Dedication honors retired 23rd Infantry Regiment soldier

By Staff Sgt. Mark MirandaMarch 19, 2014

Dedication honors retired 23rd Infantry Regiment soldier
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Dedication honors retired 23rd Infantry Regiment soldier
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth Clayborn of 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, joins Sgt. 1st Class Charles D. Main, retired and his wife Vetra, in cutting a cake to celebrate a room dedication in honor of the Main family, March 7. Main is the honorary... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD- Soldiers from 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team of 7th Infantry Division crowded into the newly-named Sgt. 1st Class Charles D. Main room, March 7.

The multi-purpose room was dedicated in honor of Main, who is the 23rd Inf. Regt. honorary command sergeant major.

"I'm very surprised; my association with this battalion has mostly been with activating them, but this battalion fills that void in the 23rd regiment's history between Korea and Iraq," Main said. "Now, [the regiment] has a complete history. The 4-23 battalion filled it, and they've done an outstanding job."

Main, who enlisted in the U.S. Army after high school, requested assignment to Company A, 1st Bn., 23rd Inf. Regt., the unit in which his father and grandfather had served. Main's request was filled after he completed basic training and Ranger school.

Main served in a heavy weapons platoon as a 57mm gunner in the Korean War battles of Kunri-ri, Twin Tunnels, Chipyong-Ni, Bloody Ridge and Heartbreak Ridge among others. He also served tours in Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.

"His professionalism, his dedication to all things 'Tomahawks' and the 23rd Infantry Regiment is the reason we're here today," said Lt. Col. Jeffrey Bryson, 4-23 Inf. Bn. commander. "His family's contributions to the regiment simply cannot be measured."

Bryson, along with 7th Infantry Division Command Sgt. Maj. Samuel Murphy, invited Main to cut a blue ribbon with a ceremonial tomahawk to officially dedicate the room.

The tomahawk was placed on permanent display in a corner of the room beneath plaques that detailed the Main family history with the 23rd Infantry Regiment.

"Soldiers are my type of people," Main said. "I honor them and I love them because today's soldiers - they're volunteers and that means a lot to me."