Photo By Mark Schauer | U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) Commander Col. John Nelson speaks at a ceremony...... read more read more
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On the morning of January 11, U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) Commander Col. John Nelson spoke at a ceremony commemorating the U.S. Army of the West Mormon Battalion’s 1847 crossing of the Colorado River.
The annual ceremony at Yuma’s West Wetlands Park honors the Soldiers of the battalion, who were the first Army presence in what later became Yuma. YPG Command Sgt. Maj. Mark Millare also attended.
Following six months of grueling privation across difficult terrain, the battalion’s primary and most lasting contribution to American history was the founding and successful navigation of an all-weather southern route to California capable of sustaining wagon traffic.
In remarks at the ceremony, Nelson noted that Yuma Proving Ground’s developmental test mission involving nearly every piece of equipment in the ground combat arsenal carries on the battalion’s legacy.
“Today, YPG is at the forefront of all of the Army’s modernization efforts,” said Nelson. “YPG’s reputation is known throughout the Army, as well as across the Department of Defense and by international partners. When I think about the folks I work with every day conducting this exciting work, it reminds me of the spirit of the Mormon Battalion—trailblazers, innovators—that spirit carries on in the workforce that is the biggest single employer in Yuma County.”
| Date Taken: | 01.11.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 01.11.2025 15:08 |
| Story ID: | 488953 |
| Location: | YUMA, ARIZONA, US |
| Web Views: | 76 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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