Photo By Spc. Ryan C Mercado | Paratroopers assigned to 37th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division row a...... read more read more
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FORT BRAGG, N.C. – Paratroopers of the 37th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division reenacted the 37th BEB’s D-Day Normandy Beach landing at McKellars Pond, here, Sep. 7, 2018.
The reenactment took place to celebrate and commemorate the 37th BEB as one of the first units to assault Omaha Beach and cleared the way for the infantry during the initial legendary assault.
“This is a great opportunity for our paratroopers to reconnect with our past and alumni and celebrate the next 100 years as we go forward,” said Lt. Col. Dan Herlihy, battalion commander of the 37th BEB.
Herlihy, who served as a 2nd Lt. within the BEB some years ago, now commands the battalion.
“It’s the honor of a lifetime to serve in the ranks here,” he said. “Our paratroopers got some good friendly competition out of this event and we’re happy about it.”
The competitors for the event made up five 12-man teams from each company. Each team was responsible for carrying a zodiac boat on a mile-long run, then going through an intense water course at the start of the competition.
After completing the water course, the paratroopers assaulted a beach and went through several obstacle courses leading up to a sprint to the finish line.
“This was a great event and morale booster,” said 1st Lt. Rufus Huffman, a 37th BEB engineer officer. “I am really proud of my company for all their hard work and fighting hard as a team.”
While expressing general excitement for the event, Huffman said the obstacles within the course were tough. He highlighted the zodiac boat carry being the toughest because of how heavy it was.
“This event brought a lot of pride back to the battalion,” Huffman said. “We recently got a new bunch of soldiers and being able to showcase history into perspective made it relevant again and rebuilt that cohesion.”
The 37th BEB, known as Eagle Battalion, is relatively new to the 82nd Airborne Division. The battalion was activated as part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team in 2013.
The history within the unit is very unique as it is both an airborne and a combat engineer unit.
1st Lt. Stacey Joseph, a 37th BEB engineer officer, expressed what his thoughts were as he was alongside his teammates paddling in the boat.
“Hearing all the simulated live fire made me think of the guys that went before us on that day,” Joseph said. “Our company motto is “Breach Hell”, they literally breached hell.”
Both Joseph and Huffman as well as the rest of the B Company “Bushmasters” troops took the lead at the event and were the winners of the reenactment.
Their success was rewarded with the “Spirit of the Eagle” trophy. A red-painted caltrop with the names of three World War II heroes stenciled onto its spine.
Throughout the 82nd Airborne Division history is important, the Eagle Battalion shares its unique history as much as possible.
“Educating the Soldiers on their unit history begins on day one,” said Herlihy. “We want to carry on our legacy.”
| Date Taken: | 09.07.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 09.10.2018 15:06 |
| Story ID: | 292089 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 190 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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