Photo By Kimberly Hackbarth | The command and retirees from 4th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 69th...... read more read more
FORT HOOD, Texas – When Soldiers of 4th Battalion, 5th Air Defense Artillery Regiment returned from their yearlong deployment to southwest Asia in September, they came home to brand new buildings on what is known as the “Lightning Ranch,” here.
To honor the lineage of the unit, battalion leadership formally dedicated the headquarters building as Metcalf Hall during a ceremony Oct. 7, here.
The name “Metcalf Hall” is derivative of Lt. Richard Metcalf, who was a section leader in Battery C, 5th United States Artillery.
Metcalf led an assault on a fortified trench at the Battle of Spotsylvania during the Civil War, according to Lt. Col. Issac Gipson, the battalion commander.
“It was really special to pick the appropriate person to name the building after because it is the namesake of the entire battalion,” he explained.
Gipson and the battalion’s senior enlisted advisor, Command Sgt. Maj. Micheal Leach, invited retired Soldiers of the battalion to attend the ceremony, including retired Sgt. Maj. Rufus Phelps III.
Phelps served in the battalion on and off for 18 years, he said.
He said the battalion leadership chose the right person to dedicate the building to because of Metcalf’s history with the unit.
“What [Metcalf] displayed … epitomizes what [4th Bn., 5th ADA Regt.] is today, so I think it was very appropriate and it was a right alignment to name the building after Metcalf,” Phelps explained.
For Phelps, attending the ceremony was an honor, he said.
“When you speak of the history of [4th Bn., 5th ADA Regt.] when it was reactivated again from ADA on, I can always say that I’ve lived its history,” he explained.
Gipson said the unit felt it was necessary to have large-scale event to show the Soldiers and retirees of the battalion that he and Leach appreciate everything they have done for the battalion.
“We will never forget those who’ve come before us and [will] honor them appropriately,” he said.
Phelps said the ceremony showed the appreciation Gipson and Leach have for the unit and the Soldiers.
“The vision that [Gipson] and [Leach] provided today is everlasting,” said Phelps. “We are deeply touched and we’re honored for them remembering the past, the present, and the future by the dedication of this building.”
| Date Taken: | 10.07.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 11.02.2015 16:16 |
| Story ID: | 180662 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 360 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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