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    Reuniting with the unit's historical ties

    Reuniting with the unit's historical ties

    Photo By Cpl. Justin Humphreys | Lt. Col. Kendrick Cager salutes after being presented the Meritorious Service Medal...... read more read more

    CAMP SHELBY, MS, UNITED STATES

    01.15.2017

    Story by Spc. Justin Humphreys 

    102d Public Affairs Detachment

    CAMP SHELBY, Miss. – After ten years of serving as the Special Troops Battalion for 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team, the Meridian-based unit converts to become the 150th Engineer Battalion once again.

    “Bringing the 150th Engineer Battalion back into the Dixie Thunder family signifies the importance of transition as the 155th ABCT prepares for its decisive action mission in the near future,” Col. Robert Ferguson, the commander of the 155th ABCT, said.

    The in-coming commander of the battalion, Maj. Paul Lyon, said the casing of the colors is symbolic because the chapter of the Special Troops Battalion is ending as a new chapter of the 150th Engineer Battalion begins.

    With the addition of the 150th Engineer Battalion, the brigade will be better equipped for combat.

    “The brigade already had an engineering company, but one engineering company wasn’t enough for this brigade,” said Lyon. “We added another engineering company to assist the brigade in mobility and survivability.”

    Along with the reflagging ceremony was a change of command ceremony. Lt. Col. Kendrick Cager, who was commander of the Special Troops Battalion, stepped down as Lyon filled his place to become the new 150th Engineer Battalion commander.

    Lyon, who has been a combat engineer since 1992, believes he is well-equipped to lead the battalion.

    “I’ve been a combat engineer since the early nineties and I’ve been a training officer with the unit, so I have a deep understanding of what it takes to be prepared for combat,” said Lyon

    He also has many plans for the battalion as it transitions from special troops into an engineering battalion.

    “I plan to bring in more engineers to assist in combat, and restructure this battalion into a combat engineer battalion so we can better assist the brigade in any future missions,” Lyon added.

    Prior to serving as an engineer and special troops battalion, it also served as a quartermaster and transportation battalion, with the legendary G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery once serving as it's commander.

    The unit has twice deployed to Iraq as part of the 155th Armored Brigade Combat team.

    The 150th Engineer Battalion also carries the battle streamers and unit awards of another similarly named unit called the 150th Engineer Combat Battalion, a World War II outfit formed February 25, 1943 in New England. The Soldiers of the battalion went to Fort Devens, Massachusetts for basic training before serving through the war together.

    Known as a "challenge and trust", only approved by the Secretary of the Army in rare circumstances, it confers the honors of a disbanded unit to an active unit which carries them forward.

    The World War II 150th Engineers are credited for service in: Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardenns-Alace, and Central Europe. They also earned a Presidential Unit Citation for their heroic actions at the Siegfried Line.

    Mississippians of the 150th Engineer Battalion, Mississippi Army National Guard, honor their World War II service by not only displaying their streamers, but also by remembering their remarkable sacrifice and heroism through the unit motto of "Honor is Our Strength".

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 01.15.2017
    Date Posted: 01.16.2017 00:03
    Story ID: 220393
    Location: CAMP SHELBY, MS, US
    Hometown: BRANDON, MS, US

    Web Views: 223
    Downloads: 1

    PUBLIC DOMAIN