14th Quartermaster Detachment
Encyclopedia
The 14th Quartermaster Detachment, was a United States Army Reserve
water purification
unit stationed in Greensburg, Pennsylvania
. During Operation Desert Storm the Detachment lost 13 soldiers in an Iraqi Al Hussein
ballistic missile
attack on 25 February 1991 at Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The 14th, which had been in Saudi Arabia only six days, suffered the greatest number of casualties of any allied unit during Operation Desert Storm. Eighty-one percent of the unit's 69 soldiers had been killed or wounded.
Detachment was mobilized for service in Operation Desert Storm. Three days later the unit arrived at Fort Lee, Virginia
to conduct intensive mobilization training in preparation for deployment to Saudi Arabia
. For the next 30 days, detachment soldiers trained 18 hours a day on the Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit
(ROWPU) water purification system and common soldier tasks. The unit, augmented by 35 filler personnel from other active Army and reserve units, arrived in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia on 19 February 1991. The detachment's soldiers were quartered in a warehouse that had been converted to a temporary barracks. There they waited for the arrival of unit equipment and movement to a field support location.
ballistic missile
destroyed the barracks housing members of the 14th Quartermaster Detachment. The MIM-104 Patriot
missile air defense installation assigned to protect the area was out of operation. Even if the Patriot system had been in operation it is unlikely that it would have prevented the Iraqi-modified SCUD missile from hitting the barracks as the missile was disintegrating and flipping end over end as it fell. In the single, most devastating attack on U.S. forces during that war, 28 soldiers died and 99 were wounded. The 14th Quartermaster Detachment lost 13 soldiers and suffered 43 wounded. Casualties were evacuated to medical facilities in Saudi Arabia and Germany.
, the 99th Army Reserve Command (ARCOM), parent unit of the 14th, began a 24 hour-a-day vigil at the Greensburg Reserve Center to assist family members in their pain and grief. The 99th ARCOM and the 1st Army set up a casualty assistance center in town manned with chaplains, counselors, social workers and representatives from several federal agencies. They also assisted family members with visits to wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Local citizens unselfishly volunteered to assist in these efforts.
Pennsylvania's governor declared a week of mourning and ordered flags on all state buildings to be lowered to half mast.
A community memorial service was held on 2 March 1991. Over 1,500 citizens attended, filling the First Presbyterian Church and its adjoining grounds. Local ministers, the mayor, the Governor of Pennsylvania and the Secretary of the Army honored the members of the 14th Quartermaster Detachment killed in the missile attack.
Bright yellow ribbons decorated the windows of homes and stores in Greensburg, but there were also black ribbons and wreaths lining the streets in remembrance of the 13 soldiers who gave their lives in the service of their country.
, Brigadier General
Paul J. Vanderploog
and the Post Commander, Lieutenant General
Leon Salomon. General Paul J. Vanderploog
pinned Purple Heart
s on two soldiers and National Defense Medals on all. General Salomon told the assembled unit that they "will be a part of our proud history. We are saddened by your grief, but at the same time we are proud of your accomplishments. Stand tall. Hold your heads up high. The 14th Quartermaster Detachment has made a difference, and then some."
The 14th Quartermaster Detachment returned home to Greensburg, Pennsylvania on 9 March 1991. Twenty-three soldiers returned home with the unit, seven of these returning soldiers had been wounded during the attack. At the time of the unit's return to the United States many of its soldiers were still in hospital recovery wards. They received a hero's welcome and were greeted at Latrobe Airport by family and community members as well as a number of dignitaries to included the Major General
James Baylor,Commander, 99th Army Reserve Command; Congressman John Murtha and Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor Mark Single.
Most of the members of the 14th Quartermaster Detachment were released from active duty by 1 June 1991. More than a dozen of the unit's soldiers continued to receive medical care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
The 14th Quartermaster Detachment is still on the rolls of the U.S. Army Reserve. None of the soldiers who were with the unit when it deployed to Saudi Arabia are still assigned. In 1999 the unit deployed again, this time to Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, to provide fresh water to soldiers involved in assisting victims of Hurricane Mitch.
gave the keynote address and assisted in unveiling the monument. Remarks were given my numerous dignitaries to include Pennsylvania Governor Robert Casey, Senator Arlen Specter
, Senator Harris Wofford, Congressmen, John Murtha
, Major General James Baylor (Commander, 99th Army Reserve Command) and members of the 14th Quartermaster Detachment.
The monument consists of a horizontal granite slab as a base, upon which rests three vertical granite stones weighing a total of 12,000 pounds. Perched proudly atop the center pillar is a cast bronze bald eagle. Etched in the center pillar is the emblem of the US Army Quartermaster Corps, preceded by the following quotes:
The 69 names of the Detachment soldiers who deployed to Saudi Arabia are featured on two bronze plaques on the front of the right and left stones. On the rear of the left stone is an etching of a female soldier's hands holding the American flag. On the rear of the right stone, an etched map of the Persian Gulf, indicating the locations of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
To the left front of the monument is an actual size bronze casting of the boots, M-16 rifle and helmet, symbolic of the fallen soldier. To the right front are two life-size cast bronze figures; a kneeling male and a standing female in desert battle dress uniforms, reflecting on the loss of their comrades.
On the cement wall surrounding the monument is a bronze plaque listing the names of the 28 soldiers killed in action. Behind the wall are three flagpoles bearing the flags of the United States, Pennsylvania and the United States Army. Behind the monument are 13 hemlock
trees, the Pennsylvania state tree, planted as a living tribute to the 13 soldiers of the 14th Quartermaster Detachment who lost their lives in the war. The monument faces 90º due east, toward Saudi Arabia.
On 3 March 1993, Fort Lee also dedicated one of its Gymnasiums as "Clark Gym" in honor of Specialist Beverly Sue Clark of Armagh. Members of the Clark family also raised over $100,000 to endow a scholarship in her name at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Other Units
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
water purification
Water purification
Water purification is the process of removing undesirable chemicals, materials, and biological contaminants from contaminated water. The goal is to produce water fit for a specific purpose...
unit stationed in Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Greensburg is a city in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The city is named after Nathanael Greene, a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War...
. During Operation Desert Storm the Detachment lost 13 soldiers in an Iraqi Al Hussein
Al Hussein (missile)
Al Hussein or al-Husayn is the designation of an Iraqi ballistic missile. The missile was the result of upgrading the Soviet made Scud in order to achieve a longer range...
ballistic missile
Ballistic missile
A ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering one or more warheads to a predetermined target. The missile is only guided during the relatively brief initial powered phase of flight and its course is subsequently governed by the...
attack on 25 February 1991 at Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The 14th, which had been in Saudi Arabia only six days, suffered the greatest number of casualties of any allied unit during Operation Desert Storm. Eighty-one percent of the unit's 69 soldiers had been killed or wounded.
Mobilization, training and deployment
On 15 January 1991 the 14th QuartermasterQuartermaster
Quartermaster refers to two different military occupations depending on if the assigned unit is land based or naval.In land armies, especially US units, it is a term referring to either an individual soldier or a unit who specializes in distributing supplies and provisions to troops. The senior...
Detachment was mobilized for service in Operation Desert Storm. Three days later the unit arrived at Fort Lee, Virginia
Fort Lee, Virginia
Fort Lee is a census-designated place in Prince George County, Virginia, United States. The population was 7,269 at the 2000 census.Fort Lee is a United States Army post and headquarters of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Support Command / Sustainment Center of Excellence , the U.S. Army Quartermaster...
to conduct intensive mobilization training in preparation for deployment to Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
. For the next 30 days, detachment soldiers trained 18 hours a day on the Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit
Reverse Osmosis Water Purification Unit
A reverse osmosis water purification unit is a portable, self-contained water treatment plant. Designed for military use, it can provide potable water from nearly any water source. There are many models in use by the United States armed forces and the Canadian Forces...
(ROWPU) water purification system and common soldier tasks. The unit, augmented by 35 filler personnel from other active Army and reserve units, arrived in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia on 19 February 1991. The detachment's soldiers were quartered in a warehouse that had been converted to a temporary barracks. There they waited for the arrival of unit equipment and movement to a field support location.
Al-Hussein Missile Attack
At 8:40 pm (12:40 pm EST) on 25 February 1991, parts of an Iraqi Al HusseinAl Hussein (missile)
Al Hussein or al-Husayn is the designation of an Iraqi ballistic missile. The missile was the result of upgrading the Soviet made Scud in order to achieve a longer range...
ballistic missile
Ballistic missile
A ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering one or more warheads to a predetermined target. The missile is only guided during the relatively brief initial powered phase of flight and its course is subsequently governed by the...
destroyed the barracks housing members of the 14th Quartermaster Detachment. The MIM-104 Patriot
MIM-104 Patriot
The MIM-104 Patriot is a surface-to-air missile system, the primary of its kind used by the United States Army and several allied nations. It is manufactured by the Raytheon Company of the United States. The Patriot System replaced the Nike Hercules system as the U.S. Army's primary High to Medium...
missile air defense installation assigned to protect the area was out of operation. Even if the Patriot system had been in operation it is unlikely that it would have prevented the Iraqi-modified SCUD missile from hitting the barracks as the missile was disintegrating and flipping end over end as it fell. In the single, most devastating attack on U.S. forces during that war, 28 soldiers died and 99 were wounded. The 14th Quartermaster Detachment lost 13 soldiers and suffered 43 wounded. Casualties were evacuated to medical facilities in Saudi Arabia and Germany.
Response to attack
No community suffered a greater loss during Operation Desert Storm than Greensburg a Southwestern Pennsylvania town of 18,000 near Pittsburgh. Once word of the attack reached PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, the 99th Army Reserve Command (ARCOM), parent unit of the 14th, began a 24 hour-a-day vigil at the Greensburg Reserve Center to assist family members in their pain and grief. The 99th ARCOM and the 1st Army set up a casualty assistance center in town manned with chaplains, counselors, social workers and representatives from several federal agencies. They also assisted family members with visits to wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Local citizens unselfishly volunteered to assist in these efforts.
Pennsylvania's governor declared a week of mourning and ordered flags on all state buildings to be lowered to half mast.
A community memorial service was held on 2 March 1991. Over 1,500 citizens attended, filling the First Presbyterian Church and its adjoining grounds. Local ministers, the mayor, the Governor of Pennsylvania and the Secretary of the Army honored the members of the 14th Quartermaster Detachment killed in the missile attack.
"They were all of us," said Pennsylvania Governor Robert Casey, "a high school football star, a lover of country music, future homemakers of America, secretaries and salesmen, hunters and fishermen, postal workers and volunteer firemen, friends and lovers, fathers, sons, brothers, and two of our daughters."
Bright yellow ribbons decorated the windows of homes and stores in Greensburg, but there were also black ribbons and wreaths lining the streets in remembrance of the 13 soldiers who gave their lives in the service of their country.
Unit redeployment
The 14th arrived back at their mobilization station, Fort Lee, Virginia, on 8 March 1991. They were welcomed back at a special ceremony on Sergeant Seay Field by the Fort Lee community as well as the Quartermaster GeneralQuartermaster general
A Quartermaster general is the staff officer in charge of supplies for a whole army.- The United Kingdom :In the United Kingdom, the Quartermaster-General to the Forces is one of the most senior generals in the British Army...
, Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Paul J. Vanderploog
Paul J. Vanderploog
Major General Paul J. Vanderploog, USA is a retired American Quartermaster officer who served as the 41st Quartermaster General of the United States Army from 1989 to 1991. He was inducted into the U.S. Army Quartermaster Foundation's Hall of Fame in 2010.- Early life :Major General Venderploog...
and the Post Commander, Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Leon Salomon. General Paul J. Vanderploog
Paul J. Vanderploog
Major General Paul J. Vanderploog, USA is a retired American Quartermaster officer who served as the 41st Quartermaster General of the United States Army from 1989 to 1991. He was inducted into the U.S. Army Quartermaster Foundation's Hall of Fame in 2010.- Early life :Major General Venderploog...
pinned Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
s on two soldiers and National Defense Medals on all. General Salomon told the assembled unit that they "will be a part of our proud history. We are saddened by your grief, but at the same time we are proud of your accomplishments. Stand tall. Hold your heads up high. The 14th Quartermaster Detachment has made a difference, and then some."
The 14th Quartermaster Detachment returned home to Greensburg, Pennsylvania on 9 March 1991. Twenty-three soldiers returned home with the unit, seven of these returning soldiers had been wounded during the attack. At the time of the unit's return to the United States many of its soldiers were still in hospital recovery wards. They received a hero's welcome and were greeted at Latrobe Airport by family and community members as well as a number of dignitaries to included the Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
James Baylor,Commander, 99th Army Reserve Command; Congressman John Murtha and Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor Mark Single.
Most of the members of the 14th Quartermaster Detachment were released from active duty by 1 June 1991. More than a dozen of the unit's soldiers continued to receive medical care at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
The 14th Quartermaster Detachment is still on the rolls of the U.S. Army Reserve. None of the soldiers who were with the unit when it deployed to Saudi Arabia are still assigned. In 1999 the unit deployed again, this time to Puerto Barrios, Guatemala, to provide fresh water to soldiers involved in assisting victims of Hurricane Mitch.
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
On the one year anniversary of this devastating loss, 25 February 1992, a monument to the 14th Quartermaster Detachment was dedicated at the US Army Reserve Center in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. The monument was made possible by the outpouring of generosity of community members and donations from around the country. The Chief of Staff of the Army, General Gordon R. SullivanGordon R. Sullivan
General Gordon Russell Sullivan is a retired Army general officer, who served as the 32nd Chief of Staff of the United States Army and as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.-Background and education:...
gave the keynote address and assisted in unveiling the monument. Remarks were given my numerous dignitaries to include Pennsylvania Governor Robert Casey, Senator Arlen Specter
Arlen Specter
Arlen Specter is a former United States Senator from Pennsylvania. Specter is a Democrat, but was a Republican from 1965 until switching to the Democratic Party in 2009...
, Senator Harris Wofford, Congressmen, John Murtha
John Murtha
John Patrick "Jack" Murtha, Jr. was an American politician from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Murtha, a Democrat, represented Pennsylvania's 12th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1974 until his death in 2010....
, Major General James Baylor (Commander, 99th Army Reserve Command) and members of the 14th Quartermaster Detachment.
The monument consists of a horizontal granite slab as a base, upon which rests three vertical granite stones weighing a total of 12,000 pounds. Perched proudly atop the center pillar is a cast bronze bald eagle. Etched in the center pillar is the emblem of the US Army Quartermaster Corps, preceded by the following quotes:
In honor of the men and women of the 14th Quartermaster Detachment who served both God and country loyally in Operation Desert Storm...
"I have see in your eyes a fire of determination to get this job done quickly so that we may return to the shore of our great country. My confidence in you is total, our cause is just! Now you must be the thunder and lightning of Desert Storm." General Norman Schwarzkopf
The 69 names of the Detachment soldiers who deployed to Saudi Arabia are featured on two bronze plaques on the front of the right and left stones. On the rear of the left stone is an etching of a female soldier's hands holding the American flag. On the rear of the right stone, an etched map of the Persian Gulf, indicating the locations of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
To the left front of the monument is an actual size bronze casting of the boots, M-16 rifle and helmet, symbolic of the fallen soldier. To the right front are two life-size cast bronze figures; a kneeling male and a standing female in desert battle dress uniforms, reflecting on the loss of their comrades.
On the cement wall surrounding the monument is a bronze plaque listing the names of the 28 soldiers killed in action. Behind the wall are three flagpoles bearing the flags of the United States, Pennsylvania and the United States Army. Behind the monument are 13 hemlock
Eastern Hemlock
Tsuga canadensis, also known as eastern or Canadian hemlock, and in the French-speaking regions of Canada as pruche du Canada, is a coniferous tree native to eastern North America. It ranges from northeastern Minnesota eastward through southern Quebec to Nova Scotia, and south in the Appalachian...
trees, the Pennsylvania state tree, planted as a living tribute to the 13 soldiers of the 14th Quartermaster Detachment who lost their lives in the war. The monument faces 90º due east, toward Saudi Arabia.
Fort Lee, Virginia
On 20 April 1991, the Quartermaster Center and School dedicated a new Water Training Facility on 41st Street in the memory of the fallen members of the 14th Quartermaster Detachment. A stone monument and plaque list the names of the 13 unit members who perished.On 3 March 1993, Fort Lee also dedicated one of its Gymnasiums as "Clark Gym" in honor of Specialist Beverly Sue Clark of Armagh. Members of the Clark family also raised over $100,000 to endow a scholarship in her name at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Keystone State
On 20 July 1998, the U.S. Army Reserve Barge Derrick 6801, Keystone State was christened and named in honor of the 14th Quartermaster Detachment. The Keystone State is the state motto of Pennsylvania.Fatalities
14th Quartermaster Detachment- Specialist Steven E. Atherton, age 26, NurMine, Pennsylvania
- Specialist John A. Boliver, Jr., age 27, Monongahela, Pennsylvania
- Sergeant Joseph P. Bongiorni III, age 20, Hickory, Pennsylvania
- Sergeant John T. Boxler, age 44, Johnstown, Pennsylvania
- Specialist Beverly S. Clark, age 23, Armagh, Pennsylvania
- Sergeant Alan B. Craver, age 32, Penn Hills, Pennsylvania
- Specialist Frank S. Keough, age 22, North Huntington, Pennsylvania
- Specialist Anthony E. Madison, age 27, Monessen, Pennsylvania
- Specialist Christine L. Mayes, age 22, Rochester Mills, Pennsylvania
- Specialist Steven J. Siko, age 24, Unity, Pennsylvania
- Specialist Thomas G. Stone, age 20, Falconer, New York
- Sergeant Frank J. Walls, age 20, Hawthorne, Pennsylvania
- Specialist Richard V. Wolverton, 22, Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Other Units
- Corporal Stanley Bartusiak, age 34, 475th QM Group, USAR
- Corporal Rolando A. Delagneau, 30, 477th Trans Co.,USAR
- Specialist Steven P. Farnen, age 22, 477th Trans Co.,USAR
- Specialist Glen D. Jones, age 21, Grand Rapids, Minn., 477th Trans Co.,USAR
- Specialist Duane W. Hollen, Jr., age 24, 477th Trans Co.,USAR
- Specialist Steven G. Mason, 23, 477th Trans Co.,USAR
- Specialist Michael W. Mills, age 23, Jefferson, 477th Trans Co.,USAR
- Specialist Adrienne L. Mitchell, age 20, Moreno Valley, Calif., 475th QM Group, USAR
- Specialist Ronald D. Rennison, age 21, Dubuque, Iowa, 477th Trans Co.,USAR
- Private First Class Timothy A. Shaw, age 21, Suitland, Md., 475th QM Group, USAR
- Corporal Brian K. Simpson, age 22, HHC, 475th QM Group, 475th QM Group, USAR
- Specialist James D. Tatum, age 22, 23rd Repl Det, 475th QM Group, USAR
- Private First Class Robert C. Wade, age 31, 23rd Repl Det, 475th QM Group, USAR
- Corporal Jonathan M. Williams, age 23, 23rd Repl Det, 475th QM Group, USAR
- Specialist James E. Worthy, age 22, 477th Trans Co.,USAR