1969
Dong
Tam, RVN
15th
COMBAT
ENGINEER
BATTALION
HISTORY
15th Combat Engineer History, 1969
15TH
COMBAT ENGINEER BATTALION
UNIT
HISTORY
The long and distinguished history of the 15th
Combat Engineer Battalion began on 3 June 1916 when the Battalion was
constituted as the Fifth Reserve Engineer Regiment. In outline form, the
following is the units record of service:
3 June 1916
Constituted as Fifth Reserve Engineer Regiment May June 1917
Organized at Oakmont, Pennsylvania
9 June 1917 Redesignated
as Fifth Regiment Engineers 8
August 1917 Redesignated
as 15th Engineers (Railway) in the National Army
15 May 1919 Demobilized
at Camp Sherman, Ohio 25 August 1921
Reconstituted as 15th Engineers in the Regular Army 24 March
1923 Assigned to
the 9th Infantry Division
1 July 1940 Redesignated
15th Engineer Battalion 1
August 1942 Reorganized
and redesignated as the 15th 30 November 1946
Inactivated in Germany 12 July 1947 Activated at Fort Dix, New Jersey 27
April 1954 Redesignated
as 15th Engineer Battalion 31 January 1962
Inactivated at Fort Carson, Colorado 1 February 1966
Activated at Fort Riley, Kansas The battle record of the Battalion started during World
War I, when it was awarded campaign streamers for the St. Mihiel and
Meuse-Argonne campaigns.
The 15th Combat Engineer Battalion landed on
the shores of North Africa in September of 1942 to provide combat support to
the 9th Infantry Division in its drive to disable the Afrika
Korps. The German Armies were beaten and disorganized, as it was also in
the next campaign in Sicily. From Sicily the battle weary troops were
transported to England where they underwent a rigorous training program in
preparation for D-Day. Page 1
15th Combat Engineer History, 1969 The day the Reliable Engineers had been training for
came on June 14th, 1944 as they swarmed onto the beaches of
Normandy just four days (editors note: D-Day was 6 June 1944 not 10 June 1944)
after the first infantrymen waded ashore. Their assignment was to clear
minefields and build bridges as the infantry brigades pushed the enemy forces
out of France and Belgium. They shared the glory of the 9th
Division, as it became the first unit to cross the Seine River and begin the
liberation of conquered Belgium, then moving to Aachen and later the Monschau
Forest where the Battle of the Bulge saw Germanys final winter offensive of
the war fail.
In March of 1945 the Reliable Engineers were supporting
the 9th Infantry Division as it snuffed out resistance in Bonn;
later that month they crossed the Ludendroff Bridge and established the
Remagen Bridgehead for which Company B was awarded the Distinguished Unit
Citation.
After an armistice has been signed, the 15th
Engineer Battalion remained in Germany until inactivation in January 1947.
Following approximately 6 months of inactivation, the Battalion was
reactivated along with other elements of the 9th Infantry at Fort
Dix, New Jersey, to become part of the training center at that base.
A growing commitment of American forces to the war in
Vietnam made it necessary to once again to call upon the Old Reliables.
(This nickname was given to it after action around Schwammanauel Dam during
World War II). Fort Riley Kansas was selected as the training center, where
the Engineers successfully completed a rigorous training cycle to prepare they
for the new duties they had been chosen to perform. Leaving San Francisco,
California on 1 October 1966 aboard the USS Sultan they spent 20 days at sea
and arrived near Vung Tau, Vietnam on 20 October 1966.
Assigned the task of preparing Camp Martin Cox in Long
Thanh Province, they set about the job with a determined, aggressive and
mission oriented attitude. Working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the camp
was ready for the arrival of the Division on 29 December 1966. In the short
period of 2 months, a determined engineer unit had cleared 720 acres of
jungle, built 110,648 feet of road with associated drainage, built 97
latrines, 89 showers and 28 mess halls. Page 2
15th Combat Engineer History, 1969 The first element to be assigned to a combat mission
was the AVLB Platoon from E Company, which was deployed in support of the 25th
Infantry Division on operation Attleboro beginning in November of 1966.
Along with the expansion of Camp Martin Cox came the
planning and construction of a brigade size base camp in the Mekong Delta
called Dong Tam. To accomplish this project, Task Force Ripsaw was formed. It
consisted of B and D Companies, a detachment from Headquarters Company, an
infantry and signal company, and a medical and logistical element. They moved
to Dong Tam on 10 January 1967. The 15th was again the first in the
Division to move to a new area of operations; they were also the first
American forces to move permanently into the Mekong Delta. They accomplished a
seemingly impossible task by having Dong Tam ready for the arrival of elements
of the 3rd Brigade on 25 January 1967.
The 15th Engineer Battalion has been
involved in every major operation undertaken by the 9th Infantry
Division since its deployment to the Republic of Vietnam. They have provided
demolition teams to destroy enemy tunnel complexes and bunkers, mine sweeping
teams, and road building teams to keep vital roads open and built fire support
bases. During this same time period the Engineers provided the only Flame-thrower APC unit in the III and IV corps area.
The HHC "Flame Platoon" would travel from unit to unit, Division to division providing support to
even other countries in Vietnam. The "Flame Platoon" also assisted other branch of the military with
Flame support to include the Mobile Riverine Force{ see other article on this site}.
The major operations of the 9th Division and the associated
elements of the 15th Engineers are:
DATES
OPERATION
15TH UNITS 31
Oct 66 20 Nov 66
Attleboro
E Co.
20 Nov66 30 Dec 66 Cedar Falls
E Co.
30
Nov 66 30 Apr 67
Fairfax
A, C, D, E Co.
29 Dec 66 4 Jan 67
Canar
E Co.
9 Jan 67 19 Jan 67 Silver Lake
HHC, B, C Co.
20 Jan 67 28 Jan 67
Coley
HHC, A, C, E Co.
28 Jan 67 31 May 67
Iola
HHC, A, C, E Co.
Page 3
15th Combat Engineer History, 1969
DATES
OPERATION
15th Units
1 Feb 67 15 Feb 67
Palm Beach
HHC, D Co.
6 Feb 67 24 Feb 67
Big Spring
A, B Co.
16 Feb 67 30 Apr 67
Greenleaf
HHC, B, C Co.
23 Feb
67 10 Mar 68
Enterprise
HHC, B, C Co.
25 Feb 67 3 Mar 67
Chapman
B, C Co.
3 Mar 67 29 Mar67
Pittsburgh
HHC, A, E Co.
3 Apr 67 15 Apr 67
Junction City
HHC, A, E Co.
18 Apr
67 20 May 67
Port Sea II
HHC, A Co.
19 Apr 67 15 Feb 68
Manhattan
A Co.
8 May 67 14 May 67
Kittyhawk
E Co.
1 Jun 67 Present
Nirvana
A Co.
1 Jun 67 Present
Hoptac
D Co.
9 Jun 67 Present
Coronado
HHC, D Co.
9 Jun 67 Present
Akron
HHC, A, B, E Co.
13 Jun 67 16 Aug 67
Great Bend
D, E Co.
3 Jul 67 9 Apr 67
Riley
HHC, A, B, E Co.
10 Jul 67 27 Jul 67
Paddington
HHC, A, B Co.
21 Jul 67 3 Aug 67
Emporia
All Page
4 15th
Combat Engineer History, 1969
DATES
OPERATION
15th Units
20 Oct 67 7 Apr 68
Narasuan
HHC, A Co.
3 Nov 67 5 Jan 68
Santa Fe
HHC, A B, E Co.
16 Nov
67 18 Nov 67
Kien Giang
C Co.
7 Mar 68 3 Aug 68
Peoples Road
HHC, A, B, C Co.
11 Mar 68 7 Apr 68
Quyet Thang
A, C, D Co.
17 Mar
68 22 May 68
Peoples Road I
HHC, A, B, C Co.
8 Apr 68 Present
Toan Thang I,II,III A,
B, C, D, E Co.
1 May 68 20 Nov 68
Kudzu
HHC, A, B, D Co.
29 Nov 68 1 Apr 69
Speedy Express
HHC, A, B, D, E
The
first year in Vietnam was a bountiful one for the Reliable Engineers,
with 850,000 man-hours logged during this period. The men built eleven
permanent base camps, two airfields, 40 fixed bridges, numerous fire support
bases and landing zones. An immeasurable contribution was made to the
Vietmanese Pacification/Civic Action program with approximately 4,000
civilians treated in MEDCAP operations. Footbridges, playgrounds and roads
were also constructed in an effort to win the hearts of the people.
From
March through August 1968, the 15th was primarily engaged in
Operation Peoples Road, an operation undertaken by Divisional units and, in
particular the 15th Engineers, shortly after the 1968 Tet
Offensive. Operation Peoples Road consisted of the upgrading, repair and
maintenance of Highway QL4 west from My Tho to Cai Lay including some lesser
access routes. This valuable stretch of over 30 kilometers of road was the
main supply route between the fertile rice paddies of the Mekong Delta and
Saigon. The Viet Cong had been successful in disrupting the flow produce and
people by blocking, mining and cratering the Delta roads and with ambushes
along those roads. Page
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15th Combat Engineer History, 1969
Through
the efforts of the 15th Engineer Battalion, principally Companies A
and B, and with the coordinated effort of the ARVN (Army of the Republic of
Vietnam) and other non-divisional engineers, these roads were mine swept,
cleared and repaired on a daily basis. In addition, the roads were shaped and
resurfaced to handle heavier traffic. Valuable civic action was also made
possible as a result of military operations in this area and the ARVN
engineers as well as the local RF/PF (Regional Forces/Popular Forces), better
known as Rough Puff, acquired important training and experience in dealing
with VC interdictions. The 15th Engineer Battalion also built
several fire support bases and outposts in conjunction with this operation.
Of all
the operations undertaken since being deployed to Vietnam, undoubtedly the
most extensive has been the development of the Dong Tam base camp, the final
base camp used as Division headquarters in Vietnam. Begun in January 1967,
work continued through 1968 utilizing the expertise of the 15th
Engineers and two other non-divisional engineer units.
The
fourth largest dredge in the world, the Jamaica Bay, was brought to Dong Tam
and anchored in the My Tho tributary of the Mekong River. It was placed, in
1967, only a few hundred meters from the 3rd Brigade Dong Tam base
camp of concertina wire and tents. The 15th coupled huge sections
of pipe together so the dredge could begin its task of pumping sand into the
area behind the small 3rd Brigade camp. The sand was pumped into
the area north of the current base camp and left to dry, forming the area that
would eventually be the home of the 9th Infantry Division.
Disaster
struck on 10 January 1968 when a saboteur climbed along the pipeline and
eventually place a satchel charge on the Jamaica Bay. The resulting explosion
sent the vessel to the bottom of the river and halted the work on the new base
camp. In March two dredges, the Hung Dai from Korea and the New Jersey from
the United States arrived to continue preparing Dong Tam.
Dong
Tam, for a time referred to as tent city, gradually became the home of
the 9th Infantry Division. With additional elements arriving as the
base camp was extended, the move was nearly complete with the arrival of Page
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15th Combat Engineer History, 1969
Division
Headquarters in August 1968. E Company, 15th Engineers was one of
the last units to arrive, having stayed behind at Camp Martin Cox as a rear
detachment and using its five ton bridge trucks for hauling equipment for
some of the other battalions.
During
the 1968 wet season, generally from May through November, the main Engineer
effort was directed towards the following: Maintaining passable roads, keeping
water from inundating fire support bases and completing the base camp at Dong
Tam.
Once
the wet season started to ease, the 15th started opening roads,
which had become inaccessible during the wet season. Some were opened easily
but for the majority, the Viet Cong made us earn each mile. Access to more
roads gave all units of the 9th ID quicker land access to all areas
of the Delta and aided in the rapid Vietnamese resettlement of the Delta.
Earthen
work was the prime means of building fire support bases. As the rice paddies
dried and the water level lowered, fill was bull dozed into base camps and
fire support bases. Berms of earth were built high enough to limit small arms,
RPG and B40 rounds from entering the bases. Earthen pads for artillery,
heli-pads, bunkers and interior roads had to be built and stabilized. Living
quarters (okay, they werent THAT great), bunkers and permanent fighting
positions had to be constructed. Accommodations were provided for the 2nd
Brigade as they left the ships positioned in the My Tho segment of the Mekong
River.
During
the 1969 dry season, the 15th Engineer Battalion constructed seven
fire support bases, repaired four bridges, cleared 2050 acres of jungle and
repaired 88 kilometers of previously impassible roads. This was in addition to
providing combat support for the infantry brigades. That support was comprised
of detecting mines and booby traps, destroying enemy bunkers and arms caches.
Several
new concepts were introduced through an engineer airmobile effort. Personnel
bunkers and guard towers were built in relatively secure areas and transported
by helicopter to new fire support bases thereby providing timely security to
those bases. Similarly, bridges were constructed and quickly moved into areas
that were inaccessible to heavy vehicles. Page
7
15th Combat Engineer History, 1969 On of
many the important tasks performed on a year round basis was the daily mine
sweep conducted to, and along, Highway QL4, TL22, TL212 east and west, TL210
and TL175. Using hand held mine detectors, each morning those roads were swept
for mines and booby traps.
The
history of the 15th Engineers has been one of continued support of
the 9th Infantry Division brigades from World War I, World War II,
Vietnam and beyond. A legacy of devotion to duty and bravery is a product of
the past and a serves as a direction for the future. What more needs to be
said, we are Reliable. And we were.
Page
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15th Combat Engineer History, 1969
15TH
COMBAT ENGINEER BATTALION SUCCESSION
OF COMMAND VIETNAM
ERA
LTC C. R. Supplee
23 Apr 66 6 Aug 66
LTC William E. Read
6 Aug 66 30 Sep 67
LTC Thomas C. Loper
30 Sep 67 25 Aug 68
LTC Guy E. Jester
25 Aug 68 Present
CAMPAIGN
PARTICIPATION CREDIT
World
War I St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne
World War II Algeria-French Morocco, Tunisia, Sicily,
Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Central Europe, Ardennes-Alsace
DECORATIONS:
World War II
Distinguished Unit
Citation, Streamer embroidered SIEGFRIED LINE
Belgian Fourragere: Cited
in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action at the MEUSE River Cited
in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in the ARDENNES
Company B
entitled: Presidential Unit
Citation,
Streamer embroidered REMAGEN BRIDGEHEAD
Page
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15th
Combat Engineer History, 1969
DECORATIONS:
VIETNAM
Vietnamese
Cross-of Gallantry, with Palm,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1966 1968
Dates: 1 Dec '66 - 30 Jun '68
Vietnamese
Cross-of Gallantry, with Palm,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969
Dates: Jan - Jun '69
Vietnamese Civil
Action Honor Medal, First Class,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1966 1969
Dates: 19 Dec '66 - 28 Jun '69
Company A
entitled:
Presidential Unit Citation, Steamer embroidered
DINH TUONG PROVINCE
Dates: 7 Mar - 22 Jun '68
Company C
entitled:
Vietnamese Cross-of Gallantry, with Palm,
Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1968
Dates: 1 Jul - 13 Nov '68
Transcribed and
adjusted, 3/22/00 by: Lt. Richard T. Coogan,
15th Engineer Battalion - Companies A, B and C (Sep '68 - Aug '69)
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