Tuesday, July 19, 2005 • Susanville National Guard Armory celebrates 50th anniversary

Publisher’s note: This story originally appeared in the Tuesday, July 19, 2005 edition of the Lassen County Times.

Ever since 1955, the soldiers of Susanville’s Army National Guard Armory have been serving the community and the nation.

Starting out as the 170th Delta Company Artillery unit, the Susanville National Guard unit has been mobilized to join active-duty forces during times of conflict.

Local men and women have served in Vietnam, Desert Shield/Storm, Bosnia, Kosovo, Operation Noble Eagle (Sept. 11, 2001 through today), Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Currently, 11 local Guardsmen are serving in Iraq, one is in Kosovo and another is preparing to leave Susanville for Iraq.

On the local front, they have been called upon to remove snow, transport firefighters to and from fires and help protect homes from floods.

When the armory became part of the 132nd Engineer Battalion in 1993, requests arrived for use of equipment and engineering expertise to support local organizations.

The local unit had a busy year in 1996. They were asked by Commander Dennis Sutton of the American Legion for help in repaving the parking lot of the Veterans Memorial Hall, they assisted the Lassen County Office of Education in upgrading the Lassen County Youth Camp and the Lassen County Fair asked for their help in transporting granite to the fairgrounds to level a picnic area for fair goers.

In the years since, the Guard has assisted in improving the Rice Canyon range for the Sierra Sportsman’s Club, has provided tents for the Boy Scouts Camp, allowed the use of the Armory to hold a celebrity boxing event, the amateur boxing program and many others.

Every year in collaboration with the Lassen County Sheriff’s Department the armory assists with the Toys for Tots drive.

In October of 2003 the armory became home to Detachment 1, 2668th Transportation Company and has remained so to this day.

During fair week, the National Guard would like to invite the public to stop by the armory, located at the Russell Avenue fair entrance, to see their vehicles, equipment and other displays.

Armory celebrates 50th anniversary with fundraiser
A fund-raiser for the Susanville National Guard unit will be held at 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 21 at the armory by the Russell Avenue fairground entrance. Admission will be $3 for refreshments and music provided by DJ Fiend. Proceeds will go to support local National Guard soldiers.