HISTORY OF F COMPANY

By

SFC D. Mills

In December of 1946, Co. F, 196th Infantry Regiment. South Dakota National Guard, was organized at Mobridge, S D., and designated as Co. K.  A the time of its origin, the company was in the command of Capt. William  Shannon of Mobridge. The majority of the men in the company were World War Il veterans.

After a few months, Capt. Shan non left Mobridge and Capt. Willis J Sackreiter was given command of the company.  By that time, Co. K had caught the interest of the young men in town and was slowly growing.  Within a few months Capt. Sackreiter was transferred out of Mobridge by his civilian employer and Capt. William D Zimmer took over command of Co. K.

During it's time in Mobridge the unit was active in Memorial Day Service and military funerals.   They  worked with the American Legion on these occasions,   furnishing firing squad, color guards and pall bearers. The unit also took part in parades with the complete company or a small drill squad.

With Capt. Zimmer as  CO. the company went to Camp Rapid, S. D., for two weeks training in June 1948. At Camp Rapid, the men learned about basic infantry weapons and fired most of the small arms. In their second week, they went on a bivouac  and learned about patrolling, scouting and squad tactics.

In 1949, Co. K went to Camp Ripley MN. with Capt. Nardeth W. Pooley as the commanding officer. At Camp Ripley, the men again  fired infantry small arms and the crew-served weapons.  Bivouac  was on the schedule with squad and platoon tactics as the main object. While on bivouac, the men witnessed a demonstration on the distance common sounds travel at night.

On 19 Sept. 49. the Mobidge unit was designated Co. F and Co. K was moved to Huron, S. D.

In June of 1950, Co. F, under the command of Capt. Pooley, went to Camp McCoy. WI for two weeks training.  In that year, Co F was the largest in the battalion. The men were well pleased on arrival at Camp McCoy. There were barracks to live in instead of tents as in the two previous camp. During the first week the men fired infantry small arms and also crew-served weapons. They went on a few short hikes and carried light packs nearly all the time. In the second week they went on a bivouac and had some classes on platoon tactics. Something new was added that year - there was a night problem with the company in attack. The problem took place in the weeds and it was quite an experience for the men.  Everyone came back from Camp McCoy with a good idea of what infantry life would be like.

By a directive of the President of the United States, Co F along with other units of the 196th Regimental Combat Team, was ordered into active federal service effective 1 Sept. 50.  At that time the company strength consisted of four officers and 49 EM.   The officers were: Capt. N. W. Pooley, 1st Lt. E. C. Ryan, 1st Lt. R. E. Kramer and WOJG1 L. D. Zimmer.

Several days were spent in Mobridge in packing equipment for the movement to Camp Carson, CO.  The main body  moved to camp by train while a small body drove the company vehicles in a motor convoy.  On 9 Sept. 50, thee entire company arrived at Camp Carson and a few days were spent in cleaning and straightening the company area before basic training was begun.

During the months of September and October, most of the NCO's attended a six week cadre school in the battalion area in preparation for filler personnel the unit was to receive.   On 9 Nov., Co F received 155 filler personnel.  Thirty-one men came from New York and 124 from Michigan.  Basic training for these men was started immediately.

During the months that followed, some of the officers and enlisted men attended specialists schools.  Capt. Pooley attended Basic Infantry School and Lt. Kramer attended Tank School at Ft Knox, KY.  Others were: Orvel Keller, Infantry Leadership School, Ft Riley, KS; Sgt.'s Merlyn Aman, David Cady and Herbert Deibert, Cooks and Bakers School, Ft Riley; M/Sgt. James Nilsen, Basic Infantry School, Ft Benning, GA; SFC Devine Ochsner, Infantry Leadership School, Ft Riley; and Cpl. William Cahn, Clerk Typists School, Ft Riley.  Others attended these schools at a later time.

During the months of February and March some of the original filler personnel were moved to other camps prior to going overseas.  These men were replaced with more fillers from Midwestern states.