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18th Engineer Brigade (United States)
Encyclopedia
The 18th Engineer Brigade (Theater Army) is an engineer brigade
of the United States Army
. It is currently a subordinate unit of 21st Sustainment Command (Theater) and is headquartered at Tompkins Barracks in Schwetzingen
, Germany. Soldiers of the 18th Engineer Brigade provide various supportive duties to other Army units, including construction, engineering, and mechanical work on other Army projects.
The Unit served in Europe during World War II
, a fact which was included on its Distinctive Unit Insignia
when the 20th Engineer Brigade received one on 10 February 1966. The four corners of the crenelated square allude to their four campaigns in World War II, Normandy
, Northern France, Rhineland
and Central Europe.
The 18th Engineer Brigade later deployed to Vietnam
, during the Vietnam War
, where it saw six years of service and supported fourteen campaigns, building infrastructure for military and civilian projects alike. The unit participated in a massive number of road construction projects and airfield constructions, supporting numerous units and operating in areas all over Vietnam. After serving in Vietnam, the unit became attached to Seventh United States Army. It has since undertaken and completed numerous projects in support of US Army, Europe, as well as participated in the conflicts of Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
, Germany. The brigade's current commander is Colonel
Paul M. Paolozzi, while its Command Sergeant Major is David M. Clark.
In addition to Headquarters and Headquarters Company
, 60th Engineer Detachment (Geospatial) and 243d Engineer Detachment (Construction Management), which are located at Tompkins Barracks, three subordinate engineer battalions are permanently attached: the 15th Engineer Battalion
headquartered at Schweinfurt
, Germany, the 54th Engineer Battalion headquartered at Bamberg, Germany and the 565th Engineer Battalion headquartered at Schwetzingen.
. The unit was ordered into active military service on 6 May 1942 at Camp Claiborne
, Louisiana
.
On 1 August 1942, the unit was reorganized and re-designated as the 347th Engineer General Services Regiment. The Regiment deployed to England in February 1944. It entered combat in France on 29 June 1944 and participated in the Normandy
, Northern France
, Rhineland
and Central Europe campaigns of World War II, earning its first Meritorious Unit Commendation
. After V-E Day, the Regiment remained on occupation duty in Germany until it was inactivated on 1 June 1946.
On 15 June 1947, the Regiment was reactivated in the organized reserves headquartered in Salt Lake, Utah
, and remained there until it was again inactivated on 16 March 1949. On 25 October 1954, the 347th Engineer General Services Regiment was re-designated the 18th Engineer Brigade for the first time and activated as a Regular Army
unit at Fort Leonard Wood
, Missouri
, where it remained until inactivation on 26 March 1963.
and prepared for deployment to Vietnam. The 18th Engineer Brigade entered Vietnam
in September 1965 with the responsibility for overseeing all Army Engineering operations in Vietnam until the establishment of the U.S. Army Engineer Command, Vietnam, in late 1966.
Under the command of Colonel C. Craig Cannon, the Brigade prepared for deployment to Vietnam. The Advance Party of the 18th Engineer Brigade arrived at Saigon's Tan Son Nhut Air Base
on 3 September 1965. Three days later, Brigadier General Robert R. Ploger assumed command of the Brigade. Within two weeks, the Brigade Headquarters at Tan Son Nhut was fully operational. It had been preceded by the 35th Engineer Group, which built Cam Ranh Bay
on a peninsula of sand and in a hostile environment. The brigade assumed responsibility for I Corps and II Corps in the northern part of South Vietnam
. The 937th Engineer Group (Combat) at Qui Nhon
was assigned to the Brigade in June 1966.
Its initial activities centered around rapid development of the port facilities, ammunition dumps, base camps and airfields necessary to support the build-up of US combat forces rapidly deploying to Vietnam. During its initial construction phases it also provided support for combat search and destroy missions and defensive operations with the 101st Airborne Division
near Ninh Hoa
and the 4th Infantry Division at Pleiku
.
An ammunition storage area was completed at Cam Ranh Bay
on 18 January 1969. It took two years for the Brigade to build this complex, which covered over 191700 square feet (17,809.5 m²). English Airfield was completed on 21 March 1969 near Qui Nhon
. The runway of this field was 3600 feet (1,097.3 m) long, 60 feet (18.3 m) wide, and was complete with a 150—foot by 150—foot turn around area.
On 3 May 1969, Brigadier General
John W. Morris assumed command of the Brigade. Soon afterwards, Brigade engineers finished construction of a cold storage warehouse at the Qui Nhon Support Command, the first of its kind in Vietnam. Construction of the Tandem Switch Building at Vung Chau Mountain was also completed about this time. This 4000 square feet (371.6 m²) building housed almost US$1 million dollars of communications equipment. During the summer months of 1969, Brigade engineers completed the 200000 barrels (31,797.5 m³) capacity Air Force tank farm at Cam Ranh Bay
, after laying over 12000 feet (3,657.6 m) of pipe to complete the project.
The beginning of 1970 saw the initiation of the 18th Engineers Brigade’s Operation Last Chance
, a program of command emphasis and organization for motivation and success of that years engineer operations. The goals of the program were to maintain primary missions of the combat support as well as insure the completion of the many projects planned for the 1970 construction operations.
February 1970 saw the completion of a project begun in the summer of the previous year at Qui Nhon
that replaced a temporary floating steel dock with a more permanent structure which could accommodate six ammo barges at once. The port of Qui Nhon became one of the few supply points where ammunition for the First and Second Military Regions could be handled in bulk quantities simultaneously. Prior to the completion of this new facility, the handling of ammunition there had to take place in other areas, near public housing and fuel storage depots.
On 3 May 1970, Brigadier General Henry C. Schrader assumed command of the 18th Engineer Brigade. Shortly after this, the most difficult stretch of the roadway that the Brigade had ever undertaken—the 27-kilometer stretch of National Highway QL-11 South in the central highlands region known as Tây Nguyên
, commonly referred to as the "Good View Pass", was completed. This road had been carved out from a dangerous mountain pass to a national road in less than one year.
The Lines of Communication Program, which represents the most significant contribution that the 18th Engineer Brigade had made to the economic growth of Vietnam, consisted of about 1,500 kilometers of road upgrade from 1967 to 1972. After a slow start in the beginning of this work, the Brigade finished some 560 kilometers of highway reconstruction, and improvement in 1970 and another 450 kilometers were scheduled for completion in 1971 by Brigade units.
In conjunction with the Brigade efforts on the Lines of Communication Program, 18th Brigade engineers was involved in a program of affiliation with ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam
) engineers. In addition to continuous training programs which the Brigade established to train ARVN equipment operators, the engineers of the 18th provided technical assistance and logistical support to several projects undertaken by the Vietnamese Army, most notably in the construction of the 3600 feet (1,097.3 m) bridge at Tuy Hoa
. Upon its completion and opening on 13 February 1971, this bridge became the longest overpass of its type ever constructed in the Republic of Vietnam. It would be one of 77 such bridges that the Brigade would construct in the country.
In support of the XXIV Corps, the 18th Brigade mounted what was described as the "most ambitious engineering effort in Vietnam" at the end of January 1971. The Brigade engineers pushed a roadway across the rugged terrain of the northern Quang Tri Province
to the Laotian
border and constructed a 3200 feet (975.4 m) by 60 feet (18.3 m) airfield in little more than a month at Khe Sanh
. This construction effort was part of Operation Dewey Canyon II.
On 20 September 1971 the Brigade was inactivated. Over the six years that it served in Vietnam, the 18th Engineer Brigade was involved in 14 of 17 campaigns, earning four Meritorious Unit Commendation
s.
In 1990 and 1991, during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, the 18th Engineer Brigade provided rail and sea deployment support to the VII Corps and, in addition, deployed a Combat Heavy Battalion
and Topographic Company to support VII Corps operations in Southwest Asia. In April 1991, the Brigade Headquarters, along with a subordinate Combat Heavy Battalion, deployed to Zakho, Iraq in support of Operation Provide Comfort
. While there, the Brigade coordinated all engineer efforts of a Joint and Combined engineer force providing construction and relief support to the Kurdish
refugees. The 18th Engineer Brigade was awarded the Joint Meritorious Unit Award
for its action during Operation Provide Comfort. As part of the reduction of forces in Europe, the Brigade was inactivated on 15 October 1992.
The 18th Engineer Brigade was deployed to Afghanistan
in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in April 2005. Its primary areas of operation were in and around Bagram
, Kandahar
, and Sarana, among other locations. The commander of the Brigade, Colonel
Matthew H. Russell issued a memorandum to all soldiers that "preventable accidents" were the largest source of personnel and material losses during the deployment, enforcing a new safety policy throughout the brigade intended to prevent these from occurring.
In 2007, the 18th Engineer Brigade was reassigned to V Corps, taking the place of the 130th Engineer Brigade, which returned to the United States. Some of the 130th's units either merged or were reassigned to the 18th Brigade. During this time, the unit participated in road work, construction of Forward Operating Base
s, and other activities that enhanced training readiness in and around Campbell Barracks.
In 2008, the unit was notified of another upcoming deployment to Iraq
in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. It commands three to five engineer battalions in Multinational Division – North. The battalions support individual Brigade Combat Team
s of other units in "Task Force Iron", a combat group led by the 1st Armored Division
. They are working to rebuild Iraqi infrastructure, with the cooperation of Iraqi engineers, including construction of roads, airfields, and land moving. The unit cased its colors on 29 April 2008, formally signifying the beginning of its deployment to Iraq.
The Brigade spent the first six months of its deployment to Tikrit
in central Iraq, working on projects there for Multinational Division-Center under the 10th Mountain Division
. On 6 November, the brigade relocated to Kirkuk
, unfurling its colors at Forward Operating Base Warrior. The brigade conducted route clearance and construction projects in northern Iraq, while partnered with Iraqi engineers. It replaced the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division in Kirkuk and will was under the area of responsibility of Multinational Division-North led by the 1st Armored Division
. In February 2009, the brigade again moved, this time to Ninewa Province to focus on construction projects in areas in and around Mosul
. It was relieved by 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. On 17 July 2009, the brigade handed over responsibility of Mosul to the 130th Engineer Brigade. The brigade subsequently returned to Schwetzingen
, Germany after its 15-month deployment was finished.
Several soldiers of the 18th Engineer Brigade have gone on to achieve further notability. Three soldiers from the 18th Engineer Brigade have gone on to serve as Chief of Engineers
, the head of the US Army's Corps of Engineers
, this is the highest number of Chiefs of Engineers to come from a single engineer brigade. These three soldiers include Lieutenant Generals Joe N. Ballard
, John W. Morris
, and Walter K. Wilson, Jr.
.
In addition to commanding the brigade during the 1987–1990 timeframe while it was stationed outside of Karlsruhe
, Germany, LTG Ballard had also commanded a company in one of the brigade's subordinate battalions, the 864th Engineer Battalion
, during its earlier years in Vietnam.
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...
of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. It is currently a subordinate unit of 21st Sustainment Command (Theater) and is headquartered at Tompkins Barracks in Schwetzingen
Schwetzingen
Schwetzingen is a German town situated in the northwest of Baden-Württemberg, around southwest of Heidelberg and southeast of Mannheim.Schwetzingen is one of the 5 biggest cities of the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis district and it is a medium-sized centre including the cities and municipalities of...
, Germany. Soldiers of the 18th Engineer Brigade provide various supportive duties to other Army units, including construction, engineering, and mechanical work on other Army projects.
The Unit served in Europe during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, a fact which was included on its Distinctive Unit Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia
A Distinctive Unit Insignia is a metal heraldic device worn by soldiers in the United States Army. The DUI design is derived from the coat of arms authorized for a unit...
when the 20th Engineer Brigade received one on 10 February 1966. The four corners of the crenelated square allude to their four campaigns in World War II, Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, Northern France, Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
and Central Europe.
The 18th Engineer Brigade later deployed to Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, where it saw six years of service and supported fourteen campaigns, building infrastructure for military and civilian projects alike. The unit participated in a massive number of road construction projects and airfield constructions, supporting numerous units and operating in areas all over Vietnam. After serving in Vietnam, the unit became attached to Seventh United States Army. It has since undertaken and completed numerous projects in support of US Army, Europe, as well as participated in the conflicts of Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Organization
The US Army's 18th Engineer Brigade is a subordinate unit of 21st Sustainment Command (Theater). The brigade has been assigned to Europe since February 2007. The brigade is headquartered at Tompkin Barracks in SchwetzingenSchwetzingen
Schwetzingen is a German town situated in the northwest of Baden-Württemberg, around southwest of Heidelberg and southeast of Mannheim.Schwetzingen is one of the 5 biggest cities of the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis district and it is a medium-sized centre including the cities and municipalities of...
, Germany. The brigade's current commander is 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...
Paul M. Paolozzi, while its Command Sergeant Major is David M. Clark.
In addition to Headquarters and Headquarters Company
Headquarters and Headquarters Company
In United States Army units, a headquarters and headquarters company is a company sized military unit, found at the battalion level and higher. In identifying a specific headquarters unit, it is usually referred to by its abbreviation as an HHC...
, 60th Engineer Detachment (Geospatial) and 243d Engineer Detachment (Construction Management), which are located at Tompkins Barracks, three subordinate engineer battalions are permanently attached: the 15th Engineer Battalion
15th Engineer Battalion
The 15th Engineer Battalion is a Construction Effects battalion of the United States Army. It is currently a subordinate unit of 18th Engineer Brigade and is headquartered at Conn Barracks in Schweinfurt, Germany...
headquartered at Schweinfurt
Schweinfurt
Schweinfurt is a city in the Lower Franconia region of Bavaria in Germany on the right bank of the canalized Main, which is here spanned by several bridges, 27 km northeast of Würzburg.- History :...
, Germany, the 54th Engineer Battalion headquartered at Bamberg, Germany and the 565th Engineer Battalion headquartered at Schwetzingen.
World Wars
The lineage of the 18th Engineer Brigade can be traced back to 29 July 1921, when its predecessor unit, the 347th Engineers (General Service), was first constituted as an Organized Reserves unit. The 347th Engineers would not be activated for almost twenty years, until the United States began its military buildup following its entrance into World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The unit was ordered into active military service on 6 May 1942 at Camp Claiborne
Camp Claiborne
Camp Claiborne was a U.S. Army military camp during World War II located in Rapides Parish in central Louisiana. The camp was under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Eighth Service Command, and included 23,000 acres ....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.
On 1 August 1942, the unit was reorganized and re-designated as the 347th Engineer General Services Regiment. The Regiment deployed to England in February 1944. It entered combat in France on 29 June 1944 and participated in the Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, Northern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Rhineland
Rhineland
Historically, the Rhinelands refers to a loosely-defined region embracing the land on either bank of the River Rhine in central Europe....
and Central Europe campaigns of World War II, earning its first Meritorious Unit Commendation
Meritorious Unit Commendation
The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....
. After V-E Day, the Regiment remained on occupation duty in Germany until it was inactivated on 1 June 1946.
On 15 June 1947, the Regiment was reactivated in the organized reserves headquartered in Salt Lake, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, and remained there until it was again inactivated on 16 March 1949. On 25 October 1954, the 347th Engineer General Services Regiment was re-designated the 18th Engineer Brigade for the first time and activated as a Regular Army
Regular Army
The Regular Army of the United States was and is the successor to the Continental Army as the country's permanent, professional military establishment. Even in modern times the professional core of the United States Army continues to be called the Regular Army...
unit at Fort Leonard Wood
Fort Leonard Wood (military base)
Fort Leonard Wood is a United States Army installation located in the Missouri Ozarks. The main gate is located on the southern boundary of St. Robert. The post was created in December 1940 and named in honor of General Leonard Wood, former Chief of Staff, in January 1941...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, where it remained until inactivation on 26 March 1963.
Vietnam War
The 18th Engineer Brigade was reactivated on 16 July 1965 at Fort Bragg, N.C.Fort Bragg, North Carolina
Fort Bragg is a major United States Army installation, in Cumberland and Hoke counties, North Carolina, U.S., mostly in Fayetteville but also partly in the town of Spring Lake. It was also a census-designated place in the 2010 census and had a population of 39,457. The fort is named for Confederate...
and prepared for deployment to Vietnam. The 18th Engineer Brigade entered Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
in September 1965 with the responsibility for overseeing all Army Engineering operations in Vietnam until the establishment of the U.S. Army Engineer Command, Vietnam, in late 1966.
Under the command of Colonel C. Craig Cannon, the Brigade prepared for deployment to Vietnam. The Advance Party of the 18th Engineer Brigade arrived at Saigon's Tan Son Nhut Air Base
Tan Son Nhut Air Base
Tan Son Nhut Air Base was a Republic of Vietnam Air Force facility. It is located near the city of Saigon in southern Vietnam. The United States used it as a major base during the Vietnam War , stationing Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine units there...
on 3 September 1965. Three days later, Brigadier General Robert R. Ploger assumed command of the Brigade. Within two weeks, the Brigade Headquarters at Tan Son Nhut was fully operational. It had been preceded by the 35th Engineer Group, which built Cam Ranh Bay
Cam Ranh Bay
Cam Ranh Bay is a deep-water bay in Vietnam in the province of Khánh Hòa. It is located at an inlet of the South China Sea situated on the southeastern coast of Vietnam, between Phan Rang and Nha Trang, approximately 290 kilometers / 180 miles northeast of Hồ Chí Minh City / Saigon.Cam Ranh is...
on a peninsula of sand and in a hostile environment. The brigade assumed responsibility for I Corps and II Corps in the northern part of South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
. The 937th Engineer Group (Combat) at Qui Nhon
Qui Nhon
Qui Nhơn , also Quy Nhơn, is a coastal city in Binh Dinh province in central Vietnam. It is composed of 16 wards and five communes with a total of 286 km². Quy Nhon is the capital of Bình Định province. As of 2009 its population was 280,900. Historically, the commercial activities of the city...
was assigned to the Brigade in June 1966.
Its initial activities centered around rapid development of the port facilities, ammunition dumps, base camps and airfields necessary to support the build-up of US combat forces rapidly deploying to Vietnam. During its initial construction phases it also provided support for combat search and destroy missions and defensive operations with the 101st Airborne Division
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
near Ninh Hoa
Ninh Hoa
Ninh Hòa is a district-level town of Khanh Hoa province in the South Central Coastal region of Vietnam. As of 2003 the town had a population of 227,630. The district covers an area of 1,199 km²...
and the 4th Infantry Division at Pleiku
Pleiku
Pleiku is a town in central Vietnam, located in that nation's central highland region. It is the capital of the Gia Lai Province; it is inhabited primarily by the Bahnar and Jarai ethnic groups, sometimes known as the Montagnards or Degar....
.
An ammunition storage area was completed at Cam Ranh Bay
Cam Ranh Bay
Cam Ranh Bay is a deep-water bay in Vietnam in the province of Khánh Hòa. It is located at an inlet of the South China Sea situated on the southeastern coast of Vietnam, between Phan Rang and Nha Trang, approximately 290 kilometers / 180 miles northeast of Hồ Chí Minh City / Saigon.Cam Ranh is...
on 18 January 1969. It took two years for the Brigade to build this complex, which covered over 191700 square feet (17,809.5 m²). English Airfield was completed on 21 March 1969 near Qui Nhon
Qui Nhon
Qui Nhơn , also Quy Nhơn, is a coastal city in Binh Dinh province in central Vietnam. It is composed of 16 wards and five communes with a total of 286 km². Quy Nhon is the capital of Bình Định province. As of 2009 its population was 280,900. Historically, the commercial activities of the city...
. The runway of this field was 3600 feet (1,097.3 m) long, 60 feet (18.3 m) wide, and was complete with a 150—foot by 150—foot turn around area.
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
John W. Morris assumed command of the Brigade. Soon afterwards, Brigade engineers finished construction of a cold storage warehouse at the Qui Nhon Support Command, the first of its kind in Vietnam. Construction of the Tandem Switch Building at Vung Chau Mountain was also completed about this time. This 4000 square feet (371.6 m²) building housed almost US$1 million dollars of communications equipment. During the summer months of 1969, Brigade engineers completed the 200000 barrels (31,797.5 m³) capacity Air Force tank farm at Cam Ranh Bay
Cam Ranh Bay
Cam Ranh Bay is a deep-water bay in Vietnam in the province of Khánh Hòa. It is located at an inlet of the South China Sea situated on the southeastern coast of Vietnam, between Phan Rang and Nha Trang, approximately 290 kilometers / 180 miles northeast of Hồ Chí Minh City / Saigon.Cam Ranh is...
, after laying over 12000 feet (3,657.6 m) of pipe to complete the project.
The beginning of 1970 saw the initiation of the 18th Engineers Brigade’s Operation Last Chance
Operation Last Chance
Operation Last Chance was launched in July 2002 by Simon Wiesenthal Center in order to track down ex-Nazis still in hiding, as most of them would be nearing the end of their lifetimes, hence the operation's name...
, a program of command emphasis and organization for motivation and success of that years engineer operations. The goals of the program were to maintain primary missions of the combat support as well as insure the completion of the many projects planned for the 1970 construction operations.
February 1970 saw the completion of a project begun in the summer of the previous year at Qui Nhon
Qui Nhon
Qui Nhơn , also Quy Nhơn, is a coastal city in Binh Dinh province in central Vietnam. It is composed of 16 wards and five communes with a total of 286 km². Quy Nhon is the capital of Bình Định province. As of 2009 its population was 280,900. Historically, the commercial activities of the city...
that replaced a temporary floating steel dock with a more permanent structure which could accommodate six ammo barges at once. The port of Qui Nhon became one of the few supply points where ammunition for the First and Second Military Regions could be handled in bulk quantities simultaneously. Prior to the completion of this new facility, the handling of ammunition there had to take place in other areas, near public housing and fuel storage depots.
On 3 May 1970, Brigadier General Henry C. Schrader assumed command of the 18th Engineer Brigade. Shortly after this, the most difficult stretch of the roadway that the Brigade had ever undertaken—the 27-kilometer stretch of National Highway QL-11 South in the central highlands region known as Tây Nguyên
Tây Nguyên
Tây Nguyên, translated as Western Highlands and sometimes also called Central Highlands, is one of the regions of Vietnam. It contains the provinces of Đắk Lắk, Đắk Nông, Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Lâm Đồng....
, commonly referred to as the "Good View Pass", was completed. This road had been carved out from a dangerous mountain pass to a national road in less than one year.
The Lines of Communication Program, which represents the most significant contribution that the 18th Engineer Brigade had made to the economic growth of Vietnam, consisted of about 1,500 kilometers of road upgrade from 1967 to 1972. After a slow start in the beginning of this work, the Brigade finished some 560 kilometers of highway reconstruction, and improvement in 1970 and another 450 kilometers were scheduled for completion in 1971 by Brigade units.
In conjunction with the Brigade efforts on the Lines of Communication Program, 18th Brigade engineers was involved in a program of affiliation with ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam
Army of the Republic of Vietnam
The Army of the Republic of Viet Nam , sometimes parsimoniously referred to as the South Vietnamese Army , was the land-based military forces of the Republic of Vietnam , which existed from October 26, 1955 until the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975...
) engineers. In addition to continuous training programs which the Brigade established to train ARVN equipment operators, the engineers of the 18th provided technical assistance and logistical support to several projects undertaken by the Vietnamese Army, most notably in the construction of the 3600 feet (1,097.3 m) bridge at Tuy Hoa
Tuy Hoa
Tuy Hòa is the capital city of Phu Yen province in south-central Vietnam. The city has the total area of 107 km2 and the population of 262 000 ....
. Upon its completion and opening on 13 February 1971, this bridge became the longest overpass of its type ever constructed in the Republic of Vietnam. It would be one of 77 such bridges that the Brigade would construct in the country.
In support of the XXIV Corps, the 18th Brigade mounted what was described as the "most ambitious engineering effort in Vietnam" at the end of January 1971. The Brigade engineers pushed a roadway across the rugged terrain of the northern Quang Tri Province
Quang Tri Province
Quảng Trị is a province on the North Central Coast of Vietnam, north of the former imperial capital of Huế.-Geography:Located in North Central Vietnam, Quang Tri Province is surrounded by Quang Binh Province on the north, Thua Thien-Hue Province on the south, Savannakhet Province of Laos on the...
to the Laotian
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
border and constructed a 3200 feet (975.4 m) by 60 feet (18.3 m) airfield in little more than a month at Khe Sanh
Khe Sanh
Khe Sanh is the district capital of Hướng Hoá District, Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam, located 63 km west of Đông Hà.Khe Sanh Combat Base was a United States Marine Corps outpost in South Vietnam used during the Vietnam War. The airstrip was built in September 1962...
. This construction effort was part of Operation Dewey Canyon II.
On 20 September 1971 the Brigade was inactivated. Over the six years that it served in Vietnam, the 18th Engineer Brigade was involved in 14 of 17 campaigns, earning four Meritorious Unit Commendation
Meritorious Unit Commendation
The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....
s.
Post Vietnam
On 21 October 1977 the 18th Engineer Brigade was reactivated at Karlsruhe, Germany. For 15 years, the Brigade served as the principal construction brigade for the United States Army, Europe and 7th Army. During this period, the Brigade performed numerous construction, rehabilitation and renovation missions in military communities and training areas of the 7th Army. These included an extensive range upgrade of the Grafenwohr Major Training Area in the early 80's and the construction of the Range 23 complex at the Wildflecken Major Training Area in 1989 and 1990. Additionally, the Brigade was responsible for providing topographic support to the European Theater.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...
and Topographic Company to support VII Corps operations in Southwest Asia. In April 1991, the Brigade Headquarters, along with a subordinate Combat Heavy Battalion, deployed to Zakho, Iraq in support of Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II were military operations by the United States and some of its Gulf War allies, starting in April 1991, to defend Kurds fleeing their homes in northern Iraq in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War and deliver humanitarian aid to them.-Operation...
. While there, the Brigade coordinated all engineer efforts of a Joint and Combined engineer force providing construction and relief support to the Kurdish
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
refugees. The 18th Engineer Brigade was awarded the Joint Meritorious Unit Award
Joint Meritorious Unit Award
The Joint Meritorious Unit Award is a military award that was established on June 4, 1981 by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and was implemented by Department of Defense Directive 1348.27 dated July 22, 1982...
for its action during Operation Provide Comfort. As part of the reduction of forces in Europe, the Brigade was inactivated on 15 October 1992.
Present day
On 18 October 2002 the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army approved the USAREUR and 7th Army Concept Plan to activate the Theater Army Engineer Brigade (TAEB). Today, the 18th Engineer Brigade (Theater Army) marks the return to service of the only active duty TAEB. The unit was officially reactivated on 6 June 2004The 18th Engineer Brigade was deployed to Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in April 2005. Its primary areas of operation were in and around Bagram
Bagram
Bagram , founded as Alexandria on the Caucasus and known in medieval times as Kapisa, is a small town and seat in Bagram District in Parwan Province of Afghanistan, about 60 kilometers north of the capital Kabul. It is the site of an ancient city located at the junction of the Ghorband and Panjshir...
, Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
, and Sarana, among other locations. The commander of the Brigade, 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...
Matthew H. Russell issued a memorandum to all soldiers that "preventable accidents" were the largest source of personnel and material losses during the deployment, enforcing a new safety policy throughout the brigade intended to prevent these from occurring.
Forward Operating Base
A forward operating base is any secured forward military position, commonly a military base, that is used to support tactical operations. A FOB may or may not contain an airfield, hospital, or other facilities. The base may be used for an extended period of time. FOBs are traditionally supported...
s, and other activities that enhanced training readiness in and around Campbell Barracks.
In 2008, the unit was notified of another upcoming deployment to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. It commands three to five engineer battalions in Multinational Division – North. The battalions support individual Brigade Combat Team
Brigade combat team
The brigade combat team is the basic deployable unit of maneuver in the US Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branch maneuver brigade, and its attached support and fire units. A brigade combat team is generally commanded by a colonel , but in rare instances it is commanded by...
s of other units in "Task Force Iron", a combat group led by the 1st Armored Division
1st Armored Division (United States)
The 1st Armored Division—nicknamed "Old Ironsides"—is a standing armored division of the United States Army with base of operations in Fort Bliss, Texas. It was the first armored division of the U.S...
. They are working to rebuild Iraqi infrastructure, with the cooperation of Iraqi engineers, including construction of roads, airfields, and land moving. The unit cased its colors on 29 April 2008, formally signifying the beginning of its deployment to Iraq.
The Brigade spent the first six months of its deployment to Tikrit
Tikrit
Tikrit is a town in Iraq, located 140 km northwest of Baghdad on the Tigris river . The town, with an estimated population in 2002 of about 260,000 is the administrative center of the Salah ad Din Governorate.-Ancient times:...
in central Iraq, working on projects there for Multinational Division-Center under the 10th Mountain Division
10th Mountain Division
The 10th Mountain Division is a light infantry division of the United States Army based at Fort Drum, New York. It is a subordinate unit of the XVIII Airborne Corps and the only division-sized element of the U.S. Army to specialize in fighting under harsh terrain and weather conditions...
. On 6 November, the brigade relocated to Kirkuk
Kirkuk
Kirkuk is a city in Iraq and the capital of Kirkuk Governorate.It is located in the Iraqi governorate of Kirkuk, north of the capital, Baghdad...
, unfurling its colors at Forward Operating Base Warrior. The brigade conducted route clearance and construction projects in northern Iraq, while partnered with Iraqi engineers. It replaced the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division in Kirkuk and will was under the area of responsibility of Multinational Division-North led by the 1st Armored Division
1st Armored Division (United States)
The 1st Armored Division—nicknamed "Old Ironsides"—is a standing armored division of the United States Army with base of operations in Fort Bliss, Texas. It was the first armored division of the U.S...
. In February 2009, the brigade again moved, this time to Ninewa Province to focus on construction projects in areas in and around Mosul
Mosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
. It was relieved by 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division. On 17 July 2009, the brigade handed over responsibility of Mosul to the 130th Engineer Brigade. The brigade subsequently returned to Schwetzingen
Schwetzingen
Schwetzingen is a German town situated in the northwest of Baden-Württemberg, around southwest of Heidelberg and southeast of Mannheim.Schwetzingen is one of the 5 biggest cities of the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis district and it is a medium-sized centre including the cities and municipalities of...
, Germany after its 15-month deployment was finished.
Unit decorations
| Ribbon | Award | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Meritorious Unit Commendation Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions.... (Army) |
1945 | for service in the European Theater |
|
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) | 1967–1968 | for service in Vietnam |
|
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) | 1968–1969 | for service in Vietnam |
|
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) | 1969–1970 | for service in Vietnam |
|
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) | 1970–1971 | for service in Vietnam |
 |
Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class | 1970–1971 | for service in Vietnam |
 |
Joint Meritorious Unit Award Joint Meritorious Unit Award The Joint Meritorious Unit Award is a military award that was established on June 4, 1981 by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and was implemented by Department of Defense Directive 1348.27 dated July 22, 1982... |
1991 | For participation in Operation Provide Comfort Operation Provide Comfort Operation Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II were military operations by the United States and some of its Gulf War allies, starting in April 1991, to defend Kurds fleeing their homes in northern Iraq in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War and deliver humanitarian aid to them.-Operation... |
Campaign streamers
| Conflict | Streamer | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| World War II | Normandy Campaign | 1945 |
| World War II | Northern France Campaign | 1945 |
| World War II | Rhineland Campaign | 1945 |
| World War II | Central Europe Campaign Central Europe Campaign After crossing the Rhine the Western Allies fanned out overrunning all of western Germany from the Baltic in the north to Austria in the south before the Germans surrendered on 8 May 1945. This is known as the "Central Europe Campaign" in United States military histories.By the early spring of... |
1945 |
| Vietnam War Vietnam War The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of... |
Vietnam Defense | 1965 |
| Vietnam War | Counteroffensive, Phase I | 1965–1966 |
| Vietnam War | Counteroffensive, Phase II | 1966–1967 |
| Vietnam War | Counteroffensive, Phase III | 1967–1968 |
| Vietnam War | Tet Counteroffensive | 1968 |
| Vietnam War | Counteroffensive, Phase IV | 1968 |
| Vietnam War | Counteroffensive, Phase V | 1968 |
| Vietnam War | Counteroffensive, Phase VI | 1968–1969 |
| Vietnam War | Tet 69/Counteroffensive | 1969 |
| Vietnam War | Summer–Fall 1969 | 1969 |
| Vietnam War | Winter–Spring 1970 | 1970 |
| Vietnam War | Sanctuary Counteroffensive | 1970 |
| Vietnam War | Counteroffensive, Phase VII | 1970–1971 |
| Operation Enduring Freedom | Afghanistan | 2005–2006 |
Notable soldiers
Chief of Engineers
The Chief of Engineers commands the US Army Corps of Engineers. As a staff officer at The Pentagon, the Chief advises the Army on engineering matters and serves as the Army's topographer and the proponent for real estate and other related engineering programs....
, the head of the US Army's Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
, this is the highest number of Chiefs of Engineers to come from a single engineer brigade. These three soldiers include Lieutenant Generals Joe N. Ballard
Joe N. Ballard
Lieutenant General Joe Nathan Ballard is a former U.S. Army officer who fought in the Vietnam War, and who served for a time as Chief of Engineers.-Early Life:A native of Oakdale, Louisiana, Ballard was born on March 27, 1942...
, John W. Morris
John W. Morris
John W. Morris graduated from the United States Military Academy in June 1943 and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. During World War II he commanded an airfield construction company in the Western Pacific...
, and Walter K. Wilson, Jr.
Walter K. Wilson, Jr.
Walter King Wilson, Jr. , was an American soldier. He was born at Fort Barrancas, Florida, the son of artillery officer and WWII Major General Walter K. Wilson, Sr....
.
In addition to commanding the brigade during the 1987–1990 timeframe while it was stationed outside of Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
, Germany, LTG Ballard had also commanded a company in one of the brigade's subordinate battalions, the 864th Engineer Battalion
864th Engineer Battalion
The 864th Engineer Battalion is a combat engineer battalion of the United States Army based at Fort Lewis, Washington. The battalion is a subordinate unit of 555th Engineer Brigade.-History:...
, during its earlier years in Vietnam.