About the 507th Corps Support Group
March 23, 2003 -- Some of the U.S. soldiers taken prisoner around the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriya today have been identified as members of the Army's 507th Maintenance unit.
Some of the 12 U.S. soldiers taken prisoner around the southern Iraqi city of Nasiriya this weekend have been identified as members of the Army's 507th Maintenance unit.
The 507th Maintenance unit, which is formally identified as the 507th Corps Support Group, is based at Fort Bliss, Texas. It was deployed last month with the 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade.
Officials at Fort Bliss said about ten members of the unit are missing.
The 507th is a multifunctional unit primarily assigned to provide support to the XVIII Airborne Corps, which is based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. It is responsible for distributing and managing supplies like fuel, ammunition, and water, as well as water production.
Some of its other duties include transportation, aerial distribution and aviation maintenance. It is also charged with tactical refrigeration and mortuary affairs.
The group is made of three units: the 7th Transportation Battalion, the 530th Supply and Service Battalion, and the 4th of the 159th Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Battalion. Its motto is "Strike First."
Long History
The group has participated in many of the most recent U.S. military operations and has a history that dates back to World War II. It has received three Meritorious Unit Commendations over that history.
The 507th joined Operation Desert Shield/Storm in August 1990, and in the course of the conflict, grew from two battalions to eight with more than 12,000 soldiers.
In August 1993, the 507th also participated in Operation Continue Hope in Mogadishu, Somalia. There it maintained support for 30,000 U.N. troops forces from 32 countries.
The next year, it aided in the planned invasion of Haiti. The 507th was responsible for the support of the 82d Airborne Division. It provided for more than 10,000 soldiers and 50,000 short tons of equipment and supplies deploying into Haiti.
Born in North Africa
The 507th has also participated in relief operations. It contributed to efforts in the wake of hurricanes Andrew in Florida in 1992, Marilyn in the Virgin Islands in 1995, and Fran in North Carolina in 1996.
As of early 2001 soldiers from the group were deployed in support of operations in Bosnia, Hungary, Cuba, Bolivia, Honduras, Panama, Peru, Mali, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
The 507th has had a role in the two most important American conflicts in the 20th century as well.
In 1965, it was alerted for duty in Vietnam, where it participated in 14 campaigns.
The 507th was first constituted during World War II, in 1943 in North Africa. It participated in campaigns in Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno, Anzio, and North Apennines.
Sources: The 1st Corps Support Command Web site and GlobalSecurity.org