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The 262nd Quartermaster Battalion
The 262nd Quartermaster Battalion trains and provides support to Soldiers in Four AIT Training Departments: Petroleum and Water Department, Aerial Delivery Field Services Department, Joint Mortuary Affairs Center, and Paralegal.
- "Life Line to Victory" Crest -
- 262nd History -
- 262nd Lineage & Honors -
- Battalion Decorations -
- Battalion Campaign Streamers -
- Organization Chart & Contacts -
“Life Line to Victory” Crest:
The distinctive insignia for the 262nd Quartermaster Battalion depicts a black globule of oil and a Quartermaster wheel with thirteen spokes and gold stars, flanked by two red flashes and beneath an arched blue scroll bearing the inscription “LIFE LINE TO VICTORY” in gold letters. The oil globule alludes to the organization’s mission in the Vietnam War to provide storage, distribution and quality surveillance of petroleum to supported units. The Quartermaster wheel symbolizes the battalion’s Quartermaster heritage and its movement of petroleum products to customers. The two red flashes refer to the battalion’s service in France and Germany during World War II.
History of the 262nd:
The 262nd Quartermaster Battalion (Service) (Colored) was established on 13 March 1942, and was called to duty on 28 July 1942, at Camp Pickett, Virginia. It was one of the many all black units activated during World War II and participated in the Normandy Invasion.
Assigned to the European Theater of Operations in World War II, Soldiers of the 262nd arrived in England in August 1943, and spent the next ten months assisting with preparations for the Normandy Invasion. As D-Day approached, the battalion joined others of the 1st Engineer Special Brigade adding support to the assault forces. The 262nd crossed the English Channel on D+4 and continued to provide outstanding support until the fighting ceased. Its wartime honors for this period include three campaign streamers and a French Croix de Guerre, with Palm showing the Normandy Inscription. The unit continued operating in France until it was deactivated on 28 May 1946.
The 262nd Quartermaster Battalion (Petroleum) was reactivated at Fort Lee, Virginia on 4 January 1967 in response to the logistics buildup in Vietnam. After five months of intensive preparation, the unit arrived at Cam Ranh Bay, Republic of Vietnam on 4 June 1967.
While at Cam Ranh Bay, the unit was responsible for providing support needed to monitor pipeline operations. They provided limited wholesale distribution of bulk petroleum, surveillance activities, and storage operations throughout Vietnam. The motto of the battalion was “Life Line to Victory” to indicate that petroleum is the life blood of the combat force. Soldiers of the 262nd Quartermaster Battalion demonstrated great competence during Vietnam by transporting more than 22 million gallons of fuel and efficiently running several Forward Supply Points. For these and other activities, the battalion was awarded a Meritorious Unit Citation and ten campaign streamers before being deactivated in Vietnam on 13 August 1970.
On 12 February 1987, the 262nd Quartermaster Battalion was again reactivated at Fort Lee, Virginia. This time the Battalion was called up for peacetime operations. It was determined that as part of the Army Program of Regimental Distinction, the Quartermaster Regimental Organization qualified for the recognition of the old Quartermaster School Brigade. The Brigade and its assigned battalions were awarded unit designations of selected Quartermaster combat units with honored service to the Corps. The 262nd Quartermaster Battalion replaced the 2nd Battalion of the Quartermaster Brigade.
On 19 March 2012, Juliet Company was activated as a company within the 262nd Quartermaster Battalion, and serves as the Paralegal Training Detachment for the United States Army. Juliet is composed of Paralegal specialist training in preliminary legal and administrative support to unit commanders and staff and coordinates legal actions supervising legal office of the Staff Judge Advocate. Prior to Juliet Company's activation, the Paralegal Specialist Training Program was located at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Juliet Company's mission is to develop and prepare Army personnel to perform critical tasks as a paralegal specialist and provide the basic technical training for assisting Soldiers, commanders, and attorneys in preparation of legal issues ranging from military justice, defense legal services, legal assistance, claims, administrative law, international law, operational law, and contract law.
The Battalion’s current mission is training soldiers in seven separate Military Occupational Specialties. Clearly, the motto of the Battalion was well chosen, and remains to this day “Life Line to Victory”.
Lineage & Honors:
- Constituted 13 March 1942 in the Army of the United States as the 262nd Quartermaster Battalion
- Activated 28 July 1942 at Camp Pickett, Virginia, as the 262nd Quartermaster Service Battalion (organic elements activated 10 April – 28 July 1942 at various stations)
- Battalion broken up 15 January 1944 and its elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:
- Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 262nd Quartermaster Battalion
- (Companies A, B, C, and D as the 4058th, 4059th, 4060th, and 4061st Quartermaster Service Companies, respectively – hereafter separate lineages)
- Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 262nd Quartermaster Battalion, inactivated 28 May 1946 in France
- Redesignated 13 October 1966 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 262nd Quartermaster Battalion, and allotted to the Regular Army
- Activated 4 January 1967 at Fort Lee, Virginia
- Inactivated 13 August 1970 in Vietnam
- Headquarters transferred 12 February 1987 to the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command and activated at Fort Lee, Virginia
Battalion Decorations:
Meritorious Unit Commendation, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1967-1968 (HHC, 262d QM Bn cited for period 8 June 1967-31 July 1968; DAGO 48, 1969)
French Croix de Guerre with Palm, World War II, Streamer embroidered NORMANDY (HHD 262d QM Bn cited for action on 6 June 1944; DAGO 43, 1950)
Army Superior Unit Award (262nd QM Bn cited for period 1 July 2006 to 20 June 2007, Permanent Orders 079-16 dated 20 March 2009)
Battalion Campaign Streamers:
World War II
Normandy
Northern France
Rhineland
Vietnam
Counteroffensive, Phase III
Tet Counteroffensive
Counteroffensive, Phase IV
Counteroffensive, Phase V
Counteroffensive, Phase VI
Tet 69/Counteroffensive
Summer-fall 1969
Winter-spring 1970
Sanctuary Counteroffensive
Counteroffensive, Phase VII
* All numbers below are (804) area code.
This page was last updated on: April 18, 2016