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THE KINGS MOUNTAIN HERALD
KM Guard helps build multi-sports complex
By Pfc KAREN NICKL
HENDERSON" ‘Whenever
possible, soldiers of the North
Carolina National Guard plan
training missions. that not only
prepare troops for war but add
value to the'commiunity.
Thatis'the case with the 505th
Engineer Battalion’s latest mission
‘in Vance County. Through Opera-
tion Tarheel Support, about 90 sol-
diers from Company B - based in
Kings Mountain - are preparing
land for a multi-field sports com-
plex that will serve as the
community’s primary recreation
facility.
The National Guard's partici-
pation. will save the community
about $450,000, according to offi-
cials-Additional money will come
from city and county govern-
ments as well as other sources.
A groundbreaking ceremony
celebrating the joint venture be-
tween National Guard engineers
and civilian cofitractors was held
recently at the site on Carey
Chapel Road near Henderson's
Aycock Elementary School and
Fox PondPark:
“In the last three years
Henderson has grown from 437
participants in the youth base-
ball/softball program to 816 par-
ticipants,” said Ralph Peace, Di-
rector of Henderson/Vance
County Parks‘and Recreation De-
partment. “The complex is the
best thing that has happened to
Henderson in 50 years. I believe
it will have a positive impact on
the children as well as the adults
of the community.”
The complex will include a
recreation center, three baseball
fields, a softball field, a soccer field
and a parking lot. It will encom-
pass about 20 acres of land.
Attending the ceremony were
Maj. Gen. Gerald Rudisill Jr., Ad-
jutant General of North Carolina;
Richard Moore, Secretary of the
N.C. Department of Crime Con-
trol and Public Safety;
Henderdson Mayor R.G. Young
Jr, and other school and county
officials. Maj. Gen. Rudisill said
adding value to the community is
one of the Guard's top five priori-
ties. “Thisgg aw ingfor the youth,
a win for the om nity, a win for
the county and‘@win for the North
Carolina National Guard.”
Sgt. Roy Rucker, a heavy
‘equipment operator for Company
B, said he’s pleased to be involved
with a project that will help chil-
dren. “As long as kids have a place
to go to participate in wholesome
activities, we are doing them a
service,” he said.
Company B soldiers are re-
sponsible for completing phase
one of the project during their an-
nual training, which involves
clearing trees, removing roots,
grading the site and installing an
access driveway.
The secondphase will involve
building a recreation center with
a concession stand area and an
indoor pool, track and gymna-
sium. And the third phase will be
an assessment of additional com-
munity needs.
The project is one of the most
involved for Company B, accord-
ing to its Commander, Capt.
Michael Bowen. Over a two-week
period, the soldiers will move
more than 55,000 cubic yards of
dirt by conducting cut and fill
operations.
“This is the largest horizontal
project that anyone can ever re-
member being done by a single
company,” Bowen said. “It’s good
training for our troops.”
The complex is expected to be
open for public use in about five
years.
Hodge deployed
to Persian Gulf
Navy Seaman Harvey L.
Hodge, son of Gloria J. Hodge of
422 St. Luke Church Road, Kings
Mountain, is currently halfway
through a six-month deployment
to the Persian Gulf aboard the de-
stroyer USS Caron.
Hodge is one of 322 sailors
aboard the ship. So far, Hodge has
traveled nearly 12,000 miles and
has been conducting maritime in-
terception operations in the Per-
sian Gulf near Iraq. The opeations
prevent ships from smuggling
prohibited materials to and from
Iraq. So far, Hodge’s ship has
stopped 18 and searched 11 ves-
sels suspected of tgransporting
contraband. Helicopters from
Hodge's ship have already flown
nearly 330 hours searchingfor sus-
picious vessels.
Destroyers like USS Caron
have traditionally been the work
horses of the U.S. Navy, defend-
ing operating units against hreats
from land, sea and air. Equipped
with advanced sonar systems and
torpedoes, USS Caron’s primary
role is to protect against under sea
attacks.
While spending 63 days at
sea, Hodge and fellow sailors also... _ AN
visited Bahrain, Kenya, Oman and
South Africa, and had an oppor-
tunity to enjoy local sites.
Capable of traveling nearly
700 miles a day, the 563-feet-long
USS Caron features the Toma-
hawk and harpoon missiles, and
the close-in weapons systems, a 20
millimeter rapid fire gatling gun
capable of accurately firing more
than 3,000 rounds per minute in
defense against missiles or
aircfaft.
The 1993 graduate of Kings
Mountain High School joined the
Navy in July 1993.
Gnandt completes
6-week deployment
Navy Chief Petty Officer
Stephen J. Gnandt, a 1981 gradu-
ate of Kings Mountain High
School, has returned to his
homeport in Norfolk, Va., after
completing a six-week Counter
Drug Operation deployment in
the Caribbean Sea and Pacific
Ocean on board the guided mis-
sile cruiser USS Mississippi.
Gnandt is one of 600 sailors
and a seven-member Coast Guard
Tactical Law Enforcement Team
on board the cruiser who com-
pleted the 12,000-mile voyage:
During the deployment, Gnhandt’s
ship queried nearly 70 suspicious
vessels and boarded nine in search
of illegal drugs.
Gnandt‘s ship is a multi-mis-
~-sionsurface combatant capable of
supporting carrier battle groups,
amphibious forces, or operating
independently. Gnandt’s ship has
weapons and sensors that allow
it to effectively protect itself from
aircraft, surface ships, or subma-
rine attacks.
The counter drug deployment
enabled Gnandt to visit Colombia
and Panama.
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