506th – Information
and Photo Gallery

1 November 1965 – Circa 28 February 1966 Subordinate of 185th Ordnance BN (M&S)*, 60th Ordnance Gp (M&S)*

*{ Maintenance and Supply}

Circa 1 March 1966 – 30 June 1966 Subordinate of 185th Supply & Service BN (DS)* (Provisional), 60th Ordnance GP (M&S)

*{Formerly 185TH Ordnance Battalion (M&S)}

Note: { Reference 60th Ordnance Group. Per General Order 157 dated 14 July 1966 USARPAC the 29th General Support Group was formed and activated effective 20 July 1966 under same COSTAR directive effecting all Quartermaster units both in and outside of Republic of Vietnam. It is assumed, that 60th Ordnance Group was absorbed into 29th General Support Group (no data located via research)). However, as of 1969 the ’60th Ordnance Battalion’ was a subordinate unit of the 29th General Support Group.}

1 July 1966 – 20 July 1966 Subordinate of 266th QM BN (DS), 29th Gen Sup GP

20 July 1966 – Circa October 1966 Subordinate of 266th S&S BN (DS), 29th Gen. Sup. GP

Circa November 1966 – January 1967 Subordinate of 188th Supply and Service BN (DS), 29th Gen. Sup. GP

Circa January 1967 – 12 June 1967 Attached to 185th Maintenance BN (DS) – {Later Detached}, 29th Gen Sup GP

12 June 1967 – 30 August 1968 Subordinate of 266th S&S BN (DS), 29th Gen Sup GP

1 September 1968 – 31 May 1969 {Approximate} Subordinate of 185th Maintenace Battalion (DS), 29th Gen Sup GP

1970 – 1971/72 – 266th Supply and Service Battalion (DS) – aka: ‘266th Composite Service Battalion Long Binh’

Note 1: May be other. Above based on reporting by various units in Quarterly Reporting and is convoluted. Same reporting indicates 60th Ord BN absorbed into 29th Group effective 20 July 1966, as was 15th Support Brigade stationed in Long Binh on or about May/June 1967.

Note 2: Per 11th ACR reporting for Quarter ending 31 October 1968 the 506th is still operating in Long Giao/Xuan Loc as part of their Organizational Charting … Per 266th S&S BN reporting 31 October 1968; “In September 1968 the 506th S&S Co, 590th Maintenance, 48th Army Postal were ‘detached’ from 266th to operate Bearcat FSA and Phuoc Vinh LSA, the reorganization by 29th General Support Group designed to correct over extended span of control and unsatisfactory communication with subordinate units, allowing 266th to concentrate on Supply activity in Long Binh.” … Oddly, 29th General Support Group (superior of 266th) reporting for the same time period, indicates 506th S&S Co is part of 185th Maintenance Battalion without mention of 506th being at Bearcat or Phuoc Vinh. The 29th Organizational charting indicates the following units assigned at Bearcat LSA (Provisional) ; ” 1011th S&S Co (DS) – 590th Maintence Support Co (DS) – 48th Army Postal Unit” . Obviously the reporting by 266th S&S BN (DS) is at odds with it’s superior command, the 29th General Support Group. Perhaps, the 266th meant to state that the 506th S&S Co (DS) was detached from 266th and attached to 185th Maintenance Bn (DS) which 29th General Support Group does report to USASUPCOM. The 29th GSGP indicates that 1011th S&S Co (DS) a relatively newly arrived reserve unit, was assigned to operate Bearcat LSA (Provisional). Otherwise, both the 266th and 29th GSGP agree that 590th Maint Co, and 48th APU were assigned to Bearcat LSA … the 266th stating Bearcat was an FSA, the 29th stating Bearcat was an LSA (Provisional).}

Note 3: For clarification purposes, the 506th S&S Co (DS) from 20 July 1966 until 30 June 1972 remained as an “assigned” subordinate unit of the 266th S&S Battalion (Direct Support). The listing of above indicates the Company while in Long Giao with 11th ACR was subordinate to the indicated Battalions from an operational control basis, by virtue of being “attached” to said units during time periods specified, and reporting by 29th General Support Group, and/or the 188th, 185th Maintenance Battalions, and 266th S&S Battalion … all three Direct Support Battalions and subordinate to 29th General Support Group during time periods annotated … ABN}

Last Superior Command being:

1 June 1969 {Approximate} – 30 June 1972 Subordinate of 266th S&S BN (DS), 29th Gen Sup GP

The 506th served in Vietnam (6 years 7 months)* until 30 June 1972 (inactivated)

*Includes time as 506th QM Co (DS)

AUTHENTICATED KNOWN AWARDS 506th S&S Co (DS) RVN:

National Defense Medal – issued beginning 1967

Vietnam Campaign Medal w/device – issued beginning 1967

Vietnam Service Medal – issued beginning 1967

Meritorious Unit Commendation (Petroleum Platoon): For time period 1 May 1966 – 15 December 1966
{POL Platoon TDY with 64th Quartermaster Battalion…later known as; 64th Petroleum Battalion – Long Binh}

Meritorious Unit Commendation: For time period 1 October 1966 – 19 January 1967

Meritorious Unit Commendation: For time period 25 August 1967 – 1 September 1968

Meritorious Unit Commendation: For time period 4 December 1968 – 1 May 1969

Valorous Unit Commendation: For time period 31 January 1968 – 5 February 1969

Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/Palm: For time period 1 May 1969 – 15 February 1970*

*Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/Palm: – All US ARMY personnel 1965-1973 – (See Known Awards – 228th Home Page)

Note 1: Research to date indicates no further unit awards to the 506th after 15 February 1970, and that the 506th S&S Co (DS) regardless of superior command changes, remained in Long Giao supporting 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment from October 1966 – (apparently) December 1969* Superior units {266th S&S BN (DS) and 185th Maintenance BN (DS) remained in Long Binh throughout the time periods annotated} ** The area at Long Giao included Xuan Loc, but all reporting by 29th General Support Group after 1967 referred to the area as “Blackhorse” or BLSA; Blackhorse Logistics Supply Activity.

* This is unclear by reporting of 266th. As of 31 January 1970, the 266th indicates the 506th is operating the Class I, Class III and Bath points in Long Binh. The 266th makes no mention of 506th Stock Control, Class II&IV, which was being operated by 624th in Long Binh. Graves Registration and Laundry points in Long Binh were being handled by 483rd Field Service Co. Also, 266th which indicates (DS) designation, with subordinate units {383rd QM DET (AS) – 483rd FLD SER CO – 506th S&S CO – 624th S&S CO} not shown as having either (GS) or (DS) designations. Note: The 383rd QM DET (AS), (hard to read flow chart) appears to be assigned as handling “Air Drop” and other “Air” activities….so assumption is made, that (AS) might stand for either Air Support, or Air Supply.

Note 2: Other individual awards; Purple Hearts, Bronze Star, Army Commendation Medal, Letters of Commendation were also awarded, but not covered in this site. It is not known (pending contact or further research) whether individual enlisted personnel who were rotating and/or had completed their active duty obligation received or were awarded a Good Conduct Medal prior to 1 June 1967.

Note 3: Officer and Enlisted personnel serving in RVN prior to and up to the end of May 1967 were awarded 1 overseas Bar per DD214, unless they had served exactly 12 continuous months or beyond (the policy of the time awarding 1 overseas bar for each continuous service of 6 months). In June of 1967, this policy was amended, whereby 2 overseas bars were awarded as long as individual had served a minimum of 11 months 15 days of continuous service in RVN.

Note 4: Per Office of Administrative Assistant to Secretary of the Army – The Institute of Heraldry, only one (1) Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/Palm can be worn by ALL US ARMY personnel who served in Republic of Vietnam 1965-1973, despite individual units being awarded the honor prior to 1973…General Orders 8, dated 19 March 1974.

Note 5: The issue of Overseas Bars (1 verses 2 on DD214) applies to 506th, the same as 228th and 624th S&S Co (DS)

Note 6: To show what a Class Organization the 11th Armored Cavalry Reigiment is and was, at their four sided Vietnam War Memorial located in Fort Knox, Kentucky there is a secondary Plaque at the base of the monument entitled “Order Of Battle”, directly below their listing of the honored dead of 2nd Squadron, where the 11th ACR lists sixteen outfits beyond their own 2nd Squadron, HQ & HQ Troop, E Troop, F Troop, G Troop, H Company, and Howitzer Battery, that they considered worthy of mention in their support roles to the 11th ACR.

They Being:

4th Cavalry Troop – 7th Army Postal Unit – 9th Signal Detachment – 11th Tactical and Control Party – 17th Public Information Detachment – 28th Military History Detachment – 33rd Chemical Detachment – 37th Medical Company – 46th Infantry Platoon – 202nd Military Intelligence Detachment – 348th Transportation Detachment – 409th Hard Research Detachment – 506th Supply and Service Company – 541st Military Intelligence Company – 551st Light Maintenance Company – 919th Engineer Company

Please enjoy your visit to yet another quality, high impact Supply and Service Company (Direct Support)

26 January 2013 (ABN)

Taps

Charles Everett Smith – SP4 E4 – NC – (Vietnam Memorial Wall)
506th Quartermaster Co (DS) – 17 July 1966 – age 26
Non Hostile – Stroke

William Russell Davis – CPL E4 – RI – (Vietnam Memorial Wall)
506th S&S Co (DS) – 21 August 1966 – age 19
Non Hostile – Other Causes

Buddy Eugene Henderlight – SP4 E4 – IL – (Vietnam Memorial Wall)
506th S&S Co (DS) – 21 October 1969 – age 21
Non Hostile – Accidental Homicide

Arthur Thomas Herrera (Jr.) – SP4 E4 – CO
506th S&S Co (DS) – Personnel Specialist/Company Clerk – October 1966 – October 1967
August 2002 – Natural Causes (Per VA), age 59 – 24 Years US Army (SFC E7)

Patrick F. McCarthy – COL (ret.) – NC
506th Quartermaster Co (DS)* – CPT Commanding – December 1965 – July 1966
April 2010 – Sudden Illness, age 75 – 22 Years US ARMY
*20 July 1966 – 506th S&S Co (DS)

Howard Eugene Deford – SP4 E4 – WA
506th S&S Co (DS) – Quartermaster Supply Specialist – July 66 -67
November 2011 – Cancer, age 68