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4-23 Veterans Share Deployment Memories

Aug- 2-2005 » Filed Under: 172nd SBCT

Link to Full Article with photo

John Pennell
Fort Richardson PAO

FORT RICHARDSON – The last time Fort Richardson said farewell to the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment was in 1966 as the unit deployed to Vietnam, but the unit’s history touches on conflicts – both foreign and domestic – for nearly 150 years.

Two direct links to the 4-23rd’s history sat in the audience at the July 22 deployment ceremony, Bill Devine and Ernie Barndt.

Devine was a young infantryman who deployed and fought with the unit in Korea in 1950. Barndt deployed to Vietnam from Fort Richardson as part of the 4th Bn., 23rd Inf. in 1966.

“I’m very proud of them, and I know they’re ready,” Barndt said as he watched the Soldiers standing in formation. “I feel very confident they’ll do what needs to be done.

“We were talking to the brigade commander (Col. Michael Shields), and when I joined the 23rd back in 1964, he was three years old.”

Devine said he felt a sense of pride that he had been in the young Soldiers’ position and had done his duty.

“It’s the pride of knowing that I was there before they were in earlier wars of the United States, in the Korean War – we’re talking 55 years ago I was standing in that same formation, and away we went,” he said. “I just want to tell them to be careful, be safe. I’m looking forward to talking to some of the young men and wishing them well.”

The unit was formed in 1861 as 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment and fought during the Civil War under the Army of the Potomac. The battalion fought in 12 Civil War campaigns, including Antietam and Gettysburg.

After being re-designated as the 23rd Infantry Regiment in 1866, the unit participated in the Indian Wars and established its first link to Alaska when Company E, 23rd Infantry became one of the first Army units to serve under the Military Department of Alaska in 1869.

In 1898 the unit participated in quelling the Philippine Insurrection and sailed on west through the Suez Canal and the Straights of Gibraltar, becoming the first Army unit to circumnavigate the globe.

The 23rd earned six campaign streamers as part of the 2nd Division in France in World War I, including battles in Saint Mihiel and Meusse-Argonne.

In World War II action the unit participated in the historic Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace and central Europe campaigns.

In 1950 the 23rd deployed to the Republic of Korea as part of the 2nd Infantry Division. Here they earned 10 campaign streamers including Twin Tunnels, Chipyong-Ni and Heartbreak Ridge.

In 1963 the 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry activated at Fort Richardson. Three years later the battalion headed to Vietnam for four years, extending the long list of Tomahawk lineage and honors, including becoming the Army’s first mechanized infantry battalion with M-113 Armored Personnel Carriers.


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