Operation Proud Lion: T2K in Kenya

[shrike6]

I'm confused how did the 1-503rd get from Korea to Kenya. For that matter why did the 228th Aviation Battalion deploy to Kenya and not deploy with the 1st Cavalry Division to Europe?

[Raellus]

Originally Posted by shrike6

I'm confused how did the 1-503rd get from Korea to Kenya. For that matter why did the 228th Aviation Battalion deploy to Kenya and not deploy with the 1st Cavalry Division to Europe?

Since I'm not an ORBAT master, I used the units FF mentioned in the archived threads. I wasn't aware that the above mentioned units were already accounted for elsewhere. Perhaps it was a redesignation deal.

[HorseSoldier]

1-503rd was an element of the 2nd Infantry Division during the late Cold War.

When the 173rd was reformed, it initially began life with 2-503rd (former 3-325th) and 1-508th AIR. If I am understanding the information correctly, it eventually gained the 1-503rd lineage as well, making three battalions, and then dropped 1-508th when it converted to current army organization for BCTs and such.

For the Twilight War scenario, you might want to consider going with 1-508th, 2-503rd and then either 2-508th or 1-555th, which is mentioned in Frank Frey's notes as being reformed and assigned. You could even toss in something like 6-143rd Infantry (Airborne), Texas Nat'l Guard, for a fourth line battalion, if you want to posit the reserve component units mentioned in FF's notes eventually showed up.

[Raellus]

Originally Posted by HorseSoldier

For the Twilight War scenario, you might want to consider going with 1-508th, 2-503rd and then either 2-508th or 1-555th, which is mentioned in Frank Frey's notes as being reformed and assigned. You could even toss in something like 6-143rd Infantry (Airborne), Texas Nat'l Guard, for a fourth line battalion, if you want to posit the reserve component units mentioned in FF's notes eventually showed up.

Thanks, HS. One of Frank's two 173rd BCT ORBATs included four infantry battalions- two airborne, one airmobile, and one light motorized- which, for simplicity's sake, I went with. I really want four line battalions so I may go with the reserve battalion, shipped in just before the balloon went up.

Using your ORBAT, may I assume that the 50x battalions are airborne qualified? Which battalion should be the airmobile one? Could an NG battalion realistically be set up as a light motorized unit? (using, as per Frey's idea, French-supplied light AFVs)

[HorseSoldier]

The 500 series infantry regiments all (if I'm not mistaken) have an airborne lineage, but may or may not actually be on jump status now (and there are some regiments without 500+ numbers that have historical or current airborne status, to add further confusion to the matter).

The 'Guard unit could be the light motorized one, especially since whoever gets the role is falling in on new equipment. They could have been slated to be a reserve round-out/round-up unit for the 173rd who arrived in theater with only a portion of the unit jump qualified (from personal experience in and around several NG airborne units, getting everyone to and through jump school is a PITA, as is keeping them current during peace time).

I would perhaps say that the three regular army battalions were all initially jump qualified, and the NG battalion was supposed to be, but when the NG battalion arrived in theater it was sufficiently deficient in jump-qualified personnel that it was looted for jumpers to replace casualties in the other battalions, and then became a receiving unit for non-jumping replacements. (Particularly because I'd think that Kenya would be low on the priority list for airborne qualified replacement personnel in most any MOS, with 18th Abn Corps, the Rangers, assorted SOF units and LRS units, etc, in action in busier AOs.)

As the war wore on, the decision was later made to pool increasingly scarce equipment and personnel in two of the other battalions, and take the third off jump status (allowing it to also incorporate non-airborne replacement personnel, including indigenous Kenyan and expatriate personnel).

Or something like that.

[shrike6]

First I'd like to point out that the 1-508th was assigned to the 193rd Infantry Brigade in Panama till '97 irl.
As far as a light motorized battalion, something you might want to consider using is a TLAT battalion. http://www.orbat.com/site/history/op...talion1980.pdf May not be exactly what your looking for but they are light and motorized and it would kill two birds with one stone a reserve unit and motorized. Another option to fill that hole is to say the NG reactivated the 1-143rd Airborne again in TX. As far as which battalion is motorized, etc. thats pretty much up to your discretion. As far as my suggestions for the unit designations I'm more of a historical guy so I would take one of two options here. A. Go with 2-, 3-, 4-503rd and one of the NG options plus I'd change the Cavalry Squadron (I'm assuming you're using a whole cavalry squadron by your designation and not just a troop.) to either the 4-16th Cavalry or the 5-17th Cavalry Squadron which actually had historical ties to the Herd from Vietnam (via their lineage through D Co 16th Armor and E Troop, 17th Cavalry respectively). If your using just a troop then historically it would be D Troop 16th Cavalry or E Troop 17th Cavalry or if you want the latest flavor A Troop 91st Cavalry. now on to B. Keep the 1-503rd and say the one in Korea got reflagged to another unit designation like the 2-506th or something at some point previous. Thats my tastes your tastes are probably different and I'm curious to see how you work it out.
As far as the 228th Aviation Battalion, when the 1st Cavalry began converting to Division 86 configuration. The division added a second aviation battalion to go along with the 227th around 1983. So they went with the 228th for it which makes sense given the history of the 228th. That designation stuck until they regimentalized the aviation branch in the mid to late 80s eliminating the separate aviation battalions designations. So if your going with the early 80s designations which is what is used in Twilight 2000 and by Frank then 228th was already assigned prewar to the 1st Cav.

[Raellus]

Is there anything else I could/should add in order to make this more source-booky?