864th Engineer Battalion
Encyclopedia
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.
The unit was inactivated the following September. In March 1951, the Army reactivated the battalion at Tulsa, Oklahoma only to inactivate it a year later. In 1955 the battalion was withdrawn from the Army Reserve and allotted to the Regular Army. The 864th was reactivated at Wolters Air Force Base, Texas on 25 September 1955. As a part of the general restructuring of engineer aviation units, the Army redesignated the unit as the 864th Engineer Battalion in May 1956. In May 1965, the battalion was shipped to Cam Rahn Bay, RVN.
The battalion was the first U.S. engineer battalion-size unit in Vietnam and responsible for port transportation and support facilities construction. As more engineer battalions were assigned to Vietnam, the unit was assigned missions of base camp construction and line of communication construction and maintenance. For its outstanding efforts, the battalion was awarded the distinctive designation "Pacemakers" by the Secretary of the Army in September 1968. The battalion returned to CONUS in August 1971, after earning thirteen campaign streamers, the Vietnamese Civic Action Honor Medal, First Class, and two Meritorious Unit Commendations. In CONUS, the battalion was assigned to Fort Lewis, Washington.
The battalion was reorganized in June 1976 as an Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy). During the period 1983–1990, the battalion deployed vertical platoons to Honduras in support of the U.S. Southern Command. In 1987, the battalion was reorganized with a Headquarters and Support Company and three line companies, which included Charlie Company which was stationed at the Presidio of San Francisco. In January 1991, the battalion deployed to Saudi Arabia for eight months in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. During this period, the 864th was responsible for construction of 290 miles of petroleum pipeline, the repair and maintenance of main supply routes, enemy prisoner of war camp construction, and provided emergency services restoration to Kuwait City.
In 1992, the battalion deployed a platoon to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, providing humanitarian relief to Haitian refugees. In the winter of 1993, the battalion deployed to Arizona in support of JTF-6, providing a multitude of construction missions in support of the Border Patrol and various law enforcement agencies. In July 1993, Charlie Company, 864th Engineer Battalion was inactivated and colors retired. Bravo Company and support elements from HSC deployed to Honduras to build schools from June 1994 to September 1994. The battalion deployed elements from HSC, Alpha and Bravo Companies to McCall, Idaho in support of Task Force "Rugged-Pacemaker" to fight forest fires in the summer of 1994.
In the spring of 1995, elements of HSC and Bravo Company deployed to Texas, again to support JTF-6 missions while Alpha Company deployed to Thailand to build structures during exercise "Cobra Gold." In June 1996, the Alpha Animals deployed to Haiti, for a 6 month rotation, to construct schools and renovate a hospital for the locals. Meanwhile, HSC and elements of Bravo Company deployed to Hanford, Washington, with one day notice, to combat fires in that area. In April 1997, Bravo Company deployed to Thailand in support of "COBRA GOLD" to provide humanitarian and civic assistance, in the form of new construction and facilities upgrade.
In February 1998, the battalion deployed to Laredo, Texas in support of JTF-6 to conduct general engineering construction missions. Bravo also deployed to Alaska in September 1998 through October 1998 to conduct base camp and road construction in support of JTF ALASKAN ROAD. HSC and the Earth Moving Platoons from Alpha and Bravo company deployed to White Sands, New Mexico to conduct horizontal construction missions to include road and airfield construction, and two new golf course fairways and a driving range from February 1999 to April 1999. Meanwhile in April 1999, Bravo company deployed a vertical platoon to Abilene, Texas in support of JTF-6 and the Abilene Police Department to construct a shoot house for their training facility. Shortly thereafter in May 1999, Alpha company deployed to Thailand in support of "COBRA GOLD" to again provide humanitarian and civic assistance, in the form of new construction and facilities upgrade. Alpha company and elements from HSC and Bravo company deployed to KOSOVO to conduct base camp construction and facilities upgrade along with constructing and improving existing road networks for Camp Bondsteel and the NATO forces assigned there from August 1999 through February 2000. Meanwhile Bravo and HSC were busy taking part in constructions missions that were vital to the Army?s new Medium Brigade Transformation Project being conducted at Fort Lewis. In mid-2001 our battalion began to work closely with the President's counter-drug agency, JTF-6. In August, Alpha Company deployed to New York City to build a state-of-the-art classroom facility for the NYPD.
In March 2002, Alpha Company also deployed to Fallon, Nevada in order to build several training targets for the Naval Air Station located there. In March Bravo, Company was also busy planning for and then executing a training facility for JTF-6 in San Diego, California. Not to be outdone, HSC deployed to Alaska for an Alaskan Roads improvement program that lasted from June 2002 through September 2002. Given all the places the 864th has deployed to in such a short amount of time, the Pacemakers live up to their name and continue to Set the Pace!
In March 2003, the 864th Engineer Battalion deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Battalion supported V Corps in the attack to liberate Iraq and during post-hostilities conducted extensive airfield construction and general engineering in support of CJTF-7 Operations. The battalion redeployed on 20 February 2004 to Fort Lewis, Washington. The 864th Engineer Battalion deployed again on 28 March 2005 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom IV, V,and VI to Afghanistan. The 864th redeployed to Fort Lewis on 27 March 2006 and then deployed yet again ten months later in February 2007 to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom VI, VII,and VIII. The 864th Engineer Battalion redeployed from Afghanistan in May 2008 and recently reformed into a construction battalion.
Activated 1 January 1943 at Geiger Field, Washington
Inactivated 30 June 1946 in Japan
Allotted 18 February 1949 to the Organized Reserve Corps
Activated 14 March 1949 at Morristown, New Jersey
Inactivated 22 September 1949 at Morristown, New Jersey
Activated 1 March 1951 at Tulsa, Oklahoma
(Organized Reserve Corps redesignated 9 July 1952 as the Army Reserve)
Inactivated 11 July 1952 at Tulsa, Oklahoma
Withdrawn 8 July 1955 from the Army Reserve and allotted to the Regular Army
Activated 25 September 1955 at Wolters Air Force Base, Texas
Reorganized and redesignated 15 May 1956 as the 864th Engineer Battalion
(Lettered companies inactivated 16 October 2008 at Fort Lewis, Washington; Support Company concurrently constituted and activated)
Vietnam: Defense; Counteroffensive; Counteroffensive, Phase II; Counteroffensive, Phase III; Tet Counteroffensive; Counteroffensive, Phase IV; Counteroffensive, Phase V; Counteroffensive, Phase VI; Tet 69/Counteroffensive; Summer-Fall 1969; Winter-Spring 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Counteroffensive, Phase VII
Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait; Cease-Fire
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...
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...
based at Fort Lewis
Fort Lewis
Joint Base Lewis-McChord is a United States military facility located south-southwest of Tacoma, Washington. The facility is under the jurisdiction of the United States Army Joint Base Garrison, Joint Base Lewis-McChord....
, Washington. The battalion is a subordinate unit of 555th Engineer Brigade.
History
The 864th Aviation Battalion was activated in December 1942 at Camp Geiger, Washington near Spokane. The Battalion served in the Pacific Theater during WW II, earning three campaign streamers for New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, and Luzon. The unit also earned the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. The unit was deactivated in Japan on 30 June 1946. The army allotted the battalion to the organized Reserves and activated it at Morristown, New Jersey on 14 March 1949.The unit was inactivated the following September. In March 1951, the Army reactivated the battalion at Tulsa, Oklahoma only to inactivate it a year later. In 1955 the battalion was withdrawn from the Army Reserve and allotted to the Regular Army. The 864th was reactivated at Wolters Air Force Base, Texas on 25 September 1955. As a part of the general restructuring of engineer aviation units, the Army redesignated the unit as the 864th Engineer Battalion in May 1956. In May 1965, the battalion was shipped to Cam Rahn Bay, RVN.
The battalion was the first U.S. engineer battalion-size unit in Vietnam and responsible for port transportation and support facilities construction. As more engineer battalions were assigned to Vietnam, the unit was assigned missions of base camp construction and line of communication construction and maintenance. For its outstanding efforts, the battalion was awarded the distinctive designation "Pacemakers" by the Secretary of the Army in September 1968. The battalion returned to CONUS in August 1971, after earning thirteen campaign streamers, the Vietnamese Civic Action Honor Medal, First Class, and two Meritorious Unit Commendations. In CONUS, the battalion was assigned to Fort Lewis, Washington.
The battalion was reorganized in June 1976 as an Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy). During the period 1983–1990, the battalion deployed vertical platoons to Honduras in support of the U.S. Southern Command. In 1987, the battalion was reorganized with a Headquarters and Support Company and three line companies, which included Charlie Company which was stationed at the Presidio of San Francisco. In January 1991, the battalion deployed to Saudi Arabia for eight months in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. During this period, the 864th was responsible for construction of 290 miles of petroleum pipeline, the repair and maintenance of main supply routes, enemy prisoner of war camp construction, and provided emergency services restoration to Kuwait City.
In 1992, the battalion deployed a platoon to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, providing humanitarian relief to Haitian refugees. In the winter of 1993, the battalion deployed to Arizona in support of JTF-6, providing a multitude of construction missions in support of the Border Patrol and various law enforcement agencies. In July 1993, Charlie Company, 864th Engineer Battalion was inactivated and colors retired. Bravo Company and support elements from HSC deployed to Honduras to build schools from June 1994 to September 1994. The battalion deployed elements from HSC, Alpha and Bravo Companies to McCall, Idaho in support of Task Force "Rugged-Pacemaker" to fight forest fires in the summer of 1994.
In the spring of 1995, elements of HSC and Bravo Company deployed to Texas, again to support JTF-6 missions while Alpha Company deployed to Thailand to build structures during exercise "Cobra Gold." In June 1996, the Alpha Animals deployed to Haiti, for a 6 month rotation, to construct schools and renovate a hospital for the locals. Meanwhile, HSC and elements of Bravo Company deployed to Hanford, Washington, with one day notice, to combat fires in that area. In April 1997, Bravo Company deployed to Thailand in support of "COBRA GOLD" to provide humanitarian and civic assistance, in the form of new construction and facilities upgrade.
In February 1998, the battalion deployed to Laredo, Texas in support of JTF-6 to conduct general engineering construction missions. Bravo also deployed to Alaska in September 1998 through October 1998 to conduct base camp and road construction in support of JTF ALASKAN ROAD. HSC and the Earth Moving Platoons from Alpha and Bravo company deployed to White Sands, New Mexico to conduct horizontal construction missions to include road and airfield construction, and two new golf course fairways and a driving range from February 1999 to April 1999. Meanwhile in April 1999, Bravo company deployed a vertical platoon to Abilene, Texas in support of JTF-6 and the Abilene Police Department to construct a shoot house for their training facility. Shortly thereafter in May 1999, Alpha company deployed to Thailand in support of "COBRA GOLD" to again provide humanitarian and civic assistance, in the form of new construction and facilities upgrade. Alpha company and elements from HSC and Bravo company deployed to KOSOVO to conduct base camp construction and facilities upgrade along with constructing and improving existing road networks for Camp Bondsteel and the NATO forces assigned there from August 1999 through February 2000. Meanwhile Bravo and HSC were busy taking part in constructions missions that were vital to the Army?s new Medium Brigade Transformation Project being conducted at Fort Lewis. In mid-2001 our battalion began to work closely with the President's counter-drug agency, JTF-6. In August, Alpha Company deployed to New York City to build a state-of-the-art classroom facility for the NYPD.
In March 2002, Alpha Company also deployed to Fallon, Nevada in order to build several training targets for the Naval Air Station located there. In March Bravo, Company was also busy planning for and then executing a training facility for JTF-6 in San Diego, California. Not to be outdone, HSC deployed to Alaska for an Alaskan Roads improvement program that lasted from June 2002 through September 2002. Given all the places the 864th has deployed to in such a short amount of time, the Pacemakers live up to their name and continue to Set the Pace!
In March 2003, the 864th Engineer Battalion deployed to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Battalion supported V Corps in the attack to liberate Iraq and during post-hostilities conducted extensive airfield construction and general engineering in support of CJTF-7 Operations. The battalion redeployed on 20 February 2004 to Fort Lewis, Washington. The 864th Engineer Battalion deployed again on 28 March 2005 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom IV, V,and VI to Afghanistan. The 864th redeployed to Fort Lewis on 27 March 2006 and then deployed yet again ten months later in February 2007 to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom VI, VII,and VIII. The 864th Engineer Battalion redeployed from Afghanistan in May 2008 and recently reformed into a construction battalion.
Organization
The unit is composed of:- Headquarters & Headquarters Company,(Joint Base Lewis Mcchord (JBLM), WA)
- Forward Support Company,(JBLM, WA)
- 557th Engineer Company (horizontal),(JBLM, WA)
- 617th Engineer Company(horizontal),(JBLM, WA)
- 585th Engineer Company (vertical),(JBLM, WA)
- 28th Engineer Detachment (concrete),(JBLM, WA)
- 84th Engineer Detachment (survey & design),(JBLM, WA)
Lineage
Constituted 14 December 1942 in the Army of the United States as the 864th Engineer Aviation BattalionActivated 1 January 1943 at Geiger Field, Washington
Inactivated 30 June 1946 in Japan
Allotted 18 February 1949 to the Organized Reserve Corps
Activated 14 March 1949 at Morristown, New Jersey
Inactivated 22 September 1949 at Morristown, New Jersey
Activated 1 March 1951 at Tulsa, Oklahoma
(Organized Reserve Corps redesignated 9 July 1952 as the Army Reserve)
Inactivated 11 July 1952 at Tulsa, Oklahoma
Withdrawn 8 July 1955 from the Army Reserve and allotted to the Regular Army
Activated 25 September 1955 at Wolters Air Force Base, Texas
Reorganized and redesignated 15 May 1956 as the 864th Engineer Battalion
(Lettered companies inactivated 16 October 2008 at Fort Lewis, Washington; Support Company concurrently constituted and activated)
Campaign participation credit
World War II: New Guinea; Bismarck Archipelago; LuzonVietnam: Defense; Counteroffensive; Counteroffensive, Phase II; Counteroffensive, Phase III; Tet Counteroffensive; Counteroffensive, Phase IV; Counteroffensive, Phase V; Counteroffensive, Phase VI; Tet 69/Counteroffensive; Summer-Fall 1969; Winter-Spring 1970; Sanctuary Counteroffensive; Counteroffensive, Phase VII
Southwest Asia: Defense of Saudi Arabia; Liberation and Defense of Kuwait; Cease-Fire
Decorations
- Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered SOUTHERN AND EASTERN AFGHANISTAN
- Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1965-1967
- Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1967-1968
- Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered SOUTHWEST ASIA 1990-1991
- Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered SOUTHWEST ASIA 2003
- Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered AFGHANISTAN 2007-2008
- Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, Streamer embroidered 17 OCTOBER 1944 TO 4 JULY 1945
- Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1970-1971