'Wolfhounds' Receive Combat Badges - Afghanistan Ceremony First for Unit Since Vietnam

Defend America ^ | August 27, 2004 | Army Capt. Juanita Chang / Task Force Thunder

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

'Wolfhounds' Receive Combat Badges Afghanistan Ceremony First for Unit Since Vietnam
By U.S. Army Capt. Juanita Chang / Task Force Thunder
FORWARD OPERATING BASE ORGUN-E, Afghanistan, Aug. 27, 2004 — The "Wolfhounds" of 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment held their first Combat Infantryman Badge and Combat Medical Badge ceremony since the Vietnam War, Aug. 23. In the sunset ceremony at Forward Operating Base Orgun-e, about 100 infantrymen and 10 combat medics representing Task Force 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment were awarded the badges. Five soldiers were awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge second award for participation in two eras of combat: Sgt. Maj. Anthony Marrero, 1st Sgt. King Parks, 1st Sgt. Timothy Johnson, Staff Sgt. Benjamin Munden and Spc. Christopher Jacobs. Jacobs, an infantryman with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, said he is very proud of receiving a second Combat Infantryman Badge. "It shows proof I did something while I was in the Army," Jacobs said. "It shows my time in the Army was put to good use." Soldiers who receive the Combat Infantryman Badge must be under fire by the enemy. "We've had a lot of rockets fired at us," Jacobs said. Soldiers who put their life on the line stood in formation as the sun dipped below the jagged desert mountains.	Maj. Gen. Eric T. Olson, Combined Joint Task Force 76 commander, pins a Combat Medical Badge on a soldier during a ceremony at Forward Operating Base Orgun-e, Afghanistan, Aug. 23, 2004. U.S. Army photo   Maj. Gen. Eric T. Olson, Combined Joint Task Force 76 commander, paid a surprise visit to help present the warriors with their badges. One platoon, which had just come off of a mission exhausted and filthy, was unaware Olson was coming. First Lt. Clint Dodson, a platoon leader with Task Force 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment , was one of the soldiers coming off the mission. Dodson is one of Olson's former Cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and former captain of their football team. Olson was formerly the Commandant of Cadets at the academy. "It's hard to express the pride I felt when General Olson pinned on my Combat Infantryman Badge right after returning from a combat mission," Dodson said. Soldiers "walked a little taller," after the ceremony, Olson said, continuing to write another story in the Tropic Lightning Division history.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

2nd Battalion Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment

 

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COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGES  
First Award

COMBAT MEDICAL BADGES  
First Award

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2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry
"Wolfhounds"

...The 2nd Battalion 27th Infantry was again activated on 31 August 1995, and this unit again carries proudly its thirty battle streamers and twelve unit citations on its colors. The motto "Nec Aspera Terrent" translates to "No Fear on Earth."

Both battalions of the 27th Infantry have entered the 50th year of the regiment’s relationship with the children and staff of the Holy Family Home Orphanage, Osaka, Japan. During Christmas 1949, Wolfhounds visited the orphanage to deliver gifts and hold a Christmas party for the children. Recognizing the needs of the children, and the then-limited capacity for self-help in postwar Japan, the regiment turned what was to have been a one-time occurrence into flow of supplies, food, building materials, medical assistance, and most importantly, love from American soldiers and their families to the orphans. Soldiers from 1st and 2nd Battalions return to Japan every Christmas, and two children from the orphanage have visited Schofield Barracks annually since 1957. The relationship was recognized by Hollywood in 1956 when members of the regiment were profiled in the movie, "Three Stripes In The Sun," starring Aldo Ray. - more
 

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[Jet Jaguar]

Kudos to the heroes and a big bump.

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[american_ranger]

Hey, our son's in that picture! We haven't heard from him in a couple weeks. My husband's on a trip and called me to say he'd seen this. Since he cannot post, he told me to. Our son is the tall one in the back! You cannot imagine how good it feels to see a picture of him! Oh, thank you, Free Republic for having this picture. You can be sure all the relatives and friends are going to hear about this. American Ranger's wife and Proud Army Mother.

[american_ranger]

</b> Sorry forgot to turn off bold!!!

[airborne]

WOW!!! LEAVE THE BOLD ON! Thank you for raising a son who cares enough about me and my sons to protect our way of life!

[IDontLikeToPayTaxes]

If memory serves, that was Hackworth's unit in Korea.

[marmar]

Mom, I rejoice with you........God keep our soldiers safe..

[Smartaleck]

Any mom whose son is serving our country has earned the right to be bold.......it lets the proud smile on your face shine through. :-)

[TADSLOS]

HOOAH!

Sua Sponte

[wtc911]

I am proud of you and your family...thanks.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thank you for your service, american-ranger - for your son, and husband. Bless you all!

[Alaska007]

Congrats wolfpuppies! Keep up the good work, and continue making your country proud. I'm sure Kolcheck is smiling. This message is from a former wolfhound as well. Bravo Co. 1/27th INF; Schofield Bks, HI. "Killer Bees" Dec. 1983 to Dec. 1986.

[TShaunK]

Great job Wolfies.Everyone at home can go to work,church and a ballgame in peace thanks to your sacrifice and service.
Thank you from a grateful American family.

[Godebert]

"Bravo Co. 1/27th INF; Schofield Bks, HI. "Killer Bees" Dec. 1983 to Dec. 1986."

I was there about the same time...HHB DIVARTY, '82-'85. Thunder!

[gogipper]

Congratulations. Hope he stays safe and comes home soon.

[squirt]

Thank Him for his service.

[Valin]

"It shows proof I did something while I was in the Army," Jacobs said. "It shows my time in the Army was put to good use."

"There is one great thing that you men will all be able to say after this war is over and you are home once again. You may be thankful that twenty years from now when you are sitting by the fireplace with your grandson on your knee and he asks you what you did in the great World War II, you WON'T have to cough, shift him to the other knee and say, "Well, your Granddaddy shoveled sh*t in Louisiana." No, Sir, you can look him straight in the eye and say, "Son, your Granddaddy rode with the Great Third Army and a Son-of-a-Goddamned-Bitch named Georgie Patton!"

[shield]

BMP