The 519th Transportation Association Thailand

The 519^th Transportation Battalion was originally activated June 25, 1943 at Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, as the 519^th Port Battalion. It embarked aboard the E. P. Alexander at Camp Miles Standish, Boston, Massachusetts, on March 24, 1944 for England.

After a training period in England, the Battalion participated in the invasion of Normandy where it went ashore on June 7, 1944. On Nov. 14, 1944, the battalion departed Normandy for Antwerp, Belgium, remaining there until its inactivation on Oct. 3, 1946.

For its service in World War II, the Battalion was awarded the following campaign streamers and decorations:

Campaign streamers:

Normandy (with arrowhead),

Northern France, Rhineland,

World War II (embroidered Normandy,}

Meritorious Unit Commendation embroidered European Theater.

French Crois de Guerres with Silver Palm,

The Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action at Antwerp.

The 519^th Transportation Battalion was reactivated at Fort Eustis, Virginia, on Feb. 1, 1956 as the 519^th Transportation Battalion (Terminal Service). It was assigned the mission of preparing various boat companies and terminal service companies for participation in Project 572-W, the supply of material for the construction of the DEW line in the Arctic. Upon completion of this mission it was inactivated at Fort Eustis, Virginia, on Dec. 15, 1957.

On May 20, 1966, the Battalion was again activated at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, as the 519^th Transportation Battalion (Motor Transport). Filler personnel were assigned and started arriving late in May. The majority of the officers and NCO's were returnees from Europe. The enlisted men, for the most part, were fresh from basic training. Early in June, sufficient personnel were on-hand to begin POR/POM (preparation for oversea movement) training. During its own training phase, the battalion was assigned the responsibility of supervising the training of various transportation, signal, engineer and quartermaster units for deployment.

On Dec. 10, 1966, the first of four C130s departed from Andrews Air Force Base loaded with an advance party of personnel and equipment of the 519^th. The remainder of the personnel and equipment left on later flights. The battalion completed its move and closed in Thailand on Dec. 17 1966. Its first headquarters was located at Camp Charn Sinthope near Phanom Sarakham.

In February 1967, the headquarters moved to Camp Friendship, near Korat. In September of 1968, the headquarters returned to Camp Charn Sinthope and after a stay of nearly a year it was moved to its present location at Camp Samae San in August of 1970.

As the only transportation truck battalion in Thailand, the 519^th's mission is the establishment and operation of a truck transportation system along its line of communication (LOC). The LOC routes total 1,070 miles and included roads from Sattahip to Korat, Udorn, Khon Kaen, and Nakhon Phanom, Chachoengsao to Bangkok to Takhli, and Korat to Ubon. A special survey disclosed that the "Tiger Battalion" has the longest line of communications and largest mission of any battalion of its type in the world.

The 519^th currently has units located in Bangkok, Sattahip and Korat. The 569^th Transportation Company located at Camp Khon Kaen and the 33^rd Transportation Platoon (Reefer) have been inactivated. Their missions were quickly taken over by the other units within the battalion, once more exemplifying the spirit of accomplishing the mission.

{Submitted by Captain. Thomas O'Connor TC.}