Grand sendoff planned for National Guard

Gov. Pawlenty

to speak at

German Park

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- The 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery, headquartered in New Ulm, will host a deployment farewell ceremony including Gov. Tim Pawlenty Tuesday afternoon at German Park.

Soldiers will march through downtown New Ulm beginning at 4th South and Minnesota Streets, continuing north to 3rd North, then east to German Park.

New Ulm's Original German Band will provide pre-program music starting at 3 p.m. in German Park. Troops are scheduled to arrive at 3:15 p.m., march down the paver block walkway from Third North to the amphitheater area for the ceremony that will include the New Ulm (Berg's) Battery.

The National Anthem will be played following the posting of of unit colors and a welcome. The New Ulm Battery will render a Civil War Cannon Salute.

Following remarks by 34th ID Commanding General Major General Larry Shellito, New Ulm Mayor Joel Albrecht, a representative of the Adjutant General's Office, Pawlenty and Battalion Commander LTC Bruce Jensen will speak.

The Original German Band will play The Army Song and post-program music.

More than 500 Minnesota Army National Guard soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery are called to active duty to conduct security operations at North Atlantic Treaty Organizations throughout Europe. Battalion soldiers will deploy to guard U.S. military interests in England, Germany, Belgium, Italy and Turkey.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, National Guard units from around the country have been enhancing security at U.S. bases abroad.

The 125th Field Artillery of New Ulm has batteries deploying from St. James, St. Peter, Fairmont, Jackson, Pipestone and Luverne. Additionally, F Battery, 151st Field Artillery of Cambridge and E Battery, 151st Field Artillery of Anoka are part of the deploying task force.

The unit will ship out on Aug. 13 to Ft. McCoy, Wis. and deploy to Europe in late August. The mission is expected to end on March 15, 2004.

The 125th originated as the Minnesota 3rd Infantry Regiment in Northern Minnesota, serving in World War I where it earned a battle steamer and reorganized into the 34th (Red Bull) Division.

During World War II, it became the 125th and earned honors for firing more than 250,000 rounds of artillery ammunition in 480 days of combat. At that time, it supported the 135th Infantry Regiment of Minneapolis and Southwestern Minnesota in the war against the Axis in Africa and Italy.

The 125th served as a training unit in the Korean conflict and served at Camp Rucker, Ala. Many battalion soldiers saw action in Korea as replacement troops.

The unit was reorganized in 1959, 1963, 1968 and finally in 1972. In March of 1990, the Battalion deployed to the Republic of Korea to participate in Team Spirit 90 as part of I Corps. This was the first overseas deployment of a battalion-sized element from Minnesota since World War II.