196TH REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM

(Click on pictures for a full view)

     The 196th RCT was organized in South Dakota on September 22, 1946 and commanded by Col Kenneth R Scurr. The Regiment was composed of the 196th Infantry Regiment, 147th FA Battalion and the 200th Engineer Co.    It’s first annual training was held at a Camp Rapid, SD in 1948. In 1949 the unit went to Camp Ripley, MN for annual training.  As the troops were coming home from annual training at Camp McCoy, MN in June 1950, the news came of the Communist invasion of South Korea. 

     The 196th was inducted into Federal Service on September 1, 1950 and sent to Camp Carson, CO. There it was brought up to strength with over 4,795 reservists and conscripts. All units went through an intensive cadre training to prepare for the arrival of draftees. Each unit conducted their own recruit training for the new arrivals. A provisional training battalion was formed to conduct all subsequent basic training thereby allowing the units to conduct higher levels of training with the men currently assigned. During this time the Regiment was levied several times for personnel to send to Korea. Selected officers and enlisted men were sent to Ft Benning, GA, the infantry school, for specialized training and most returned to the unit prior to departure for Alaska.

         In July of the following year the Regiment moved to Ft Richardson, AK. The Regiment moved by train to Ft Lawton, WA, in Seattle. It remained there for several days awaiting boarding onto a troop ship. On July 31, 1951 at 3:30 the troops ship, Marine Adder, departed Seattle for Haines, Alaska. The ship held 3,000 members of the Regiment. The mission of the Regimental Combat Team was to test the feasibility of moving a force this size overland to the territory off Alaska in the event it was held by the Russians or about to be attacked and thereby needed to be defended. At the time an active army Regimental Combat Team was already assigned to Fort Richardson, Alaska which was the Regiments final destination.

     After arrival at Haines, Alaska the unit was shuttled, walked half a day and rode in trucks the other half, until reaching a point near Ft Richardson. At that point the unit assumed a tactical posture and attacked the active army unit that was defending Ft Richardson. The regiment arrived at Ft Richardson on August 23, 1951 on a very raining and cool day. The new home for most of the regiment was nine man Squad tents that had already been erected waiting for their arrival.

     By November the infantry battalion troops moved into new concrete barracks and living conditions became much better. Many of the separate units were housed in Quonset huts where they remained during their tour at Ft Richardson. Training while at Ft Richardson amounted to learning arctic survival and fighting in the arctic. Some received specialized training at an Arctic Training Center. They dug foxholes around Elmendorf Airforce base in order to defend it if necessary. They learned to ski, snow shoe and how to maneuver in the arctic. All in all a very strenuous and cold duty.

The Polar Bear picture is an actual copy of the decal we wore on our helmets.

      All the South Dakota troops, except for those who volunteered to remain on active duty, were home by the time 24 months had passed from the date of induction. The 196th RCT remained in Alaska on an active status until 10 October 1954 when the unit was deactivated and the colors returned to South Dakota. However the 196th RCT, as a National Guard unit, reformed in South Dakota in September 1952. The 196th RCT remained in tact until it was deactivated and reorganized in September 14, 1956.