157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (United States)
Encyclopedia
The 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, also known as the Iron Brigade
, is based out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
. It was formerly known as the 57th Field Artillery Brigade, at which time its subordinate organizations included the 1st Battalion
, 126th Field Artillery Regiment and the 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery Regiment from the Wisconsin Army National Guard, plus the 1st Battalion, 182nd Field Artillery Regiment of the Michigan Army National Guard. Not to be confused with the famous "Iron Brigade" of the Civil War, the 57th Field Artillery Brigade is also known as the "Iron Brigade," a nickname traditionally given to crack artillery units in the Civil War. It was during World War I
that the 57th Field Artillery Brigade earned its nickname as it spent many hours at the front and fired more artillery
rounds than any brigade in the American Army.
orders of 18 July 1917, from National Guard troops from Wisconsin and Michigan
. Brigadier General William G. Haan
, while acting as Division Commander, was also in command of the 57th Field Artillery Brigade. The 119th Field Artillery, composed largely of Michigan artillery and cavalry troops, was commanded by Major Chester B. McCormick, later promoted to the rank of Colonel
. The 120th Field Artillery was made up almost entirely from troops of the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry, and the commanding officer of the latter organization. Colonel Carl Penner
, continued in command. The 1st Wisconsin Field Artillery Regiment became the 121st Field Artillery, the heavy artillery regiment of the 57th Field Artillery Brigade. The Commanding Officer of the Wisconsin Artillery, Colonel Philip C. Westfahl, became Commander of the new regiment.
. On 30 December 1967, the 32nd Infantry Division was deactivated and National Guard units realigned. Along with the 32nd Infantry Division, the 32nd Infantry Division Artillery was redesignated as the 257th Field Artillery Group. On 30 September 1978, the 257th Field Artillery Group was redesignated as the 57th Field Artillery Brigade; a designation which had previously existed until the 32nd Division was reorganized into the then-standard triangular (three regiment) division in 1942 and the 32nd Division Artillery created.
As a part of the strategic transformation, the 57th Field Artillery Brigade was transformed from a Field Artillery Brigade to the 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB).
The previous HHB, 57th Field Artillery Brigade transformed into HHC, 157th MEB. This unit almost doubled in size while the headquarters remained in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
. This is a newly designed, multifunctional command and control organization.
Unit Mission: The Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB) enables, enhances, and protects the operational and tactical freedom of action of the support force. It received and integrates mission tailored forces to Brigade Combat Teams (BCT) and support brigades. It commands and controls forces necessary to conduct security and functional operations in a designated area of operations (AO) in order to enable force application, focused logistics, battle space awareness, and protection.
A new unit, 357th Network Support Company (NSC), is headquartered in Two Rivers, Wisconsin
. The primary mission for the NSC is to provide communication support to all units within the CSB. This unit mainly comprised the previous Detachment 1 HHB 57th FA Brigade.
The 1st Battalion, 126th Field Artillery Regiment (Paladin) will transform into the 257th Brigade Support Battalion (BSB) and will be headquartered in Oak Creek, WI
. The primary mission for the BSB is to provide service support to all assigned units within the CSB. The BSB has a Distribution Company in Whitewater
and a Maintenance Company in Kenosha, Wisconsin
.
A new unit, the 457th Chemical Company, is headquartered in Burlington, Wisconsin
. Their mission is to provide chemical detection and decontamination for the CSB.
The 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery Regiment, which maintains Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, (MLRS) will convert to High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), with their headquarters located in Milwaukee, WI, and their firing batteries located in Racine
(Battery A), Plymouth
(Battery B), and Sussex
(Battery C).
A new unit, 108th Forward Support Company (FSC), to be headquartered in Sussex, WI, was formed by the direct support MLRS maintenance team (Detachment 2, 107th Maintenance Company) and the service support of the 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery Regiment. Their primary mission is to provide service support to a HIMARS battalion.
On 3 February 2008, 0930 Hours Change of Command of this Brigade was passed from Col. Dominic A Cariello to Col. Mark J Michie. Colonel Michie was assigned to Joint Forces Headquarters in Madison
. He graduated from the US Army War College graduate course in Carlisle, PA, in June 2007, having spent 11 months at the Army's Senior Service College.
In March 2008, the 264th Engineer Group (Chippewa Falls, WI
) cased its flag and de-activated. The 724th Engineer Battalion, along with 9 modular units, will fall under the command and control of the 157th MEB.
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
, is based out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
. It was formerly known as the 57th Field Artillery Brigade, at which time its subordinate organizations included the 1st Battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
, 126th Field Artillery Regiment and the 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery Regiment from the Wisconsin Army National Guard, plus the 1st Battalion, 182nd Field Artillery Regiment of the Michigan Army National Guard. Not to be confused with the famous "Iron Brigade" of the Civil War, the 57th Field Artillery Brigade is also known as the "Iron Brigade," a nickname traditionally given to crack artillery units in the Civil War. It was during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
that the 57th Field Artillery Brigade earned its nickname as it spent many hours at the front and fired more artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
rounds than any brigade in the American Army.
World War I era
Part of the 32nd Infantry Division, the unit was organized under War DepartmentUnited States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
orders of 18 July 1917, from National Guard troops from Wisconsin and Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. Brigadier General William G. Haan
William G. Haan
William George Haan was a general in World War I. He graduated from West Point in 1889, from the Army War College in 1905, and was commissioned in the Artillery. He served in Cuba and the Philippines, and in 1903 went to Panama at the request of Theodore Roosevelt...
, while acting as Division Commander, was also in command of the 57th Field Artillery Brigade. The 119th Field Artillery, composed largely of Michigan artillery and cavalry troops, was commanded by Major Chester B. McCormick, later promoted to the rank of Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
. The 120th Field Artillery was made up almost entirely from troops of the 1st Wisconsin Cavalry, and the commanding officer of the latter organization. Colonel Carl Penner
Carl Penner
Carl Penner was an officer in the United States Army during World War I. He was awarded the Army Distinguished Service Medal for his actions as a field artillery commander during conflicts that include the Second Battle of the Marne and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.His award citation reads:The...
, continued in command. The 1st Wisconsin Field Artillery Regiment became the 121st Field Artillery, the heavy artillery regiment of the 57th Field Artillery Brigade. The Commanding Officer of the Wisconsin Artillery, Colonel Philip C. Westfahl, became Commander of the new regiment.
World War II service
In 1940, President Franklin Roosevelt established the Mojave Anti-Aircraft Range, a military reservation of approximately 1000 square miles (2,590 km²) in the area of the present Fort Irwin. In 1942, the Mojave Anti-Aircraft Range was renamed Camp Irwin, in honor of Maj. Gen. George LeRoy Irwin, commander of the 57th Field Artillery Brigade during World War I. Two years later, Camp Irwin was deactivated and placed on surplus status.Modern era redesignation
During the early 1960s, the unit was assigned the Little JohnMGR-3 Little John
The MGR-3 Little John was a free flight artillery rocket system designed and put into service by the U.S. Army during the 1950s and 1960s.-Description:...
. On 30 December 1967, the 32nd Infantry Division was deactivated and National Guard units realigned. Along with the 32nd Infantry Division, the 32nd Infantry Division Artillery was redesignated as the 257th Field Artillery Group. On 30 September 1978, the 257th Field Artillery Group was redesignated as the 57th Field Artillery Brigade; a designation which had previously existed until the 32nd Division was reorganized into the then-standard triangular (three regiment) division in 1942 and the 32nd Division Artillery created.
As a part of the strategic transformation, the 57th Field Artillery Brigade was transformed from a Field Artillery Brigade to the 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB).
The previous HHB, 57th Field Artillery Brigade transformed into HHC, 157th MEB. This unit almost doubled in size while the headquarters remained in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
. This is a newly designed, multifunctional command and control organization.
Unit Mission: The Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB) enables, enhances, and protects the operational and tactical freedom of action of the support force. It received and integrates mission tailored forces to Brigade Combat Teams (BCT) and support brigades. It commands and controls forces necessary to conduct security and functional operations in a designated area of operations (AO) in order to enable force application, focused logistics, battle space awareness, and protection.
A new unit, 357th Network Support Company (NSC), is headquartered in Two Rivers, Wisconsin
Two Rivers, Wisconsin
Two Rivers is a city in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 11,712 at the 2010 census. It is the birthplace of the ice cream sundae...
. The primary mission for the NSC is to provide communication support to all units within the CSB. This unit mainly comprised the previous Detachment 1 HHB 57th FA Brigade.
The 1st Battalion, 126th Field Artillery Regiment (Paladin) will transform into the 257th Brigade Support Battalion (BSB) and will be headquartered in Oak Creek, WI
Oak Creek, Wisconsin
Oak Creek is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 28,456 at the 2000 census. In 2009, its population was estimated at 33,946.-History:...
. The primary mission for the BSB is to provide service support to all assigned units within the CSB. The BSB has a Distribution Company in Whitewater
Whitewater, Wisconsin
Whitewater is a city in Jefferson and Walworth Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located near the southern portion of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, Whitewater is the home of the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater.-Geography:...
and a Maintenance Company in Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha is a city and the county seat of Kenosha County in the State of Wisconsin in United States. With a population of 99,218 as of May 2011, Kenosha is the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Kenosha is also the fourth-largest city on the western shore of Lake Michigan, following Chicago,...
.
A new unit, the 457th Chemical Company, is headquartered in Burlington, Wisconsin
Burlington, Wisconsin
Burlington is a city in Racine and Walworth counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, with the majority of the city located in Racine County. The population was 10,421 at the 2009 census.-History:...
. Their mission is to provide chemical detection and decontamination for the CSB.
The 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery Regiment, which maintains Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, (MLRS) will convert to High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), with their headquarters located in Milwaukee, WI, and their firing batteries located in Racine
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
(Battery A), Plymouth
Plymouth, Wisconsin
Plymouth is a city in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, along the Mullet River. The population was 7,781 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Sheboygan, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is located within the Town of Plymouth, but is politically independent...
(Battery B), and Sussex
Sussex, Wisconsin
Sussex is a village in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. It is approximately northwest of Milwaukee and north of Waukesha. The village is at an elevation of 930 feet. The population was 8,828 at the 2000 census, with an estimated population of 10,045 in 2008...
(Battery C).
A new unit, 108th Forward Support Company (FSC), to be headquartered in Sussex, WI, was formed by the direct support MLRS maintenance team (Detachment 2, 107th Maintenance Company) and the service support of the 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery Regiment. Their primary mission is to provide service support to a HIMARS battalion.
On 3 February 2008, 0930 Hours Change of Command of this Brigade was passed from Col. Dominic A Cariello to Col. Mark J Michie. Colonel Michie was assigned to Joint Forces Headquarters in Madison
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison is the capital of the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the county seat of Dane County. It is also home to the University of Wisconsin–Madison....
. He graduated from the US Army War College graduate course in Carlisle, PA, in June 2007, having spent 11 months at the Army's Senior Service College.
In March 2008, the 264th Engineer Group (Chippewa Falls, WI
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Chippewa Falls is a city located on the Chippewa River in Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 13,661 at the 2010 census. Incorporated as a city in 1869, it is the county seat of Chippewa County....
) cased its flag and de-activated. The 724th Engineer Battalion, along with 9 modular units, will fall under the command and control of the 157th MEB.