Draft:601st Medical Company (Area Support)

• Comment: Hello, it is quite rare for a company to be notable by itself. You only see that with very famous companies like E Company, 506th Infantry Regiment (United States). I recommend you merge your information with 261st Medical Battalion. Cerebellum (talk) 10:49, 10 December 2023 (UTC)

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The 601st Medical Company (Area Support) is a United States Army unit assigned to the 261st Medical Battalion (Multifunctional) in the 44th Medical Brigade at Fort Liberty, North Carolina. The company provides Role I and Role 2 Army Health System (AHS) support through delivery of Health Systems Support (HSS) and Force Health Protection (FHP) activities.

601st Medical Company (Area Support)
Active	-Constituted 26 March 1929 -Activated 1 March 1940 -Inactivated 8 September 1945 -Activated 1 November 1962 -Inactivated 31 March 1985 -Activated 16 August 2002
Country	United States
Branch	Regular Army
Type	Medical
Part of	261st Medical Battalion (Multifunctional)
Garrison/HQ	Fort Liberty, North Carolina
Nickname(s)	Spartans
Colors	Blue and White

Command Group

• Commander: CPT Jonathan Richardson
• First Sergeant: 1SG Tonya Salada
• Executive Officer: 1LT Carlos Delva

Lineage and Honors

Lineage

• Constituted 26 March 1929 in the Regular Army as the 48th Collecting Company, 16th Medical Regiment
• Redesignated 13 July 1936 as Company C, 16th Medical Regiment
• Activated 1 March 1940 at Fort Devens, Massachusetts
• Reorganized and redesignated 1 February 1941 as Company I, 16th Medical Regiment
• Reorganized and redesignated 1 June 1942 as Company D, 16th Medical Regiment
• Reorganized and redesignated 21 August 1943 as the 601st Clearing Company
• Inactivated 8 September 1945 in Italy
• Redesignated 27 October 1962 as the 601st Medical Company
• Activated 1 November 1962 in the Panama Canal Zone
• Inactivated 31 March 1985 in Panama
• Activated 16 August 2002 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina

Campaign Participation Credit

• World War II
  • Tunisia
  • Rome-Arno
  • North Apennines
  • Po Valley
• War on Terrorism
  • Iraq:
    • Iraqi Surge
    • Iraqi Sovereignty

Unit Awards

• Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2004
• Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2006
• Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2008-2009
• Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered AFGHANISTAN 2010-2011

Notable 601st Medical Company Soldier

Medal of Honor Recipient

• SSG Ronald J. Shurer II
  • Assigned to 601st Medical Company 2002-2004.

Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:

Staff Sergeant Ronald J. Shurer II distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty on April 6, 2008, while serving as a Senior Medical Sergeant, Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha 3336, Special Operations Task Force-33, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Staff Sergeant Shurer was part of an assault element inserted by helicopter into a location in Afghanistan. As the assault element moved up a near vertical mountain toward its objective, it was engaged by fierce enemy machine gun, sniper, and rocket-propelled grenade fire. The lead portion of the assault element, which included the ground commander, sustained several casualties and became pinned down on the mountainside. Staff Sergeant Shurer and the rest of the trailing portion of the assault element, were likewise engaged by enemy machine gun, sniper, and rocket-propelled grenade fire. As the attack intensified, he braved enemy fire to move to an injured soldier and treat his wounds. Having stabilized the soldier, he then learned of the casualties among the lead element. Staff Sergeant Shurer fought his way up the mountainside, under intense enemy fire, to the lead element’s location. Upon reaching the lead element, he treated and stabilized two more soldiers. Finishing those lifesaving efforts, he noticed two additional severely wounded soldiers under intense enemy fire. The bullet that had wounded one of these soldiers had also impacted Staff Sergeant Shurer’s helmet. With complete disregard for his own life, Staff Sergeant Shurer again moved through enemy fire to treat and stabilize one soldier’s severely wounded arm. Shortly thereafter, he continued to brave withering enemy fire to get to the other soldier’s location in order to treat his lower leg, which had been almost completely severed by a high-caliber sniper round. After treating the soldier, Staff Sergeant Shurer began to evacuate the wounded, carrying and lowering them down the sheer mountainside. While moving down the mountain, he used his own body to shield the wounded from enemy fire and debris caused by danger-close air strikes. Reaching the base of the mountain, Staff Sergeant Shurer set up a casualty collection point and continued to treat the wounded. With the arrival of the medical evacuation helicopter, Staff Sergeant Shurer, again under enemy fire, helped load the wounded into the helicopter. Having ensured the safety of the wounded, he then regained control of his commando squad and rejoined the fight. He continued to lead his troops and emplace security elements until it was time to remove to the evacuation landing zone for the helicopter. Staff Sergeant Shurer’s actions are in keeping with the finest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan, Special Operations Command Central, and the United States Army.