71st Transportation Battalion
The mission of the 71st Battalion is to ensure all personnel are prepared for worldwide deployments, provide command, control, administrative, and logistical support to the battalion, on order, provide command and control during emergency operations, and to provide field commanders with highly disciplined soldiers who are physically fit, trained to apprentice level proficiency in battlefield skills and in the critical tasks of their respective MOSs, and embody Army Values.
Company I, 71st Trans battalion, 8th Transportation Brigade is an Advanced Individual Training company provides command, control, administration, training and logistical support for up to 106 88H10 (cargo handlers) for soldiers and more than 20 attached instructors and cadre personnel. Courses include Rough Terrain Forklift (AIT students), Hagglund Crane at Lambert's Point (AIT students); Lighter Cushion Vehicle Operators, supervisors and maintenance courses. This activity occupies buildings 845, 847, and 849 at Fort Story.
The 71st Transportation Battalion was organized as a Regular Army Unit on 10 February 1941 at Fort Benning, Georgia and was re-designated in December 1943 as the 71st Quartermaster Battalion.
World War II campaigns included the East Indies, Paupa New Guinea, Leyte, Luzon and the Philippines, where it earned the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation.
Upon completion of its wartime service, the 71st was inactivated in Japan on 15 April 1946 and re-designated as the 71st Transportation Corps Truck Battalion on 1 August 1946.
The 71st was again re-designated as the 71st Transportation Battalion (Helicopter) and was activated at Fort Riley, Kansas on 19 July 1954. This new battalion was the first of its kind to prepare helicopter companies as combat ready units for assignment overseas. In October of 1961 the 71st arrived in Korea and provided aviation support to the 8th U.S. Army and was deactivated in September 1963. The 71st Transportation Battalion (Terminal) served in the Republic of Vietnam from October 1966 until 25 August 1972, where it operated the U.S. Army Terminal Newport near Saigon, earning two Meritorious Unit Commendations.
After distinguished service in Vietnam, the colors returned to Fort Eustis in August 1972, until deactivation in December 1976.
In July 1986, the 71st was reactivated at Fort Eustis, Virginia, with the mission of training in support of the U.S. Army Transportation & Aviation Logistics Schools. During Operation Desert Shield in August 1990, the 71st took the additional mission as the command and control element for activated Reserve and National Guard units mobilized at Fort Eustis.
On 15 August 1991, the 71st relinquished command and control of these units, and was subsequently realigned with its current organization.
The Battalion's current operating strength varies between 550-800 soldiers depending on the student population.
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