MAJ. Jerry E. Ward quartered with 228th from 15th Support Brigade (December 1966 June 1967) per Tropic Lightning News (25th ID Publication) dated 19 June 1967 in Awards and Decorations Section is annotated as a recipient of the BRONZE STAR with his unit of assignment being; HHC 266th Supply and Service Battalion (DS). It works mainly with engineer and ordnance equipment of engineer units here on post. Major Ward was physically in Tay Ninh and remained quartered with the 228th until mid June 1967. Further, these individuals are in a sense placed in a position of double jeopardy. I also knew that these guys in body bags on the ground were going to be processed by the 228th GR (Graves Registration) section who I talked about earlier. I further resolved, that any and all fallen soldiers who passed through my unit of operation would receive nothing but respect, honor, and the best quality of treatment possible. This speculation can be somewhat bolstered by the fact, that at one point in time Orders were generated by the 266th to the 228th re-assigning all Laundry and Bath personnel TDY in Cu Chi, as re-assigned to 61st Maintenance being formed in Long Binh in late 1966. The mission involved the recovery of two remains involving a helicopter pilot and a warrant officer who had taken off from Tay Ninh airstrip and for some unknown reason, had flown straight into the side of Nui Bau Den (The Black Virgin Mountain). It handles work such as socks, underwear, and bedding for troops. There were 4 men to a bunker and tower, with 2 men per ammo pad. Before boarding said conveyances each man was issued three (3) rounds of ammunition for his M14 without instruction, other than in case we meet enemy fire. For whatever reason(s) the 266th found it convenient to send me a number of neer do wells for rehabilitation (I guess) in a manner or form, that was not quite on the books. Wed see some strange weapons and men who were really glad to get a hot meal. What was rapidly moving through my mind, was how in the H are we (the 228th) going to support this operation with the small amount of men and supplies we had on hand. Being at nearly half strength under combat conditions, it was all we could do, to keep up with providing laundry services to the 25th ID Medical facility. After the conclusion of Operation Junction City and with April and May of 1967 approaching, there was a brief two to three months of respite in Tay Ninh Base Camp. While assigned TDY to Tay Ninh from the 624th Supply and Service Company (DS) in early September 1966 in the capacity of representing the 266th Supply and Service Battalion (DS), 29th General Support Group, United States Army Support Command, and 1st Logistics Command to facilitate the arrival of some 3,000 troops of the 1st PHILCAGV to Tay Ninh Base Camp, I also became associated with the 196th Light Infantry Brigade who had arrived in Tay Ninh a few weeks prior, in August 1966. The engineers had been kind enough to bulldoze a lot of dirt into a giant mountain, so we didnt have to dig the dirt up. Were they unknowing guinea pigs of some kind? (Note: any first person references are Walkers personal opinions or observations. To be brief, my introduction to Graves Registration, which I had not been schooled in for even one day, came at the hands of one CPL Kenneth Grayham who had been with the 228th since its inception and activation on 20 July 1966 in Long Binh. {This reference mentioned twice in the quarterly report only refers to one POL storage tank. We arrived in Trai Bi around noon where we were met by a SP4 {Harry S.} Weaver. Being a green and relatively new 2nd Lt. having graduated from OCS with a primary military occupational specialty as a Tank Commander, I was somewhat surprised to learn that my first and immediate assignment was to the Quartermaster Corps with an outfit known as the 266th Supply and Service Battalion (Direct Support), then stationed and operating in a place known as Long Binh, Republic of Vietnam. He doesnt get ice-cream and all the other stuff the ARs (Army Regulations) state that medical units are supposed to get. From there the math for what was to be issued would be calculated, with the calculation per organization given to the guys in the yard for pulling and distribution. He was the heart and soul of Class I, and lead us all with a quiet dignity. Kuster, AB Ranger}, 1st Shirt {Master Sgt. By DEC 66, it occupied 6 GP medium tents plus a yard area for larger items that could (theoretically) tolerate unprotected storage. As such, the 228th was charged with developing, operating the various supply points necessary, to stock, manage, distribute all logistics materials arriving by convoy and various aircraft as well as participating in same (convoy runs and the like). I was quite enthusiastic and looking forward to my new assignment as a Class I Officer. I cannot remember his name, but the Battalion Commander was a Lt. Col and a somewhat crusty older man who was quite fair and hardly bothered us about anything. With the entire area abuzz with thirsty helicopters, I quickly drove to our petroleum supply point (POL yard) for a first hand look and fast inventory of our fuel on hand status. NCOIC DEC66 ?? While at the club and already having had a beer or two, one of those tanks with twin 40s pulled up fairly close to our location (or so it seemed) and sometime later decided to to fire those twin 40s. The 228th Supply and Service Company (Direct Support) was activated in Long Binh, RVN 20 July 1966, served in Long Binh 20 July 1966 6 October 1966. Personnel (officers and enlisted) assigned or attached within the unit prior to 3 July 1967 and who rotated afterwards do (as near as can be determined) have the award of MUC annotated within their individual 201 File and subsequent DD214 at their time of rotation and/or separation. The TO&E for a Quartermaster Direct Support unit from 1960 1967 ( TO&E # 10-107D and FM 29-3, dtd: 19 October 1960 and May 1965 respectively) allowed for a fully assigned allotment to GR Platoon of 1 OIC, 1 NCOIC, with 20 enlisted for the collection and processing of remains, hostile or non-hostile in nature. The same holds true for the 228th Bakery section which had been attached to the 25th ID from 7 July 1966 through late June of 1967. Kuster, First Assigned Company Commander, Tay Ninh 4 October 1966 5 January 1967. The remaining enlisted rotating (approximarely 75) having served at or near 1 year of active duty were reassigned to other units in CONUS pending their respective 2 or 3 years of required active serviceat which time, if they had served with honor and fidelity, their final unit of assignment would (in theory) issue their respective Good Conduct Medal w/ribbon. At least, thats what I thought was going on anytime we passed one of those lambretta/vespa motor scooter buses loaded with people, produce or livestock. The groups mission was to provide or arrange for all logistical support required by thePhilippine Civic Action Groupto stage intoTayNinh. Some 3 weeks later, Company B no longer existed, as it had been inactivated, the bulk of remaining personnel being transferred into the newly activated 228th Supply and Service Company (Direct Support). Both ends and both sides of the bridge had round turrets for protecting the bridge. His next Pay Voucher for time period 1-30 September 1966 indicates he was transferred from 228th to HHC 266th. 15 assigned in the 228th were wounded by said incoming mortar fire. A fellow named Ted Fife (still a good friend to this day) and I had both been assigned to the 29th. ?.ABN, 10) The 266th Supply and Service Battalion operates a graves registration collection point at Long Binh. The various submissions and written data of below are a reflection of first hand knowledge, and or consolidated knowledge, by personnel (officers and enlisted) who served in the unit directly, and were eye witness to various events and or actions described in narrative form, as seen and known from their individual assignments and perspectives. Late March (possibly early April) informal visit to 228th by General Creighton W. Abrams Jr. and his Sergeant Major. 13) POL, Class III operations are also ignored inTay Ninhand other FSAs. In other words, I like a 109 others had remained together (assigned with the same personnel and 2 companies) from start to finish for nearly two years. Well, not only did the convoy arrive, which we unloaded, but a planeload of turkeys was air-lifted in to Katum as well. The most important customer is the 45th Surgical Hospital. The next morning we were told, that some of their guys had been killed in the initial explosion. A good number of the troops of the 228th borrowed ear plugs from Air Force personnel while a few did not. ABN January 2013. Still glad it wasnt my job. to all combat forces not only in Tay Ninh Base Camp, but the massive flow of men and material suddenly arriving to support and conduct the largest Counteroffensive ever launched within Vietnam to date. We were good to go! Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Battalion, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, participated in a live fire exercise with Republic of Korea Army. Ward (Typo by TLN Should be MajorJerryE.Ward)of Columbus Georgia, the supply point commander who controls 480 men (see Note following) who provide these vital supplies and services. We were 8 inch artillery and thus not assigned to any one. I was definitely not authorized to initiate such a call, which would insure that no switchboard operator would disconnect the call. There is no other way to state, that I promptly swallowed the very large lump in my throat, and eloquently commented with one or two of the most profound statements I could mustersuch as; Holy S___ followed by You gotta be S__ing me. (2) Organic tank trucks and semitrailers may be used for any of several operations, including transfer of product from the supply point to using units, bulk storage at the supply point and convoy refueling. This project, Cp 66-16- 79 for opening and operating a quarry and crushing facility at Nui Ba Den Mountain was assigned on an availability date of 20 October 1966, however actual date of opening of the Tay Ninh quarry was delayed due to the security of the area which was completely controlled by the Viet Cong. Primary duties of Stock Control were: maintain stock records on Class I (rations), II&IV (general supplies), III (POL), and Engineer IV; requisition Class I and selected II&IV and Engineer IV items to support daily consumption plus maintain reserve quantities; prepare ASLs (Authorized Stockage Lists) and ROs (Requisitioning Objectives) for the preceding; requisition/expedite any II&IV and Engineer IV items not on ASLs; and inventory of items in the yards (object: try to keep stock records matching what was actually out there). Personnel wore many hats, worked 24/7 on continuous 12 to 15 hour shifts, withstood two in company mortar attacks 4 November and 14 November, but did indeed accomplish its mission objectives by supporting 23,000 combat troops in the field, and another 5,000 to 8,000 within the Base Camp and/or its surroundings. B.A. Not that we had it bad, but these guys had it made. (. Petroleum products are aviation and diesel fuel, gasoline, oil, and lubricants.The vital link in supplying ammunition, he said, is trailer trucks.
228th field artillery battalion