278th Armored Cavalry Regiment called to active duty

Kingsport Times-News ^ | May 12, 2004 | Staff and Wire Reports

[don-o]

278th Armored Cavalry Regiment called to active duty
Wednesday, May 12, 2004

By Staff and wire report

Tennessee's largest National Guard combat force is being mobilized for active duty, officials said Tuesday.

The 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment is an approximately 4,000-soldier force outfitted with enough tanks and armored vehicles to fill 585 railcars.

The last time the full regiment was deployed was the Korean War. However, some troops in the regiment served in the first Gulf War.

The Knoxville-based regiment has squadron headquarters in Athens, Kingsport and Cookeville and 30 armories scattered across Middle and East Tennessee - including a headquarters detachment in Rogersville, Troop F in Bristol, Troop G in Greeneville, Troop E in Newport, and Company H in Erwin.

"Their combat mission would be reconnaissance and security," Randy Harris, public information officer for the Tennessee Army National Guard, told the Times-News in March when the regiment was first placed on alert.
"They are a self-contained armored cavalry regiment," Harris said.
The units will mobilize at their home stations in a phased-in process June 7-26, Harris said. "Within a few days of their mobilization date they will move to their mobilization site at Camp Shelby (Mississippi)," Harris said.

Officials have not announced where the regiment's mission will be. Currently there are about 138,000 U.S. forces in Iraq. That number was to be reduced to about 115,000 this spring, but a surge in anti-occupation violence caused officials to bolster the force.
The 278th claims its roots in the pre-Revolutionary War militia that defended East Tennessee settlers from the Creek and Cherokee Indians. It takes its motto "I volunteer, sir!"

from the Tennessee militiamen who fought in the 1846 War with Mexico.
Formed as the 278th Armored Infantry Battalion after World War II from a unit that fought at Normandy, the 278th Regimental Combat Team was last activated fully on Sept. 1, 1950, for the Korean War. It was released from federal service in 1954.

In recent years, the regiment provided flood assistance in Memphis, helped recover an F-14 fighter jet that crashed in Nashville in 1996, provided security at the Ocoee whitewater events for the 1996 Olympics, fought fires and aided search-and-rescue efforts in the Smoky Mountains, and helped secure airports after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The regiment received extensive training in desert combat in 2002 during maneuvers at the Army's National Training Center in Fort Irwin, Calif., in the Mohave Desert.

[Old Sarge]

National Guard Goes To War PING!

The 278th ACR is HUGE, easily the size of their Big Army brothers, the 2nd and the 3rd.

I've trained with these guys on and off over the years. They've done incredible things with the equipment they've got, and their people are sharp.

I saw their alert orders go out earlier this year. They've had good time to spin themselves up to speed. They'll dso fine.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[StarCMC]

Our Troops Rock!

[don-o]

Volunteer State bump and God Bless!!

Any Freepers in the 278?

[Soaring Feather]

bump

[txradioguy]

Hey if they need any materials for briefing the guys about media on the battlefield let me know I might have something to send them.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

PING

[ladtx]

I served in the 11th ACR in Germany before it was deactivated and moved to Ft Irwin to operate at the OPFOR there. The ACR's probably have some of the highest esprit de corps than any other Army units. I'm very proud of my service with the 11th.

[rbmillerjr]

as an airborne guy I have alot of respect for the ACRs, they are the mech elites.

Go get em 278, when in doubt kill. Do not get captured, with with fury.

[rbmillerjr]

that was fight with fury.

[Old Sarge]

I rode last summer with 1/221 CAV of the Nevada Guard - "Wildhorse!" - they're the round-out unit for the 11th.

I was their senior intel guy for the rotation; the Guardsmen were doing better than Big Army!

Got the Commander's Coin and an ARCOM out of the deal - must've done sumptin' right!

[CDHart]

May God protect and watch over these brave soldiers.

Carolyn

[ladtx]

I was the Troop Aeroscout Instructor Pilot in B Troop 11th Squadron 11th ACR in 1985 when I left Germany. It was commanded by CPT James D. Thurman. The same James D. Thurman who has just took command of the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Hood, Texas as Major General Thurman. He was a hard charger then and I would expect has not changed. He would do anything for those under his command and got the same in return.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Tennessee's largest National Guard combat force is being mobilized for active duty, officials said Tuesday.

The 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment is an approximately 4,000-soldier force outfitted with enough tanks and armored vehicles to fill 585 railcars.

The last time the full regiment was deployed was the Korean War.
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278th Armored Cavalry Regiment

"I Volunteer Sir!"  

                               

Godspeed! 

[don-o]

Thanks RC.

Nice graphic.

Gonna keep this bumped for my Tennessee friends and neigbors

God Bless and Protect the 267. Pity the fools that run up sidewise against these guys.

Give 'em the hell they have asked for, Vols!

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

You are most welcome, don-o.

Amen to your post.

Please let your Tennessee neighbors and friends know that we're grateful, and praying for your great state's warriors.

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[don-o]

God Bless and Protect the 267

And the 278.

My dyslexia and whatnot.

[harpo11]

I second it!

OUR TROOPS ROCK