HISTORY OF B COMPANY

By

WOJG C. T. Myers

Less than one year after ending of Wold War II the ground work was completed for the organization of a new National Guard unit in South Dakota, the 196th Infantry  Regiment.   Company B of the 196th Inf was assigned to Mitchell, SD and was given federal recognition on 18 Dec 46.  Two officers and 23 enlisted men were present for the federal inspection for recognition.  Five of these original enlisted men had service with the 147th FA Bn.  They were Sgt Fred Shearer, now First Lieutenant, Sgt Alfred Shearer, now SFC, Sgt Claude Meyer, now warrant officer junior grade, Cpl Harry Harrod and Cpl Chalmers Hindes, now discharged.

Following is the roster of the original members of Co B:  Cpt Holger Bach, 1st Lt Donald Clark, Sgts Clarence Kapsch, Fred Shearer, Claude Meyers, Kenneth Strand, and Donald York; Cpls Chalmers Hindes, Walter Kayser, Harry Harrod and Kenneth Jennassen; and Pvts Charles Deter, Wayne Jenney, Ivan Kaufman, Donald Johnson, Donald McDaniels, Lloyd Phillips, Orland Rothlisberger, Glen Stopfer, James Stopfer, Charles Strumm, Richard Whalen and D Wheelbarger.

Uniforms were received in February of 1947 followed by 50 to 100 percent of TO&E property in March and April 1947.  Co B continued it's armory training and in October 57 stood it's first federal inspection, receiving a satisfactory rating.   By this time acting 1st Sgt Fred Shearer received a direct commission as second lieutenant, Cpt Bach transferring to 2nd Battalion as executive officer and Sgt Meyer doing full time duty as unit mechanic and supply sergeant.  By the end of May 1948 the company strength had increased to two officers and 85 enlisted men.  Cpt Selmar Hegvold and his able platoon leader 2nd Lt Fred Shearer let 73 enlisted men through 14 days of rigorous training at Camp Rapid, June 13 through 27.  Sfc Kenneth Strand went before the board at Camp and was commissioned 2nd Lt on 1 July 48.

Training was discontinued during July and August 1948.  2nd Lt Shearer was promoted to first Lieutenant in Sep 1948.  The company then had three officers and 92 enlisted men.  The 1948 and 1949 training was both basic and advanced with the two types of training carried on simultaneously.

Supply Sgt Meyer was relieved from unit mechanics duties and appointed administrative assistant, and Sfc Alfred Shearer replaced him as unit mechanic and Sgt Jack Weiland remained on a first sergeant.  Cpl Charles Deter was selected to attend the Infantry NCO course at Ft Benning, GA.  Cpt Hegvold resigned his commission for business reasons and 1st Lt Shearer became CO.  The company still had three officers as Sfc Glenn received a direct commission to second lieutenant in February 1949.

Orders were received from the Adjutant General to hold pre-camp firing at home station during April and May 1949.  This called for the construction of a 16 point temporary range, with a permanent 16 point range to be constructed at the Mitchell disposal plant grounds.  This was to be done in 1950.  A field kitchen was set up in the basement of the armory to feed personnel of Co B, Co A of Madison, SD and Hqs Co 2nd Battalion from DeSmet, SD.

Summer encampment was held at Camp Ripley, MN from 11 to27 Jun 49.   Training at Ripley was more advanced, being on platoon level, and was very satisfactory.  Training was resumed again after camp, on 18 Aug 49 with two drills per week held to make up those missed during July and August.  The training was to be more advanced, with emphasis placed on the training of three year men.  Cpl Baker, now unit mechanic, was sent to Automotive Mechanic Schools at Ft Riley, KS for eight weeks.  He had previously been to Small Arms School at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD.

Approval for construction of a 10 point rifle range was received with actual construction to begin in May 1950.  This meant that range firing would be held at camp on 1 May 50.  Supply Sgt Meyer was relieved of his duties and appointed unit administrator, a new TO&E position which carried the rank of Warrant Officer.   Fred Brown, a former member of the 147th FA Bn, was promoted to the position of Supply Sgt.

Summer encampment time was rapidly approaching again, and orders had been received that this year's camp would be at Camp McCoy, WI.  The company arrived at Camp McCoy on Monday morning 12 June 1950 and started training the same day.  This year's training was on company level and emphasis was given to crew-served weapons, with more demonstrations held.

Orders were received 7 Aug 50 by the direction of the President of the United States and General Order 119, Hq 5th Arm,y that Co B would be activated.  Co B began pre-induction training immediately and three drills were held each week prior to activation. Sgt Deter went before the board at Camp Rapid, Rapid City, SD  and received his commission as 2nd Lt on 1 July 1950.

The final orders were received that the unit would be inducted into federal service on 1 Sep 50 and moved to Camp Carson, CO for training .  A station was set up in the armory to process the necessary records and interview personnel for completion of the numerous forms required for induction. Equipment was packed by the supply personnel and loaded on company trucks for transportation to Camp Carson.   Trucks left in a convoy on 6 Sep 50.  The company spent a full week cleaning the buildings and area, as they had not been occupied since May 1945.  After this the company was split into two groups, one the cadre training group and the other a basic training group.

1st Sgt Weland transferred to 1st Battalion Headquarters as assistant S3 with Sfc Shearer became temporary 1st Sgt.  The last of October M/Sgt John McGrath was transferred from Co K, 14th Infantry, to become the1st Sgt of Company B.   2nd Lt Rothlisberger was ordered to Ft Benning, GA to attend the Associate Infantry Company Offers Course.  The cadre and basics were well advanced in their training when the company received it's first quota of 87 fillers on 6 Nov.  These men were immediately started on their 14 weeks basic training.

The usual quota of movies, classes and dismounted drill followed.   There was also an overnight bivouac at Rock Creek, well remembered by those whose boots froze overnight.  The men fired individual weapons in early December, then moved on to crew-served weapons later in the month.  Some of the original Guardsmen received 10 day furloughs starting on 10 and 21 Dec and 2 Jan.  The trainees received three day passes over either Christmas or New Years.

Field work started in January and on the 15th of Jan the company received 87 new fillers to train.  Some of the original trainees were lost soon after, as levies came down.  Sfc Rew, and Sgts D Johnson, E Hams and P Hilburn took over the training of the new men for the first two weeks until the Provisional Battalion was ready for them.  During this time the rest of the company continued their field work on platoon and company level.  The troops became well acquainted with all of the hills in the training area south of Camp Carson even to the point of naming most of them.   In February and March there were two more bivouacs.  Levies came down once more an again troops shipped out.

The Provisional trainees lost 22 men to other companies, this leaving 65 men, mostly from Milwaukee, WI and surrounding areas, to train with Co B.  After nine weeks of provisional training the troops were assigned to regular platoons and squads in the company although they trained separately part of the time.  They started field training as part of their advanced training.  After a couple weeks, the troops trained on a company level with the older men of the company.