In October 1950, the 1st Logistical
Command was activated as a planning headquarters at Fort McPherson.
During the Berlin Crisis of 1951, the 1st Logistical Command
deployed to France. The unit mission during this period was to
organize a Base Logistics Command to supervise seven depots and
area port operations in western and southwestern France.
On 12 May 1952, our unit shoulder
patch was approved. The familiar red, white and blue disc with the
diagonal arrow pointing to 1030 hours symbolizes the fact that the
mission is always accomplished prior to the eleventh hour.
On 11 August 1962, the Command
returned to the United States and was assigned to the III Corps,
Fort Hood. Upon redeployment the unit resumed its training mission
and participated in a wide range of logistical missions.
On 1 April 1965, the 1st Logistical
Command deployed to the Republic of Vietnam to serve as the
logistics command and control headquarters for all units
participating in that conflict. During its five-year stint in
Southwest Asia, the strength of the 1st Logistical Command grew to
50,000 Soldiers. The unit received five Meritorious Unit
Commendations and three of its Soldiers earned the Congressional
Medal of Honor. During this conflict, 1st Logistical Command
performed maintenance, supply, and transportation functions with
three area support commands and numerous brigade and group-sized
units attached.
Following its successful tour in
Vietnam, the 1st Logistical Command redeployed to Fort Lee and was
redesignated the 1st Field Army Support Command on 7 December
1970.
On 22 June 1972, the unit was
redesignated the 1st Corps Support Command and reassigned to XVIII
Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg.
In October 1983, the 1st COSCOM
deployed to Grenada in support of Operation Urgent Fury. The
specifically tailored task force consisted mainly of Fort Bragg
based units. The 507th Transportation Group, the 44th Medical
Brigade, the 46th Support Group and Special Troops Battalion
provided multifunctional combat service support ranging from
medical, postal, food and graves registration to explosives
ordnance disposal.
1st COSCOM Soldiers deployed to U.S.
Virgin Islands, as part of a humanitarian relief effort following
Hurricane Hugo in September 1989. 1st COSCOM provided
Arrival/Departure Airfield Control, organized and directed the
movement of critically needed supplies, and expedited the
evacuation of stranded hurricane victims.
Beginning with night airborne
assaults in the largest airborne operations since World War II, 1st
COSCOM deployed Soldiers to Panama on December 20, 1989 in support
of Operation Just Cause. COSCOM was designated as the command and
control headquarters for all combat support and combat service
support operations for Army forces operating in Panama during Just
Cause. Additionally, 1st COSCOM organized the flow and distribution
of humanitarian supplies to the Panamanian population. Prior to the
airborne assault, 1st COSCOM prepared combat Soldiers and their
logistics supply lines at numerous locations across the U.S. 1st
COSCOM Soldiers also parachuted in with elements of the 82nd
Airborne Division to make preparations for the massive logistics
effort to support this operation. Redeployment of 1st COSCOM
started on January 12, 1990 with a mass parachute jump into the
Sicily Drop Zone.
The 1st COSCOM deployed to Saudi
Arabia in August 1990 as the support arm of the XVIII Airborne
Corps for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. This was to become
the largest military operation since World War II. During Operation
Desert Shield and Desert Storm, 1st COSCOM provided crucial
logistics support to 4 1/3 divisions. The command's five major
subordinate units: the 44th Medical Brigade and the 46th, 101st,
171st at and 507th Corps Support Groups provided a full range of
combat service support.
In November 1991, the 1st COSCOM
deployed Logistical Task Force 46 in support of the Haitian migrant
humanitarian relief effort at Guantanamo Bay. Serving as the ARFOR
Headquarters of Joint Task Force Guantanamo, this Task Force
provided logistical support, security and camp administration for
more than 15,000 Haitian migrants. In August 1992, 1st COSCOM
deployed a Logistical Task Force to Florida, in support of JTF
Andrew. Once again 1st COSCOM Soldiers provided humanitarian relief
to the victims of Hurricane Andrew.
In August 1993, the 1st COSCOM
deployed Logistical Task Force 507 in support of Operation Restore
Hope, Somalia. During a four-month period, Task Force 507 filled
over 94,000 Class IX requisitions, demilitarized over 3.5 million
weapons and ammunition, logged 610,000 miles, and 10 of its
Soldiers were awarded the Purple Heart.
In September 1994, the 1st COSCOM
deployed to Haiti in support of Operation Uphold Democracy. Serving
as the Joint Logistics Support Command, headquartered at
Port-Au-Prince, Soldiers from the 1st COSCOM provided critical
logistical supplies and services throughout the country. These
services ranged from graves registration, water purification and
showers to processing thousands of Class IX requisitions, and
providing fuel and food services for over 20,000 Soldiers, Sailors,
Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen.
In October 1995, the 1st COSCOM again
deployed to the U.S. Virgin Islands in support of Hurricane
Disaster Relief. Soldiers from the 1st COSCOM provided immediate
delivery of emergency logistical supplies and services throughout
the area of operations.
1st COSCOM was again alerted in early
November 1998 to deploy the 46th Corps Support Group (CSG) to
Central America in support of Hurricane Mitch Relief Operations.
Personnel and equipment began deploying in early December and
completed deployment to Central America by mid-month. Headquarters,
46th CSG was located at Comalapa Air Base. Task Force 264th was
located in Guatemala and Task Force 189 was located at
Nicaragua.
In May 1999, Soldiers from 1st COSCOM
deployed to Fort Dix in support of Operation Provide Refuge. They
provided for over 4,000 Albanian Refugees during the operation. In
November 2001, Logistics Task Force 507th was formed and deployed
to Uzbekistan. The LTF provided a full range of support to ground
forces in Operation Enduring Freedom. In June 2002, the 1st Corps
Support Command formed and deployed a Joint Logistical Command to
Uzbekistan from elements of the 1st COSCOM Headquarters, the 330th
MCB, and the 2d CMMC to support the Combined Joint Task Force
180.
In January 2003, 1st Corps Support
Command units began to deploy in support of Operation Iraqi
Freedom. The initial unit to deploy was the 126th Transportation
Company, along with several Movement Control Teams. In November
2004 the 1st Corps Support Command deployed to Iraq. 1st COSCOM
provided logistics support to the joint Multi-National Corps-Iraq
and it's Coalition partners.
On April 16, 2006, the 1st COSCOM was
redesignated as the 1st Sustainment Command (Theater) and
reassigned to 3rd Army.
In May 2007 the 1st Sustainment
Command (Theater) deployed on an enduring mission to support
logistical operation throughout the CENTCOM AOR. The command
deployed to Kuwait to support both operations in Iraq, Afghanistan,
Horn of Africa and the Sinai. The command maintains a forward
command post in Kuwait ensuring our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen,
Marines and Coast Guardsmen are supplied with whatever they need,
where ever they are.
ENDURING SUPPORT
The 1st TSC served five
years in Vietnam and continues to support the fight against
terrorism for U.S. Central Command. What had been the largest
military operation since World War II for COSCOM in Operation
Desert Shield/Desert Storm has been dwarfed by the staggering
volume of personnel, equipment and terrain sustained for Operations
Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn and Enduring Freedom. Today the headquarters
at Fort Bragg provides reach back and support to the forward
deployed command team in Kuwait where the "First Team" manages
people, transportation and ports to ensure critical supplies get to
destinations before the need to ask. Be it fuel, water, building
materials or ammunition, 1st TSC provides enduring
sustainment for a battlefield of over 6 millions square miles, and
to hundreds of thousands of troops.
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