168th Engineer Brigade (United States)

Last updated

168th Engineer Brigade
168EngineerBdeSSI.svg
168th Engineer Brigade Shoulder Sleeve Insignia
Active1951 – Present
CountryUnited States
Branch US Army National Guard
Type Combat engineer brigade
Role Combat Engineers
Size Brigade
HQ Vicksburg, Mississippi
Motto(s)"ESSAYONS"
Engagements
DecorationsHeadquarters and Headquarters Company:
Commanders
Current
commander
Colonel Kendrick Cager
Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia 168 Eng Bde DUI.jpg

The 168th Engineer Brigade is a Combat Engineer brigade of the United States Army based in Vicksburg, Mississippi. It is a part of the Mississippi Army National Guard and was redesignated from the 168th Engineer Group in 2008.

Contents

Under the administrative and training supervision of the 184th Sustainment Command, the brigade is in turn responsible for the peacetime administration and training of two subordinate battalions spread through Mississippi: the 223rd Engineer Battalion and the 890th Engineer Battalion. [1]

History

The lineage of the 168th Engineer Brigade headquarters began with the organization and Federal recognition of the Vicksburg-based headquarters battery of the nondivisional 204th Antiaircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion on 30 April 1951. The 204th was one of 20 new nondivisional units allotted to the Mississippi Army National Guard several weeks earlier on 16 March. [2] The 168th Engineer Combat Group headquarters was soon allotted to the Mississippi Army National Guard to control its nondivisional engineer units. [3] As a result, the battery was converted into the Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 168th Engineer Combat Group on 9 October. Battery C of the 204th at Laurel was reorganized as the new headquarters battery. [4]

The group was redesignated as 168th Engineer Group on 1 February 1953. By mid-1953, it controlled the 114th Engineer Battalion, and the separate 138th, 139th, 146th, 156th, and 157th Engineer Companies. The group conducted two weeks of summer training that year at Fort McClellan with the other nondivisional Mississippi Army National Guard units. [5] On 15 June 1954 the Vicksburg-based Headquarters and Service Company and Medical Detachment of the 106th Engineer Battalion of the 31st Infantry Division were consolidated into the 168th Engineer Group headquarters when the former returned to state control following the Korean War mobilization of the division. The 106th Engineer Battalion headquarters had been organized at Vicksburg in 1934 as Company B, 106th Engineers and served with the 31st Division in World War II as Company B of the 106th Engineer Combat Battalion. [2]

The 85-strong group headquarters departed for Fort Stewart in February 2003 prior to a deployment to Iraq. [6] The unit spent eleven months in Iraq stationed near Balad Air Base providing command and control to engineer units, returning to Vicksburg in April 2004. [7] It was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation for its performance between 10 February 2003 and 9 February 2004 while under control of the 130th Engineer Brigade. [8] The 168th Engineer Group headquarters was planned to be eliminated during the modular reorganization but instead was redesignated as the 168th Engineer Brigade headquarters in a 13 January 2008 ceremony due to its readiness and performance. [9] This resulted in an increase of the headquarters authorized strength from 83 to 125 personnel. [10] [11] Notified of a deployment to Afghanistan, the roughly 139-strong brigade headquarters departed for pre-deployment training at Camp Shelby in December of that year. [12] The brigade headquarters coordinated engineer operations in Paktika and Parwan Provinces while in-country between 1 March and 19 November 2009, and was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation for its performance. [13]

Commanders

The following officers have commanded the group and brigade:

Honors

The 168th Engineer Brigade headquarters is entitled to the following campaign participation credit: [20]

The 168th Engineer Brigade headquarters is entitled to the following decorations: [20]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">503rd Infantry Regiment (United States)</span> Airborne infantry regiment of the United States Army

The 503rd Infantry Regiment, formerly the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment and the 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, is an airborne infantry regiment of the United States Army. The regiment served as an independent regiment in the Pacific War during World War II; at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; in Okinawa, Japan; and in Germany. Regimental elements have been assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division, the 11th Airborne Division, the 24th Infantry Division, 25th Infantry Division, the 82nd Airborne Division, 101st Airborne Division, and the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Regimental elements have participated in campaigns in the Vietnam War, Operation Enduring Freedom–Afghanistan, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The regiment claims 15 Medal of Honor recipients: two from World War II, ten from Vietnam, and three from Afghanistan. A parent regiment under the U.S. Army Regimental System. The regiment's 1st and 2nd Battalions are active, assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade, based at Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy. The 3rd and 4th Battalions as well as Companies E, F, G, H, and I have been inactived.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oregon Army National Guard</span> Military unit

The Oregon Army National Guard is a federally mandated and equipped military organization under the civilian direction of the Oregon Military Department, with the Governor of Oregon as its Commander-in-Chief. It responds to state and national emergencies, military conflicts and natural disasters, and conducts search and rescue operations. While the history of the militia dates back to the establishment of the first Oregon militia in 1843, the present Guard was not established until after 1903. The modern Guard includes citizen soldiers, and its motto is "When we are needed, we are there."

The Mississippi Army National Guard is the Army National Guard component of the Mississippi National Guard. It was originally formed in 1798. It is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. It is managed by the Mississippi Military Department.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">53rd Troop Command</span> Military unit

The 53rd Troop Command is an administrative headquarters of the New York Army National Guard that provides direction for units not under another brigade or other formation headquarters (HQ). It also provides administrative support to units from other formations in the New York area that are stationed a long way from their higher HQ.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">35th Engineer Brigade (United States)</span> Combat engineer brigade of the United States Army National Guard of Missouri

The 35th Engineer Brigade is a combat engineer brigade of the United States Army National Guard of Missouri based at Fort Leonard Wood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">204th Engineer Battalion (United States)</span> Military unit

The 204th Engineer Battalion was constituted on 1 December 1967 in the New York Army National Guard. This battalion was organized on 1 February 1967 from existing units in south-central New York. The headquarters of the unit was established in Binghamton, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">214th Fires Brigade (United States)</span> Military unit

The 214th Fires Brigade is an inactive field artillery brigade in the United States Army. The brigade inactivated on May 21, 2015, at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">75th Field Artillery Brigade (United States)</span> Military unit

The 75th Field Artillery Brigade is an artillery brigade in the United States Army. It is currently based in Fort Sill, Oklahoma and supports the III Armored Corps. The brigade is officially tasked to train and prepares for combat; on orders deploys to any area of operations to plan, synchronize and execute combined, and joint fires and effects. Integrate attached ground and air maneuver forces and on order function as a maneuver headquarters in support of full spectrum operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">169th Field Artillery Brigade</span> Military unit

The 169th Field Artillery Brigade is an artillery brigade in the US Army National Guard. It is part of the Colorado Army National Guard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">412th Engineer Command (United States)</span> Engineering command within the U.S. Army Reserve Command

The 412th Theater Engineer Command is a United States Army Reserve unit that conducts theater-level engineer operations for Eighth U.S. Army, Korea; U.S. Army Europe; and U.S. Army Pacific, supports continental U.S. – based engineer requirements as directed, and is prepared to participate in Joint and Combined regional contingency operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">67th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade</span> Military unit

The 67th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade is a maneuver enhancement brigade (MEB) of the Nebraska Army National Guard. It derives its lineage from the 67th Infantry Brigade (Mechanized), previously a component of the 35th Infantry Division (Mechanized). The brigade has also been organized as an area support group from 2003–2008, and as a battlefield surveillance brigade from 2008–2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">155th Armored Brigade Combat Team</span> Military unit

The 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team is a brigade combat team of the Mississippi Army National Guard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">14th Engineer Battalion</span> Military unit

The 14th Brigade Engineer Battalion is a Combat Engineer Battalion of the United States Army based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The battalion is a subordinate unit of the 2nd Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, and I Corps. The battalion's official motto is "Gong Mu Ro" and battle cry "Rugged!".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">157th Field Artillery Regiment</span> Military unit

The 157th Field Artillery Regiment (First Colorado) is a United States Army Regimental System field artillery parent regiment of the United States Army National Guard, represented in the Colorado Army National Guard by the 3rd Battalion, 157th Field Artillery Regiment, part of the 169th Field Artillery Brigade at Colorado Springs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">160th Field Artillery Regiment (United States)</span> Military unit

The 1st Battalion, 160th Field Artillery Regiment is headquartered in Chandler, Oklahoma. It is a part of the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma Army National Guard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division (United States)</span> Military unit

The 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division is an Armored Brigade Combat Team of the United States Army, stationed at Fort Bliss, TX.

Troop E,256th Cavalry was the armored cavalry reconnaissance troop of the 256th Infantry Brigade of the Louisiana Army National Guard from 1967 to 1995. It was the only unit assigned to the 256th Cavalry parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System, which carried over to the replacement United States Army Regimental System.

The 118th Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the Georgia Army National Guard. The regiment's 1st Battalion is the cannon battalion assigned to the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. It is one of several National Guard units with colonial roots and campaign credit for the War of 1812.

The 122nd Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the Illinois Army National Guard. The regiment's 2nd Battalion is the cannon battalion assigned to the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">123rd Field Artillery Regiment</span> Military unit

The 123rd Field Artillery Regiment is an active Field Artillery Branch regiment of the Illinois Army National Guard. The regiment's 2nd Battalion last served as a towed, 155mm cannon battalion assigned to the 169th Field Artillery Brigade, though administratively under the control of the 65th Troop Command.

References

  1. "184th Sustainment Command". Mississippi National Guard. 10 November 2019.
  2. 1 2 "168th Engineer Group". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  3. "State To Activate 21 Guard Units". The Clarion-Ledger. 14 April 1951. p. 3.
  4. "Headquarters Battery Assigned To Laurel". The Clarion-Ledger. 30 October 1951. p. 16.
  5. "State Guardsmen Move Into Woods". Clarion-Ledger. 23 July 1953. p. 6.
  6. "Full 168th Engineer Group called, leaving for Georgia base this week". Vicksburg Post. 11 February 2003. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  7. "From Iraq's war zone to Mama's catfish". Vicksburg Post. 8 April 2004. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  8. 1 2 "DA GO 2007-03" (PDF). p. 13.
  9. "Vicksburg Guard unit to be redesignated". The Mississippi Press. AP. 12 January 2008. p. A4 via NewsBank.
  10. "Miss. Army National Guard's 168th Engineer Group to be redesignated". WDAM7. AP. 12 January 2008. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  11. "Orders increase 168th's numbers". Vicksburg Post. 14 January 2008. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  12. Barrett, Danny (10 December 2008). "First, Hattiesburg; next, Afghanistan". Vicksburg Post. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  13. 1 2 "Department of the Army Permanent Orders 020-07" (PDF). 20 January 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
  14. "Brigadier General Johnny M. Sellers". www.nationalguard.mil. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  15. "Chief, Joint Staff". ms.ng.mil. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  16. Clark, Jim (5 November 2014). "Kelly takes command of Engineer Brigade". Lee County Courier. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  17. "Brigadier General John T. Kelly". www.nationalguard.mil. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  18. Mississippi National Guard [@nationalguardMS] (8 November 2016). "The MSNG congratulates our Col. Ilos Ducksworth! He is now the new commander of Vicksburg's 168th EN Bde! He replaces Col. Trent Kelly" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  19. 1 2 Shannon, Christopher (16 May 2020). "Change of Command, 168th Engineer Brigade". Joint Force Headquarters, Mississippi National Guard. Retrieved 25 November 2020 via DVIDS.
  20. 1 2 "168th Engineer Brigade Distinctive Unit Insignia". tioh.army.mil. Retrieved 27 November 2020.