Courtesy Photo | Senior leaders of the Georgia National Guard join community members and Soldiers of...... read more read more
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Soldiers of the Georgia National Guard’s 1230th Transportation Company welcomed citizens of Thomas County to a ribbon-cutting ceremony for their newly renovated armory in Thomasville, Ga. February 26, 2025. Brigadier General Jason Fryman, commander of the Georgia Army National Guard was the ceremony’s keynote speaker.
The $3.6 million renovation included the construction of a new 3,300 square foot multipurpose training building and a 1,000 square foot storage building as well as expanded parking and security improvements.
The Thomasville Armory was one of the earliest armory projects proposed as part of the post-World War II reorganization of the Georgia National Guard. These early armories were intended to house units of the newly organized 48th Infantry Division. While the initial construction plans were approved in 1951, construction of the 12,273 square foot facility was not completed until 1956 due to an Army-wide reorganization of forces that created uncertainty regarding the type of unit the armory would need to accommodate. When completed in 1956, the Thomasville Armory was home to Company C, 121st Armored Infantry Battalion, an element of the 48th Armor Division.
Thomasville has been home to units of the Georgia National Guard since the organization of the Thomasville Guards July 21, 1872. On October 23, 1934, Thomasville welcomed Company I, 3rd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment to the city. The unit adopted the name Thomasville Guards in honor of the former Thomasville unit. The company was brought into federal service with other Georgia units of the 30th Division September 16, 1940. Mobilized to the European theater, the Thomasville Guards landed on Utah Beach July 4, 1944, and participated in the Normandy campaign before driving west across the Cotentin Peninsula in support of Lt. Gen. George Patton’s advance. During offensive operations approaching the coastal town of Dinard, The Guards, and other companies of the 3rd Battalion, were cut off and surrounded. The 3rd Battalion was subject to intense ground assault by armor and infantry forces. Beginning on the morning of August 9, German attacks were launched from all directions. The Thomasville Soldiers held out for five days before reinforcements could reach them.
In November 1944, the 121st Infantry entered combat in the Hurtgen Forest of Germany. After the fall of Hurtgen, The Thomasville Guards, as part of 3-121 were tasked with seizing key terrain overlooking an Army objective. While the Guards were successful, only 10 Soldiers remained in the ranks after two weeks of constant combat. For its actions in the Hurtgen Forest, the 121st Infantry Regiment was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.
In 2008, the 1230th Transportation Company relocated to Thomasville from Bainbridge. The 1230th has a rich history of its own. Soldiers of the 1230th have responded to natural disasters at home and mobilized overseas in support of combat operations. In 2007, the 1230th deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom for which the unit received the Meritorious Unit Commendation. The company mobilized to Afghanistan in 2013 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
The transportation capability of the 1230th TC was incorporated into Operation Golden Cargo 1999, a multi-state logistics effort. In 2003, the 1230th mobilized stateside for Operation Noble Eagle. Trucks and personnel were mobilized in March 2015 in support of cargo operations at the Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point. In North Carolina. The 1230th was again called to active duty in 2020 for service on the southwest border. In the intervening years, the 1230th responded to hurricanes such as Matthew, Irma, and, most recently, Hurricane Helene. Soldiers of the 1230th TC were also called to support Georgia’s coordinated response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Most recently, the 1230th supported Operation Patriot Press, which began June 5, 2024, and encompassed 14 units conducting 15 exercises across the United States.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Fryman, community members and Soldiers of the 1230th TC, cut a ceremonial ribbon to signify the rededication of the armory. Soldiers then provided attendees with a guided tour of the facility.
| Date Taken: | 02.27.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.27.2025 14:11 |
| Story ID: | 491663 |
| Location: | THOMASVILLE, GEORGIA, US |
| Hometown: | MARIETTA, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 229 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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