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335th Radio Research Company Historical Summary |
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335th Radio Research Company Historical Summary |
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Updated: 21 December 2006
| The 112th Signal Radio Intelligence Company was constituted on 27 March 1942 and was activated at Camp Crowder, Missouri, on 18 May 1942. First Lieutenant John W. Barker served as the Company's first Commanding Officer. While at Camp Crowder, the Company underwent training and participated in maneuvers in Tennessee from 5 September to 5 November 1942. On 31 August 1943, the 112th departed Camp Crowder for Two Rock Ranch Station, Petaluma, California, where it remained until 12 November when it departed for Camp Stoneman, a staging area for the San Francisco Port of Embarkation. The Company boarded the USS West Point for movement to the Pacific Theater on 11 January 1944. Seventeen days later, on 28 January 1944, it arrived at Guadalcanal and bivouac was set up a Lunga Beach. On 11 March, Headquarters Detachment, consisting of three officers and 132 enlisted men departed on LST 488 for Bougainville, the largest of the Solomon Islands. The Detachment reached Bougainville on 14 March and set up a bivouac area near Piva Air Strip. The Headquarters Detachment was followed by Detachments 1, 2, and 3, totaling two officers and 114 enlisted men. Operations were begun with borrowed equipment on 24 March. In addition to the operations on Bougainville, three detachments of eight men each relocated from Guadalcanal to the nearby Treasury Islands and New Georgia Islands. On 12 December 1944, the first of five echelons of the Company departed for Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philippine Islands. Detachment 1, the first detachment to land, beached at Dagupan on 9 January 1945. The first week was spent as a shore party unloading ammunition, gasoline, and supplies of the 37th Division and XIV Corps. On 10 February 1945, the Company began operations at San Miguel, Tarlac Province, Luzon. The Company's tents were pitched adjacent to the General Headquarters, Southwest Pacific Area. When the Japanese surrendered, the Company moved to Tarlac, where it was inactivated on 23 December 1945. While in an inactive status, the Company was redesignated as the 112th Signal Service Company (Philippine Scouts) and allotted to the Regular Army effective 13 August 1946. The redesignation was in preparation for the unit's activation on 20 December 1946 at Manila, Philippine Islands. The 112th was reorganized and redesignated as the 10th Signal Service Battalion (Philippine Scouts) on 1 April 1947 only to be again reorganized and redesignated as the 112th Signal Service Company (Philippine Scouts) on 12 June 1948. The 112th was inactivated on 1 June 1949 at Fort McKinley, Philippine Islands. During this inactive status, the 112th Signal Service Company (Philippine Scouts) was redesignated as the 335th Communication Reconnaissance Company effective 17 July 1951, which in turn was redesignated as the 335th Army Security Agency Company on 6 April 1966. The 335th was activated at Fort Riley, Kansas on 15 June 1966 and assigned to the 311th Army Security Agency Battalion with mission to provide USASA support to the 9th U.S. Infantry Division. The Company was authorized a strength of nine officers, three warrant officers, and 156 enlisted men, but the bulk of enlisted personnel did not begin to arrive until after September. The first months of its existence was spent in preparation for deployment to Vietnam with the 9thInfantry Division. On 28 November 1966, an advanced detachment, composed of one officer and thirty-six enlisted men, departed CONUS with the 3d Brigade, 9th Infantry Division for Vietnam aboard the USS Barrett, debarking incountry on 19 December 1966. From 12 January to 2 February 1967, the main body of the 335th Company was en route to Vietnam aboard the USS Geiger. Upon arriving incountry, the 335th assumed the cover designation of the 335th Radio Research Company. The 335th was assigned to the 303rd ASA Battalion (303rd RR Bn) of the 509 RR Group and attached to the 9th Infantry Division. From Vung Tau, where it debarked, the COMPANY moved to the 9th Division's base camp, Camp Martin Cox (Bearcat), 3 km from the village of Long Thanh. The Company area consisted of General Purpose medium/small tents used for billeting, supply, orderly room, and plywood operations building. By 20 August, the Company's main base shifted with the Division's Headquarters to Dong Tam, leaving a contingent at Bear Cat. Facilities at the new area consisted mostly of temporary type tropical structures. Organizationally, the Company was divided into a headquarters and three support platoons. The support platoon provided the entire spectrum of ASA direct support to each of the 9th Infantry Division's brigades. One element of the 2nd Support Platoon was located on the USS Benewah as part of the 9th Infantry Division Mobile Riverine Force. The first two and a half years were the unit's most active as far as direct support to the 9th Infantry Division in its tactical operations. The 335th Company furnished support during the following operations: |
| Operation | Operation Dates |
|---|---|
| Silver Lake | 10 Jan 67 - 19 Jan 67 |
| El Dorado | 19 Jan 67 - 31 Jan 67 |
| Colby Iola | 19 Jan 67 - 31 Jan 67 |
| Garden City | 19 Jan 67 - 31 Jan 67 |
| Pittsburgh | 18 Jan 67 - 31 Jan 67 |
| Junction City | 25 Feb 67 - 2 Mar 67 |
| Enterprise | 9 Feb 67 - 10 Mar 68 |
| Palm Beach | 23 Feb 67 - 30 Jun 67 |
| Portsea | 3 Apr 67 - 15 Apr 67 |
| Junction City III (Manhattan) | 18 Apr 67 - 19 May 67 |
| Uniontown | 18 Apr 67 - 17 Nov 67 |
| Rocket | 5 Jun 67 - 7 Jun 67 |
| Akron | 9 Jun 67 - 29 Jun 67 |
| Hoptac | 1 Jun 67 - 7 Feb 68 |
| Coronado I | 1 Jun 67 - 25 Jul 67 |
| Riley | 22 Jul 67 - 7 Apr 68 |
| Coronado II | 27 Jul 67 - 3 Aug 67 |
| Coronado III | 4 Aug 67 - 17 Aug 67 |
| Coronado IV | 19 Aug 67 - 9 Sep 67 |
| Akron II | 22 Aug 67 - 27 Aug 67 |
| Strike I | 1 Sep 67 - 17 Nov 67 |
| Coronado V | 12 Sep 67 - 8 Oct 67 |
| Akron III | 26 Sep 67 - 23 Oct 67 |
| Coronado VI | 11 Oct 67 - 19 Oct 67 |
| *Lardyar | 11 Oct 67 - 14 Oct 67 |
| *Don Ched | 17 Oct 67 - 20 Oct 67 |
| Coronado VII | 20 Oct 67 - 29 Oct 67 |
| *Narasuan | 20 Oct 67 - 7 Apr 68 |
| Coronado IX (No Coronado VIII) | 2 Nov 67 - 18 Jan 68 |
| Santa Fe I | 3 Nov 67 - 5 Jan 68 |
| **Kien Giang | 15 Nov 67 - 24 Nov 67 |
| Attala | 21 Jan 68 - 27 Jan 68 |
| Adairsville | 31 Jan 68 - 22 Mar 68 |
| **Quyet Thang (Resolved to Win) | 11 Mar 68 - 7 Apr 68 |
| Alcora Cove | 22 Mar 68 - 7 Apr 68 |
| #Toan Thang (Complete Victory) | 8 Apr 68 - Unknown |
| #Toan Thang II | 2 Feb 68 - 17 Feb 68 |
| Kudzu | 18 Mar 68 - 2 Aug 68 |
| Queget Chien | 3 Aug 68 - 30 Nov 68 |
| Speedy Express | 1 Dec 68 - 30 May 69 |
| #Toan Thang III | 17 Feb 69 - Unknown |
| Royal Thai Army Volunteer Regiment * Army of the Republic of Vietnam operation ** III Corps Tactical Zone Allied operation # |
| While in Vietnam, the 335th Radio Research Company suffered the loss of four men killed in action, all during the first year incountry. SFC John F. Stirling (RA 12304364) was killed on 8 March 1967 during a mortar attach at the detachment at Tan An [ Vietnam Memorial Wall: Panel 16E, Line 42 ]. On 26 November 1967, SFC Robert D. Taylor (RA 42170274) [ Vietnam Memorial Wall: Panel 30E, Line 95 ], SGT Diego Ramierez, Jr. (RA 18732176) [ Vietnam Memorial Wall: Panel 30E, Line 93], and SP5 Michael P. Brown (RA 13873209) [ Vietnam Memorial Wall: Panel 30E, Line 88 ] were killed on Highway 4 in the vicinity of Xom Dua when the 1/4 ton vehicle in which they were traveling was hit by an enemy B40 recoilless round at close range. On 13 February 1968, SSG Robert J. Wiggin (RA 11222356) died from nonhostile causes in Vietnam [ Vietnam Memorial Wall: Panel 39E, Line 27 ]. Between 28 August and 21 December 1969, headquarters for the 335th Radio Research Company was located approximately 18 km northeast of Saigon near Di An. This was a transitional period for the Company. It had served as direct support unit to the 9th Infantry Division until two of its brigades redeployed to the U.S. The 335th's 3d Support Platoon continued in support of the 3d Brigade, 9th Infantry Division until the Brigades redeployment. The platoon, with an authorized strength of three officers and 59 enlisted men, was formed as a detachment and attached directly to the 303rd Army Security Agency Battalion. In the meantime, the 335th Radio Research Company was reassigned from the 303rd Battalion to the 509th Radio Research Group on 24 December 1969. The Company was reorganized with an authorized strength of eight officers, two warrant officers, and 138 enlisted men and placed in support of the Delta Military Assistance Command (DMAC) in the IV Corps Tactical Zone. The 335th was tasked with establishing and providing administrative, logistical, and technical support to three Division Advisory Radio Research Support (DARRS) units to assist the Vietnamese cryptologic effort. On 5 January 1970, the Company was permanently located in its new role on the outskirts of Can Tho City. The operations area was located at Can Tho Airfield, and the Company's personnel were billeting in the Melton Hotel in Can Tho City. On 1 June 1970, SP5 Edward Van Every (RA 480588594) died from nonhostile causes in Vietnam [ Vietnam Memorial Wall: Panel 10W, Line 132 ]. As with its earlier mission of providing direct tactical support to the 9th Infantry Division, the 335th Radio Research Company, distinguished itself in providing valuable and timely information to the DMAC. The following letter, dated 21 July 1970, and addressed to the 335th Radio Research Company, from Major General Hal D. McGown, Commanding General, DMAC, attests to this: "Your rapid response to the requirements of this command filled a critical intelligence gap and served to stem infiltration activities and communist expansion in the Delta. "It is unfortunate that the sensitive nature of your activities precludes wide dissemination of the results of a product that serves a s striking example of outstanding teamwork. The recent activities of your personnel located in Can Tho and deployed to remote sites in the Delta enabled the dissemination of early warning information that alerted friendly forces and decreased casualties. Although activities such as these cannot be freely discussed, they have won you the admiration and respect of friendly forces throughout the Delta. On 5 April 1971, the 335th Radio Research Company was inactivated in Can Tho and replaced by a TDA unit which could organizationally provide greater flexibility demanded by the drawdown of the war. The following personnel served as the Commanding Officer and First Sergeant of the Company since 1966: |
| Commanding Officer | Dates Served |
|---|---|
| Cpt Lloyd R. Givler | 11 Jul 66 - 25 Aug 67 |
| Cpt James T. Webb | 25 Aug 67 - 20 Jan 68 |
| Cpt Walter F. Wolff | 28 Jan 68 - 20 Jun 68 |
| Cpt Francis Adamouski | 20 Jun 68 - 21 Oct 68 |
| Cpt William H. Campbell | 20 Oct 68 - 23 Apr 69 |
| Cpt Charles P. Leach | 23 Apr 69 - 23 Oct 69 |
| Maj Proctor R. Holbert | 24 Oct 69 - 30 Dec 69 |
| Maj Richard W. Mock | 30 Dec 69 - 01 Jan 70 |
| Maj Julian L. Stevenson | 01 Jan 70 - 05 Apr 71 |
| Maj. H.P. Sheehan | unknown |
| First Sergeant | Dates Served |
|---|---|
| 1SG Fred E. Pruitt | 01 Jul 66 - 30 Jun 67 |
| 1SG Lloyd Rose | unknown - 10 Jun 68 |
| 1SG James R. Mullis | 10 Jun 68 - 01 May 69 |
| 1SG Jack L. Bryan | 01 May 69 - 15 Dec 69 |
| 1SG Warren A. Noble | 01 Jul 70 - 19 Sep 70 |
| 1SG Elmer C. King,Jr. | 19 Sep 70 - 04 Apr 71 |
| The following campaign participation credits and decorations have been awarded to the 335th Army Security Agency Company: |
| WORLD WAR II | VIETNAM | |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Solomon | Counteroffensive, Phase II | |
| Luzon with arrowhead | Counteroffensive, Phase III | |
| Tet Counteroffensive | ||
| Counteroffensive, Phase IV | ||
| Counteroffensive, Phase V | ||
| Tet 69 - Counteroffensive | ||
| Summer-Fall 1969 | ||
| Winter-Spring 1970 | ||
| Sanctuary Counteroffensive | ||
| Counteroffensive, Phase VII |
