Staff Writer
CARIBOU – Eighty-five years of military history in Aroostook County came to an end on September 9 when the 152nd Field Artillery Battalion of the Maine Army National Guard put away its company colors and battle guidons for the last time. Hundreds of retired and active members of the unit took their uniforms out of the closet, and attended the Teague Park ceremony with their family to honor the faithful service the unit has provided to the State of Maine during their extensive history.
Aroostook Republican photo/Hailee Morin
Retired Col. Fred Umphrey, former Battalion Commander for the 152d Field Artillery National Guard, speaks about the 85-years of history held by the division before thanking the troops for their service.
Commanding Sergeant Major Shawn Thibodeau was one of many speakers to discuss the battalion’s history and commend them for their service. He also thanked the members of the battalion for allowing him to be a part of the ceremony that marked “an end of an era.”
Public speaker, Retired Major General Earl Adams, shared funny stories that were passed down from his father who enlisted in the unit a year after its conception, including a parade gone wrong when the unit rode on borrowed horses who weren’t used to the commotion of parades. The incident resulted in the majority of the commanding officers being thrown from their steeds. He concluded his speech by complementing the 152nd members attending the ceremony for their longstanding devotion and service.
Retired 152nd Command Sgt. Maj. Neil Genz asked those attending the ceremony for help in preserving the memorabilia and memories that the battalion has accumulated over the years. Genz concluded his remarks by encouraging the soon-to-be formed division to be “proud of the lineage that they are carrying on.”
Currently, the former 152nd division are being transitioned into the 185th support company which will have their headquarters continue to be based out of Caribou. While the 152nd dealt primarily with artillery, the new division will be focused on engineering various projects for the military. The transition has been occurring over the last year, and it will continue into the winter.
The battalion was formed on May 15, 1922 and primarily consisted of men from Aroostook County. The 152nd FA was mobilized for World War I and they were credited for their service during battles in Normandy, Northern France, the Rhineland and more.
Most recently, the battalion has served the country in Iraq where they have performed a number of invaluable services including “restoring order and respect” to Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad. Thibodeau commented that “not once has the State of Maine not asked for help from the battalion.”
A moment of silence was held during the ceremony for soldiers who had been lost during times of war. All of the speakers stressed that the battalion is being deactivated to better suit the needs of the military today, and not because of any problems with the service or structure of the 152nd division.
