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Oregon Guard unit to
take over for 2nd brigade

The 116th Brigade Combat Team from the Oregon Army National Guard is expected to assume authority from the 25th Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade Combat Team by mid-February, according to the Bend.com Web site.

The Oregon Army National Guard's Task Force 3-116, commanded by Lt. Col. Dan McCabe, recently assumed authority for the security and stability of the southern sector of the 116th BCT's area of responsibility from Lt. Col. David Miller, who leads the 25th Division's 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment.

Col. Lloyd Miles, commander of the 25th Division's 2nd Combat Brigade, said: "By any standard, the Viper battalion (Oregon National Guard) is one of the best." They are trained and ready."

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The story of America's last battleship -- USS Missouri -- is the subject of a new hour-long documentary, "The Three Wars of the Battleship Missouri," at 3 p.m. Jan. 28 on The History Channel. The documentary features a wide range of interviews, from sailors who witnessed Japan's unconditional WWII surrender on the USS Missouri nearly 60 years ago to an interview with her last captain, retired Capt. Albert Lee Kaiss, who now lives in California.

Launched on Jan. 29, 1944, the Missouri was the last U.S. battleship to be completed. It entered WWII in time to join the 3rd Fleet in the desperate battles for the Pacific, including those at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. On Sept. 2, 1945, the war ended on the deck of the USS Missouri, anchored in Tokyo Bay.

Seven years later, the Missouri was involved in the Korean War. For the 1991 Gulf War, the Missouri was outfitted with sophisticated electronics, radar and infrared directed Harpoon and Tomahawk missiles.

Moving up

» Fort Shafter: Capt. George Mitroka has assumed command of the 7th Dive Detachment, 29th Engineer Battalion, relieving Capt. Scott Miller.