Pawling resident Samantha McCarthy receives Army Achievement Medal during Army National Guard deployment
LATHAM, NY (08/16/2022) The New York Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment, recently recognized several Soldiers for their outstanding performance.
Recognized Soldiers included Spc. Samantha McCarthy, a combat engineer assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment. McCarthy is a resident of Pawling, N.Y. and received the Army Achievement Medal.
McCarthy was recognized for her outstanding performance during mobilization training at Fort Bliss, Tx.
The 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry, has a distinguished history that includes service in the Civil War, World War I, World War II and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The battalion is the subject of the Irish folk song “The Fighting 69th” and the 1940 movie “The Fighting 69th” about its exploits in World War I.
In World War II the Soldiers of the 69th invaded Makin Atoll in 1943 and fought on the Islands of Saipan and Okinawa.
In 2004 the battalion deployed to Baghdad, Iraq where it was tasked with securing the road from the Baghdad Airport to the center of the city. At one time this was considered the most dangerous road in Iraq. Members of the 69th also deployed to Afghanistan in 2008.
The battalion was called to active duty earlier this year and is preparing for a overseas security mission as part of Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa.
For more information about the New York Army National Guard, visit www.dmna.ny.gov.
