Brigade History
The history of the 18th Engineer Brigade begins on July 29, 1921, when its predecessor, the 347th Engineers (General Service)m was constituted as an organized reserve unit. The unit was ordered into active military service on May 6, 1942 at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana.
On August 1, 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 June 29, 1944 and participated in the Normandy, Northern France, Rheinland 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 June 1, 1946.
On June 15, 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 October 25, 1954, the 347th Engineer General Services Regiment was re-designated the 18th Engineer Brigade and activated as a Regular Army unit at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where it remained until inactivation on March 26, 1963.
The 18th Engineer Brigade was reactivated on July 16, 1965 at Fort Bragg, N.C. and prepared for deployment to Vietnam. From September 1965 until December 1966, the U.S. Army Engineer Command, Vietnam (Prov) was created and the 18th Engineer Brigade became responsible for engineer support in the I and II Corps Tactical Zones. The Brigade Headquarters was located at Dong Ba Thin. On September 20, 1971 the Brigade was inactivated. Over the six years the Brigade served in Vietnam, it participated in 14 of 17 campaigns, earning four more Meritorious Unit Citations.
On October 21, 1977 the 18th Engineer Brigade was reactivated at Karlsruhe, Germany. For the next 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 throughout USAREUR. Most noteworthy were the massive range upgrade of the Grafenwoehr Major Training Area in the early 1980'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.
In 1990 and 1991, during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, the 18h 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 the 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 October 15, 1992.
On October 18, 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), beginning the process in 2000. The 18th EN BDE (TA) was activated on January 21, 2003 and in February 2003, portions of the Brigade deployed to Turkey in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. While serving as part of ARFOR-Turkey, the Brigade played a significant role in the establishment of a 700-mile line of communications stretching across southern Turkey. In July 2004, the 18th EN BDE (TA) deployed to Bulgaria as the Command and Control element for all U.S. forces involved in Bulwark 04, involving U.S. and Bulgarian forces. This exercise set the stage for what is now known as JTF East.
In April of 2005, 18th EN BDE (TA) deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom VI as TF Sword. TF Sword, made up of over 1,800 Soldiers representing all three components of the Army, along with Engineers from Slovakia, Poland, and Korea, was responsible for reconstruction of the country's infrastructure and the assured mobility of Coalition Forces.
After redeployment, the 18th Engineer Brigade transformed into a functional engineer brigade and began train-up for the next deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism.
On April 30, 2008, the Brigade deployed to Tikrit, Iraq for a 15 month tour in support of OIF 08-10. During the deployment, the brigade planned, coordinated and tracked force protection construction, base expansion and closure, and quality of life improvements throughout Multi-National Division-North, first out of Tikrit then Kirukuk and Mosul. In May 2008 while the brigade was deployed to Tikrit, the rear detachment relocated to Tompkins Barracks, Schwetzingen Germany. During the deployment, the 18th Engineer Brigade conducted over 100 key leader engagements, completed over 150 technical inspections and site visits, and tracked over 200 construction projects estimated at $241 million. In July 2009, the 18th engineer Brigade redeployed to Germany.
The Brigade is currently preparing to deploy to Afghanistan in the summer of 2011.
Campaign participation credit includes:
World War II
Normandy
Northern France
Rheinland
Central Europe
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
OEF-6
Afghanistan Campaign, Consolidation 1
OIF 08-10
Iraqi Campaign, Iraqi Surge
Iraqi Campaign, Iraqi Sovereignty
Global War on Terrorism
Decorations
Meritorious Unit Commendation
(Army), Streamer embroidered EUROPEAN THEATER
Meritorious Unit Commendation
(Army), Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1967-1968
Meritorious Unit Commendation
(Army), Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1968-1969
Meritorious Unit Commendation
(Army), Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969-1970
Meritorious Unit Commendation
(Army), Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1970-1971
Meritorious Unit Commendation
(Army), Streamer embroidered AFGHANISTAN 2005-2006
Meritorious Unit Commendation
(Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2008-2009
Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM
