OCR Text |
Show National Guard Proves Vital to Community By Ron Knowlton Spotlight Staff Writer One weekend a month (sometimes more) businessmen, doctors, lawyers, laborers, college students and others throughout Utah forget the comforts of the golf course, the Saturday afternoon football game, the lawn that needs to be mowed or the Monday morning test in chemistry class to spend a weekend with the National Sgt. David "Hed" Poulson prepares a lunch meal for the guardsmen. Here he checks the hot chocolate that is to Sjjj Sgt. Lee Christensen instructs National Guard class on first aid. Classes taught to the guardsmen range from Mechanics work on gam ma goat (a six wheel drive truck) used for hauling part of the battery headquarters Guard. That's not to say that all fun and games are left behind or even that it's all hard work, but the national guardsmen leave home for one weekend every month to serve their country in go to the field. Large meals need to be served to the large number of guardsmen every month. nuclear and biological and chemical classes to medic (medical training) courses. to the field where artillery exercises are conducted. These two mechanics check the engine. i military service. And once a month residents in Central hear the sounds of howitzers rumbling through their community, as national guardsmen leave for training practices near Monroe (Poverty Flats). But that's not all the guardsmen do either. Classes are conducted on a variety of subjects. From map reading to CBR and first aid. Some spend time in the kitchen cooking meals others work on maintaining the vehicles at the armory. The guard also sponsors various activiites in thw community. The guard sponsors Bantam Basketball for youngsters, sets up the booths for the July 4th celebration each year, performs most of the military rites in the area at funerals, sponsors a girl each year for the Miss Richfield Pageant, co-sponsors the Utah Lung Association drive, the Easter Seal drive and sponsors a special family day each year for guard members. In addition, the guard unit in Richfield pours over $140,000 in payroll into the community each year. Jobs and training for guardsmen include everything from clerical to mechanics, cooks, typists and communication specialists. Supply technicians, truck drivers, heavy equipment mechanics, and field artillery crewmen are other jobs offered by the guard. Guard members can also take classes in first aid, nuclear and biological training. Classes in drug abuse, race relations, medical courses, leadership, basic combat, weapons training and current events are other courses offered. Doug Penney, area recruiter for the National Guard, says those interested in joining must be between the ages of 17 and 35. A $1,500 enlistment bonus is also offered and for those considering college or vocational schools, the guard offers $4,000 plus all tuition paid. Weekend pay for new recruits is about $64. Officers receive about $220. Guard members usually train one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer. "A" Battery of the Second Battalion, 222nd Artillery unit has served in World Wars I and II and in the Korean War. It was first organized in 1921. The unit was designated as Battery "E" of the 222nd Field Artillery. The basic weapon of the unit was the 155 mm howitzer, a medium range artillery piece. In October of 1940, the local unit was activated and its members were split into several groups. Most of the members were sent to the European Theater as members of combat artillery teams for the duration of World War II. In 1947, after the war, the unit was reorganized to Battery "A" 2nd Battalion of the 222nd Field Artillery. When the Korean War broke out in 1950, the unit was once again called into active service. In August of 1950, three officers and sixty-five enlisted men left Richfield for a tour of duty in Korea. While overseas, the unit received the United States Presidential Citation and the Korean Government Citation for outstanding service. The unit was active in combat all through the war. During one ' jHJjmjJ " jj 'Trim . Doug Penney, renter, seated, checks enlistment papers for Keith Walker, left, and David Walker, to his right. First Sgt. Duane Wilson helps with National Guardsmen prepare Ml 09 A I howitzers for field artillery training. Six howitzers are in each battery. The conflict, over 800 Red Chinese prisoners were captured by the unit. During the whole war there were no casualties within the unit. In April of 1957 new members of the National Guard were ordered to perform at least six months of active duty training involving regular Army basic training and M.O.S. (Military Occupational Specialty) training. This included physical training and personal hygiene, close order drill, use of firearms, and the various weapons of war, map reading, and many other mlitary subjects. Training continues today. The 222nd Field Artillery was reorganized as the 1st and 2nd Battalions (dropping the designation Howitzer) on April 30, 1964 and was reorganized again December 1, 1967 dropping the 1st Battalion, leaving the 2nd Battalion, 222nd Artillery in existence. On March 8, 1972, the redesignation of the 222nd Artillery as the 222nd Field Artillery was accomplished and has remained as such to the present. According to Penney, Utah National Guard units now range from Logan to St. George in Utah. the preparation of the papers. The two Walker brothers recently transferred to the Itichfield unit from DTK U.S. Army Heserve. in ! Till WanM.WMl big machines are 155 self propellrd h-tuTs, Once a month they are used In training and artillerv exercises. |