Colors Cased for the Last Time at Crawfordsville Unit

Photo By Master Sgt. Brad Staggs | Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Daugherty and Lt. Col. David Vesper roll the colors of the 3d Battalion, 139th Field Artillery for the last time as Sgt. Trent Bisner holds the flag staff.  

UNITED STATES

06.20.2009

Story by Sgt. Brad Staggs 

Indiana National Guard Headquarters

She was given life on May 1, 1917 as the Indiana National Guard's 4th Regiment. Her Soldiers fought under the 139th flag for the first time in 1918 in Cherbourg, France. They continued to make her proud throughout World War II fighting in the Zig Zag Pass during the Battle of Bataan. For 92 years, she has held steadfast and strong.

Finally, on June 20, the flag of the 3rd Battalion of the 139th Field Artillery was cased forever.

During a ceremony presided over by Maj. Gen. Tod J. Carmony, dignitaries, past commanders, and former Soldiers watched the casing of the colors for the last time. As Sgt. Trent Bisner held the flag staff, Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Daugherty and Lt. Col. David Vesper carefully rolled the flag and battle streamers, placing a case over the colors.

"It is sad on one side of it to see lineage fold," Daugherty reflected after the ceremony. "But for me, to be part of it is an honor."

Daugherty was impressed by the number of retirees and former members of the unit that turned out for the ceremony. Among those attending were three past commanders of the unit dating back to 1966. For retired Maj. Gen. Richard Chastain, who commanded the 3rd Battalion, 139th Field Artillery from 1973 to 1975, the casing was a sign of things to come.

"I joined in 62 and the first 20 years of my Guard time was spent here," Chastain said. "Small armories... country armories... may be a thing of the past. We're building new armories and we're going to concentrate on the population center. I think you'll see more consolidation."

Retired Brig. Gen. Chet Wright was never a commander of the 3/139th, but he is the only living Soldier from the fight for the Zig Zag Pass during the Battle of Bataan and was on-hand for the casing of the colors he fought under.

"We were activated on January 17th, 1941, for one year," Wright recalled. "At that time, we had a regiment, later it turned into a battalion. We got back almost five years later. It was around October of 1945."

Wright watched the ceremony from a seat in the front row along with other dignitaries and although he now relies on a walker to get around, he stood alongside the others to honor the Soldiers he fought with.

"Somebody made the comment that it was a bittersweet time and I think that's a great name for it," Wright concluded. "You're sorry to see the unit go as you knew it, but then you're happy that somebody is carrying on the tradition."

Tradition and honor were the words used by all involved in the flag casing ceremony. As the last Soldiers of the 3rd Battalion, 139th Field Artillery Unit took their new place with the 139th Forward Support Company, Daugherty placed the cased colors in the Rocket Room where the flag will remain from now on.

"If you look at all of the retirees who have come back for this, you can see all of the history and the camaraderie that this battalion had," Daugherty said. "To be the keeper of the flag and to put it in the rocket room is an honor."

• Date Taken: 06.20.2009
• Date Posted: 06.25.2009 14:47
• Story ID: 35620
• Location: US