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Pritzker Military Museum & Library to Celebrate Black History Month with Free Virtual Programs and Resources

Saturday, February 11th, 2023

Acclaimed authors, family program, and oral histories highlight month-long celebration

CHICAGO (February 10, 2023) – In celebration of Black History Month, the Pritzker Military Museum & Library (PMML) will host free virtual events exploring the history of African Americans in the military. Programs include an author discussion: “Half American: The Epic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad,” a webinar: “Double Victory: WWII and Civil Rights,” a family program: “Fearless Readers Virtual Author Talk: The United States V. Jackie Robinson,” and oral history recordings from five African American service members.

On Wednesday, Feb. 8, at 11 a.m., join the PMML and Matthew Delmont, civil rights expert and Dartmouth history professor, for a virtual conversation and discussion of his new book, Half American: The Epic Story of African Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad, detailing the stories of many African Americans including, Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., Ella Baker, Thurgood Marshall, and James Thompson. Register for the discussion here.

On Thursday, Feb. 9, at 1 p.m., join the “Double Victory: WWII and Civil Rights” webinar discussion with Al Wheat, Director of Education for the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. The webinar will illumite how World War II showed many Black Americans that they were fighting for freedoms they did not have themselves at home, lighting a fire that would ignite into the modern Civil Rights Movement.” Register for the webinar here.

On Wednesday, Feb. 22, at 11 a.m., join the PMML for its first-ever Fearless Readers Virtual Author Talk. Award-winning children’s book author Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen will give viewers a virtual picture book reading of The United States V. Jackie Robinson followed by a book discussion. Families will learn about Jackie Robinson who is best known as the first African American to play in Major League Baseball. Before his baseball career, he stood up against racism and segregation in the U.S. Army – and was taken to court because of it. Register for this virtual conversation here.

In addition, the PMML’s Holt Oral History Program will highlight five African American service members throughout the month. The Holt Oral History Program is dedicated to conserving the unique stories of service of the Citizen Soldiers. February’s highlighted histories feature the stories of Dr. Mary Roberson, a U.S. Navy 3rd Class Petty Officer and service supervisor of Lake County Veterans and Family Services Foundation; Corporal William Cook, a U.S. marine who enlisted with the goal of equality through his military service during the struggle of Civil Rights; Timuel Black, activist, historian, WWII army veteran; John Perry Jr., a Korean War military veteran; and Diana Ramsey, 1st Lieutenant, a Vietnam War army corps nurse.

“While the Pritzker Military Museum & Library will continue our journey to present all areas of American history throughout the entire year, we are pleased to be hosting a concentration of programs highlighting the African American military experience during Black History Month,” said Pritzker Military Museum & Library President, Dr. Krewasky A. Salter. “These programs are designed to enlighten us about the military contributions and sacrifices African American men and women made while serving our great nation. These programs will also examine some of the challenges these American men and women faced. We also encourage all to listen to the stories of our five highlighted veterans from the PMML’s Holt Oral History Program, read some of our recommended books and attend our free virtual events.”

To learn more about the Museum & Library’s vitual Black History Month programs, oral histories, and African American book recommendations, visit the PMML’s website.

Posted in History, Press Release | Comments Off on Pritzker Military Museum & Library to Celebrate Black History Month with Free Virtual Programs and Resources

Indomitable Valor: Special Forces Heroism During Tet Offensive

Wednesday, February 8th, 2023

FORT BRAGG, N.C. – Fifty-five years ago, on Jan. 30-31, 1968, the North Vietnamese Army, in conjunction with their Viet Cong allies, launched an ambitious country-wide offensive in South Vietnam. Hoping to break the will of the South Vietnamese military and stimulate a popular uprising against the pro-American South Vietnamese government, they committed more than 80,000 troops to the initial wave of attacks. Timed to begin during the Tet Mau Than holiday, which marked the start of the lunar new year, the offensive soon took on the abbreviated name of that holiday: Tet. Four Green Berets from the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) demonstrated exceptional valor during a five-week period in early 1968, immediately preceding and during the Tet Offensive.

U.S. Army Special Forces and the Escalation in Vietnam

The U.S. Army’s advisory role in South Vietnam began in the late 1950s with the deployment of Mobile Training Teams, including some drawn from the Army’s nascent Special Forces units. The advisory mission accelerated in the early 1960s due to U.S. President John F. Kennedy’s preferred counterinsurgency strategy, which leaned heavily on Army Special Warfare, particularly Special Forces. This strategy emphasized building the capacity of South Vietnam’s Armed Forces and other indigenous partners, securing the populace, and defeating the Viet Cong, the main Communist insurgent force. Special Forces was tailor-made for such missions.

In early 1965, the U.S. deployed its first conventional combat troops to Vietnam. Rather than advising, their mission was to decisively engage and defeat both the Viet Cong and the NVA operating in South Vietnam. Special Forces continued to play an important role and, although their numbers continued to grow, their overall share of the war effort decreased as conventional troop levels rose dramatically between 1965 and 1968.

More boots on the ground, coupled with more aggressive tactics, brought an increase in U.S. casualties. Still, Gen. William C. Westmoreland, the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam commander, entered 1968 hopeful about the progress of the war. President Lyndon B. Johnson shared Westmoreland’s optimism. Both men anticipated a successful conclusion to the war, despite increased casualties and a burgeoning anti-war movement at home.

The North Vietnamese were also optimistic, believing that their planned offensive would turn the tide of the war decisively in their favor. Throughout January 1968, the NVA and Viet Cong maneuvered into their positions. To distract U.S. and South Vietnamese forces, the Communists conducted diversionary attacks in the weeks leading up to the Tet holiday. One such attack took place east of the village of Thong Binh, South Vietnam, on Jan. 16, 1968.

Sgt. Gordon D. Yntema

U.S. Army Sgt. Gordon D. Yntema was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on Dec. 2, 1969, for valorous actions near Thong Binh, South Vietnam, Jan. 16-18, 1968. He was assigned to Detachment A-431, Company D, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), at the time of his death. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)

During the ensuing battle, Sgt. Gordon D. Yntema accompanied two platoons of civilian irregulars to a blocking position east of the village of Thong Binh, where they were attacked by a much larger force of Viet Cong. Yntema assumed control of the element after its commander was seriously wounded and led a tenacious defense despite overwhelming odds. Out of ammunition and reduced to using his rifle as a club, he held his ground until succumbing to enemy fire.

Staff Sgt. Drew D. Dix

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Drew D. Dix, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), was awarded the Medal of Honor on Jan. 16, 1969, for valorous actions in Chau Phu, South Vietnam, during opening days of the Tet Offensive (Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 1968). Dix later received a direct commission and retired from the U.S. Army in 1982, having attained the rank of major. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)

Two weeks later, on the morning of January 30, communist forces attacked eight major South Vietnamese cities. The next day, fighting erupted almost everywhere across South Vietnam as the communists attacked more than 60 towns, 36 provincial capitals, and five of South Vietnam’s autonomous cities, including the capital city, Saigon. Chau City, capital of Chau Doc Province, was attacked by two Viet Cong battalions. Staff Sgt. Drew D. Dix, along with the South Vietnamese patrol he was advising, were called on to assist in the defense of beleaguered city.

Dix organized and led two separate relief forces that successfully rescued a total of nine trapped civilians. He subsequently assaulted an enemy-held building, killing six Viet Cong and rescuing two Filipinos. The following day, he assembled a 20-man force and cleared the Viet Cong out of a hotel, theater, and other adjacent buildings within the city. In the process, he captured 20 prisoners, including a high-ranking Viet Cong official. He then cleared enemy troops from the Deputy Province Chief’s residence, rescuing that official’s wife and children in the process.

Sgt. 1st Class Eugene Ashley, Jr.

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Eugene Ashley, Jr., was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on Nov. 18, 1969, for valorous actions near Lang Vei, South Vietnam, Feb. 6-7, 1968. He was assigned to Detachment A-101, Company C, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at the time of his death. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)

A week later, on the evening of Feb. 6, the NVA launched a surprise attack on the Special Forces camp at Lang Vei, in the northwest corner of South Vietnam. With the camp’s surviving Special Forces advisors trapped in a bunker, Sgt. 1st Class Eugene Ashley, Jr., organized a rescue effort, consisting mainly of friendly Laotians.

Ashley led his ad hoc assault force on a total of five assaults against the enemy, continuously exposing himself to withering small arms fire, which left him seriously wounded. During his fifth and final assault, he adjusted airstrikes nearly on top of his assault element, forcing the enemy to withdraw and resulting in friendly control of the summit of the hill. Following this assault, he lost consciousness and was carried from the summit by his comrades, only to suffer a fatal wound from an enemy artillery round. Ashley’s valiant efforts, at the cost of his own life, made it possible for the survivors of Camp Lang Vei to eventually escape to freedom.

Staff Sgt. Fred W. Zabitosky

U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Fred Zabitosky, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), was awarded the Medal of Honor on March 7, 1969, for valorous actions east of Attopeu, Laos, on Feb. 19, 1968. He retired from the U.S. Army in 1977, having attained the rank of master sergeant. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)

Later that month, on Feb. 19, Staff Sgt. Fred W. Zabitosky was part of a nine-man Special Forces long-range reconnaissance patrol operating deep within enemy controlled territory in Laos when his team was attacked by a numerically superior NVA force. Zabitosky rallied his team members and deployed them into defensive positions. When that position became untenable, he called for helicopter extraction. He organized a defensive perimeter and directed fire until the rescue helicopters arrived. He then continued to engage the enemy from the helicopter’s door as it took off, but the aircraft was soon disabled by enemy fire.

Zabitosky was thrown from the helicopter as it spun out of control and crashed. Recovering consciousness, he moved to the flaming wreckage and rescued the severely wounded pilot. Despite his own serious burns and crushed ribs, he carried and dragged the unconscious pilot through a curtain of enemy fire before collapsing within ten feet of a hovering rescue helicopter. Zabitosky would become the fourth Green Beret to receive the Medal of Honor for actions during the Tet Offensive period, joining Yntema, Dix, and Ashley.

These four Special Forces heroes were in good company. The mettle of the U.S. forces in Vietnam was severely tested during the opening months of 1968 in places such as Hue, Saigon, Lang Vei, Dak To, Quang Tri, and Khe Sahn. At every turn, the men and women of the U.S. military rose to the occasion, demonstrating indomitable valor and dealing the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong a crushing defeat. Combined, the Communist forces lost an estimated 72,455 soldiers between January and March 1968, compared with 15,715 allied dead, of which 4,869 were Americans.

A Turning Point: The Impact of the Tet Offensive

The ferocity of the Tet Offensive, and the resulting increase in U.S. casualties, alarmed both U.S. government officials and the American people. It also discredited the claims of progress from both military and political leadership. Anti-war protests intensified as more and more Americans came to share the assessment of popular news anchor Walter Cronkite that the war in Vietnam was unwinnable. President Johnson terminated his reelection campaign. The fighting continued under his successor, Richard M. Nixon, who adopted a strategy of “Vietnamization,” characterized by a gradual transfer of responsibility to South Vietnamese forces and a phased drawdown of U.S. troops.

On Jan. 27, 1973, nearly five years to the day after the start of the Tet Offensive, the United States, North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and the Viet Cong signed the Paris Peace Accords. The long U.S. combat mission in Vietnam ended two months later, on March 29, 1973. North Vietnam later resumed offensive operations, eventually capturing Saigon on April 30, 1975, thereby ending the war and uniting Vietnam under Communist rule.

Twenty-two Green Berets earned the nation’s highest award for valor for service in Vietnam, eight of them posthumously. In the 50 years since, time has not dimmed, nor will it ever dim, the glory of their deeds. Their valorous actions, often at the cost of their own lives, continue to inspire U.S. Army Special Operations Forces soldiers, the U.S. Army, and the nation.

For more information, visit www.arsof-history.org/medal_of_honor/index.

By Christopher E. Howard, USASOC History Office

Army Editor’s note: The article contributes background to the U.S. Army Center of Military History’s pamphlet referencing the U.S. Army Campaigns of the Vietnam War series, Turning Point, 1967–1968, by Adrian G. Trass.

About the author: Christopher E. Howard served four years in the U.S. Army as a psychological operations specialist before earning an M.A. in History from Appalachian State University. He joined the USASOC History Office as a staff historian in June 2018.

Posted in Army, Guest Post, History, SOF | 3 Comments »

Army’s First Female Deep-Sea Diver Reflects on Career

Sunday, February 5th, 2023

FORT LEE, Va. — Andrea Motley Crabtree’s career can be lauded as a ground-breaking triumph.

Or, it could be noted as a tragic tale of lingering misery, a grim reminder such achievements often come with human tolls.

Crabtree is the Army’s first female deep-sea diver and the first African American female deep-sea diver in any branch of service.

The retired Army master sergeant was the guest speaker at the Martin Luther King Jr. observance Jan. 19 at the Lee Theater. She spoke in front of a few hundred people, including CASCOM and Fort Lee commanding general Maj. Gen. Mark T. Simerly, whom she has known 30 years.

During the speech, the 64-year-old laid bare her fight to pursue what she loved, the forces that undermined her ambitions and the deep, invisible wounds she suffered as a result.

Crabtree said she knew the journey to earning the Army Diver Badge would be fraught with difficulty — a classmate said she “belonged in the kitchen barefoot and pregnant” — but even she could not anticipate the malevolence exhibited by some classmates because she was black and female.

“I expected to go through a lot of hazing when I went through dive school and I did,” she recalled, “and I actually agree with the process. Once that diver badge is pinned on, any diver that sees that pin knows exactly what I went through and what I’m capable of, and I knew the same of them … If they were wearing that pin, I knew they knew what they were doing. That should have been enough. That should tell it all. For me, it never stopped. I had to prove myself over and over and over again every day.”

The Westchester, N.Y., native was the only Black person and the only woman among eight Soldiers and more than 20 others on day one of her 1982 class at the U.S. Navy Deep Sea Diving and Salvage School at Panama Beach, Florida. The three-month program of instruction awarded the Corps of Engineers’ military occupational specialty 00B to Soldiers, who go on to use their training to support underwater maintenance and construction projects amongst other missions.

To graduate, students were required to pass a health and fitness assessment that disqualified many. Other course challenges included requirements to rise from a seated position wearing the 198-pound Mark V deep sea dive suit, walking to a ladder, descending into the water and climbing back up. In the end, Crabtree was one of only two Soldiers and nine Sailors to earn the coveted diver badge.

Although Crabtree had accomplished what no female Soldier had in the predominately white, male career field, there would be no confetti drop. It became clear from her first assignment at Fort Belvoir.

“There were only about 39 divers total in the Unites States Army diving field at that time — all male — and the majority of them were not thrilled to have me,” she said.

Soldiers’ expressions of disapproval included pranks such as turning Crabtree’s air off underwater; placing a dead snake in the freezer; walking around naked following physical training; and “assigning me with what they thought were impossible tasks to complete,” she said.

Nevertheless, Crabtree dove head-first into her duties because the rewards were much greater than the efforts to stop her.

“For the most part, I could put up with it because I was a diver, I was diving, I was doing what I loved and I was learning,” said the Soldier of 21 years and mother of three adult sons. “I was learning to become a better diver. I loved what I was doing.”

Seeing she might rankle the dive community’s elitist culture, Crabtree said she was shipped off to South Korea after about eight months at Fort Belvoir. There loomed one Sgt. 1st Class James P. “Frenchy” Leveille, a renowned master diver who had enough juice to squeeze Crabtree out of the career field. He introduced himself to her via a boisterous, blustering tirade on who was in charge and how things would be run.

“He told me I was no different than any other diver, and if I couldn’t pull my weight, he’d be getting rid of me,” Crabtree recalled. “He went on and on and on and on.”

Leveille defied what many thought was his role in pushing Crabtree out of the career field, she said. Instead, he turned out to be no more or less than a hard-but-fair Soldier who took care of his troops no matter what and who was ready to challenge anyone questioning his leadership.

“He told all the divers that he would decide who dove, when they dove and who they would dive with, and anybody who wouldn’t dive with me wouldn’t dive at all and would be taken off of dive duty,” she added.

Leveille, now 75, said he staked his career on fairness and was not ignorant to Crabtree’s circumstance.

“As far as I was concerned, she was going to get the same treatment and same opportunity as everybody else,” said retired the sergeant major, “and she did very well for herself. She was a good diver, and she was a good Soldier. That’s the way I rated her.”

Leveille’s directive to his troops was clear — he called the shots and nothing was going to happen to Crabtree or anyone else unless he approved. He stood firm on what was right in the face of tense dissent, and the troops eventually fell in line, said Crabtree.

“It was only due to the respect they had for him, that they did as they were told,” she said. “Command climate is everything. It trickles down. No one was going to go against Frenchy.”

Crabtree, who remains friends with Leveille, said she grew under his leadership, learning more about diving than in dive school. Her proficiency eventually became a threat to earning diving’s most coveted honor. In the eyes of diving’s leadership at the time, it was one thing to be a female diver, but it was downright blasphemous for one to sport the Master Diver Badge, said Crabtree.

“I’m not trying to be conceited,” she said, “but I was a good diver. And the senior leadership knew it. They knew if I was allowed to continue, I would’ve made master diver. And they would be damned if that was going to happen on their watch.”

Crabtree at some point concluded leaders bet against her becoming a diver in the first place. When she questioned why she was accommodated prior to training and not so much during the course and afterward, one officer concluded, “We didn’t think you’d make it.”

Crabtree withstood powerful gales of hostility in doing so, but destructive storms were brewing on the horizon. Her orders for advanced schooling in California following the Korea assignment were cancelled; her 300-point Army Physical Fitness Tests were rescored as a male’s; and she later received notice her MOS would be closed to women due to changes in policy.

Deciding some of the actions directed against her were discriminatory, Crabtree filed complaints with her chain of command, the post inspector general, the specialized training branch sergeant major and the Department of the Army inspector general.

“They all wouldn’t help me,” she recalled. “They all said there was nothing they could do. I told my command they had won and requested to be relieved from dive duty. I’ve been angry every day since then.”

That was 1985. Crabtree finished out her career as a signal Soldier. Over the course of leaving dive duty, her indignation has grown into debilitating discontent, consuming every corner of her consciousness.

“That anger has taken its toll on every aspect of my life — on my marriage, my children. It’s affected my finances and, most of all, it’s affected my mental health,” she said.

Crabtree, who was accompanied by her service dog Buddy during the speech, said she could accept people resisting her for breaking new ground but has had difficulty reconciling why she was ill-treated.

“It didn’t bother me when I was the only woman; it didn’t bother me when I was the only Black,” she said. “What bothered me was the way they treated me because I am a Black woman.

“I know what it feels like to be hated because I’m a woman,” continued Crabtree, “and I know what it feels like to be hated because of my race. Yes, I’m sure a lot has changed for the good in the last 25 years, but many of the same issues are still hanging around as well as plenty of new issues that are not being addressed properly …”

Crabtree said a strong, values-driven command climate is a potent antidote for building foundations that are supportive of Soldiers.

“Soldiers will follow without question the leaders who take care of them,” she said to the audience. “Be a good leader. Take care of your Soldiers, and they will take care of you.”

Now living in the Augusta, Georgia area, Crabtree said she has spent considerable time trying to heal as a result of what she experienced in the Army. Engagements such as the Fort Lee MLK event at which she spoke have helped.

After the speech, Crabtree spoke with Soldiers and many were thankful she shared her story. One interaction with an officer was notable and even haunting because it proved to be powerfully restorative, if only in a small way.

“I get a little choked up when I think about it,” said Crabtree later of her exchange with a senior Soldier who had no hand in her ordeal. “He handed me a coin, took off his Sapper Badge (Tab) and apologized for the engineers. He’s an engineer officer. It’s the first apology I received from anybody associated with the Engineer Corps or the military. It’s really had an effect on me.”

The effect of offering glimmers of hope in an otherwise tragic tale of lingering misery.

By Terrance Bell

Army Editor’s note: In the U.S. Army today, males and females can sign up for the dive MOS — re-designated 12B — as well as many others that were only open to males when Crabtree enlisted. They include those in infantry, armor, field artillery and special forces. The U.S. Army also has initiated numerous efforts to ensure all Soldiers are treated with dignity and respect.

Posted in Army, For the Ladies, Guest Post, History, Maritime | 7 Comments »

Serve and Succeed: The Story of Black Quartermasters in WWII

Saturday, February 4th, 2023

By Joe Reagan, Director of Military and Veterans Outreach at Wreaths Across America

At the entrance to the U.S. Army Infantry Museum, located in Ft. Moore, GA, (formerly Ft. Benning), visitors begin their journey by walking up a 100-yard ramp that shows the history of the U.S. Army Infantry. It is a symbolic representation of what is ingrained in every infantry soldier – you can have all the tanks, artillery, planes, trucks, and anything else in the world, but in battle the last 100 yards requires a soldier with a gun – the last 100 yards will always belong to the Infantry.

This mindset inspires great pride in Infantry Soldiers, and inspires the admiration of historians, filmmakers, and civilians alike – often lost is the story of those troops who comprise supply lines that often begin in the U.S. and extend thousands of miles to ensure that the infantry has everything it needs to fight their way across that last 100 yards. By some estimates standing behind each infantry soldier are six support soldiers – they are the lifeline and unsung heroes whose efforts are often overlooked. This was especially true in World War II.

World War II saw an increased level of mechanization – no longer did an army run solely on its stomach, fuel and spare parts were needed to keep the machines of war moving and that meant a supply chain extending back to industrial hubs in the United States. When comparing the success of campaigns like D-Day to failures like the German invasion of Russian in 1941 – it was logistics that determined success or failure – even the most tactically proficient army can’t win if it doesn’t have supplies. This required support soldiers to be better trained, and the U.S. Army needed more of them.

Nearly one million black men served in WWII, over 80 percent of them were assigned to logistics and service units, in fact by 1944 almost all black soldiers were assigned to these units. They were responsible for building bridges, roads, and runways, they moved beans, bullets, fuel, and the fallen – their efforts were critical to the allied success and were the embodiment of the modern military saying, “armatures study tactics, professionals study logistics.” To be historically accurate, all black units such as the 92nd and 93rd infantry divisions, the 861 Tank Battalion, and the Tuskegee Airman have impressive and well documented success in combat – the story of black quartermasters is important because it not only embodies the courage and valor of these Americans but demonstrates their ingenuity and how their service led to success on the battlefield and when they came home.

In Europe, allied preparations for the D-Day invasion required a massive movement of supplies, ships would have to be quickly unloaded to make room for the next load – this job fell to the quartermaster corps whose dockhands were primarily black GI’s. In prior conflicts much of this unloading would have been done by hand – a menial task – given the size of the loads, often exceeding 30 tons, it required skilled crane operators who worked non-stop during the 18-month build up to D-Day. In the final hours before the invasion these skilled operators would transfer loads directly from the supply ships to the invasion crafts.

Once the foothold was established in Normandy, the quartermasters were in a race to ensure the front-line troops they needed to continue to push the Nazi’s back. By July of 1944, allied troops were moving east at a rate of nearly 80 miles a week. With sea and rail infrastructure badly damaged – Normandy remained the sole point of entry for supplies entering the European theatre. Allied commanders were determined to prevent a lack of supplies from stopping the advances on the front lines, so they devised an ambitious plan that became known as the Red Ball Express. Nearly 75 percent of the drivers who made up this critical and constantly expanding supply line were black and not all of them were trained to drive trucks, never mind drive trucks filled with ammunition, at night, without headlights working in teams of two to complete the 54-hour round-trip journey. They succeeded in delivering roughly 12,000 tons of supplies per day – for 82 consecutive days.

The quartermasters played a huge role in the Pacific as well. While we typically think about the island-hopping campaign in the Pacific, crucial to the success of these missions was the work of our Chinese allies under Chiang Kai-shek. The Ledo Road, like the Red Ball Express, was a critical supply route connecting U.S. bases in India with allied forces in China – without these supplies Chinese forces likely would have been defeated allowing Japan to focus all its efforts on the Pacific. The building and maintenance of the Ledo Road was overseen primarily by these units. The roughly 1,000-mile road cut through many obstacles including Japanese snipers, dense jungles and of course the southern Himalayan Mountains. Running the route was treacherous, challenging even experienced drivers. Keeping the road open was an equally daunting task that fell on engineering units who would operate bulldozers and other specialized equipment in torrential rain to clear blocked portions of the road or reconstruct parts that washed out.

The legacy of black quartermasters in World War II is one of Service and Success. GI’s who quickly learned how to become skilled crane operators working non-stop to ensure the D-Day invasion had all the supplies needed to succeed. They became expert truck drivers and tirelessly kept the flow of supplies moving to the front during the Red Ball Express. They were engineers and drivers who crossed the Himalayan Mountains to ensure allied forces could keep pressure on the Japanese to allow U.S. forces to succeed in the Pacific. These quartermasters answered the call to serve, while in uniform they succeeded in quickly learning new skills, adapting to challenges, and committing themselves to mission success. After the war their service left an enduring legacy on our military. An after-action review of the war found that the contributions of black soldiers was instrumental to the success of the war effort. The report went on to recommend creating a desegregated force that was fully reflective of American society.

After the war these quartermasters continued to serve and succeed. Men like Medgar Evers, who was a driver on the Red Ball Express, saw what could happen when Americans worked together during the war. He returned home and became a highly influential part of the Civil Rights movement. Others like Harry Bellefonte who dropped out of high school to enlist in the Navy, while not part of the quartermaster corps he served as a crane operator loading and unloading ships. After the war Bellefonte used his GI bill to pay for acting classes in New York. He would find tremendous success on stage. Charity Adams, one of the first black female officers in the military who served in the Quartermaster Corps, continued to serve using her GI bill to earn a degree in psychology and then working at the Veterans Administration. This year the home of the Quartermaster Corps in southern Virginia will be renamed Ft. Gregg-Adams a fitting tribute to the legacy of service and success of the black soldiers who served in World War II.

“What we can learn About World War II From Black Quartermasters?”; Douglas Bristol, Jr.; Aug. 27, 2021; World War 2 Museum.

“Army veteran Medgar Wiley Evers a Foot Soldier in Struggle for Justice”; T. Anthony Bell; Feb. 25, 2020.

“King of Calypso, Harry Belafonte Was WWII Sailor”; David Vergun, DOD News; Feb. 2, 2022.

To Learn more goto www.wreathsacrossamerica.org

Joseph Reagan is the Director of Military and Veterans Outreach for Wreaths Across America. He has almost 20 years’ experience working with leaders within Government, non-profit, and Fortune 500 companies to develop sustainable strategies supporting National Security, and Veterans Health. He served 8 years on active duty as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army including two tours to Afghanistan with the 10th Mountain Division. He is the recipient of multiple awards and decorations including the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, and the Ranger Tab. He is a graduate of Norwich University, the oldest private military college in the country.

Posted in Army, History | 1 Comment »

Retired U.S. Army Sergeant Major Paved Way for EOD Technicians in Elite Special Forces Unit

Sunday, January 22nd, 2023

SOUTH FORK, Colo. – If you have spent much time on military-related social media platforms, you’ve probably seen some of the memes featuring a seasoned U.S. Army sergeant major with a Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge and Combat Infantry Badge.

The Army EOD technician behind those memes is retired U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Mike R. Vining, one of the founding members of the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (Airborne) and one of the unit’s first EOD technicians.

The reason his Army career has gained so much attention is because Vining has participated in many of the American military operations that defined the latter part of the 20th century, as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician and an elite Special Forces Operator.

Growing up in Howard City, Michigan, Vining was interested in science and mountain climbing. He received chemistry sets for Christmas every year and earned the Grand Prize in a High School Science Fair for a Wilson Cloud Chamber. Vining was also a member of the Science Club and Chess Club and participated in wrestling and track.

Vining then watched a movie that changed the trajectory of his life.

“I saw a World War II movie about a British soldier disarming a large German bomb in an underground chamber in London, England,” said Vining. “I thought, wow, that must take a lot to disarm a large ticking bomb.”

At 17, not long after the Tet Offensive in the Vietnam War, Vining went to an Army recruiting office and signed up to be an Ammunition Renovation Specialist with the plan of volunteering for EOD as soon as possible. After graduating from basic training camp at Fort Knox, Kentucky, he went to Ammunition Renovation School on Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, where he learned how to destroy unserviceable Code H ammunition during a course that was taught by EOD technicians.

He attended EOD training on Fort McClellan, Alabama, and Indian Head, Maryland, and graduated in May 1969.

While serving with the Technical Escort Unit at Edgewood Arsenal, Maryland, he volunteered to serve in Vietnam and he spent 11 months with the 99th Ordnance Detachment (EOD) in Phuoc Vinh, Vietnam, in an area west of Saigon and near the Cambodia border.

Two of the most memorable EOD operations of his career happened in 1970 when he participated in the destruction of the Rock Island East and Warehouse Hill enemy weapons and ammunition caches in Cambodia.

Vining was part of the seven-man Army EOD team that supported the 1st Cavalry Division mission to secure and destroy the largest weapons and ammunition cache discovered during the U.S. military’s involvement in the Vietnam War.

Named “Rock Island East” after the Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois, the enemy weapons cache had 932 individual weapons and 85 crew-served weapons as well as 7,079,694 small arms and machine gun rounds. The enemy cache also contained almost a thousand rounds of 85mm artillery shells that were used for the D-44 howitzer and the T-34 tank.

Vining and the EOD techs had to dodge enemy fire and endure biting red ants while working on the cache. After setting up “scare charges” to keep enemy forces out of the security perimeter, Vining made it on the helicopter in time to watch the explosion and see the mushroom cloud that was visible from 50 miles away. The seven Army EOD technicians at Rock Island East used 300 cases of C4 explosives to destroy 327 tons of enemy munitions.

During the operation to seize the cache site, 10 American Soldiers died and 20 were injured.

Later at the Warehouse Hill operation in Cambodia, the EOD team had to disarm booby traps and crawl into underground tunnels to place C4 explosives on 14 cache sites. Vining had to contend with large cave crickets, poisonous centipedes, spiders, bats and scorpions in the narrow tunnels. The teams used 120 cases of C4 explosives to destroy hundreds of thousands of enemy rounds.

After completing his tour in Vietnam, Vining left the Army and returned home to Michigan. He got a job at a plant that stamped out automotive body parts for Ford Motor Company and then became the lead employee on the third shift of the largest press in the plant, a 500-ton press.

“Although it was very good pay, I did not see myself doing this for 20 to 30 years,” said Vining. “In October of 1973, I saw my Army recruiter and asked to go back into the Army.”

The U.S. Army recruiter told Vining that he would have to serve as an EOD technician again, which was exactly what he wanted. He was assigned to the 63rd Ordnance Detachment (EOD) on Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

Vining was serving on a U.S. Secret Service support mission when his EOD supervisor, Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Ray Foster, Sr., was killed by an improvised explosive device at the Quincy Compressor Division Plant in Illinois, in 1976. Afterward, Vining thought it was time for a change.

“I decided to take Emergency Medical Technician training and following that I decided to volunteer to be a Special Forces medic,” said Vining. “I was getting out of EOD when my control sergeant major told me that they were forming a new Special Forces organization at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and that they were looking for six EOD techs.”

Vining called the number and flew to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, for an interview with Col. “Chargin’ Charlie” Beckwith, the founder of the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta. Beckwith envisioned the concept that the U.S. Army should have a counterterrorism unit like the British Special Air Service.

“Two weeks later, I was one of four Army EOD techs to start the Operator Training Course 1,” said Vining. “Only two of us made it through. The second person was (retired Sgt. Maj.) Dennis E. Wolfe.”

One of the unit’s first operations was the clandestine mission to rescue 53 American hostages at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran. Known as Operation Eagle Claw, the rescue mission was cancelled after the loss of three helicopters during a sandstorm at the staging site known as Desert One. While the aircraft were leaving the Desert One staging area, a RH-53D helicopter crashed into the transport aircraft that Vining and his team was on.

The helicopter rotor chopped into the top of the fuel-laden aircraft and a fireball shot by Vining and his team. As the EC-130E “Bladder Bird” was engulfed in flames and munitions cooked off around them, Vining and his teammates made it off the aircraft. Vining and his team got on another aircraft with faulty landing gear and just enough fuel to make it across the water to safety.

During the Desert One aircraft collision, eight American troops were killed and both aircraft were destroyed.

Joint Special Operations Command was created as a result of the investigation that followed the ill-fated rescue mission.

In October 1983 during Operation Urgent Fury, when U.S. forces invaded the Caribbean Island of Grenada following the pro-Cuban coup there, Vining was on a rescue team sent to free political prisoners at the Richmond Hill Prison.

His Blackhawk helicopter came under intense enemy anti-aircraft fire on approach to the prison facility and the mission had to be delayed.

The political prisoners were released before a second mission was launched.

After seven years of serving with distinction in Delta Force, Vining accepted an assignment with the 176th Ordnance Detachment (EOD) on Fort Richardson, Alaska. He made the move to be more promotable within the EOD community and to be close to the mountains of the 49th state.

While in Alaska, he maintained his proficiency for EOD missions and later came back to twice climb the 20,310-foot Mount Denali, the highest mountain in North America.

Within one year, he was back at the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, where he would serve in Operation Desert Storm. Although his EOD duties didn’t change, Vining switched to infantry during this time to make himself more promotable within the elite Special Forces unit.

During this second 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta tour, Vining also participated in Operation Pocket Planner during a Federal Penitentiary prison riot in Atlanta in 1987.

Vining would later serve at the Joint Special Operations Command as an exercise planner and J-3 Special Plans sergeant major. He was the Joint Special Operations Task Force senior enlisted advisor aboard the aircraft carrier USS America (CV 66) during Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti.

The sergeant major also served as an explosive investigator on the task force that investigated the 1996 Khobar Tower bombing in Dharan, Saudi Arabia, and he used the lessons learned from that attack to help hardened U.S. installations around the world.

During nearly three decades in uniform, Vining earned the Combat Infantry Badge, Master Explosive Ordnance Disposal Badge, Parachutist Badge, Military Free Fall Parachutist Badge and Austrian Police High Alpine “Gendarmerie-Hochalpinist” Badge.

Vining racked up a huge stack of medals and ribbons that include the Legion of Merit Medal, Bronze Star Medal, two Defense Meritorious Service Medals, Army Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal, two Joint Service Achievement Medals and the Army Achievement Medal. He also earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology from the University of the State of New York.

Vining said he was glad when the U.S. Army established the 28th Ordnance Company (EOD) (Airborne) to support U.S. Army Ranger and Special Forces missions around the world, as well as the two Airborne Platoons of the 722nd Ordnance Company (EOD) and 767th Ordnance Company (EOD) to support the 82nd Airborne Division’s Immediate Response Force mission.

The Fort Bragg, North Carolina-based companies are all part of 192nd EOD Battalion, 52nd EOD Group and 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command, the U.S. military’s premier all hazards command.

Vining said that the Kirtland Air Force Base New Mexico-headquartered 21stOrdnance Company (EOD WMD) was another welcome addition to the U.S. Army EOD units. The highly specialized company is part of the 71st EOD Group and 20th CBRNE Command.

From 19 bases in 16 states, Soldiers and U.S. Army civilians from 20th CBRNE Command take on the world’s most dangerous hazards in support of joint, interagency and allied operations.

“In my time, Army EOD was viewed as Combat Service Support, but in reality, Army EOD is Combat Support and has always been that way and that means supporting Special Operations and Airborne forces,” said Vining.

Vining said the key to success in the EOD profession is noncommissioned officer (NCO) leadership and mentorship.

“Mentorship is one of the duties of a senior NCO,” he said.

The Army EOD community marked its 80th anniversary in 2022 and NCOs have played a critical role in the EOD profession since its inception. Led by noncommissioned officers, EOD teams often serve on their own in austere environments, covering vast operational areas.

Vining also encouraged EOD techs to seek help for both the seen and unseen scars of war that come with the profession.

“I believe if you spend a career in EOD that you will witness severe injuries and death,” he said. “EOD is an inherently dangerous career but it is also a very rewarding career knowing you have eliminated a hazardous situation.

“If you are suffering from events that you were involved in, you are not alone in dealing with this kind of trauma. I encourage you to open up and just talk about it to a fellow EOD tech or an EOD veteran,” said Vining. “From World War II to the present, we have all witnessed the horrors of war and even the dangerous job we do in peacetime.”

In January 1999, Vining retired from the U.S. Army and married his wife Donna Ikenberry, a hiking guidebook author, professional wildlife photographer and freelance photojournalist. They were engaged at the top of Mount Rainer in Washington and exchanged wedding vows on Mauna Kea, the highest mountain in Hawaii.

Today, they live together in South Fork, Colorado, where Vining continues to enjoy spelunking, skiing, rock climbing and mountaineering. He also remains active in the veteran’s community.

Vining was inducted into the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps Hall of Fame in 2018.

When he hung up his highly decorated uniform after nearly three decades of service, Vining said he never knew that his storied career would later launch a tidal wave of memes.

“I do not know how any of the memes got started,” said Vining. “One of my grandchildren saw that someone even did a Pokémon card on me.”

By Walter Ham

Posted in Army, EOD, Guest Post, History, SOF | 8 Comments »

Jim Schatz – A Path To Overmatch – Next Generation Individual Weapon System Redux

Thursday, January 5th, 2023

Recently, I’ve started resharing some briefings by the late, great Jim Schatz. I originally shared this one in April 2017, right as the Army was taking its first steps toward what is now Next Generation Squad Weapons. As we head into SHOT Show, now is a great time to take a look at what both the Army and SOCOM have accomplished and consider the path that Jim proposed.

One thing he mentioned was the concept of “Frontliners” which has been institutionalized as the Close Combat Force. Other ideas have seen varying degrees of interest.

He was always on top of past missteps in the opportunities we’ve had to modernize our small arms. His last briefing to NDIA’s Armament Systems Forum, on 27 April, 2016 was entitled, “A Path To Overmatch” and made the case for an immediate transition to an intermediate caliber, preferably with a telescoping cased cartridge, along with a new weapon individual weapon. His reasoning was simple; overmatch. Our troops remain outranged by threat weapons firing the 7.62x54R cartridge. While not every enemy is equipped with a weapon in this caliber, they’ve learned to use their PKM MMGs and SVD Sniper Rifles to keep our troops at arm’s length. In the briefing, Jim does a great job of laying out Russian and ISIS capabilities vis-a-vis our US M4A1 and M249.

Jim named five things that could immediately be leveraged to provide overmatch: Lightweight Intermediate Caliber Cartridge (LICC) Ammo, Disturbed Reticle Carbine Sight, Blind-to-Barrier Bullets, Lightweight Modular Weapons and Advanced Training.

He also wanted the most bang for the buck and identified 140,000 “Frontliners” in the US military, aka trigger pullers, who would be the immediate focus of small arms modernization efforts.

Jim urged a transition to two calibers, a 6.5-family intermediate cartridge for the individual weapon and a .338 cartridge for crew served weapons. I have discussed the General Dynamics Lightweight Medium Machine Gun in .338 Norma Magnum. Jim used this example to make the initial case for the transition to LICC ammo for the individual weapon.

In 2017, all of the cartridges being seriously looked at were in the 6.5mm family; .260, .264 USA, and .277 USA. While .260 is currently commercially available, .264 USA and .277 USA were developed by the US Army Marskmanship Unit, which has been conducting in-house evaluations.

Ultimately, the US Army conducted a formal caliber study called the Small Arms Ammunition Configuration study which resulted in a new common caliber for Squad weapons, 6.8mm. After a competitive process, the Army selected the SIG SAUER 6.8 x 51mm common case architecture cartridge for fielding as part of NGSW.

USSOCOM looked at .260 Remington and 6.5 Creedmoor and chose 6.5 CM. It’s all a bit of back to the future. Use of a 6.5mm cartridge isn’t new. 6.5×55 Swedish saw service in Europe for a very long time. Initially developed in the 1890s, it was still in service up to a century later.

This image came from The Firearm Blog’s article on the .264 USA cartridge by Nathaniel F. It depicts (L-R) 7.62 NATO, .264 USA, 5.56 NATO.

Jim was very passionate about this concept and did the homework. For example, he knew the costs to not only pay for the transition to a new caliber, but new weapons as well. The figures are there, for you to see.

Jim’s attention to detail was always keen. He even considered spare parts, manuals, training and ranges in his calculations.

Naturally, transition to a larger caliber, means heavier ammo and a smaller basic load. Here, Jim shows the tradeoffs for the amount of amm a rifleman would carry in his basic load, based in different calibers.

There is a difference, and this is why the transition to Polymer cased/telescoping ammo is so important.

To summarize, these are the takeaways. All of this, is available from industry, right now.

While I cherry picked several slides from this briefing to make certain points, you really need to read the whole thing. I’ve only scratched the surface here. It’s filled with gems like the examples I’ve given.

Jim’s confidence in polymer cased ammo nor his interest in case telescoped cartridges have borne fruit so far, but there’s plenty to see.

You can download it here www.dtic.mil/ndia/2016/armament/18260_Schatz.

Posted in Ammo, History, weapons | 5 Comments »

Blast From The Past – Jim Schatz – 9 Known Truths

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2023

I last posted this in 2018. A lot has gone on regarding small arms since then. It’s worth a review to consider Jim Schatz’ thoughts on the subject of small arms. The man was a visionary.

Jim Schatz passed away in March 2017. For those you who didn’t know him, he served his country as a paratrooper and later, became a legend in the small arms industry. Every year, he’d stand up in from of his peers and government and remind them that the emporer was naked. Fortunately, his briefing slides are still available, although missing the context of his passion.

I originally shared Jim Schatz’ “9 Known Truths” concerning small arms right after he passed. Since then ‘Lethality’ has become the cause du jour and DoD, led by the Army, is ankle deep in a transition to a new caliber and family of small arms for its Close Combat Forces, called Next Generation Squad Weapon. It’s a 6.8 caliber capability (once again, NOT 6.8 SPC for those of you who believe what read on other websites) consisting of Carbine and SAW replacements.

The “9 Known Truths” is based on Jim Schatz’ experience in the Small Arms industry. Consider them now that we’ve seen DoD’s path forward.

9 Known TruthsGeneral Thoughts on Modern Warfare and Small Arms Technology1 The asymmetric threat, unencumbered by “western” doctrine and politics, exploits our capability gaps faster than we can react within our cumbersome infrastructure.

2 Kinetic Energy (KE) kill mechanisms (launched bullets, fragments) have been and remain state-of-the-art weapons technology since the 15th century. That will not change anytime soon so we should embrace and improve on it.

3 Man-portable “directed energy” technology is decades away. One cannot “schedule a break through”, regardless of what the sci fi writers and S&T community developers espouse.

4 For the ground combatant, pH and pI/K has not been markedly improved by so-called “Leap Ahead” or “Revolutionary” technology and “Star Wars” S&T projects, yet $B’s have been spent on unrealistic and undelivered promises.

5 Desired Target Effects (direct hits or effective target suppression) depends on aiming and launch “hold proficiency” (marksmanship) be it used for semi, burst or full auto KE fire, air-bursting engagements via accurate lasing, XM25 or “TrackingPoint”-style FS/FCS, or even directed energy “pulses”.

6 Repeatable First Shot hits/kills will never be readily accomplished due to the many “hold” and error factors beyond the control of the operator. Immediate through-optic BDA and rapid adjusted follow-on shots offer the greatest chance of improved target effects, BUT the equipment must provide that core capability to the trained operator.

7 Snipers as “force multipliers” exploit magnified optics, superior weapons, sights and ammunition to increase pH & PI/K at all ranges, especially those beyond assault rifle range. Rifleman can/should leverage that capability by employing affordable “paradigm shifting” precision enablers.

8 Training is paramount to effectiveness BUT advanced hardware enables advanced training and employment.

9 Incremental, available and emerging (and affordable) advancements in small arms, sighting and ammunition technologies offer the greatest return on investment and are waiting to be exploited.

You can read the briefing this came from here.

Posted in History, Profession of Arms, weapons | 6 Comments »

SCUBAPRO Sunday – POW Ships

Sunday, January 1st, 2023

Throughout the course of the American Revolutionary War, the British imprisoned a significant number of colonists as prisoners of war. They were held on ships because doing so was more cost-effective than constructing prison of war camps on land.

In Wallabout Bay, one ship that fit this description was the HMS Jersey. This port was in close proximity to New York City. The captives were handled in an extremely cruel manner. They were not provided with an adequate amount of food or water. Many of the soldiers perished as a result of diseases such as yellow fever and smallpox. More Americans lost their lives on British prison ships in New York Harbor than in all of the Revolutionary War’s engagements combined. For the majority of the conflict, there were at least 16 of these floating prisons, all of which were known for their filth, bugs, contagious diseases, and terror. They were all anchored in Wallabout Bay on the East River. The Jersey was the most infamous of the miserable ships, although they were all awful.

The British had hundreds of prisoners on their hands after the Battle of Long Island in August 1776 and the subsequent surrender of New York City, and the jails in New York quickly became overcrowded. The British then converted a number of old ships into prison ships when they started taking hundreds of seamen from privateers.

On the HMS Jersey, more than a thousand soldiers were crammed at once. When their British jailers opened the hatches in the morning, their first words to the soldiers below were, “Rebels, turn out your dead!” They died so frequently.

The Department of Defense reports that during the Revolutionary War, 4,435 people died in action. There may have been more deaths on prison ships than the 7,000–8,000 that one historian estimated. Some sources have that number as high as 12, 000 dyeing on the prison ships. Although such number is improbable for a single ship, it is plausible for all of the prison ships taken together and is frequently used.

Elizabeth Burgin was a loyal and brave citizen. We don’t have a lot of information regarding her life. It is well knowledge that she paid as many visits as she could to the captives held aboard the British prison ships. She provided the men food as well as a joyful spirit. An American officer took note of her frequent trips. He intended to provide assistance to a few of the inmates so that they might flee. He requested Elizabeth’s assistance in carrying out his plan. The British authorities did not permit male visitors on board the ships. Elizabeth gave her consent for the inmates to be informed to prepare. They were able to escape the ship with her assistance. The winter of 1779–1780 was one of the coldest on record. Men were able to escape from the ships by walking on the ice that formed when the water in the harbor froze over. During the winter of that year, Elizabeth Burgin was responsible for freeing more than two hundred convicts.

The anger felt by the British was palpable. They were willing to pay a reward of two hundred pounds for information leading to her capture. This sum was greater than what the majority of British troops were paid throughout their whole career of twenty years. Elizabeth was concerned that she might be executed by hanging. As a result of being forced to escape her home, she had to leave the majority of her valuables behind. Elizabeth’s bravery was praised in a letter that General George Washington sent to the Continental Congress. In recognition of her service and sacrifice, the Continental Congress awarded her a pension in the year 1781.

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