142nd Division Sustainment Support Battalion (142nd DSSB) is a multifunctional logistics headquarters. It is task organized as a Division Sustainment Support Battalion with capability required to support specified mission requirements. The CSSB supports echelon above brigade units, multifunctional brigades (maneuver enhancement brigade, field artillery brigade, and combat aviation brigade), functional support brigades (military police, signal, and engineer brigades), and brigade combat teams. The 142nd DSSB is currently stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, and is a subordinate unit of the 1st Armored Division Sustainment Brigade.
Capabilities The role of a DSSB is to exercise mission command for task organized companies, teams, and detachments executing logistics operations. The DSSB is task organized with functional companies, teams, and detachments. It is designed to employ and control up to six company-sized units conducting logistics operations. The requirements for the number and type of units attached to a CSSB is mission dependent. Attaching additional units to a CSSB task organization may increase responsiveness but reduces agility of the CSSB specifically in the ability to provide effective mission command. See ADRP 6-0, Mission Command.
History 13 January 1944 Constituted as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 142d Quartermaster Battalion, Mobile. 31 January 1944 activated at Camp Butner, North Carolina 1 September 1946 reorganized and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 142d Quartermaster Battalion. 8 December 1950 allotted to the Regular Army 15 December 1962 reorganized as the 142d Quartermaster Battalion (Direct Support) 1 October 1964 inactivated at Pusan, Korea 16 March 1981 reactivated and redesignated at Wiesbaden, Germany, as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 142d Supply and Service Battalion 25 January 1993 reorganized and redesignated as the 142d Corps Support Battalion and moved from Germany to Fort Polk, LA. 17 August 2005 142nd conducts Relief in Place for 17th Corps Support Battalion LSA Diamondback, Mosul Iraq 3 July 2006 142nd conducts Transfer of Authority to 352nd Corps Support Battalion LSA Diamondback, Mosul Iraq 15 October 2006 finally reorganized and redesignated to its current designation as the 142d Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. 1 May 2009 battalion moves from Fort Polk, LA, to Fort Bliss, TX. 26 May 2011 142nd conducts Relief in Place for the 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Bagram Airfield Afghanistan 28 April 2012 142nd conducts Transfer of Authority to the 548th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Bagram Airfield Afghanistan 7 August 2014 142nd conducts Transfer of Authority to the 553rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Bagram Airfield Afghanistan 24 April 2021 142nd conducts Transfer of Authority to the 393rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, Camp Buehring, Kuwait 21 October 2021 142nd Division Sustainment Support Battalion (DSSB) companies uncased their newest guidons, Alpha Company formerly known as the 504th Composite Supply Company, Bravo Company formerly known as the 147th Support Maintenance Company, and Charlie Company formerly known as the 47th Transportation Company. Sources:
Korean War The Pittsburgh Press - 20 October 1951 Missing 'Epistle' Bronze Star Clue
Capt. Thomas H. Westermann is a letter writer with a system. First of all, he has written his wife, Mary, of 104 W. Steuben St., Crafton, every day since he left Pennsylvania Station and home last 27 Dec.. Every day, that is, except one. This day has gone down on the family calendar as an eventful day. Capt. Westermann copped the Bronze Star on this occasion for heroic deeds in Korea proved his undoing. Try as he did to conceal his exploits from the family, his letter-writing system proved his undoing. Seems he numbers every letter he writes. When Mrs. Westermann last heard from him on 8 October, he had been away from home 285 days. Thus the note that day was labeled "Daily Epistle No. 285." Capt. Westermann, a native of Carnegie, is plans and operations officer of the 142nd Quartermaster Battalion in Korea. His outfit operates one of the largest supply depots on this side of the 38th Parallel. The supply dump bulges with ammunition, shells, food, and vital fuel. On 11 February, a train loaded with ammunition and high explosive shells caught fire at the depot. In a matter of minutes, it seemed the whole dump was going to blow up. Rations, arms, and fuel which had been lugged overseas for months to put a muscle in the U.N. punch were being destroyed. Capt. Westermann refused to quit the supplies although explosions were rocking the area a mile around the dump. He and a small band of GIs braved the flying shell fragments and exploding ammo to save 43 carloads of supplies and several hundred tons of ammunition. They battled the fire 24 hours. Capt. Westermann missed writing Letter 46 that night. Next evening, before he sank into his bed, he wrote: "Dear Mary: Sorry I couldn't write last night. We had a little fire here." At the top of the note, he scribbled Nos. 46-47. "I didn't worry," Mrs. Westermann explained, "but I knew something serious had happened." A few weeks ago, she received a small box mailed from Korea. Inside was the Bronze Star. The accompanying citation, describing Capt. Westermann's bravery revealed for the first time what had happened to "Daily Epistle No. 46."
Korean Armistice Pusan, South Korea, December, 1957: The picture to the right shows Master Sgt. Robert S. Boyd, left, and Pvt. Allen G. Ladwig check a mountain of boxes containing stored meals at the 142nd Quartermaster Battalion's Plant No. 1. The giant supply operation was responsible for, among other things, receiving, storing and issuing all perishable foods arriving at Pusan port from the U.S., Japan and Okinawa. The 142 used 100 tons of ice and 1.5 million pounds of salt to keep everything fresh during the summer; a bakery unit attached to the battalion baked about 45,000 one-pound loaves of bread per month for troops in the Pusan Area Command.
1 May 1955, the 55th Quartermaster Base Depot was relocated to Bupyong (ASCOM city), subsequently named Camp Market. The 142nd Quartermaster Battalion was moved from Masan and assumed the mission of providing Quartermaster support to US/UN Forces in the Southern area plus Class I perishable support for all US Forces in Korea.
Operation Iraqi Freedom I
The battalion was deployed to Iraq from 6 April 2003 to 8 April 2004. Crossed LD ISO 3d ACR providing DS CSS to Corps units within 3d ACR task organization. Occupied Forward Log Base PECAN and supported 3d ACR and 2/3 ID throughout Al Anbar Province (MND-W). Supported the relief in place of 3d ACR and 82d ABN DIV by providing direct support to 82d combat forces until closure of the 82d Division Support Command (DISCOM). Supported non-divisional forces in 82d Task Organization, provided reinforcing support to 82d DISCOM and provided DS CSS on an area basis upon closure of the 82d DISCOM. Provided initial support to 1 MEF & 1 FSSG (USMC) during the TOA with TF 82.
Bulk Fuel Operations Served as liaison to COSCOM for all bulk fuel storage and distribution issues in MND-W sector Operated 350,000 gal bulk fuel facility on FOB RIDGWAY Average daily issues = 30,000 gal Deployed Fuel System Supply Point (FSSP) to two locations in support of 82d ABN DIV RSOI Supported 1/1 IN w/ fuel distribution (5K tankers) to Junction City Supported 82 ABN DIV CA initiatives with captured Iraqi fuel 5,375,213 total gallons distributed Bulk Water Operations Served as liaison to COSCOM for all water production and storage issues in MND-W sector Potable water production operations at Al Asad and FOB RIDGWAY Average daily water production at FOB RIDGWAY = 140,000 gal Storage capacity = 300,000 gal 12,777,080 total gallons produced Transitioned to LOGCAP water production & storage Field Service Operations Sole provider of military shower, laundry and clothing repair (SLCR)in MND-W sector Had 3 additional SLCR detachments at one time Conducted SLCR operations at 8 locations Transitioned to LOGCAP laundry and bath operations Completed 120,171 bundles of laundry and provided 265,213 showers Ammunition Operations Operated the only two ASPs in Iraq Operated Ammo Support Activity at TAJI ISO 1AD CLV Retrograde Ammo Support Activity established at RIDGWAY in mid-Feb ’04 Established and operated regional CEA depot until transition to contract Supported CEA reduction efforts at FOB RIDGWAY – clearing 1,210 st Managed over 800st CLV at RIDGWAY ASP Maintenance Operations 602d OD Co provided DS maintenance support to non-DIV units VIC FOB RIDGWAY and back-up support to 82d DISCOM Deployed 5 MSTs ISO 3d ID, 82d ABN DIV, and 1st AD Provided recovery support as required throughout AO Conducted convoy security missions for contracted trucks Transportation Operations Provided back-up transportation to TF 82 Provided GS transportation support as directed by 16th CSG Routinely operated at over 75% of capability Averaged 4-6 convoys per week Long-term support of light forces w/ M923 5 ton cargo trucks Supported early retrograde of equipment to Kuwait ISO of TF82 forces Over 750,000 miles driven in Iraq Operation Enduring Freedom III