554th RED HORSE Squadron celebrates birthday, heritage Published Oct. 14, 2008 By Master Sgt. David Corbett 554th RED HORSE Squadron ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam -- As RED HORSE celebrates 42 years of dedicated military service this week, the members of Andersen's 554th RED HORSE reflect on where the unit came from, where it is and more importantly, where it is going. The acronym RED HORSE stands for Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineer and the 554th (along with its brother Squadron the 555th) is where it all began following a request from then Secretary of Defense, Robert S. McNamara to develop an Air Force unit with the rapid, mobile construction capability. On 1 October 1965 the Secretary of the Air Force issued Headquarters Pacific Air Force orders activating the first two USAF RED HORSE units. On 12 October, Colonel James Conti signed in as Commander of the 554th, thus the birth date of RED HORSE. In November of the same year,1965, the 554th and 555th began their training at Cannon AFB, NM. Each squadron was organized as a mobile, self-contained unit of 400 men with a range of skills and construction equipment to provide combat engineering support to Air Force Tactical units in theater of operations. The squadrons included medical, food service, vehicle and equipment maintenance, and supply personnel to ensure their self-sufficiency. From the advance party of twenty personnel arriving at Phan Rang Vietnam on 8 January 1966, 554th REDHORSEMEN proved themselves as "expeditionary" Airmen setting up the initial Cantonment area, mess area and sanitation area with nothing more than a few hand tools and good old American ingenuity. From the beginning at Phan Rang AB until the move to Utapao AB, Thailand in 1972, the 554th served honorably in Vietnam repairing runways and building facilities to support the war effort; along the way developing the 554th motto that still stands today, NOS DUCEMOS SEMPER (abbreviated today to SEMPER DUCIMUS) meaning--We Always Lead! After four years in Thailand and an additional thirty at Osan AB, Korea, the 554th began transition to Andersen with arrival of Airman Basic Jeremy Rich on 27 February 2006. The SECDEF directed move included transition of 160 personnel by attrition (each loss from Osan became a gain at Andersen) and the awesome feat of moving 2842 short tons of unit equipment from Korea to Guam. All the while, other huge changes were taking place; on 26 April 2007, under a new concept, the 554th transitioned from reporting directly to 7th Air Force to falling under the 36th Wing, joining forces as one of four squadrons making up the 36th Contingency Response Group. In addition, the RED HORSE presence on Guam was bolstered when the 254th Air National Guard Civil Engineering Squadron transitioned to a RED HORSE mission. During RED HORSE's short history here at Andersen, the 554th and 254th have awaken Guam's historical Northwest Field building PACAF's future, premier Expeditionary Combat Skills Training Campus. Once complete, the state-of-the-art training site will be instrumental in our continuing effort in supporting the Global War on Terrorism, among others. The 10-year construction plan will provide 80 facilities and infrastructure supporting four units: 554th and 254th RED HORSE Squadrons, Commando Warrior, 644th Combat Communications and 554th Silver Flag. In our first two years we have been recognized for our accomplishments: PACAFs 2007 Curtin Award winner as "Best Small CE" (AF runner-up), 2008 CINC Installation Excellence Award (Special Category), and eight individual awards, including two at Air Force level. Though these are great accomplishments, our commander, Lt. Col. Anthony Davit constantly reminds us that the best is yet to come as we "put the RED back in RED HORSE" and embark on the unit's first deployment from Andersen in early 2009. The RED HORSE motto is to Lead, Follow or Get the Hell Out of the Way! If our past is any indication of where we are going, you know where the 554th will be - SEMPER DUCIMUS!