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1140th Engineer Battalion

The 1140th Engineer Battalion provided logistical support to the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Members of the Missouri National Guard helped support security efforts at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. A total of 350 soldiers aided security from Jan. 25 through Feb. 25 in Utah. The Olympics ran Feb. 8-24, 2002. This was a very high profile homeland security mission. The activation included 200 members of the 110th Engineer Battalion from Kansas City, Lexington and Macon. Company B from the 1140th Engineer Battalion in Perryville provided 100 soldiers, and the 935th Division Aviation Support Battalion in Springfield provided 50 soldiers. The Missouri soldiers were supporting the Utah National Guard and Joint Task Force Olympics. There were more than 3,000 members of the National Guard from across the nation supporting security at the Olympics.

When Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan and his family heard about the situation facing Honduras after Hurricane Mitch in 1998, the governor asked the National Guard to get involved in any way possible. Missouri teamed up with the Louisiana National Guard to conduct Operation New Horizons, part of Joint Task Force (JTF) Aguan. JTF Aguan was formed in February 1999 to provide humanitarian and civic assistance to Honduras after the devastation from Hurricane Mitch. Louisiana headed up the exercise since it began; Missouri carried it through the end in mid-August 1999.

Company C, 1140th Engineer Battalion helped build the 500-person base camp troops have been calling home. Some of the highlights of the camp are all the tents have electricity and wooden floors, the bathroom facilities have flush toilets, and there is a large laundry tent. The camp is so well designed, Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) is using it as a model for all other base camps. Troops headed to Honduras for their annual training might also be surprised to find a bar in the camp, a volley ball court and a large recreation tent.

After a delay due to equipment, the unit arrived at the future base camp ready to start their mission. Before departure, the unit had established six crews, layout, cutting and distribution, framing, decking, staking and tenting. The layout crew determined where each tent was to be laced and marked it exactly. The cutting and distribution crew made precise cuts of the wood, making sure all cuts were exactly the same. Any consistent error in cut or measurement would mean wasted material and slow down the mission. The framing crew created a flooring frame and put in the position established by the layout crew. Then the decking crew finished the floor. After that the staking crew drove wooden stakes into the ground at precise, predetermined points. These stakes were used by the tenting section to assist in supporting the tent once erected. The tenting crew took the heavy tents and erected them on the floor. This series of events was repeated over and over again until 99 tents had been completed. The total tentage construction was 99 GP medium, six GP large, one sanitation unit and nine modular units. The unit hauled over 1500 tons of dirt; and installed over 600 feet of underground water piping. They erected a mess hall and established layout of the base camp in addition to convoying over 60 pieces of equipment from Puerta Castilla to the base camp.

Sweeping a minefield isn't part of normal daily activities for most, but members of Company B, 1140th Engineer Battalion got to do exactly that during March 1999 drill weekend. In the midst of the recent snowstorm, combat-loaded soldiers climbed aboard five-ton trucks on their way to a nearby training area. Three platoons of combat engineers from the Jackson and Perryville armories were to be air lifted by three UH-1 helicopters to the training site to conduct a breach of a minefield. But due to the weather conditions, the air support was cancelled at the last minute. Although everyone was disappointed, the citizen-soldiers pushed on with completing their mission despite the adversity. The engineer platoons, in support of a maneuver force, had been directed to reduce the minefield. The engineer mission: clear and mark a 4.5 meter wide lane, 100-150 meters deep through an enemy minefield within ten minutes. While each platoon leader conducted a map reconnaissance and developed his plan of action, their platoons went through pre-combat checks and inspections, readied their radio equipment cammoed up, and rehearsed combat drills. Arriving at the Apple Creek State Conservation Area, the heavy laden engineers dashed off to nearby cover, formed a hasty defensive perimeter, made a quick assessment of the situation, then began their arduous task. With security set on the flanks and rear, the first man into the minefield went its entire depth, watching not to step on any mines, while pulling along detonating cord.

Securing his end of the cord with a stake, someone else at the other end secures theirs the same way, it becomes a "line main." Others then enter the minefield to place 1 pound blocks of explosives next to each mine within eight feet of each side of the line main. These charges are then attached to the line main by branch lines. Those first into the minefield become the most vulnerable, for they are exposed to both direct and indirect enemy fire. With the ten minute goal looming ever closer, the engineers worked frantically. Mission stress increased rapidly as enemy small arms fire begins to produce casualties forcing the platoons to implement contingency plans. Having a task force that is anxiously waiting to charge through the lane, artillery smoke that limits visibility, and all the battlefield noise and confusion didn't help to calm the nerves. Finally, the order was given to blow the charges. A fast proofing of the lane shows that all blocks did their job and that a clear lane had been created. Then, the marking team went into action. Two soldiers place the near side recognition panels which act as a magnet to attract the armored forces and funnel them into the cleared lane. The rest work on exit markers, installing poles on the left side of the lane, and stringing highly visible tape five feet off the ground from pole to pole so the armored vehicles don't stray out of the lane. At last, with the lane cleared, proofed, and marked, contact with the task force was made. They can now pass safely through the minefield to attack the enemy.

The 1140th Engineer Combat Battalion Corps (Wheel) held its annual Bodine Competition at the Wappapello Weekend Training Site in 1999. The inter-battalion competition began in 1976 and is named for 1st Sgt. Kenneth Bodine. Bodine was a member of Company C, 1140th Engineer Combat Battalion Corps (Wheel) from the mid-1960s until 1976. He passed away suddenly in 1976 just two weeks prior to the unit's annual training. Subsequently, the competition was developed and named. A traveling trophy is awarded to the winning squad of each year's competition, along with bragging rights as the best engineer squad in the battalion and possibly the state.

The 1999 competition was open to all squads within the battalion and encompassed 11 individual common skill level one through three tasks and six combat collective tasks. All squads were evaluated in a tactical lane that required squad members to perform at combat speed. Tasks ranged from performing troop-leading procedures to reacting to contact, and from moving dismounted to utilizing the M256 chemical agent detector kit. For the first time in the competition's history, this year's contest ended in a tie between squads from Headquarters Company and Company B. Because the competition ended in a tie, the traveling trophy spent six months with Company B before it was handed over to Headquarters Company for six months.

"Often Tested, Never Bested," the motto of the 1140th Engineer Combat Battalion Corps, Cape Girardeau, was reinforced when the latest Missouri National Guard released their latest strength report in late 1998. The 1140th achieved 96.2% of its authorized strength, far surpassing every battalion-sized element in the state. In the past, high priority units have seen a tremendous drop in strength because of the increased training requirements. But these soldiers seem to thrive on the challenge. At first glance, the 1140th may not have the most glamorous military occupational specialties. When recruiters first talk to potential recruits, the jobs we have here aren't what they're interested in. But all it takes is to let these future soldiers see what they do on a drill weekend, and they're ready for the paperwork. That's a credit to each and every member of this unit. And once the 1140th gets a new soldier, they seem to stay.