This Week in Guard History 18July2008

July 20 1969: Long Binh, Vietnam — Members of Rhode Island's 107th Signal Company continue to perform routine but necessary upgrades on equipment to assure a smooth flow of communications in support of Headquarters, II Field Force.

The unit, in country since October 1968, actually has elements serving in three different locations in Vietnam. The main body is stationed at Long Binh, while a platoon is based at Can Tho, 80 miles southwest of Saigon, to support the IV Corps (Mekong Delta) area. A second platoon is situated at Tay Ninh, 50 miles northwest of Saigon, to support the 199th Infantry Brigade.

Among their tasks is the maintenance of teletype relays between different headquarters in country and the operation of a 200-line dial central office on wheels to provide commercial-quality phone service. This latter equipment allows the unit to deploy with a mobile force and within an hour have its commo links working.

While no members of the unit would be killed in action, Sgt. Ernest Perry of Warwick, R.I., would die in a swimming accident. The 107th returned home in October 1969 and was reorganized in the Rhode Island Guard. However, it was disbanded in the 1990s and its lineage is now lost. It is the only National Guard unit carrying Vietnam campaign credit not still in the force today.

May you walk with the LORD always, and when you cannot take another step, may He carry you the rest of the way until you can walk along side Him again.

Cross-posted @ Rosemary's News and Ideas.