|
The 1st Engineer Battalion is the oldest and most
decorated engineer battalion in the United States Army. The battalion's history
can be traced back to May 15, 1846 when a company of Miners, Sappers, and
Pontoniers was formed at West Point, New York. Alpha Company, 1st Engineer
Battalion is that company's direct descendant. During its long history, the
battalion has received 62 decorations and campaign streamers and eight foreign
awards.
Alpha Company served gallantly during the Mexican-American War of 1846, participating
in the Vera Cruz campaign and leading the charge up the formidable heights
of Chapultepec in Mexico City. During the war, Robert
E. Lee, George McClellan, and P.G.T. Beauregard served as lieutenants
in Alpha Company and lead the list of distinguished Americans that have served
in this battalion.
Alpha Company was expanded into the Battalion of Engineer Troops during the
Civil War and was assigned to the Union Army of the Potomac. The battalion
served with distinction and earned ten campaign streamers. The battalion
fought at Antietam, bridged the Rappanannock River six times at Fredericksburg,
breached fortifications at Petersburg and was present at the surrender of
General Lee at Appomattox. The battalion's first Sergeant Major, Frederick W. Gerber, was awarded the Congressional
Medal of Honor for his 23 years of service to the battalion, which included
the Mexican-American and Civil Wars.
During the Spanish-American War, Charlie and Echo companies of the battalion
were sent to Cuba where they fought in the campaign to take the city of Santiago.
The remainder of the battalion was sent to the Philippines where they provided
engineer support during the battles for Manila and Cavite. Alpha Company
remained in the Philippines and conducted pacification operations during
the Philippine Insurrection.
With the start of World War I, the battalion was expanded to the 1st Engineer
Regiment and assigned to the 1st Infantry Division. The regiment fought as
part of the "Big Red One" and participated in the Lorraine and Meuse-Argonne
campaigns and was awarded the French Fourragere and two awards of the Croix
de Guerre for valorous service. Sergeant Wilber E. Colyer
of Alpha Company received the Congressional Medal of Honor for advancing
under fire and destroying a series of enemy machine gun positions near Verdun,
France in 1918.
Prior to the start of World War II, the 1st Engineer Regiment was reorganized
as the 1st Engineer Combat Battalion and again assigned to fight as part
of the 1st Infantry Division. In 1942, the battalion landed with the initial
forces spear-heading the North Africa invasion. In 1943, the battalion cleared
underwater obstacles and destroyed enemy pillboxes during the landings on
Sicily. During the Normandy landings at Omaha Beach in 1944, the battalion
led the assault forces, breaching gaps in the extensive enemy mine and wire
obstacles and clearing the combat trails leading off the beaches. The battalion
received its third Presidential Unit Citation
for actions at Omaha Beach and received the Distinguished Unit Citation for
combat action at Gafsa, Tunisia, and Normandy. The battalion fought as part
of the 1st Infantry Division during the remainder of the war in the European
Theater and after 10 years of occupation duty moved to Fort Riley, Kansas.
On May 2, 1965 the battalion deployed to the Republic of South Vietnam as
part of the 1st Infantry Division. For five years the battalion cleared obstacles,
built roads, airfields, base camps and bridges in support of numerous combat
operations including Junction City I and II and the TET Offensive of 1968.
The battalion became famous for the Diehard Tunnel
Rat section that bravely cleared the extensive Vietcong tunnel systems
with little more than small arms and demolitions. The battalion received
four Meritorious Unit Citations for actions during the Vietnam War.
During the next 20 years at Fort Riley, the battalion took part in numerous
training exercises, NTC rotations, and REFORGER deployments. In December
of 1990, the battalion deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operations
DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM. The battalion breached and cleared lanes
through Iraqi obstacle belts that allowed the passage of two divisions. Elements
of the battalion destroyed 58 Iraqi tanks, 41 antiaircraft artillery pieces,
and other large quantities of ammunition and war material. The battalion
returned to Fort Riley in 1991 and received the Valorous Unit Citation for
actions in Southwest Asia.
Since 1991, the battalion participated in many NTC and JRTC rotations, fought
fires in the Northwestern United States, and supported anti-drug operations
as part of JTF-6. In 1995, the 1st Engineer Battalion was awarded the Superior
Unit Award for exceptional performance during the Engineer Restructuring
Initiative on Fort Riley.
On August 30, 1999 the Battalion deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina in support
of SFOR-6. Units redeploying on 12 December 1999, the battalion helped provide
a stable and secure environment so the benefits of democracy and freedom
might flourish. To this end, the battalion conducted reconnaissance of over
1,230 kilometers of routes and 298 bridges; destroyed 116,000 anti-personnel
land mines; constructed 30 kilometers of roads and 5 bridges; supervised
Entity Armed Forces’ clearance of more than 43,000 square miles of minefields;
and distributed toys, clothing, and humanitarian aid to Bosnian children and
homeless families.
In September 2003, the battalion deployed to the Ar Ramadi
area of Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II. HHC, A Company,
and C Company were based out of Camp Junction City, while B Company was attached
to 1-34 Armor at Camp Manhattan near Al Habbaniya. During its time
in Iraq, the battalion was active in fixed site security, route clearance,
cache searches, cordon and searches, raids, Traffic Control Points, force
protection, and construction projects. The battalion was also instrumental
in developing Lioness Teams of female soldiers, to search Iraqi women while
still maintaining their modesty. The battalion’s efforts succeeded
in destroying large quantities of enemy supplies and ammunition and assisted
in to capture of numerous insurgents. The battalion’s hard work and
perseverance served to greatly curtail the activities of insurgents in Al
Anbar province, assisting in the security and well-being of the citizens
of that area and enabling to move forward on the path to a stable, democratic
Iraq. The battalion returned in late 2004 and received the Joint Meritorious
Award for service with the Marine Corps and for actions during OIF II.
In March 2006, as part of the battalion's transformation to a modular force,
companies A, B, and C transformed and reflagged as the 111th Sapper Company,
41st Mobility Augmentation Company, and 72nd Mobility Augmentation Company.
HHC transformed into the HSC (Headquarters Support Company), and the new FSC
(Forward Support Company) activated. This transformation enables the battalion
to stay current with the contemporary operating environment and prepare for
future missions.
On September 20, 2006, the battalion deployed to Iraq
in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 15 months the battalion had over
1,800 IED events, and over 500,000 KM of desert roads were patrolled with
over 500 CLP's conducted. The BN was diversified with 111th Sapper CO up
at FOB Marez, 41st MAC, and FSC at COB Speicher, HSC at LSAA Anaconda, 72d
MAC at FOB Warhorse. The battalion returned to Fort Riley in December of
2007, and became a part of the 555th Engineer Brigade. The 41st Engineer
Company deployed to Afghanistan in July, 2009; and the remainder of the 1st
Engineer Battalion will deploy with the 573d Engineer Company to Iraq in
November of 2009.
The 1st Engineer Battalion continues to serve our country in the proud tradition
of the many Diehards of years gone by. Our colors, heavy with battle streamers,
are a proud testimony to our continued dedication to the defense of this
great nation.
“NO MISSION TOO DIFFICULT, NO
SACRIFICE TOO GREAT – DUTY FIRST!”
ALWAYS FIRST!
DIEHARD!
|
|
