69th Armor Regiment
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| 69th Armor Regiment | |
|---|---|
 Coat of Arms | |
| Active | 15 July 1940 – present. |
| Country | USA |
| Branch | Armor Branch (United States) |
| Type | Armor Regiment |
| Size | 2 Combined Arms Battalions, no Regimental HQ |
| Part of | 3rd Infantry Division |
| Garrison/HQ | 2nd Battalion: Fort Benning, Georgia |
| Nickname(s) | Panthers |
| Motto(s) | VITESSE ET PUISSANCE |
| Engagements | World War II Korean War Vietnam War Iraq War |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive Unit Insignia |  |
The 69th Armor is an armored (tank) regiment of the United States Army. The 69th Armor Regiment is part of the U.S. Army Regimental System with only two battalions, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 69th Armor Regiment, exsisting in seperate brigades and representing the regiment as a whole. 2-69 AR is currently stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia as part of the 3rd Armor Brigade Combat Team ("Sledgehammer"), 3rd Infantry Division and 3-69 AR is stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia as part of the 1st Armor Brigade Combat Team ("Raider"), 3rd Infantry Division. Both battalions have transformed from tank pure battalions into Combined Arms Battalions (CAB), each being comprised of two mechanized infantry and two tank companies.
World War II
The 69th Armored Regiment's history began on 15 July 1940 when it was formed and assigned to the 1st Armored Division. This original assignment did not last for long. In February 1942 it was reassigned to the 6th Armored Division where it continued to serve until September 1943 when elements of the Regiment were divided and reassigned. The Regimental HQ and 1st Battalion remained with the 6th Armored Division as the 69th Tank Battalion, while the 3rd Battalion was re-designated as 708th Amphibian Tank Battalion and was a participant in several critical amphibious campaigns and distinguished itself during the bloody fighting on Okinawa earning the battalion the Navy Presidential Unit Citation.
The 69th Tank Battalion, as part of the 6th Armored Division, was included in various European campaigns including Normandy, the Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace and Central Europe. The unit, along with many others, was deactivated in 1946 following the end of the Second World War. This deactivation came to an end when the unit was re-designated as the 69th Medium Tank Battalion in August 1950. Once again it assigned to the 6th Armored Division, where it served until it was stood down in 1956, ending its assignment to the 6th Armored Division.
Korean War
Following the outbreak of hostilities on the Korean peninsula, the 708th Tank Battalion was subsequently restructured and re-designated the 89th Medium Tank Battalion. In November 1951, it was again reflagged the 89th Tank Battalion and assigned to the 25th Infantry Division. The unit's combat actions earned the Presidential Unit Citation and the Navy Unit Commendation.
The 89th Tank Battalion returned to Hawaii with the 25th Infantry Division where it remained until deactivation in 1957.
With the establishment of the regimental combat arms system, the formerly fragmented elements of the 2nd Battalion were remade into the 69th Armored Regiment. With the left over elements of the 69th and the 89th Tank Battalions, the 69th Armored Regiment was re-designated the 69th Armor, a parent regiment under the Regimental Combat Arms system.
Vietnam War
The 1st Battalion was ordered to begin preparing for deployment to Vietnam in December 1965. The deployment commenced on 25 January 1966 with the Battalion laying over in Okinawa to acquire and train with 52 new M48A3 tanks.
The Battalion shipped from Okinawa to Vietnam and, in accordance with policy of the day, was split up again with the Battalion Headquarters, trains, A and C companies going to Cu Chi with the main elements of the 25th Infantry Division and B Company moving to Pleiku and taking up operations with the 3rd Brigade of the 25th Infantry. During the course of the Vietnam War, the 1st Battalion 69th Armor distinguished itself as the most heavily decorated Armor unit in the U.S. Army.
Operation Desert Storm
As part of the 197th Brigade (Separate), 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor led the assault of the 24th Infantry Division into Iraq during Operation Desert Storm in February 1991.
Operation Iraqi Freedom
In 2002 the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor deployed with 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division to Operation Desert Spring in preparation for future combat operations in a six month training mission. In January 2003, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor deployed to Kuwait awaiting orders to begin combat operations. In March 2003, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor was the tip of the spear, leading the famous "March to Baghdad." In July 2003, following the downfall of the regime under Saddam Hussein, the Battalion redeployed to Fort Benning, Georgia.
In January 2005, the Battalion again deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor served with the 42nd ID, a National Guard Division based in NY. Operations were based in the Chalis Qada area. In June 2005, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor was called to be the tip of the spear against the insurgent influence in the city of Ramadi in the Al Anbar province. A larger than company sized element remained in Chalis Qada to serve with the Iraqi Army in that area. Following great successes in Chalis Qada and Ar Ramadi, the Battalion redeployed to Fort Benning, Georgia in January 2006.
In March 2007, 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor was deployed as part of the Baghdad "surge." The Battalion served under Multi-National Division – Baghdad on the Karada Peninsula as well as the Al Muthana and Al Jedidah regions of Eastern Baghdad. The Battalion redeployed in May 2008 to Fort Benning, Georgia.
In October 2009, the Battalion deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom for a fourth time, operating as an Advise and Assist Battalion in Babil and Karbala Provinces building the economic capacity and governance capabilities of local Iraqi government. The Battalion played an important role by providing security assistance during the crucial Iraqi national elections in March 2010. The Battalion then redeployed to Fort Benning, Georgia in October 2010.
References
This article incorporates public domain material from Third Infantry Division. United States Army. Retrieved 9 March 2011.- This article incorporates public domain material from 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor – History. United States Army. Retrieved 9 March 2011.