The Association began as an informal gathering of former members of the 196th RCT in Watertown, SD in 1987 through the efforts of Laverne and Harold Cordell, Co H. They went through the 196th book and listed all the NCO’s and officers from each town. They then traveled to these towns and tried to find at least one individual who would contact other men from there unit. At the first reunion there were 85 members plus wives present. Through word of mouth and letters this grew to over 200 men and women at the 1997 reunion held at Brookings, SD. Of that total 85 members were from out of state.

At the Pierre reunion, in September 1991, it was decided to incorporate and establish an official organization. On October 27, 1992 the organization was officially incorporated as a non-profit corporation. The number of directors constituting the board was five and were as follows:

President: John J Hoeke, M Co

VP: Donald Rounds, K Co

Sec: Guthrie Torp, Regt Hq & Hq Co

Treas: Marland Richard, K Co

Past Pres: Laverne Cordel, H Co

The first reunion, following incorporating, was held at Rapid City in September 1993. At that reunion it was decided to hold future reunions every two years at various locations in South Dakota. The subject of an Association News Letter was discussed. Marland Richard and Guthrie (Bud) Torp volunteered to assemble articles and letters and publish and distribute a newsletter from time to time. The first Newsletter was published in December 1993 and was appropriately named NEWS LETTER. The next one was published 5 months later and from then on it has been published quarterly. As the input from the troops increased the format changed and finally the June 95 issue was renamed to THE FOXHOLE. In January 1998, as the membership grew and more money was available, the format changed again to look more like a magazine with color on the cover, professionally folded and stapled. It now has 32 pages and is still published quarterly.

To view the October 2008 Foxhole click on the Foxhole cover below:

The current officers and directors are as follows:

Pres:  Dale Cowman, Co C

Vice Pres:  

Sec:  Guthrie Torp, Regt Hqs

Treas: Marland Richard, KCo

Director:  Orlo Bjerk, Hq 147th FA Bn

Director:  Donavon List, Regt Hqs

Director:  Dave Harris, Hq Co 2d

Director:  C.L. Louie Fostvedt, C Btry

Life Director: Laverne Cordell, H Co

Past Pres:  Dean Mann, Hq 147th FA Bn

From a list 85 plus in 1987 the organization now has over 3,112 names on the roster of which 1,196 are deceased, 108 Widows and 810 paid members. The list is still growing as a number of members are continually locating former members of their units.

Membership dues for the Association is $25.00 payable every two years.   This includes a subscription for the Foxhole.  To join the Association please submit the information as shown on the sample application form below with a check made payable to 196th RCT Association.  Mail to 196th RCT Association, PO Box 7532, Rapid City, SD 57709.

To enlarge click on form

The first issue the Association printed was  a News Letter, Issue No 1, dated Dec 93.  This was followed by another News Letter, also Issue No 1 dated May 94.  It continued to be called a News Letter until June 95  when Vol II, Issue 2 was published and called The Foxhole.  That format continued until Jan 98 when a yellow cover was tried and six issues were published with that cover.  Then on   Jul 99 a blue cover was tried but lasted only for 2 issues.  On Apr 2000 the current format was adopted.  The Foxhole magazines were not saved in the computer until the Oct 04 issue.  It would require extensive scanning to put all prior issues on this page.  

Click on the date below for past issues: