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725th Support Battalion (United States)
Encyclopedia
The 725th Support Battalion (Airborne) is a primer support battalion which is a unit of the 4th Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (United States) located in Alaska
. The unit provides support for the infantry, artillery and cavalry units assigned to the division. The 725th consists of eight support companies. The 725th is formerly known as the 167th Support Battalion. The unit's motto is "Service To The Line".
on 26 August 1941 as the Maintenance Platoon, Headquarters Company, 325th Quartermaster Battalion using the personnel and equipment of the 11th Ordnance Company, Hawaiian Division; and activated on 1 October 1941. On 1 August 1942 it was reorganized and redesignated as the Ordnance Maintenance Platoon. On 1 November 1942 the platoon was reorganized and redesignated as the 725th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company, a separate company of the 25th Division. The primary mission of the company was vehicle repair. The company accompanied the 25th Division to Guadalcanal
where it supported the division's units during that campaign and subsequent campaigns in the North Solomon Islands
and on Luzon
. For its service in the liberation of the Philippines
the company was awarded the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
.
On 20 March 1946 the company was reorganized and redesignated as the 725th Ordnance Maintenance Company to reflect additional ordnance maintenance capabilities. During the Korean War
the 725th participated in all ten campaigns with the 25th Division receiving a Meritorious Unit Commendation
and two Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations
. During the late stages of the war on 1 February 1953 the 725th was reorganized and redesignated as the 725th Ordnance Battalion to meet the increased requirements for ordnance maintenance support throughout the division.
In the reorganization of the 25th Division in 1963 the battalion was reorganized and redesignated as the 725th Maintenance Battalion to perform maintenance support on a wide variety of divisional equipment. The first unit of the 725th to arrive in Vietnam
was Company D which accompanied the 3rd Brigade to the Central Highlands in December 1965. The rest of the battalion arrived on 1 April 1966 and was based at Củ Chi. During combat operations a mobile direct support company of the battalion would accompany each brigade providing maintenance and repair parts supply to the line units. The 725th Maintenance Battalion served in twelve Vietnam campaigns receiving two Meritorious Unit Commendations, two awards of the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm and the Vietnam Civil Actions Medal
. Additionally Company B received a Valorous Unit Award and a Meritorious Unit Commendation; Company C received a Valorous Unit Award and Company D received a Valorous Unit Award and a Meritorious Unit Commendation.
On 16 April 1992 the battalion was redesignated as the 725th Support Battalion and was reorganized as a main support battalion consisting of a headquarters and supply company, a motor transport company, an ordnance maintenance company and a medical company. Elements of the battalion supported the 2nd Brigade Combat Team
in Iraq from January 2004 – February 2005 as part of Logistics Task Force 225. The reminder of the Battalion served in Afghanistan
from February 2004–2005 and was based at Bagram Air Base
. The battalion was organized as Logistics Task Force 725 and included four non-25th Division combat service support units. LTF 725 provided full-spectrum combat service support to 18 Forward Operating Bases in Regional Command East including maintenance and medical support.
On 16 November 2005 the battalion was temporarily inactivated. On 16 September 2006 the 725th was reorganized and redesignated as the 725th Support Battalion (Airborne) and assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team of 25th Infantry Division with home station at Fort Richardson, Alaska
.
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. The unit provides support for the infantry, artillery and cavalry units assigned to the division. The 725th consists of eight support companies. The 725th is formerly known as the 167th Support Battalion. The unit's motto is "Service To The Line".
History
The 725th Support Battalion (Airborne) was constituted at Schofield Barracks, Hawai'iSchofield Barracks, Hawai'i
Schofield Barracks is a United States Army post and census-designated place located in the City and County of Honolulu and in the Wahiawa District of the island of Oahu, Hawaii, United States. Schofield Barracks lies adjacent to the town of Wahiawā, separated from most of it by Lake Wilson...
on 26 August 1941 as the Maintenance Platoon, Headquarters Company, 325th Quartermaster Battalion using the personnel and equipment of the 11th Ordnance Company, Hawaiian Division; and activated on 1 October 1941. On 1 August 1942 it was reorganized and redesignated as the Ordnance Maintenance Platoon. On 1 November 1942 the platoon was reorganized and redesignated as the 725th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company, a separate company of the 25th Division. The primary mission of the company was vehicle repair. The company accompanied the 25th Division to Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal is a tropical island in the South-Western Pacific. The largest island in the Solomons, it was discovered by the Spanish expedition of Alvaro de Mendaña in 1568...
where it supported the division's units during that campaign and subsequent campaigns in the North Solomon Islands
North Solomon Islands
The Northern Solomons were the more northerly group of islands in the Solomon Islands archipelago over which Germany declared a protectorate in 1885. Initially the German protectorate included Choiseul, Santa Isabel, the Shortlands and Ontong Java Islands, but in 1900 these islands were transferred...
and on Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
. For its service in the liberation of the Philippines
Battle of the Philippines (1941-42)
The Philippines Campaign or the Battle of the Philippines was the invasion of the Philippines by Japan in 1941–1942 and the defense of the islands by Filipino and United States forces....
the company was awarded the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation
Presidential Unit Citation (Philippines)
The Philippine Presidential Unit Citation is a decoration of the Republic of the Philippines which has been awarded to certain units of the United States military for actions both during and subsequent to the Second World War....
.
On 20 March 1946 the company was reorganized and redesignated as the 725th Ordnance Maintenance Company to reflect additional ordnance maintenance capabilities. During the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
the 725th participated in all ten campaigns with the 25th Division receiving a Meritorious Unit Commendation
Meritorious Unit Commendation
The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....
and two Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations
Presidential Unit Citation (Korea)
The Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation is issued by the government of South Korea to both Korean military and foreign units. The last major issuance of the decoration was during the Korean War when the decoration was bestowed to several U.S., U.K., and Commonwealth military units...
. During the late stages of the war on 1 February 1953 the 725th was reorganized and redesignated as the 725th Ordnance Battalion to meet the increased requirements for ordnance maintenance support throughout the division.
In the reorganization of the 25th Division in 1963 the battalion was reorganized and redesignated as the 725th Maintenance Battalion to perform maintenance support on a wide variety of divisional equipment. The first unit of the 725th to arrive in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
was Company D which accompanied the 3rd Brigade to the Central Highlands in December 1965. The rest of the battalion arrived on 1 April 1966 and was based at Củ Chi. During combat operations a mobile direct support company of the battalion would accompany each brigade providing maintenance and repair parts supply to the line units. The 725th Maintenance Battalion served in twelve Vietnam campaigns receiving two Meritorious Unit Commendations, two awards of the Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm and the Vietnam Civil Actions Medal
Vietnam Civil Actions Medal
The Vietnam Civil Actions Medal was a decoration of South Vietnam which was first established in 1964. The decoration is a mid-level service award which was awarded to any member of the Vietnamese military who performed outstanding civic service to the state or who participated in civil service...
. Additionally Company B received a Valorous Unit Award and a Meritorious Unit Commendation; Company C received a Valorous Unit Award and Company D received a Valorous Unit Award and a Meritorious Unit Commendation.
On 16 April 1992 the battalion was redesignated as the 725th Support Battalion and was reorganized as a main support battalion consisting of a headquarters and supply company, a motor transport company, an ordnance maintenance company and a medical company. Elements of the battalion supported the 2nd Brigade Combat Team
2nd Brigade Combat Team
2nd Brigade Combat Team or 2 BCT is a designation for modularized brigades of the United States Army. It may refer to:*2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division *2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division...
in Iraq from January 2004 – February 2005 as part of Logistics Task Force 225. The reminder of the Battalion served in Afghanistan
War on Terror
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
from February 2004–2005 and was based at Bagram Air Base
Bagram Air Base
Bagram Airfield, also referred to as Bagram Air Base, is a militarized airport and housing complex that is located next to the ancient city of Bagram, southeast of Charikar in Parwan province of Afghanistan. The base is run by a US Army division headed by a major general. A large part of the base,...
. The battalion was organized as Logistics Task Force 725 and included four non-25th Division combat service support units. LTF 725 provided full-spectrum combat service support to 18 Forward Operating Bases in Regional Command East including maintenance and medical support.
On 16 November 2005 the battalion was temporarily inactivated. On 16 September 2006 the 725th was reorganized and redesignated as the 725th Support Battalion (Airborne) and assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team of 25th Infantry Division with home station at Fort Richardson, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
.