The 59th Quartermaster Company is a bulk petroleum company designed to provide semi-portable storage for of fuel and to provide distribution of fuel to military units within a specified geographic area while deployed overseas. Its secondary mission is to provide an armed military escort to military cargo and civilian trucks during overseas contingency operations. It is a U.S. Army Forces Command combat service support unit stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado under the command of the 68th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. The 59th has deployed overseas to Algeria, Italy, France, Germany, Korea, Vietnam, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The 59th is the only bulk petroleum company in the

Regular Army A regular army is the official army of a state or country (the official armed forces), contrasting with irregular forces, such as volunteer irregular militias, private armies, mercenaries, etc. A regular army usually has the following: * a standin ...

; all sister units are part of the

Army Reserve A military reserve force is a military organization whose members have military and civilian occupations. They are not normally kept under arms, and their main role is to be available when their military requires additional manpower. Reserve ...

as of 2011.

Service history

The unit was constituted into the

on 13 January 1941 as Company B, 240th Quartermaster Battalion and composed of African-American Soldiers. On 15 February 1944, the unit was redesignated as the 3251st Quartermaster Service Company. During World War II, the unit served in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations and served during the Rome-

Arno The Arno is a river in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the most important river of central Italy after the Tiber. Source and route The river originates on Monte Falterona in the Casentino area of the Apennines, and initially takes a ...

campaign, the invasion of Southern France ( Operation Dragoon); the

Rhineland The Rhineland (german: Rheinland; french: Rhénanie; nl, Rijnland; ksh, Rhingland; Latinised name: ''Rhenania'') is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly its middle section. Term Historically, the Rhinelands ...

campaign; the Ardennes-

Alsace Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it had ...

campaign; and the campaign in Central Europe. The unit was inactivated following

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. It briefly served in Korea from December 1946 until July 1947 when it was redesignated from the 3251st to the 59th. From September 1950 until December 1957 the company served at Fort Lee,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

. The 59th deployed to Vietnam in 1965 and served until its inactivation in 1972. The 59th's latest period of service began in 1995 and includes service during Operation

Iraqi Freedom {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق ( Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict and the War on terror , image ...

and Operation

Enduring Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used synonymously by the U.S. government for both the War in Afghanistan (2001–2014) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response to the September 11 at ...

World War II

After taking part in both the

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

and the

Carolina Maneuvers The Carolina Maneuvers were a series of United States Army exercises held around Southern North Carolina and Northern South Carolina in 1941. The exercises, which involved some 350,000 troops, was designed to evaluate United States training, logis ...

, B Company deployed to Oran, Algeria in November 1942 in support of the Mediterranean Base Section. In June 1944, the 3251st deployed to

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

in support of the 5th Army's Rome/Arno campaign. The 3251st was transferred to the 7th Army and remained under its command for the rest of the war. The 3251st participated in Operation Dragoon in direct support of the 45th Infantry Division under the command of the 240th

Quartermaster Quartermaster is a military term, the meaning of which depends on the country and service. In land armies, a quartermaster is generally a relatively senior soldier who supervises stores or barracks and distributes supplies and provisions. In ...

Battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions a ...

and then supported the divisions of the 7th Army as they fought their way across France into Germany. The 3251st returned to the United States through the

Newport News Newport News () is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 186,247. Located in the Hampton Roads region, it is the 5th most populous city in Virginia and 140th most populous city in the Uni ...

Port of Embarcationhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Fr4wAAAAIBAJ&sjid=pU4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=192,3958651/ The 3251st Quartermaster Company arrives home, P4, The Saint Petersburg Times aboard the AP-116 General Meigs on 13 October 1945.

Vietnam

The 59th served under the

1st Logistics Command The 1st Theater Sustainment Command (1st TSC) is a major subordinate unit of United States Army Central at Fort Knox, Kentucky, United States. History The 1st Logistical Command was activated as a planning headquarters in October 1950 at Fort ...

while deployed to Vietnam. The company operated the Army mortuaries at

Cam Ranh Bay Cam Ranh Bay ( vi, Vịnh Cam Ranh) is a deep-water bay in Vietnam in Khánh Hòa Province. It is located at an inlet of the South China Sea situated on the southeastern coast of Vietnam, between Phan Rang and Nha Trang, approximately 290 kil ...

and Boa Loc. In addition, the unit provided clothing reclamation and laundry services on those bases. During their service in Vietnam, the unit strength fluctuated between 297 officers and men and a low of 268 officers and men.https://www.amazon.com/Vietnam-Order-Battle-Illustrated-Reference/dp/0811700712/ Vietnam Order of Battle, page 204

Operation Iraqi Freedom

In 2003 the 59th deployed to Kuwait and various sites in Iraq to support the 3rd Infantry Division. Official Lineage & Honors Certificate The Fuelmasters deployed again from October 2004 to September 2005 to support the

1st Corps Support Command First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...

Operation Enduring Freedom

From May to November 2011 the 59th deployed 170 Soldiers to

Bagram Airfield Bagram Airfield-BAF, also known as Bagram Air Base , is located southeast of Charikar in the Parwan Province of Afghanistan. It is under the Afghan Ministry of Defense. Sitting on the site of the ancient Bagram at an elevation of above sea lev ...

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

to conduct convoy security operations for logistics convoys. The 59th initially fell under the command of the 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion of the 101st Sustainment Brigade and later the 142nd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion of the 10th Sustainment Brigade after the previous units rotated back to the United States.

Current operations

The 59th is currently conducting operations in support of the 4th Infantry Division and its brigade combat teams and other Fort Carson tenant units. In addition, the unit is providing hot (engine running) refuel services at Butts Army Airfield. The airfield provides support to the US Army aviation units based at Fort Carson as well as transient aircraft from other services and bases. Hot Point 2

Organization

The 59th Quartermaster Company is organized with a Headquarters

platoon A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may rang ...

, three petroleum supply platoons, and a

maintenance Maintenance may refer to: Biological science * Maintenance of an organism * Maintenance respiration Non-technical maintenance * Alimony, also called ''maintenance'' in British English * Champerty and maintenance, two related legal doct ...

platoon. The 40th Quartermaster Detachment normally functions as part of the headquarters platoon.

Personnel

The 59th Quartermaster Company is authorized 225

Soldier A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a conscripted or volunteer enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, or an officer. Etymology The word ''soldier'' derives from the Middle English word , from Old French ...

non-commissioned officers A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is a military officer who has not pursued a commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority by promotion through the enlisted ranks. (Non-officers, which includes most or all enli ...

warrant officers Warrant officer (WO) is a rank or category of ranks in the armed forces of many countries. Depending on the country, service, or historical context, warrant officers are sometimes classified as the most junior of the commissioned ranks, the most ...

, and

officers An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," f ...

. The two Soldiers composing the 40th Quartermaster Detachment (Petroleum Laboratory) are attached to the 59th for training, support, and disciplinary purposes. The 59th is composed of personnel from the

Quartermaster Corps Following is a list of Quartermaster Corps, military units, active and defunct, with logistics duties: * Egyptian Army Quartermaster Corps - see Structure of the Egyptian Army * Hellenic Army Quartermaster Corps (''Σώμα Φροντιστών ...

, Ordnance Corps, Signal Corps,

Adjutant General Corps The Adjutant General's Corps, formerly the Adjutant General's Department, is a Structure of the United States Army#Branches and functional areas, branch of the United States Army first established in 1775. This branch provides personnel service ...

, Engineer Corp, and

Chemical Corps The Chemical Corps is the branch of the United States Army tasked with defending against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) weapons. The Chemical Warfare Service was established on 28 June 1918, combining activities that unti ...

. *Enlisted Specialties **12N Horizontal Construction Engineer ** 25U Signal Support Specialist **42A Personnel Specialist **74D

CBRN Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defence (CBRN defence) are protective measures taken in situations in which chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear warfare (including terrorism) hazards may be present. CBRN defence consi ...

Specialist **91B Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic **91C Utilities Equipment Repairer **91D Power Generation Equipment Repairer **91E Allied Trades Specialist **91X Maintenance Supervisor **91Z Senior Maintenance Supervisor **92A Automated Logistical Specialist **92F Petroleum Supply Specialist **92G Food Service Operations **92L Petroleum Laboratory Specialist (40th Quartermaster Detachment only) **92Y Unit Supply Specialist *Warrant Officer Specialties **923A Petroleum Technician **915A Automotive Maintenance Warrant Officer *Officer Specialties **90A

Logistics Logistics is generally the detailed organization and implementation of a complex operation. In a general business sense, logistics manages the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of consumption to meet the requirements of ...

Officer (company commander) **92A Quartermaster, General **92F Petroleum and Water

Equipment

*SEE Truck *HMMH Truck *Fuel System Supply Point *Assault Hoseline System *M969 Fuel Tanker * M931 Trucks *M1151 * Medium Tactical Vehicles * M998 Humvees * Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles * Maxxpro MaxxPro Armored Truck *

Common Remotely Operated Weapon System The Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS) is a series of remote weapon stations used by the US military on its armored vehicles and ships. It allows weapon operators to engage targets without leaving the protection of their vehicle. T ...

* M2 Heavy Machine Gun * MK-19 Automatic grenade Launcher *

M249 Light Machine Gun The M249 light machine gun (LMG), also known as the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW), which continues to be the manufacturer's designation, and formally written as Light Machine Gun, 5.56 mm, M249, is the American adaptation of the Belgian F ...

M16 Rifle The M16 rifle (officially designated Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16) is a family of military rifles adapted from the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle for the United States military. The original M16 rifle was a 5.56×45mm automatic rifle with a 20-ro ...

* M203 Grenade Launcher *

M9 Pistol The Beretta M9, officially the Pistol, Semiautomatic, 9mm, M9, is the designation for the Beretta 92FS semi-automatic pistol used by the United States Armed Forces. The M9 was adopted by the United States military as their service pistol in 198 ...

Army Combat Uniform The Army Combat Uniform (ACU) is the current combat uniform worn by the United States Army, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Space Force. Within U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force, it is referred to as the OCP (Operational Camouflage Pattern) Uniform ...

* Army Combat Boot * MultiCam * Extended Climate Warfighter Clothing System *

Army Combat Shirt The Army Combat Shirt (ACS) is a flame-resistant shirt developed and used by the United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services ...

Advanced Combat Helmet The Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH) is the United States Army's current combat helmet, used since the early 2000s. It was developed by the United States Army Soldier Systems Center, the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, and the U.S. Army Researc ...

* Improved Outer Tactical Vests

Campaign participation credit

Unit decorations

References

External links

Fort Carson HomepageUS Army Institute of Heraldry page for the 43rd Sustainment BrigadeArmy Emergency Relief
{Dead link, date=September 2019 , bot=InternetArchiveBot , fix-attempted=yes
Slideshow of the 2010 RedeploymentThe 3251st Quartermaster Company arrives home, page 4, The Saint Petersburg Times59th trains for deployment
* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20030226183652/http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/army/docs/st63-1/chapter6.htm Petroleum Doctrine at the Federation of American Scientists websitebr>Vietnam Order of Battle, page 204The U.S. Army Quartermaster Museum
059 Quartermaster companies of the United States Army