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The Official Magazine of the Maine National Guard
Vol 4 // Issue 4
OPERATION TIMBERHOOK 2016
DEFENDING THE SHORES: COAST ARTILLERY
172ND INFANTRY REGIMENT (MOUNTAIN) 133RD ENGINEER BATTALION RECEIVES REVOLUTIONARY WAR HONORS
ANSWERINGTHECALLSINCE1636
NATIONAL GUARD 380TH BIRTHDAY
The Maine National Guard Public Affairs Office is pleased to present the December 2016 edition of the Bayonet Magazine. The Bayonet is the official magazine of the Maine National Guard and is made possible by Soldier and Airmen provided content and feedback. This edition highlights some of the recent accomplishments and updates from the Maine National Guard, including a historical look at Maine’s coast artillery past, the special skill sets of the Mountain Infantry, Operation Timberhook, Celebrating 380 Years of Organizational Excellence, and much more! If you enjoy the content that is provided in the Bayonet and would like to see more of it, please consider “liking” the Maine National Guard on Facebook where you can keep up to date on Maine National Guard current events! We are also interested in sharing your story ideas and imagery. Please send them in to us for consideration for future editions of the Bayonet. Thank you for your continued interest and unwavering support to your National Guard. Always Ready! Always There!
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The Adjutant General BRIG. GEN. DOUGLAS FARNHAM Assistant Adjutant General - Air BRIG. GEN. SCOTT YOUNG Assistant Adjutant General - Army BRIG. GEN. HUGH CORBETT Public Affairs Officers MAJ. NORMAN J. STICKNEY (ARMY) MAJ. DEVIN ROBINSON (AIR) Managing Editor SGT. 1ST CLASS PETER MORRISON Journalists SGT. 1ST CLASS PETER MORRISON STAFF SGT. ANGELA PARADY STAFF SGT. TRAVIS HILL SPC. JAROD DYE Contributors CHAPLAIN (MAJ.) EARL WEIGELT 1ST LT. JONATHAN BRATTEN CW3 SCOTT LACROIX CHIEF MASTER SGT. KELLEY HOFFSES Layout and Design SGT. 1ST CLASS PETER MORRISON
Questions and feedback: Public Affairs Office, Building 8, Camp Keyes, Augusta, ME 04333 Phone: (207) 430-5759 Email: ng.me.mearng.list.public-affairs@mail.mil Online: www.me.ngb.army.mil
-Public Affairs Officer
Maj. Norman Stickney
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maine-National-Guard/286347663430 https://twitter.com/mearng https://www.flickr.com/photos/mearng
The Bayonet is produced by the Citizen Soldiers / Airmen of the Maine National Guard, and is an authorized publication for members of the Department of Defense. Contents of this publication are not necessarily the official views of the U.S. government, the Department of Defense, National Guard Bureau, nor the Maine National Guard. All pictures are Maine National Guard photos unless otherwise identified.
Brig. Gen. Douglas Farnham, Adjutant General for the Maine National Guard, presented Maine Warden Jason Scott a framed print of the 20th Maine’s Charge today as a token of appreciation for supporting the Maine Army National Guard training sites. Warden Scott collaborated with land owners to create a recreational access trail that bypassed the Hollis Training Site to solve a decades old problem of trespassing, vandalism, and damage to protected wildlife. Not only did Warden Scott’s commitment to law enforcement help keep our training area safe, he found a solution that helps protect Maine’s rare, threatened and endangered plant species. Thank you Warden Scott and all of the men and women at the Maine Warden Service! (U.S. Army National Guard Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Pete Morrison / Released)
INSIDE THIS ISSUE A Message From
The State Command Chief, CMSGT. Kelley S. Hoffses
Holiday Meals, For Health and Safety
Defending the Shores:
133rd Engineer Battalion Receives Revolutionary War Honors
172nd Infantry Regiment
Newly Renovated Calais Readiness Center
Coast Artillery in the Maine
Practiced climbing, rappelling, belaying, knot tying and medical evacuation skills
The Chaplain’s Word OPERATION TIMBERHOOK 2016 Getting around Baxter state park
National Guard 380th Birthday Loyalty, Legacy and Leadership.
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A MESSAGE FROM
the State command chief Maine National Guard Team, I hope you’ve enjoyed a great 2016. Effective August 1st I became the State Command Chief for the Maine Air National Guard. Which means: I work for you. This is just a quick note to introduce myself and provide a brief overview of who I am. Born and raised in Presque Isle, I joined the Army straight out of high school serving four years active duty and another nine years in the Army Reserves, prior to finding my home with the Maine Air National Guard working in Public Affairs. 28 of my 32 years have been as a Drill Status Guardsman, so I fully understand the challenges of juggling a military career with competing priorities from civilian employers and family commitments. It’s definitely a balancing act, yet we volunteer for this life, as we proudly serve our Great State and Country, embracing our culture that continues to evolve and strengthen. Like you, I am extremely proud to be a MAINEiac. On the civilian side of the house I’m closing in on 21 years with the State of Maine, Department of Health & Human Services as the Northern Regional Manager for the Division of Support Enforcement & Recovery. My job is to ensure you receive the tools, training, resources and support necessary for success. It’s about effecting positive change by addressing concerns directly; gathering creative input for growth and fostering relationships along the way. I want to hear from you what’s working, what’s not and your ideas for improvement. I am truly blessed and honored to serve in this capacity and look forward to meeting and advocating for you on a state and national level. My door is always open. Respectfully, Kelly S. Hoffses, CMSgt, MEANG State Command Chief The Bayonet
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CMSgt. Kelly s. Hoffses
Secure. Confidential. Anonymous.
safehelpline.org|877-995-5247
Defending the Shores: Coast
A Synopsis of the evolution of the MEARNG Force Structure by 1st. Lt. Jonathan D. Bratten Two men from Battery C, 240th Coast Artillery Regiment sight in a 6 inch gun in 1941 at Fort Williams. (Maine National Guard Archives)
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t will not escape the casual observer’s notice that Maine consists of a lot of land that borders the Atlantic Ocean: 228 miles, in fact. However, taking into account bays, inlets, sounds, and coastal islands, this becomes a much larger figure: 3,478 miles. While this is a boon to the state’s economy – maritime industries have provided the base for Mainers’ livelihoods going back to the state’s founding as a colony in the 1600s – it also means that Maine is highly vulnerable to invasion from the sea. And with the exception of colonial wars in the 17th century, threats from the sea have been Maine’s primary concern until halfway into the 20th century. In 1775, Maine’s vulnerability was made extremely clear when a small British fleet burnt the principal town in Maine, Falmouth (now Portland). Four years later, British forces seized and occupied Castine. A combined American land and sea force proved unable to dislodge this force during the Penobscot Expedition, which was the worst defeat the U.S. Navy suffered until Pearl Harbor in 1941. During the interwar period, the U.S. and Maine attempted to bolster Maine’s defensive capabilities by building forts at key The Bayonet
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points along the coastline: Kittery, Portland, Wiscasset, and Castine. Yet in the War of 1812, the British again acted with impunity on Maine’s coastline, seizing Eastport and Castine and mounting raids on cities such as Bangor and Brewer. Through the vigorous actions of Maine militia units, the British were kept from making incursions into southern Maine. British forces withdrew in 1816 at the end of the war, but the threat from the sea convinced the Federal government to engage in such coastal fortification endeavors as Fort Knox at the mouth of the Penobscot River in 1844, Fort Popham on the Kennebec River in 1861, and Forts Gorges, Scammel, and Preble in Portland harbor in 1865. These new forts – called Third System fortifications – featured impressive granite walls with firing ports for heavy artillery in two to three tiers. The fortifications were manned by small contingents of Regular Army troops, with the expectation that they could be manned by militia if the need arose. However, due to technological advances in naval gunnery and cannon rifling, most of these forts were obsolete by the end of the Civil War. Their high walls gave them a large
profile that could easily be targeted by naval vessels with long-range guns. Following the Spanish-American War in 1898, the War Department began a drive to fortify the coastlines again. Navies across the world were becoming larger and more deadly, and the War Department feared that enemy fleets of steam-powered armored warships with long-range guns could decimate the U.S. coastline in event of war. The new coastal fortifications were different from anything that had been seen up to that time; rather than the tall tiers of gun batteries, the new forts consisted of smaller emplacements of two to three heavy guns that could reach out to ten to twelve miles. These were low-profile emplacements that were barely visible from the sea. Special gun mounts were created for the large twelve inch guns that allowed the gun to
Artillery in the Maine National Guard be loaded in cover, then raised into a firing position. The recoil of the gun firing brought it back into cover. These were called “disappearing guns.� The heavy guns were augmented by a collection of large mortars and smaller supporting guns to defeat landing parties. Sea mines were also incorporated into the defenses of harbors, with over watch from smaller gun batteries. As communications technology developed, the gun positions were connected via telephone to spotting towers situated along the coastline as well as to plotting stations and fire direction centers. This allowed for realtime observation of the effect of gunfire and corrections could be radioed directly to the battery. At the beginning of the 20th century, these new forts were state-of-the-art defense systems. Improvements such as searchlights, radar stations, and anti-aircraft batteries were made during and after World War I. In Maine, these forts were constructed on existing positions. Fort Baldwin was built at the mouth of the Kennebec, featuring two batteries of sixinch guns and one of three-inch guns. In Portland harbor, Fort Preble, Fort Lyon, Fort McKinley, and Fort Levett were upgraded while Fort Williams was constructed as the center of the Harbor Defenses of Portland. These forts mounted a range of weapons systems, from twelve inch disappearing guns to mortars to anti-speedboat machine guns to anti-aircraft batteries.
Map: Harbor Defenses of Portland during World War II, depicting the various installations that would have been manned by the 240th Coast Artillery Regiment during the war. (Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons)
Battery Blair at Fort Williams during World War II. A 12 inch disappearing gun is shown in the firing position with Portland Head Light in the background. (Photo courtesy Joel Eastman) Fort Foster in Kittery boasted two heavy gun batteries and became part of the Harbor Defenses of Portsmouth. These three positions provided overlapping fields of fire that reached from the mouth of the Sheepscott River down to the border of New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Who would man these fortifications? In 1907, the War Department divided the artillery branch of the Army into two sub-divisions: field artillery and coast artillery. However, the Regular Army at this time was too
small to man the forts all up and down both coasts of the country. So Congress allotted a substantial number of National Guard units to the Coast Artillery Corps. This only made sense, since it was a mission to defend the homeland that could be carried out inside by forces native to each state. In a sense, it became the National Guard’s first enduring homeland security mission.
Defending the Shores: Coast Artillery in the Maine National Guard (CONTINUED) While it was technically an Army victory, the Navy had managed to seize most of the surrounding islands and would have been able to inflict grave damage on the port activities of Portland. This gave the War Department the impetus to convert half the Maine National Guard to coast artillery. With the declaration of war on Germany on April 6, 1917, the coast artillery of the Maine National Guard were called up for Federal service to begin their full-time mission.
A sea mine detachment on board its vessel, 1941. The entrances to Portland harbor were mined during the war and were controlled from bunkers on Fort Williams and on Peaks Island. (Maine National Guard Archives)
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n 1910, the 1st Regiment of Infantry, National Guard of the State of Maine, was converted into twelve companies of coast artillery. This was significant as at the time there were only two infantry regiment in the Maine National Guard. Roughly half of Maine’s force structure was now dedicated to harbor defense. It was not an unlookedfor move, since the topic had been debated for nearly a decade within the state.
The principal action came when several thousand Marines and Navy personnel landed at Cushing Beach and moved overland on Cape Elizabeth towards Fort Williams. A combined force of Maine and Massachusetts National Guard troops manning entrenchments near the fort defeated this force in battle, ending the exercise.
The 2,000 men went into duty up and down the coast, keeping watch for German submarines and suspected saboteurs. The country was in a high state of alarm, fearing that the Germans were going to infiltrate Canada and send spies into Maine. However, the period of World War I passed in relative calm for the men who stood watch over the harbors and inlets of Maine. Huge drafts of coast artillerymen were moved into National Guard units headed for France, and several companies from the coast artillery were formed into the 54th Artillery Regiment (Coast Artillery Corps) and sent to France. They arrived too late to take part in any significant combat. Peace returned the Nation-
In fact, in 1903, a joint Army-Navy exercise took place in Portland to test the harbor defenses. It pitted Regular Army units, both regiments of the Maine National Guard, and National Guard units from Massachusetts against the U.S. Navy’s North Atlantic Fleet. For a week in the summer, Portland was awash in troops and the sounds of naval broadsides from battleships and cruisers could be heard up and down the coast. The Maine National Guard – still fighting as infantry – maneuvered around the coastline of Portland and its surrounding islands to repel landing parties of Marines.
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A company of Maine National Guard coast artillerymen marching to Fort Williams to take the place of Regular Army troops in 1917. (Photo courtesy National Archives and Records Administration)
al Guardsmen to their armories. The coast artillery in Maine was reorganized in the 1920s to form the 240th Coast Artillery Regiment, to consist of three battalions. This new organization was more robust than the previous companies; in addition to gun batteries, the battalions had searchlight units, sea mine detachments, anti-aircraft batteries, medical detachments, kitchen units, and maintenance detachments. Each battalion could now be self-sustaining. The regiment numbered more than 3,000 troops, with units from Portland, South Portland, Saco, Rockland, Thomaston, Sanford, and Brunswick. On September 16, 1940, the entirety of the 240th Coast Artillery was ordered into Federal service to replace the 68th Coast Artillery, Regular Army, which had been transferred to Cape Cod. The men began their tour of duty in the Harbor Defenses of Portland, which would last until 1946. Most of their time was spend in constant drills with their guns and equipment when not on duty. Duty consisted of long hours surveying the distant horizon, conducting patrols around the installations, monitoring radar systems, and controlling the seamine belts that protected Portland from German submarines. Portland at this time was awash with military activity. Not only was it the home of the Liberty Ship yards in South Portland, but it was also the home base for the North Atlantic Destroyer fleet. Convoys bound for Britain, Russia, France, Italy, and other war ports all passed through Portland harbor. The men of the 240th had their hands full just coordinating all the sea traffic coming in and out of the port. In addition, the submarine threat was real.
Fort Gorges. Built on Hog Island in Portland harbor, work on Fort Gorges began in the 1850s and was not complete until after the Civil War, by which time it was obsolete. (Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons) German U-Boats were sighted multiple times off the coast of Maine, and in 1945 – just weeks before Germany was knocked out of the war - a patrol boat was torpedoed off Cape Elizabeth. This same U-Boat would be sunk in Rhode Island two weeks later. In 1947, the War Department did what the Germans could not: they broke up the Coast Artillery Corps in Maine. World War II had demonstrated that the threat from the air was more significant than that from the sea. The batteries were consolidated and converted into the 703rd Antiaircraft Artillery Gun Battalion with headquarters in South Portland. Like the coast artillerymen who went before them, the anti-air gunners inherited another vital homeland security mission. The battalion was authorized to maintain full strength for personnel and equipment and had a large full-time staff. This enabled the battalion to be as-
sembled and ready for service in a matter of hours, the unit’s history boasts. From the first rudimentary shore forts to the heavy guns of the harbor defenses, Maine’s citizen-soldiers have been protecting their homes for centuries, as they continue to do today. The lineage of coast artillery units is carried on to this day by the 133rd Engineer Battalion, the 262nd Engineer Company, and the 1136th Transportation Company.
Story By Spc. Jarod Dye
Soldiers from the 172nd Infantry Regiment (Mountain) Train at Eagles Bluff Photo By Spc. Jarod Dye The Bayonet
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Photo By Sgt. Sarah Myrick
Soldiers from the Maine Army National Guard Company B, 3rd Battalion 172nd Infantry Regiment (Mountain) practiced climbing, rappelling, belaying, knot tying and medical evacuation skills at Eagles Bluff in Clifton, October 1. The mountain infantry operates as a normal infantry unit but is highly specialized to tactically complete missions in mountainous environments. These infantrymen frequently travel from their armory in Brewer to locations around New England in order to train and stay effective at their jobs. The training at Eagles Bluff required Soldiers to rappel down a rock face more than 200 feet. “Rappelling is definitely, in my personal opinion, the best part,” said Staff Sgt. Garte Sosmena, a weapons squad leader with the 172nd. The Soldiers on the ground, the belayers, hold fellow soldiers by ropes on rock walls, high above the ground where a wrong move could have serious consequences. Such exercises build trust between unit members.“Having trust with each other, with the belayer is definitely a key point for this,” said Garte. Trust and confidence between soldiers also leads to better safety standards.
Climbing these walls may seem intimidating, however Soldiers trained by the Army Mountain Warfare School in Jericho, Vermont acted as safeties during the training. Theses qualified Soldiers checked knots, ropes and climbing gear for any issues before each climb. “Safety is the biggest thing that we always try to stress because at any time something can happen,” said Spc. Ater Ater. As a National Guard unit which trains one weekend a month, soldiers must take their drill seriously in order to keep their level of proficiency high. “This is something we have to constantly keep practicing so that we can hone those skills,” said Ater, a team leader with the 172nd. “By doing this, it prepares us for any situation because we’ll have muscle memory of what we’re supposed to be doing.” As winter approaches, training for Bravo Company does not slow down. Training continues at their armory in Brewer. The Brewer armory is equipped with a full climbing wall with rappel tower. “We do this type of training year round,” said Ater. “We definitely get plenty of practice using ropes and climbing.”
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The chaplain’s word Outdoor humorist Pat McManus, who wrote columns for Outdoor Life and Field and Stream for many years, got a lot of mileage out of deer-camp menu favorite “Whatchagot Stew.” You see, typically toward the end of deer camp when supplies start getting low, it can be challenging to satisfy a crew of hungry outdoors folk and so, whoever draws the short straw for KP the last meal or two has to pool the resources. “I want to make a stew for supper, but the cooler and cupboard are pretty bare… I could use a little help,” might say the would-be chef to fellow lodge-mates. “What’re you gonna put in it?” they ask. “Well, whatcha got?” he asks. And so, one hunter comes up with a package of hot dogs; another finds some pepperoni; and somebody else retrieves the rabbit from the game pouch of their hunting coat still hanging on the porch. A can of corn here, an onion from there, that lonely can of warm PBR that’s been on the window ledge since Sunday night, a little seasoning and “Voila!” Whatchagot Stew! And the thing is… it’s not bad! Particularly after a long day in the field.
Quite a few things in life work out this way. For example, when times get tough we find in them an opportunity to contribute. We don’t all have the same resources though, and we can feel like our contributions are puny or that they just don’t stack up to somebody else’s. But here’s the thing… in the right hands, seemingly insignificant “offerings” can do mighty things. In one Gospel story we see a small boy with a lunch that amounted to a few crackers and some sardines. In the Master’s hands this “little” turned into much (John 6:9). In another place, the apostle Peter shows his lack of worldly wealth when he turned down a crippled beggar’s
request for money, telling him that he didn’t have any money, but that what he did have he would give to him and then healed him in the name of the Lord (Acts 3:1-10). Of these two scriptural examples of “giving what you have,” I confess I personally identify more readily with the little boy giving away his Lunchables than with Peter’s healing of the crippled man, but I think that’s beside the point. Closer to the mark is being ready for the question, “Whatcha got?” and answering with what we have, whether we think the offering is all that spectacular or not and leaving the results to God with whom little is much. Grace and Peace this Holiday Season, --CH (MAJ) Earl Weigelt Full Time Support Chaplain, MEARNG
Photos by Sgt. 1st Class Pete Morrison
OPERATION TIMBERHOOK 2016 getting around baxter state park
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oldiers from Company C. 1st Battalion 126th Aviation Regiment, 3rd Battalion 142nd Aviation and the 521st Troop Command using eight UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters moved over 60 loads of equipment to sites difficult or impossible to reach by vehicle. Crews trained on external load and hoist operations as well as load generation and receiving sling loads from the helicopters.
The flight crews logged over 45 hours of flight time and flew into five different locations within the park, delivering supplies and removing debris. Park Rangers and support personnel from the Maine National Guard worked closely together resulting in loads of materials moved safely to various remote locations around the Park to help replace lean-tos, bridges and supply back country campgrounds. The partnership between the crews and helicopters of the Maine Army National Guard and Baxter State Park goes back for decades; coordinating their efforts in emergency medical and rescue situations, to missions like Operation Timberhook.
HOLIDAY MEALS, TIPS FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY BY CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER THREE SCOTT LACROIX
• Keep knives out of the reach of children. • Keep the kitchen off-limits to young children and adults that are not helping with food preparations to lessen the possibility of kitchen mishaps. • Cook on the back burners when possible and turn pot handles in so they don’t extend over the edge of the stove.
Keep these general safety tips in mind whenever you cook up a feast: • Make sure smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button. Check manufacture date and replace every ten years. • Don’t leave the kitchen while frying and grilling. If deep frying a turkey, keep the fryer outside, away from walls, fences and other structures. Make sure all stoves, ovens and ranges have been turned off when leaving the kitchen. DO NOT PUT OUT GREASE/OIL FIRE WITH WATER. • Avoid loose clothes, especially those with long sleeves, while cooking. • Never leave cooking unattended. If people must leave the kitchen while cooking, turn off the stove or have someone else watch what is being cooked. • After guests leave, walk around the home making sure that all candles and smoking materials are extinguished. • Keep pot holders and food wrappers three feet away from the stove or other hot surfaces. Kids should stay at least three feet away also. Make sure the handles of pots and pans are facing inward. • Keep the floor clear so people don’t trip over kids, toys, pocketbooks or bags. The Bayonet
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• Set timers to keep track of turkeys and other food items that require extended cooking times • Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child.
Don’t Invite Bacteria to Dinner: • Using soap and warm water, wash hands for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food, using the bathroom or touching pets. • Wash cutting boards, counters and utensils often. Use two cutting boards, one for washed produce and one for
raw meat and seafood. • Separate raw foods from cooked foods, to avoid cross-contamination. Wash fresh vegetables and fruits in drinkable running water. • Start holiday cooking with a clean stove and oven. • Cook foods to at least the internal temperature that kills harmful bacteria. For example, whole poultry should be at least 85? C (185 F). • Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
Just because we get to take a break from dieting on Thanksgiving, doesn’t mean we can throw caution to the autumn winds. Remember these suggestions and have a happy and safe holiday.
Brig. Gen. Douglas Farnham congratulates our marksmanship team for a first place finish in the 5th Annual State of Maine Police Challenge. The Police Challenge consisted of nine SWAT/SRT teams from various Police agencies across the State and the Maine National Guard Marksmanship Team. The winning team consisted of Sgt. 1st Class Kyle Bartman, Sgt. Nicholas Girardin of Medical Detachment, Sgt. Daniel Fox, 11th Civil Support Team and Sgt. Maxim Nickerson, 142nd Aviation. The focus was on tactical employment of the rifle and service pistol with a strong emphasis on accuracy and speed, competitors would receive penalties for missed shots. The teams were also tested on physical fitness, featuring a three mile cross country run and contained 30 firing stations along the way. The stations focused on team physical challenges like: log carries, cruiser push, sand bag toss over barriers, sand bucket relays, and heavy bag carry up a flight of stairs.
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Operation Timberhook allowed training in Baxter State Park with several Black Hawk Helicopters, Park Rangers and support personnel from the Maine National Guard resulting in 60 sling loads of materials transported safely to various remote locations around the Park to help replace lean-tos, bridges and supply back country campgrounds. US Army National Guard Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Pete Morrison / Released)
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Bravo Company 3rd of the 172nd Infantry (Mountain) based in Brewer conducted a historic re-patching Sunday by aligning with the 10th Mountain Division. The realignment is part of the Army Associated Units pilot. “The Associated Units pilot facilitates readiness and strategic depth across components,” Lt. Gen. Jeffrey W. Talley, Chief of Army Reserve said. “These units will train, build readiness, and ultimately fight as One Army.” The Bayonet
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The Maine Army National Guard 52nd Troop Command Change of Command Ceremony, where Colonel Dwaine E. Drummond relinquished command to Lieutenant Colonel Dean A. Preston US Army National Guard Photo by Staff Sgt. Angela Parady / Released) The Bayonet
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133RD ENGINEER BATTALION RECEIVES REVOLUTIONARY WAR HONORS
Story and Photos by Spc. Jarod Dye
The 133rd Engineer Battalion received campaign streamers for their unit flag, the guidon, November 5, officially recognizing not only the unit’s participation in conflicts during the Revolutionary War but also the unit and state’s long-standing record of military service.
Such ribbons are also not easy to receive. To be recognized to have earned these ribbons, Maine historians had to prove through historical research that the 133rd did in fact have predecessors in that conflict, a feat that cannot be easily or quickly accomplished. The 133rd will be the 31st unit in the entire Army to receive Maine State Governor Paul LePage attached the campaign Revolutionary War honors. streamers to the 133rd Battalion guidon at the Engineers Ball after thanking those in attendance for their work in “It reflects great on the state of Maine,” said Murray, “it rethe Maine Army National Guard. flects the tradition of military service that we’ve always known in that it traces all the way back to the revolutionThe streamers symbolize the long standing legacy of the ary war.” unit which is now officially recognized to extend back to 1760 when it was the Cumberland Regiment Militia. Such a long lineage of military service in Maine reflects in the still strong military atmosphere of the state today. To many soldiers, however the flag and its streamers sym- “It speaks to the sense of service and duty that the great bolize more than participation and legacy. “What they re- state of Maine has and the people in it and the work ethic ally represent is the sacrifice of the soldiers that served in as well,” said Murray, “We’ve always been there and always that unit, of course some of which paid the ultimate sacri- will be.” fice of having died in that service, “said Maj. Zebulan Murray, the Executive Officer of the 133rd.
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1st Lt. Jonathan Bratten, the state command historian has been working on this project. “Maine being so small, especially with such a small National Guard we’ve had in influence on American Military History and National security that’s way out of proportion to our population.”
(Below) The 133rd Engineer Battalion conducted a Change of
Bratten has also been working on uncovering more historical links and hopes to trace the history of the 133rd back to the mid 1600’s.
Darveau to the incoming commander Lt. Col. Joshua Doscinski.
The 133rd will hold upwards of 40 campaign ribbons when the final recognitions of service are awarded, meaning they have participated in nearly a quarter of all United States Army conflicts.
again, serve in the 133rd. I look forward to serving with this great
“This sort of sets up almost a bench mark from the beginning that Maine was heavily involved in protecting our Nation and that tradition through each war that we’ve been in,” said Bratten. The 133rd is on track to receive more campaign ribbons once the research is completed and processed by Bratten and his coworkers.
Command Ceremony this weekend. Lieutenant Colonel (Promotable) Dean Preston, 52nd Troop Command commander, transfers the 133rd guidon from the outgoing commander Lt. Col. Richard
“I am absolutely honored to have been given this opportunity to
team as we focus on building readiness through a solid, job specific training program that challenges our Soldiers,” said Doscinski. (Maine Army National Guard Photo by Sgt. Sarah Myrick)
Photos by Sgt. Sarah Myrick
RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY NEWLY RENOVATED CALAIS READINESS CENTER Brig. Gen. Hugh T. Corbett, the Assistant Adjutant General for the Maine Army National Guard, hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open the newly renovated Calais readiness center located on 53 Calais Avenue on November 5.
The readiness center renovation will provide a long term benefit to occupant health and a reduced impact to the environment due to replacing heating, ventilation and cooling systems, replacing lighting fixtures, replacing flooring throughout, a new kitchen, improving insulation throughout the facility, replacing windows and most of the roof The readiness center is home to approximately 55 (excluding over the drill floor as the roof was replaced in Soldiers from the 1136th Transportation Company. 2008), a fire suppression system, and new electrical system to meet current National Electrical Code requirements. The $4.6 million renovation lasted just over one year and used $2 million from the 2013 state bond along “The Calais Readiness Center renovation project with $2.6 million in federal funds. The construction efforts is an outstanding example of what can be accomplished focused on significantly modernizing the interior spaces when the community, the State, the National Guard, and and making energy efficiency improvements to the 14,900 contractors understand the goals and keep the focus on the square foot main building. finish line,” said Col. Dwaine E. Drummond, director of facilities and engineering for the Maine Army National Guard. “To look at this facility in person, you would think that it was a brand new readiness center,” said Brig Gen. “Our contractors displayed exceptional planning Douglas A. Farnham, Adjutant General of the Maine Nation- and craftsmanship. Washington County Community Colal Guard. “The improvements to this existing facility are sig- lege displayed true community spirit and provided our solnificant, as are the cost savings to our taxpayers. We simply diers a temporary home, and the tax payers of Maine have could not have overhauled this armory if not for the bond.” received a great return on their investment.” The Bayonet
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(Right) Brig. Gen. Hugh Corbett, the assistant adjutant general of the Maine Army National Guard cuts the ribbon at the grand reopening ceremony of the newly renovated Readiness Center in Calais.
(Left) Brig. Gen. Hugh Corbett, the assistant adjutant general of the Maine Army National Guard cuts the ceremonial cake with Cpt. Daniel Landers, commander of the 1136th Transportation Company.
(Below) (Maine Army National Guard Photos by Sgt. Sarah Myrick)
Recruit sustainment program
Soldier of the quarter What are your goals? Steadily climb the ranks, take on more responsibility to challenge myself and become a better leader. What are your future plans? To own a house and become financially stable. Why did you join the Maine Army National Guard? To utilize the education benefits to attend college and be able to do what I love in the in the civilian world as well as in the guard. Did you know: Name: Anthony E. Parent Rank: Private, E-2 Military Occupational Skill: 12W, Carpenter Masonry Specialist Unit: Detachment 1 136th Engineer Company, Lewiston, ME Basic Training Location: Fort Leonard Wood, MO Advanced Individual Training: Fort Sill, OK
Private Parent just returned from individual training where he was distinguished honor grad. He was able to maintain the highest GPA in the class with a 93.67. He offers the following advice for anyone who is preparing for basic combat training: “Always be working on your PT to improve your physical fitness.” “Everything you do during training is done for a reason, even if you cannot see it at the time.”
Hometown: Sanford, ME High School: Sanford High School, Class of 2016 Hobbies and Interests: Building, Construction
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The Bayonet
Vol. 4 // Issue 4
Answering the call since 1636 D
ecember 13, 2016 marks the 380th birthday of the National Guard and further solidifies its legacy of loyalty, leadership and readiness. On this date in 1636, the first militia regiments in North America were organized in Massachusetts. Based upon an order of the Massachusetts Bay Colony’s General Court, the colony’s militia was organized into three permanent regiments to better defend the colony. Today, the descendants of these first regiments - the 181st Infantry, the 182nd Infantry, the 101st Field Artillery, and the 101st Engineer Battalion of the Massachusetts Army National Guard – share the distinction of being the oldest units in the U.S. military. It is symbolic of the founding of all the state, territory, and District of Columbia militias that collectively make up today’s National Guard. The National Guard demonstrates the same “Minuteman” spirit exhibited by its forefathers, who defended their settlements and colony against attack and excels at fighting America’s wars, protecting the homeland and developing partnerships. Maine’s contributions to the legacy of the National Guard predate our very own statehood, with regiments from Maine organized as a territory of Massachusetts. In celebration of our proud 380 year legacy, the nation’s oldest military force, the Maine National Guard shares some of our proud contributions to the storied past of this fine institution:
November 22, 1652 – The York Company of Militia is founded, becoming the first formal military organization in Maine. May 31, 1672 – The York County Regiment of Militia established within the Massachusetts Bay Colony militia system, becoming the first major command in Maine. September 28, 1689 – 400 Maine and Massachusetts militiamen head off a French and Indian invasion force near Portland, engaging them in a day long battle. The attackers are driven off, stopping a French effort to destroy Maine settlements. June 28, 1745 – A militia expedition composed of 8,000 Massachusetts and Maine soldiers led by Mainer Sir William Pepperell take the French fortress at Louisbourg, the first time an all-militia force conducted a successful operation independent of regular troops. June 14, 1775 – Phinney’s Regiment of Maine Militia adopted into the Continental Army, becoming the first Maine unit brought into service for the Nation. September 7, 1814 – The Portland Light Infantry and other militia units are ordered into active service to protect Portland from impending British attack during the War of 1812. Due to their actions in fortifying the town, the British call off the attack. The success of the Maine militia in southern Maine during the war lead to a call for statehood. July 2, 1863 – The 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment defends the left flank of the Union line at Gettysburg, resorting to a bayonet charge when all their ammunition was expended.
of the government to the hands of Major General Chamberlain and his troops until the results of the election could be decided, demonstrating the faith that the state had in its militia. April 17, 1917 – The entire Maine National Guard is activated for World War I, marking the first successful mobilization of the State’s National Guard in wartime. The Maine National Guard would provide three regiments and one battery of trench mortars for combat service in World War I. February 14, 1918 – Private Ralph R. Spaulding, 103rd Infantry Regiment, Maine National Guard is killed in action in France, one of the first National Guardsmen to pay the ultimate sacrifice in World War I. January 9, 1945 – The 103rd Infantry Regiment and 152nd Field Artillery Battalion land on White Beach on Luzon in one of the largest amphibious landings in the Pacific Theater in World War II. August 1, 1990 – Iraq invades Kuwait and the 101st Air Refueling Wing, Maine Air National Guard is mobilized for round-the-clock refueling in support of Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. The unit off loads nearly 4 million gallons of fuel and flies 2,122 hours in support of Allied operations. April 7, 1994 – The 101st Air Refueling Wing, Maine Air National Guard, heads up the new Northeast Tanker Task Force, responsible for the air bridge to Europe.
April 10, 1865 – Major General Joshua L. Chamberlain and the 20th Maine Volunteer Infantry Regiment receive the surrender of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, marking the end of major combat in the American Civil War.
September 11, 2001 – With the attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the Maine National Guard is brought into the War on Terror. KC-135s of the 101st Air Refueling Wing flew sorties over New York City on September 11, fueling fighters. Since 2001, over 3,000 Maine Army and Air National Guard personnel have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in a variety of missions.
January 23, 1880 – Four companies of the Maine Volunteer Militia called up to serve under Major General Joshua L. Chamberlain during the contested gubernatorial election of 1880. The people of the State of Maine entrusted the security and stability
October 3, 2005 – Soldiers from the 133rd Engineer Battalion, Maine Army National Guard deploy to the Gulf Coast to provide humanitarian relief to communities stricken by Hurricane Katrina. The Bayonet Vol. 4 // Issue 4
the
BAYONET Vol 4 // Issue 4