2nd Battalion, 4th Infantry "Pershing" 1968

In 1968 the decision was made to provide a ground defense force for the Pershing I medium-range nuclear missiles deployed in West Germany. The 2nd battalion was activated at Fort Campbell and transferred to Germany and assumed ground defense and security duties for the missile systems.

The missiles where stored when not in the field at Mutlangen and Heilbronn (near Stuttgart, Germany) and Lehmgrube (near Ulm/Neu Ulm, Germany.)

While returning from a live-fire training at Grafenwöhr the entire heavy mortar platoon of HHC, 2/4 Infantry died in a helicopter crash over Pegnitz in August 1971. The cause of the crash was determined to have been metal fatigue in one of the CH-47s rotors.

Killed in the Crash:

John E. Echterling 1st Lt.
Henry L. Pittard Jr. 1st Lt.
Paten L. Smith SSgt.
Terry E. Bowerman Sgt.
George J. Gongaware Sgt.
Christopher W. Pyzik Sgt.
Harold D. Dillaman Jr. Sgt.
Russell L. Schroder Spec. 5
Fernando Apodaca Spec. 4
Ronald F. Scholl Spec. 4
Arthur R. Kearney Pfc.
Roger M. Hartman Pfc.
Ronald R. Pestka Pfc.
Eric L. Landry Pfc.
Samuel M. Cherry Pfc.
David P. Dunks Pfc.
David W. Stover Pfc.
Michael L. Annis Pfc.
Raymond T. Gadbois Pfc.
Lawrence H. Karaschin Pfc.
David A. Person Pfc.
Paul E. Hickson Pfc.
Charles E. Fife Pfc.
Jeffery M. Vickerman Pfc.
Eddie W. Nichols Pfc.
Vernon J. Ailstock Jr. Pfc.
Noel Velez Pfc.
Mark P. Connors Pfc.
Edward A. Monnin Jr. Pfc.
Raymond H. Cork Pfc.
Clarence C. West Pfc.
John P. Egelund Pfc.

Also killed were four crewmembers from the 4th Aviation company
15th Aviation Group.

With the deployment of the Pershing II’s to Europe in the early 1980’s to replace the aging Pershing I’s the Pershing sites became the focus of massive anti-nuclear demonstrations particularly around Easter. Nevertheless, the deployment of the missiles continued until the signing of a treaty eliminating medium range missiles singed between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1988.

In 1990 the battalion was inactivated and the personnel re-flagged as 1st battalion, 4th Infantry and assigned to Hohenfels MTA.