55th Medical Group (United States)

The 55th Medical Group was initially constituted 1941-01-13 in the Regular Army as the 55th Medical Battalion. The unit and its successors served in Germany in World War II and in Viet Nam in the Vietnam War, and finally at Fort Bragg, North Carolina during the Cold War.

Lineage^[1]

• Constituted 1941-01-13 in the Regular Army as the 55th Medical Battalion.
• Activated 1941-02-10 at Fort Sam Houston, Texas
• Reorganized and redesignated 1942-07-31 as the 55th Medical Battalion, Motorized.
• Battalion converted from Organic to Separate on 1944-04-05 and its elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:

1. Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 55th Medical Battalion.
2. Company A, as the 494th Medical Collecting Company - hereafter separate lineage.
3. Company B, as the 495th Medical Collecting Company - hereafter separate lineage.
4. Company C, as the 496th Medical Collecting Company - hereafter separate lineages.
5. Clearing Company, as the 650th Medical Clearing Company - hereafter separate lineage.

• Inactivated 1946-03-03 in Germany.
• Activated 1955-09-06 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina
• Reorganized and redesignated 1956-12-20 as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 55th Medical Group.
• Inactivated 1970-06-25 in Vietnam.
• Activated 1971-03-25 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
• Inactivated 1974-09-21 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
• Activated 1992-10-01 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
• Inactivated 2010-04-21 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Honors

Campaign participation credit

• World War II:

1. Normandy;
2. Northern France;
3. Rhineland;
4. Ardennes-Alsace;
5. Central Europe

• Vietnam:

1. Counteroffensive;
2. Counteroffensive, Phase II;
3. Counteroffensive, Phase III;
4. Tet Counteroffensive;
5. Counteroffensive, Phase IV;
6. Counteroffensive, Phase V;
7. Counteroffensive, Phase VI;
8. Tet 69/Counteroffensive;
9. Summer-Fall 1969;
10. Winter-Spring 1970;
11. Sanctuary Counteroffensive

Decorations

• Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for:

1. VIETNAM 1966-1968
2. VIETNAM 1968-1969

History

Vietnam

• Arrived in Vietnam 1965-09-20 as part of 44th Medical Brigade. Assigned to Nha Trang.
• Went Operational on 1965-11-01.
• Rescue of Dustoff 65
• On 1969-06-15, the Group assumed responsibility for the medical needs of the II Corps Tactical Zone.
• Last Group headquarters personnel departed Vietnam on 1970-02-07.

Fort Bragg

• Activated 1992-10-01 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina as part of the 44th Medical Command.

Distinctive Unit Insignia^[2]

Description

A Silver color metal and enamel device 1 1/8 inches (2.86 cm) in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned: Sanguine, a cross quarterly pierced Argent in fess point a mullet of the like. Attached above the shield a rounded Silver scroll inscribed “CONSERVE FIGHTING STRENGTH” in Maroon letters.

Symbolism

The shield is in the colors of the Army Medical Service. The cross represents the nature of the service of the unit and the mullet indicates the organization’s point of origin as Texas. The five maroon areas also allude to the five World War II campaign streamers credited to the organization.

Background

The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 55th Medical Battalion on 20 June 1941. It was redesignated for the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 55th Medical Battalion on 29 May 1957. The insignia was redesignated for the 55th Medical Group on 15 December 1967.

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