Welcome Home
The mission of the 589th Engineer Battalion Association (Vietnam) is to reunite the veterans of the 589th in friendship, fellowship and healing. Since its formation in 2009, the Association has reunited “732” members who served with the 589th Engineer Battalion in Vietnam during the years 1967 through 1971. This site represents the collective efforts of the Brothers of the 589th Association to share their thoughts, stories and memories with those who mean so much.
The members of the 589th Association dedicate this website to their fallen brethren who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving the United States of America in Vietnam. Their sacrifices were many, their rewards few, but their memories will live forever.
After landing at Qui Nhon, Vietnam in April 1967, the 589th Engineer Battalion and its attached units were involved in a variety of construction projects throughout the northern half of South Vietnam. The projects included everything required of engineers in a war zone, from clearing fire support bases, to building roads and landing strips, bridges and support structures, to providing security against local Viet Cong forces.
Represented here are some of the memories of those who served that mission, their stories in pictures and prose, their efforts to reunite, and their desire to maintain the bond formed while serving in Vietnam over 50 years ago. Whether you are a member of the 589th Association or simply visiting the site, please help us honor those who served by respecting the communications contained in the following pages.
From Myron D. Snoke, COL, USA, Ret.
To the Members of the 589th Engineer Battalion (Construction)
It was the greatest professional experience of my career in the United States Army to have organized and commanded the 589th Engineer Battalion.
OUR Battalion was unique in that the Battalion was organized from scratch. WE were the ones who birthed this unit at Fort Hood, Texas. WE were the ones who organized and trained ourselves to accomplish any mission given to us. WE were the ones who received our brand new arms and equipment, prepared them for use and moved them thousands of miles to the combat zone. WE were the ones who entered the theater of operations and successfully undertook the difficult tasks assigned to us.
WE were the ones who created the character and ethos of the Battalion. WE were the ones who gladly welcomed newly assigned soldiers to OUR unit and helped them become one with US.
WE were the ones who returned home with a sense of accomplishment, with the experience of a lifetime, as we matured, learned and readied ourselves for the rest of our lives. I delight each time I hear of your individual successes as family men, as you furthered your education and as you advanced in your careers and with your own enterprises.
The success of the 589th Engineer Battalion is reflected in the dedication, loyalty, even devotion, which each of you demonstrated to your fellow soldiers, to our mission and the Battalion itself. The fact that YOU created the 589th Engineer Battalion Association is testimony to your desire to keep the spirit of the Battalion alive.
I am proud to have worn with you on our uniforms, the 589th Engineer Battalion Crest of the Mountain Movers.
My lasting memory shall be of your highest character, competence and camaraderie.
I thank you for the privilege of having served with you.
Very respectfully,
Myron D. Snoke,
COL, USA, Ret.
To the Members of the 589th Engineer Battalion (Construction)
It was the greatest professional experience of my career in the United States Army to have organized and commanded the 589th Engineer Battalion.
OUR Battalion was unique in that the Battalion was organized from scratch. WE were the ones who birthed this unit at Fort Hood, Texas. WE were the ones who organized and trained ourselves to accomplish any mission given to us. WE were the ones who received our brand new arms and equipment, prepared them for use and moved them thousands of miles to the combat zone. WE were the ones who entered the theater of operations and successfully undertook the difficult tasks assigned to us.
WE were the ones who created the character and ethos of the Battalion. WE were the ones who gladly welcomed newly assigned soldiers to OUR unit and helped them become one with US.
WE were the ones who returned home with a sense of accomplishment, with the experience of a lifetime, as we matured, learned and readied ourselves for the rest of our lives. I delight each time I hear of your individual successes as family men, as you furthered your education and as you advanced in your careers and with your own enterprises.
The success of the 589th Engineer Battalion is reflected in the dedication, loyalty, even devotion, which each of you demonstrated to your fellow soldiers, to our mission and the Battalion itself. The fact that YOU created the 589th Engineer Battalion Association is testimony to your desire to keep the spirit of the Battalion alive.
I am proud to have worn with you on our uniforms, the 589th Engineer Battalion Crest of the Mountain Movers.
My lasting memory shall be of your highest character, competence and camaraderie.
I thank you for the privilege of having served with you.
Very respectfully,
Myron D. Snoke,
COL, USA, Ret.
Click on the USA map below to see where we are now!
Click on the VN map below for more details of the 589th's mission in Vietnam.
"Daniel E. Kuczynski"Dan was the spark which ignited the fire that became the 589th Association. I was lucky enough to not only remember Dan's complete name but also where he was from - Wampum, PA. Many internet searches and a few days later I located a phone number for Dan and finally made contact with him on May 9th, 2009, which just happened to be Mother's Day. That's a day I will never forget. It was the first time I had ever spoken to any of my 589th Army Brothers I served with in Vietnam over 40 years earlier. That spark is why you are reading this today. Unfortunately, Dan died just three years later on May 26, 2012, before I had a chance to see him in person.
Thank you, Dan and RIP Brother. P. Blanchfield