Alabama Soldiers learn lessons today from battle 150 years ago

GETTYSBURG, PA (07/23/2013)(readMedia)-- On July 2, 1863, Soldiers from Alabama and Maine fiercely fought each other here for control of a hill called Little Round Top during a key moment of the Battle of Gettysburg. One hundred fifty years later National Guardsman from Alabama and Maine met at this same spot at a ceremony, July 17, to commemorate the past and to celebrate the unity that the two states now share.

The ceremony was the culmination of an eventful day that had groups from both states touring the historic battlefield during staff rides before coming together for the ceremony. The Alabama contingent included more than 40 Soldiers. The group included Soldiers from three Alabama National Guard units who carry the lineage of units who fought at Gettysburg: the 31st Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) Brigade out of Tuscaloosa, the 161st Medical Battalion out of Mobile and the 1st of the 167th Infantry Battalion headquartered in Talladega.

Col. Charles Keith, garrison commander for the Army Training Center at Fort McClellan and the facilitator of the staff ride for Alabama said the experience would be valuable to those who attended.

"I believe in conducting this joint officer and noncommissioned officer professional development event with the Maine National Guard, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Battle at Gettysburg will have a significant impact in continuing to remember and learn from those who came before us," he said. "Staff rides are an engaging and fantastic opportunity for present-day military leaders to internalize the lessons of past military actions for possible application to modern day concepts and missions."

Lt. Col. Shannon Hancock, who assisted in organizing the event agreed by asking a question.

"How many times do younger Soldiers get an opportunity to come and do something like this?"

One of those young Soldiers was grateful for the opportunity to participate in the trip.

"This offer came up and I jumped at it," said Spc. Ernest Philon, a medic with the ambulance platoon for the 127th Area Support Medical Company, part of the 161st Medical Battalion. "I was really grateful for the opportunity to come to this event. I've gotten so much from this. ... learning how involved our units from Alabama were, just made a big difference in me personally and watching all of the things that they had to go through makes me really grateful of where I am now, being in the unit that I'm in and the advantages we have now compared to our counterparts back then. The sense of pride swelled up in me, especially when we were at the (Alabama) memorial. Just looking at that and listening to how far they had to march and all of the hardships they went through to even get up on this hill, it really hit home for me."

Staff Sgt. Kenneth Corder, a squad leader with D Co., 1/167th Infantry also found the experience enlightening.

"It was very interesting," he said. "It turned out to be a bigger day than I thought it was going to be. It's crazy to think that you're part of something that was here standing on the ground that you're standing on, that did something so important."

At the end of the day the chief of the National Guard Bureau, Gen. Frank J. Grass, joined Alabama's adjutant general, Maj. Gen. Perry Smith, Maine's adjutant general, Brig. Gen. James D. Campbell, and Maine governor, Paul LePage, for the ceremony on Little Round Top.

Keith started the ceremony by reading a statement from Gov. Robert Bentley, who was unable to attend the event.

"I can think of no more fitting tribute to the brave men who struggled upon this very hill, nor to those who rest in this hallowed ground, than to see the Soldiers of Alabama and Maine meet once again, this time in the spirit of unity," he said.

Both Smith and Campbell stressed the importance of citizen Soldiers that make up the National Guard.

"Citizen Soldiers, throughout the history of this country, have kept this nation united and free," Campbell said.

Smith also commented on the continued importance of the units from Alabama and Maine.

"I think it's pretty impressive that the same unit that was the 20th Maine is represented here today with their flag and the Alabama National Guard has flags here of the three units that trace their lineage back to the battle of Gettysburg," he said. "Both Maine and Alabama have participated in a whole lot of battles that benefit the freedom of this country. We all should be very proud of that. We're going to continue to do that in the future."

Grass echoed those sentiments.

"This is a special event, to come here and to look back 150 years at what occurred and to have Soldiers and Airmen of the Guard standing in the ranks, looking back at these flags and these colors and how you have carried that tradition to this battlefield today," he said.

When the events of the day were over, Keith reflected on the trip's value and expressed a desire for this not to be the last time that Guardsmen from Alabama and Maine meet to share their unique history.

"Having this valuable opportunity to visit the most famous battlefield in the world with members of unit organizations who have so much military history that can link directly to units who actually fought against each other during this battle will help all of us remember the sights and sounds and actual historical aspects of terrain analysis, leadership, and concepts of maneuver that influenced the turning point of the Civil War," he said. "The Alabama and Maine National Guard have a long standing relationship, strengthened by not only the events at Gettysburg but also with units who have deployed together and replaced each other in Iraq and Afghanistan. These historic units have celebrated key anniversaries at Gettysburg as part of a long and continuing tradition of solidarity for our state and nation and it is up to each one of us to see that this tradition continues."

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High resolution photos available upon request

Photo 1

GETTYSBURG, Pa. - Alabama National Guard Soldiers pose in front a monument in honor of Alabama Soldiers who fought at the Battle of Gettysburg. The Guardsmen were here July 17, 2013, as part of an event held in conjunction with the Maine National Guard. Guardsmen from both states toured the battle site and took part in a ceremony on Little Round Top. Soldiers from Alabama and Maine fought on the site 150 years ago in a pivotal part of the battle.

Photo 2

GETTYSBURG, Pa. - The chief of the National Guard Bureau, Gen. Frank J. Grass (left) and the adjutant general of Alabama, Maj. Gen. Perry Smith, shake hands here July 17 after placing a wreath on the monument honoring Alabama Soldiers who fought at the Battle of Gettysburg. They were here as part of an event held in conjunction between the Alabama and Maine National Guards. Guardsmen from both states toured the battle site and took part in a ceremony on Little Round Top. Soldiers from Alabama and Maine fought on the site 150 years ago in a pivotal part of the battle.

Photo 3

GETTYSBURG, Pa. - The chief of the National Guard Bureau, Gen. Frank J. Grass speaks with Guardsmen from Alabama and Maine here July 17. Grass was here as part of an event held in conjunction between the Alabama and Maine National Guards. Guardsmen from both states toured the battle site and took part in a ceremony on Little Round Top. Soldiers from Alabama and Maine fought on the site 150 years ago in a pivotal part of the battle.

Photo 4

GETTYSBURG, Pa. - Alabama National Guard Soldiers from the 31st Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) Brigade out of Tuscaloosa pose with their unit colors on Little Round Top here on July 17. The 31st traces its unit lineage back to the Fifth Alabama Infantry that fought at the Battle of Gettysburg. The Soldiers were here as part of an event held in conjunction between the Alabama and Maine National Guards. Guardsmen from both states toured the battle site and took part in a ceremony on Little Round Top. Soldiers from Alabama and Maine fought on the site 150 years ago in a pivotal part of the battle.

Photo 5

GETTYSBURG, Pa. - The adjutant general of Alabama, Maj. Gen. Perry Smith (left), presents a gift to the adjutant general of Maine, Brig. Gen. James D. Campbell, here, July 17 at a ceremony on Little Round Top. They were both here as part of an event held in conjunction between the Alabama and Maine National Guards. Guardsmen from both states toured the battle site and took part in a ceremony on Little Round Top. Soldiers from Alabama and Maine fought on the site 150 years ago in a pivotal part of the battle.

Posted Tuesday July 23, 2013 at 06:39 pm by Alabama National Guard
Last Updated Wednesday July 24, 2013 at 08:08 am