division. When attached to 1st Battle Group 21st infantry, Company B, 31st Transportation Battalion enabled the Battle Group CO to operate as an Armored Rifle Battalion. When not attached the unit provided for forward movement of cargo and personnel in a potentially hostile environment while protected by the armor of the M-59 personnel carriers of which the unit possessed 57. In February 1962, Company B received the first shipment of the new M-113 Armored Personnel Carriers and undertook an additional mission. Division Ordnance issued the carriers to Company B in increments of 10. Company B processed the carriers for service, trained a driver from the Battle Group and transferred each carrier to the battle group with two qualified drivers. One from Company B and one who had been detailed from the Battle Group for training. As the number of M-113 APC processed increased the strength of the unit gradually diminished as one driver was sent to the Battle Group with each carrier transferred. At the same time the M-113 were being processed and driver training was taking place, the unit had to maintain a high state of readiness in support of the 24th Infantry Division mission. By early May 1962 the M-113 APC processing and transfer was complete and the company strength was at approximately 50% of authorized strength. At that point the unit began working off all 1st and 2nd Echelon Maintenance deficiencies of the old M-59 APC, inventorying and packaging all OEM and turning in the equipment to Division Ordnance for placement in the Theater Pre-positioned War Material Inventory or transfer to allied armies. By mid June 1962, the company strength had been reduced to less than 25 personnel who were engaged in closing out all records, supply requirements and preparing for inactivation. The inactivation ceremony was held at Will Kaserne on June 30, 1962. Thus I was the last Commander of Company B, 31st Transportation Bn (Inf Div). I understand that the unit was reborn at some subsequent date as Company B, 24th Supply and Transport Bn of 24th Infantry Division, however I have no knowledge of that. There is a stained glass window in the Transportation Memorial Chapel at Fort Eustis, Virginia that contains the Battalion Crest of the 31st Transportation Battalion. Funds for the acquisition and installation of this window were raised through the combined efforts of the Battalion Officer's Wives club and the Battalion NCO Wives activity. Numerous activities such as bake sales, benefit card parties, and other fund raising activities were conducted between January 1962 and June 1962 when the 31st Transportation Battalion was inactivated as part of the reorganization of the 24th Infantry Division. Lieutenant Colonel Virgil Brown was the last Battalion CO and his wife served as co-chair preson fo rmost of the activities. |
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| If you have more information on the history or organization of the 31st Trans Bn (Inf Div), please contact me. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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