e THE 0 n

OOCUM£N,

COLLECTION u Volume III Cno· 4::1

GUARD HEROES - Highest peacetime a\vard for heroism, The Soldier's Medal, was presented June 7 to (left to right) S/Sgt Alan H. Cole and SP5 William K. Gynther for their attempt to rescue four Salem businessmen from the flaming wreckage of a civilian plane which crashed on takeoff at McNary Field, Salem, Oct. 26, 1960. Governor Mark O. Hatfield made the presentation while Major General Alfred E. Hintz, Oregon AG, stood by to present the certificates accompanying the medals. Capt Merle E. Thom, CO of the 41st Division Aviation Co, Portland, and Mrs. Gynther watch the pr?9��d:ings. (See Story BelO\v)

Two Guardsmen Win Soldier's Medal Two Oregon Army Guardsmen

were awarded the Soldier ' s Medal June 7 for heroism.

Staff Sgt Alan H. Cole, Ltlst Aviation Co, and SP5 William K. Gynther of the division's 441st Transportation Detachment were presented the decoration for their part in attempting to rescue victims of a crash of a

civilian plane at Salem's Mc­Nary Field last Oct. 26. Four occupants,all businessmen,died in the flaming wreckage.

According to ci ta tion, the two Guard aircraft engine mechanics noted that the plane was ex­periencing difficulty in gain­ing speed and al ti tude following

(Cont. on Pg. 2)

June 1961

249th Artillery

Reorganized To

Automatic Weapons

May 1

The Army's decision to phase out 75mm "Skysweeper" guns re­sulted in a reorganization of the 249th Artillery Group (AD) May 1.

Oswego's Battery A, 1st AW Bn, was redesignated Battery D, 3rd AW Bn, with headquarters at Salem.

Burns' Battery A, 2nd Gun Bn with headquarters formerly at Ashland, was redesignated Btry A, 1st AW Bn. Headquarters for the 1st AW Bn will remain at Portland.

Company E, 2nd BG, 186th In­fantry, Medford, was moved to Eugene, while personnel of the unit were assigned to the new­ly formed Btry A, 2nd AW Bn, at Medford. Also new to Med­ford is Btry D, 2nd AW Bn, a new unit on the Oregon Nation­al Guard troop list.

2nd Platoon, Company B, 2nd BG, 186th Infantry, Eugene, became Company E, 2nd BG, 18611i Infantry. Company E was the former Medford unit.

The May 1 reorgrulization now gives the Oregon Army.Air Def­ense Command three battalions of automatic weapons. Each battalion will be armed with the M-�2 Self-Propelled Gun.

Field training for the 249th Artillery Group is scheduled for Aug. 12-26 at CaIIlp Rilea.

MEDALS (Cont. from Pg. 1)

takeoff. Shor tly thereafter the plane fell into a spin, crashed and exploded in flames. Cole and Gynther ran immediately to the scene, and without regard for thei� own personal safety, entered the blazing aircraft and removed one of the pass­engers. In the face of intense heat generated by burning gas­oline, they again entered the wreckage and were able to bring out a second body. Unable to provide further assistance, they remained on the scene until the arrival of the local fire de­partment.

Sgt. Cole, a former member of the Oregon Air National Guard, served with his air unit on active duty in Korea. He reenlisted in the Army Nat­ional Guard on Feb. 21, 1956.

SP5 Gynther joined the Navy in 1938 and served in WW II and Korea. He enlisted in the Oregon Army Guard on Oct. 3, 1960.

The Soldier's Medal, highest peacetime award for heroism, was presented to the two men by Governor Mark O. Hatfield in a formal ceremony held in the capitol building. Both Mrs. Cole and Mrs. Gynther were present for the ceremony.

I. G. Inspections

End For Year 61

The last six Army National Guard units inspected by the Sixth Army Inspector General rated "Superior", according to results received in the Office of The Adjutant General.

Snagging the coveted ratings were Hq & Hq Co, 41st Infantry Division, Portland; Surgical Sect, 116th Medical Bn, Port­land; Hq & Hq Det, OreARNG, Salem; 115th PIO Det, Salem; 234th Army Band, Portland; and USP&FO, Salem.

Four artillery uni ts in­spected in May received ratings of "Excellent" from Lt Colonel

Armored Carriers Arrive

FIRST ARMORED PERSONNEL CARRIERS - Technicians from the Oregon National Guard maintenance shops at Camp Withycombe unload the first M-59 Armored Personnel CarrierE, to arrive in Salem for assignment to units of the 1st Recon Sq, 82nd Armor. The carr­iers arrived June 9. Earlier, two carriers had been delivered in Portland for assignment to the 241st TC Battalion. One more carrier is due to arrive for the 1st Recon Sq, bringing the sunJ number of armored carriers in the State to five. Each personnel � carrier weighs 41,800 pounds and is designed to transport 10 men with full field equipment, plus a crew of two, on land or water. Top gr01md speed is 32mph; water speed is about �·mph. The rig's two water cooled GMC engines consume one gallon of gasoline per mile.

George H. Watson, Sixth Army Inspector General. They in­clude Hq & Hq Btry, 41st Div Arty, Hq & Hq Btry, 1st HoV! Bn, 218th Arty, and Btry' s A and B, 1st Hmv Bn, 218th Arty, all of Portland.

During Fiscal Year 1961, a total of 73 Oregon Army Nat­ional Guard units were in­spected by the Sixth Army In­spector General. Sixteen were rated superior; 56 excellent, and one rated satisfactory.

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Air Guard Hosts

Conference

The 142nd Fighter G�oup (AD) played host to the F-89 Maint­enance and Supply Conference held April 26-27 in Portland.

The purpose of the confer­ence, which was held in the Bonneville Power Administra­tion auditorium, was to give Air National Guard officers an

opportunity to discuss with Air Force technical represent­atives, problem areas in the maintenance and supply aspects of the F-89 aircraft.

Reports and topics consider­ed during the two-day session included incident and accid­ents since the 1960 confer­ence, engine overspeeds, Air Force Manual 66-1, supply, etc.

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Portland Scheduled For Armory

Portland To Get First

Armory In 74 Years Portland is scheduled to get its first new

National Guard Armory in 74 years! The new armory will be the first in a series

of four multi-unit Oregon National Guard Armor­ies planned for the Portland area, according to Military Department officials.

Designed to house the entire 1st and 2nd How­itzer Battalions, 218th Artillery, the new arm­ory will be located on one block of land deeded to the State by the 'Port of Portland. Site se­lection for the armory is the land area adjacent to Cornfoot Road facing south.

Estimated cost of the 36,652 square foot Nat­iona.l Guard training plant is $410,000, of which the Federal Government will support 75% of the construction costs, less equipment. Interior arrangement of the armory consists of a large drill hall, day room, kitchen, classrooms, unit offices, supply ana locker areas, battalion and staff areas, medical facilities, and office space for Army Advisors. The second floor of the main building will be assigned as an artill­ery battalion and staff area, while the drill hall will be located on the main floor. Location of subordinate units and firing batteries will be at ground level.

Contracts should be awarded and construction started on the new armory by Aug. 1. The three ot�er Portland armories are being progran�ed for Fiscal Years 1962, 1964, and 1965. Architects for the Portland Armory Building Program are Dougan & Heims; Folger Johnson, Johnston and Koch, Portland.

The new Portland Armory will be the 27th Nat­ional Guard armory constructed by the Military Department since th� reorganization of the Ore­gon National Guard following World War II.

Other armories under construction are at Salem and Newport.

Mahoney Named

Armory Manager Major George H. Mahoney, Staff Assistant for

the 3rd AW Bn, 249th Artillery, and former mana­ger of the Portland National Guard Arr10ry, is th� manager for the new Salem Armory-Auditorium, Ma:;or General Alfred E. Hintz, The Adjutant Gen­eral, o.:1!.10cUlced June 7.

In ma..1dng the appointment, General Hintz po in t­ed out that it is anticipated that Salem Guard units will start occupying the armory portion of the building shortly after Sept. 1. Official dedication of the entire $875,000 plant is ten­tatively scheduled for Sept. 15, with the Nation­al Guard Association of Oregon Holding its con­ference there the following day, Sept. 16. The availability of the auditorium for public use will be sometime after Oct. 1, General Hintz said.

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Earlier, it had been planned to have the aud­itorium portion ready for use by the Oregon State Fair, but unavoidable delays in construct­ion and shipment of seating, and other interior equipment, made the plan impractical.

A preliminary meeting was held by Military De­partment officials to establish policies for the functional use of the Armory-Auditorium, deter­mine fair rental charges for commercial and non­profit organization use, and general administra­tive procedures for the operation of the facility based on studies and surveys obtained from simi­lar enterprises throughout the country.

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GOVERNOR MARK O. HATFIELD COMMANDER-IN -CHIEF

MAJOR GENERAL ALFRED E. HINTZ THE ADJUTANT GENERAL

AND

COMMANDING GENERAL, 41st INFANTRY DIVISION

COLONEL WALDO E. TIMI! ACTING CHIEF OF STAFF FOR AIR

COLONEL LAURENCE M. BLAISDELL COJ1MANDING OFFICER, 249th ARTILLERY GP (AD)

MAJOR HARVEY L. LATHAM EDITOR

The OREGON GUARDSMAN is published monthly for the personnel of the Oregon National Guard as an authorized publication of The Office of The Adjutant General. Offices are located at 2150 Fairgrounds Road, Salem, Oregon, Telephone EMpire 4-2171, Extension 794. Edi­torial views and opinions expressed in this pUblication are not necessarily those of the Military Department, State of Oregon. With the exception of copyrighted or syndicated material, all material may be reprinted wi thou t expressed permission t provided credit is given. Unless otherwise credited, all pictures are Oregon Na­tional Guard photographs. The OREGON GUARDSMAN is dis­tributed free to all military personnel, civilian em­ployees, interested individuals, and editors of select­ed military and civilian pUblications.

SIGNS MILITARY (ODE BILL

NEW MILITARY CODE - First piece of maj or military legislation for the Guard in 40 years was signed into law by Governor Mark O. Hatfield, May 22. The new Oregon Military Code, which becomes ef­fective in August, gives the Oregon National Guard a modern code of military justice and a­bolishes the Oregon Naval Militia which hasn't existed since World War I. A "Military Council" will replace the present Oregon National Guard General Staff. Equally important was the fact that the Military Department was legally defined as a bona fide State agency. Major General Al­fred E. Hintz, left, promptly grabbed the law­signing pen for a personal souvenir.

C cademy raduates 25

Master Sergeants Alvin B. Reed, Hq & Hq Btry, � 1st AW Bn, and Clarence L. Richrod, Btry C, 1st AW Bn, 249th Artillery, were declared honor graduates in the Oregon Military Academy's Non­Corr�issioned Officers course graduating May 14. Both had a grade average above 96.

A total of 25 Oregon Army Guardsmen were grad­uated in the Sunday exercise held at the Port­land Airbase, bringing the total classes grad­uating from the 60 hour course to four.

In addition to the honor graduates, the follow­ing students were credited with completing the school: PFC Jack E. Alexander, Co D, 1st BG, 186th Infi sp4 Ambrose Calcagno Jr. , Hq Btry, 41st Div ArtYi PFC Edward M. Cranor, Hq Btry, 1st AW Bn, 249th ArtYi SFC Neil L. Cullison, Hq Btry, 1st AW Bn, 249th Arty; SP5 Roger E. Cunn­ingham, Hq Btry, 1st AW Bn, 249th ArtYi PFC Rich­ard S. Duggan, Btry B, 1st How Bn, 218th Arty; Sgt Robert C. Ferch, Btry C, 1st AW Bn, 249th ArtYi sp4 LeRoy N. Koop, Trp A, 1st Recon Sq, 82nd Armor; SFC James P. Larsen, Co E, 1st BG, 162nd Infj SFC John J. Malsom, Hq Btry, 1st AW Bn, 249th Arty; SFC Myrton A. Nelson, 41st Allin Co; SSgt Ronald R. Newman, Btry A, 2nd How Bn, 218th Arty; sp4 Clarence L. Perkins, Hq Btry, 2nd How Bn, 218th Arty; SFC Warren D. Perkins, Hq Btry, 1st AW Bn, 2�'9th Arty; SFC Martin G. Saathoff, Co A, 162nd Engr Bn; sp4 Guy D. Sherbourne, Hq A Co, 41st Inf Divi sp4 Thomas J. Sheridan, Hq Co, � 162nd Engr Bn; Cpl David L. Short, Co D, 1st BG, 186th Infi sp4 Dirk D. Snel, Hq Btry, 1st AW Bn, 249th Arty; Sgt Paul Stover, Hq Btry, 1st .AW Bn, 249th Arty; sp4 Lloyd E. Wagner, 685th Ord Detj SP5 Martin J. Welch III, Hq Co, 1st BG, 162 nd Infi sp4 John L. Willey, Co D, 1st BG, 162nd Inf

A. � � � � ...... IS

UP-TO-THE-MINUTE MEN DEFENDING AMERICA

YOUR NATIONAL GUARD

� IS

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cs raduates 22

22 0 ( S Graduates Win Bars One of the highlights of Armed Forces Day 1961

was the graduation of the Oregon Military Acade­my's Officer Car:didate School Class #4 at Camp Withycombe, Clackamas, May 20.

Former SP5 Edward Koppen, 4th Det (Air Tgt) , 249th Arty, was the honor graduate in the class of 22 candidates receiving their second lieuten­ant bars in the afternoon ceremony.

Mr. Warne Nunn, Executive Assistant to Governor Hatfield, gave the graduation address. He was introduced by Colonel Paul L. Kliever, Assistant Adjutant General.

ew Lieutenants

Receiving commissions as second lieutenants in the Oregon Army National Guard were: Dwaine C. Brandt, Btry A, lRt How Bn, 218th Arty; Gordon L. Brunk, Trp A, 1st Recon Sq, 82nd Armor; Sher­man E. Buell, Hq Co, 241st TC Bn; Charles L. Diebert, Co D, 1st BG, 186th Inf; Harry K. Fell­ows, Co D, 162no. Engr Bn; Henry R. Hermes, Btry A, 1st How Bn, 218th Arty; Richard W. Howard, Co D, 162nd Engr Bn; James R. Kemp, Btry B, 1st How Bn, 218th Arty; Edward Koppen, 4th Det, 249th Arty; George P. Lanning, Jr. , Hq Trp, 1st Recon Sq, 82nd Armor; Richard D. Larsen, Btry B, 2nd How Bn, 218th Arty; George W. LeMont, Co D, 1st BG, 162nd Inf; Joseph C. Neher, Hq Btry, 3rd How Bn, 218th Arty; Ronald N. Nelson, Co A, 1st BG, 162nd Inf; Clyde W. Nunn, Co E, 1st BG, 162nd Inf; Richard A. Rice, Hq Co, 162nd Engr Bn; Leo­nard A. Schlottman, Hq Btry, 249th Arty; Robert D. Schwartzkopf, Btry A, 2nd Hovi Bn, 218th Arty; James B. Tooze, Co A, 1st BG, 162nd Inf; Rodney R. Trahan, Co D, 1st BG, 162nd Inf; Everett C. Turner, Btry D, 1st AW Bn, 249th Arty; and Her­bert N. VanCleave, Co D, 1st BG, 186th Inf.

MR. WARNE NUNN AND HONOR GRADUATE EDWARD KOPPEN

Following the gre.duation ceremonies, a recept­ion was held on the main floor of the Clackamas NatimlBl Guard Armory.

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School Bells

FORT EUSTIS, Va. , Second Lieutenant Loren W. Franke, 1042nd Transportation Company, Salem, was named outstanding academic graduate from the eight-week Transportation Officer Orientation Course at the U.S. Army Transportation School. Here he receives a Letter of Commendation signed by the post commander Major General N.H. Visser­ing, from Brigadier General Robert B. Neeley, Transportation School Commandant. Lt Franke, a 1960 graduate of the Oregon Military Academy's Officer Candidate School, graduated from the course May 24. (U.S. Army Photo)

PROUD PAPPy - Two Peter Trotogotts, Master Ser­geant father and'Second Lieutenant son, happily display a silver saber presented by the new officer as a memento to his father of his Air Force Academy days, which ended with his June 7 graduation. The elder Trotogott is a 20-year veteran of the Oregon Air National Guard, which contributed the background air scoop of one of its F-89Js. The younger Trotogott, now 21, has for years been the virtual mascot of the 123rd Fighter-Interceptor Sq. Next stop for the new Air Force officer will be flight training at Reese AFB, Texas. (OreANG Photo)

186 Years Of Service

On June 14, 1961, the U.S. Army completed 186 years of uninterrupted service to the Nation.

In the grovrth of thiR Nation from those origi­nal thirteen Colonies, struggling for survival, to one of the world's chief guardians of freedom and justice, the U.S. Army has had a full and significant part. This, then, is an anniversary to which all who make up the U. S. Army -- whether Active, Reserve, NationaJ Guard, or Army civil­ian -- can look with pride; pride in challenges met, obstaclcs overcome, hardships endured, con­tributions made, and victories wono

:. Those who have worn the Army uniform down through those 186 years have provided us with a tradition to uphold and the inspiration to up­hold it. Therefore, this is an anniversary to which all men and women of the Army should look not only with pride, but with renewed dedication to the Army's great tradition of service to the Nation. (Army Info Liaison Bulletin)

FLEET OF FLOVffiRS - Battery B, 3rd AW Battalion, 249th Artillery, Newport, , was on hand to fire the salute heralding the 16th Annual Fleet of Flowers ceremony at Depoe Bay, May 30. Coastal fishing fleets and Coast Guard ships, their decks loaded with floral wreaths, move out of the har­bor and to sea, where the wreaths are placed on the water in tribute to those individuals who have lost their life at sea. About 5000 spectat­ors watched the ceremony from the bridge and rocks lining the harbor entrance. Battery B was one of the units converted from 75mm "Skysweeper" Guns to M-42 Self-Propelled Guns on May 1. The unit is also receiving a new armory. Completion date for the new building is around mid-October.

QD [poQ®oQ[b@o[N]BIT)(!]Q@ [N]@ffi ••• YOUR mffiIlO®mffi� ®mffim®

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rmed Forces Day 1961 t

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Changing The Guard. • •

COOKING IN THE Fn�LD - Today's National Guards­men miss the thrill of cooking over one of these old woodburning field stoves. This one happens to be mounted on a rather permanent platform; whereas, under normal field conditions, the cook generally had to dig a fire pit under the stove portion of the rig. Despite smoke-filled and streaming eyes, crude cooking utensils, and soot covered faces, the Guard cook managed, somehow, to come up with some pretty decent meals. Pipe and cigarette ashes in the chow gave Army meals the added flavor that mother was never able to match at home.

" • • • the caissons go rolling along" - Artillery folks stiJl· sing of them, but few have exper­ienced the bridgework-loosening, arm-folded ride atop an artillery caisson, complete with wooden spoked wheels and iron tires. A caisson viaS originally a chest filled with explosive mater­ial, to be laid in the path of an advancing en­emy and exploded on his approach. La.ter, the case was placed on two wheels and joined with a limber, also carryiDg an ammunition chest, to form a four-wheeled ammunition carriage as shown in the above photograph of Battery A, 148th Fielrl Artillery. The engine in that gem of a tractor had cylinders the size of a water pail. On hot days, after a long haul, the operator could shut off the ignition swit.ch and compression would still run the engine for a couple of minutes. Now, caissons are generaJly used to carry the casket at super-special military funerals.

[,JUor'J .scrapbook . • .

June 17, 1775 - This was the day it was proved how well a green, untrained Colonial Militia could shape up to British regulars in a show down a fight. And they did pretty good too until

" they �

finally ran out of powder and were forced to withdraw their battle lines.

One ,day British Genera.l Thomas Gage looked up from his desk in occupied Boston and saw Colon-· ial batteries on Breed's Hill menacing hi� :�" shipping in Boston Harbor. This, General Gage " J

exploded, was the last straw in a hay stack of � .

Colonial bickering and intrigue. He collared Major General Sir William Howe and told him, in proper British language, to kick "those #$%&'** Colonials off that blinking hill."

Dropping his tea cup and a batch of efficiency reports he was working on, General Sir William gleefully rubbed his hot little hands together and marched off to his war room, where he laid the grand plans for rubbing out the sassy Colon­ial rabble.

First of all, according to General Howe's plan he would run his li'e;ht infantry around behind the Americans. While all this viaS going on he would then seize a rail fence position in front, turn left, and attack Breed's Hill with his main force from the rear. Meanwhile General Pigot, with about 1000 men, was to threaten Breed's Hill and hold the Americffils in position for the kill. It would take about 2,500 stout British regulars, General Howe figured, to do the job nicely. e i General Howe hit the rail fence with a bang • • •

and was promptly thrOVIll back by the screaming musket balls from the Americffils on the hill. He was then forced to try the. hill in a series of costly frontal attacks with his 2,500 against 1,500 sharpshooting militiamen. Twice he storm­ed the hill only to be thrown back with the echo of rebel taunts ringing in his ears. On the third try he gained the hill when the militia ran out of powder and was forced to withdraw.

Bunker Hill (Breed's Hill) cost the British about 1,050 killed and wounded, the Americans around 450.

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June 13, 1910 - On this day Charles K. Hamil­ton flew an airplane from New York t.o Philadelp­hia and returned to win the New York Times prize of $10,000. Mr. Hamilton covered the 149.5 miles in the record flying time of 3 hours 27 minutes.

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June 5, 1912 Lt Colonel C. B. Winder, Ohio National Guard became the first National Guard e pilot in the United States. He was taught fly-ing at the Army School in Augusta, Georgia.

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