HISTORY OF SERVICE COMPANY

By

Cpl M. H. Smith

Service Company, 196th Infantry Regiment, was organized at Pierre, SD and was given federal recognition as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 196th Infantry Regiment on 23 Sep 46, with Cpt James A Boocock as commanding officer.  It was redesignated Service Company on 15 Sep 47, with Cpt Boocock remaining as the CO.

Members of the company, when it was first formed, were nearly all veterans of World War II.  Most of them had fought through the war with the South Dakota National Guard units which had been activated prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor.   The company had attended three summer encampments and had held weekly drills each year.  The three summer camps were held at Camp Rapid, Rapid City, SD, in 1948; Camp Ripley, MN in 1949; and at Camp McCoy near Sparta, WI in 1950.  The weekly drills consisted of classes on different phases of Army drill and ceremonies and practical experience in the jobs assigned throughout the company.

Svc company with 1st Lt Harry Davis as the commanding officer, was activated by the Presidential directive of 7 Aug 50 and entered active duty 1 Sep 50.   When the company was activated and began making preparations for transfer from home station at Pierre to Camp Carson, CO, men were given jobs of getting records ready for shipment and trucks were serviced and loaded with all the company equipment for shipment to Camp Carson.

An advance detachment of men, headed by Major Boocock who had been promoted in November 1948, with duty assignment as regimental supply officer, consisted of two officers and seven EM, left  for Camp Carson on 5 Sep with advanced details from other companies in the regiment.  The advance detail formed at Pierre on 4 Sep with the members staying overnight in the Capitol City of South Dakota.  Two officers and 17 enlisted men, from Svc Co, left on the morning of 7 Sep with members of other companies in the regiment who joined them at Pierre and formed a combined convoy of all vehicles.   They arrived at Camp Carson at 1500 hours on 9 Sep.

Three officers and 46 enlisted men left Pierre on the afternoon of 7 Sep by train and four officers and 12 enlisted men departed by private automobile.  On arrival at Camp Carson Svc Co had a strength of four officers, seven warrant officers and 82 enlisted men, the largest in the regiment.  They then began preparing for full operations in carrying on their mission in administration, supply and transportation.

The Regimental Personnel Office, with WOJG-1 Raymond O Nelson in charge, began final processing in induction records.  The Regimental Motor Pool, with 1st Lt Bruce Solomon as motor officer, began operations to supply the regiment with its necessary transportation.  Major Boocock, in charge of Regimental Supply, soon had his men ready to receive and issue clothing, equipment and food for the companies in the regiment.

Svc Company began to receive filler personnel on 13 Oct when eight men with prior service joined the company from Ft Sam Houston, TX followed by 85 privates from Ft Knox, KY on 17 Oct.  The new privates began their basic training under the direction of Sgt Duke Hodge, Cpl Robert Nystrom, Cpl Donald Douglas and Pvt William Frenier.  Ten enlisted men were transferred to the 196th FA Bn on 14 Jan 51 for service in the Korean Campaign.  The second group of privates arrived from Ft Knox on 2 Feb and began their basic training with Cpl Douglas and Cpl Frenier in charge.  Cpl Douglas later departed for school at Ft Benning, GA, leaving Cpl Frenier in complete charge during the remainder of the basic training cycle.  Fifteen EM departed on 23 Apr 51 for assignment in the 4th Infantry Div at Ft Benning for duty with the Occupational Forces in Germany.