3rd Battalion, 160th Infantry Regiment (Seventh California)
25 JUNE 1996
THE ARMY SUPERIOR UNIT AWARD
IS PRESENTED TO:
THE THIRD BATTALION (MECHANIZED), 160TH INFANTRY REGIMENT
FOR OUTSTANDING MERITORIOUS PERFORMANCE OF A DIFFICULT MISSION
UNDER EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES DURING THE PERIOD 1 OCTOBER
1991 TO 30 SEPTEMBER 1992. DURING THE PERIOD THE THIRD BATTALION
(MECH), 160TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, KNOWN AS "LOS ANGELES'S
OWN", WAS MOBILIZED TO ACTIVE DUTY FROM 29 APRIL 1992 TO
21 MAY 1992 IN RESPONSE TO MASSIVE CIVIL DISTURBANCES RESULTING
FROM VERDICTS IN THE RODNEY KING CRIMINAL TRIALS. THE THIRD BATTALION
(MECH), 160TH INFANTRY REGIMENT WAS THE FIRST TACTICAL BATTALION
DEPLOYED ON THE STREETS AND THE LAST TO BE DEMOBILIZED. THIRD
BATTALION (MECH), 160TH INFANTRY REGIMENT SOLDIERS DEPLOYED OVER
A 50-MILE RADIUS OF THE BATTALION HEADQUARTERS AT SIX DIFFERENT
LOCATIONS. THROUGHOUT THE MOBILIZATION THIRD BATTALION (MECH),
160TH INFANTRY REGIMENT SOLDIERS CAME UNDER HOSTILE FIRE BY GANGS
AND OTHER CRIMINALS USING SEMIAUTOMATIC AND AUTOMATIC WEAPONS.
ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, THIRD BATTALION (MECH), 160TH INFANTRY
REGIMENT SOLDIERS DISARMED AND CAPTURED THEIR ATTACKERS WITHOUT
DISCHARGING THEIR OWN WEAPONS. AT MIDNIGHT, 29 APRIL 1992, THE
CALL TO MOBILIZE THE 3-160TH INF(M) WENT OUT. IN THE EARLIEST
STAGES OF MOBILIZATION SOLDIERS COULD HEAR GUNFIRE SHATTERING
THE PEACE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS NEAR THEIR ARMORIES. THE NIGHT
SKY, ILLUMINATED BY FOREBODING INFERNOS, SMELLED FROM THE SMOKE
OF FIRES. THE CHAOTIC SOUNDS OF VIOLENT MOBS, LOOTERS, AND OTHER
CRIMINALS PERMEATED THE CITY OF THE ANGELS.
AT 1730 HOURS COMPANIES A AND E, DEPLOYED
TO THE WAYSIDE HONOR RANCHO TO SUPPORT CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS.
COMPANY B DEPLOYED TO GARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL IN EAST LOS ANGELES,
COMPANY C, THE SCOUT PLATOON, AND MORTAR PLATOON DEPLOYED TO LYNWOOD
AND WATTS, IN SUPPORT OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT.
COMPANY D MOVED TO THE HALL OF JUSTICE. SOLDIERS WEARING NIGHT
VISION DEVICES, TRAINED TO DEFEAT THE ENEMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
NOW STOOD ARMED, IN THE STREETS OF THEIR HOMETOWN. THE CRIME RATE
IN THE 3-160TH INF(M) AREA OF OPERATIONS DROPPED 90% THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT DECREASE OF ANY AREA OF OPERATIONS.
THE OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL WILLIAM V. WENGER
AND THE PERFORMANCES OF THE SOLDIERS AND OFFICERS OF THE THIRD
BATTALION (MECH), 160TH INFANTRY REGIMENT DURING THIS PERIOD REFLECTS
GREAT CREDIT UPON THEMSELVES AND THE UNITED STATES ARMY.