U.S. ARMY PACK MULES RETIRE AT FORT CARSON 1956

Even though the Korean conflict once again demonstrated that there was no substitute for pack animal transportation in mountainous terrain, the U.S. Army Remount Service was deactivated after the war. A small cadre of pack animal experts, equipped with mules and a small number of horses, was maintained for a while in two units at Fort Carson, CO, the 4th Field Artillery Battalion (Pack) and the 35th QM Pack Company. But on 15 December 1956, Battery A of the 4th Field Artillery Battalion (Pack) was redesignated, and the 35th Quartermaster Company (Pack) was inactivated. In ceremonies befitting and honoring the long service of the sometimes cantankerous animal, mules were officially mustered out of the Army. Upon retirement of the colors and guidons, "Trotter" from the 35th QM Pack Company and "Hambone" from the 4th Field Artillery Battalion (Pack), were brought before the commanding general, and each was given a citation. The 322 mules of the two units were sold or transferred to other Government agencies, including the Forest Service of the Department of Agriculture and the National Park Service of the Department of the Interior. Until the mule barns were razed in 1970 to make way for a maintenance facility, pack mules returning to the post for ceremonial events would head directly toward the familiar surroundings of their former stalls.

Source:
http://olive-drab.com/od_army-horses-...

Fort Ord Station Veterinary Hospital (U.S. Army Horse and Veterinarians 1941) http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~gregkr...

11th Cavalry Presidio of Monterey, 1919 to 1940 http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~gregkr...

76th Field Artillery Horse-Drawn Presidio of Monterey and Fort Ord http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~gregkr...

East Garrison/Camp Ord 1919-1940’s Army building Documentation http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~gregkr...

7th Division Headquarters Buildings, Fort Ord Main Garrison WW2 http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~gregkr...

250th Coast Artillery Camp McQuaide (Part of the original Fort Ord Garrison) WW2 http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~gregkr...