Unit history
World War II
The parent unit of the 19th Engineer Battalion was constituted on October 1, 1933, in the Regular Army as the 36th Engineer Regiment. The 19th Engineer Battalion originated as the 3rd Battalion of the 36th Engineer Combat Regiment. The regiment was activated at Plattsburg Barracks in June 1941. The Regiment was trained for amphibious and support operation, earning the unit its distinctive seahorse.
During World War II, the battalion conducted five amphibious landings while accompanying allied armies through Africa, Italy, France, Germany, and Austria. 3rd Battalion deployed to the North Africa Campaign in 1942, where it conducted its first contested amphibious landing as a part of Operation Torch. The unit would move with and support allied forces east through North Africa during the Tunisia Campaign.
After pushing Axis forces out of North Africa, the battalion participated in the Battle of Sicily, its second amphibious landing. It would push across the island with the 7th Army, eventually forcing German and Italian forces off Sicily. The unit followed across the Mediterranean, taking part in its third amphibious assault at Naples-Foggia, followed by its fourth in support of Operation Shingle near Anzio. For fifty days, the battalion was part of the 7 miles (11 kilometers) Brigade front, earning the distinction as "The Little Seahorse Division" by the German Army. [4]
In 1944, the 3rd Battalion participated in the invasion of southern France, code-named Operation Dragoon, conducting what would be its fifth and final amphibious assault of the war. It would continue to support Allied forces through three subsequent campaigns: the Rhineland Campaign, the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign, and the Central Europe Campaign. [5]
On February 15, 1945, the unit was re-designated the 36th Engineer Combat Group, with the 3rd Battalion being re-designated the 2828th Combat Engineer Battalion at Fort Lewis. The battalion had suffered 902 combat casualties, including 44 killed in action. For their gallantry and service, the battalion was awarded 10 campaign streamers from World War II. Soldiers in the battalion earned seven Silver Stars and 13 Bronze Stars. [6]
Cold War
Stateside
On April 29, 1947, the 2828th Engineer Battalion was re-designated the 19th Engineer Combat Battalion and activated at Fort Meade, MD on July 9, 1952. During this time it focused mainly on training, local construction, and domestic relief missions on the East Coast of the United States. In October 1954, it responded to the destruction caused by Hurricane Hazel, helping to clear and rebuild the area around Cambridge and Wingate, Maryland. In August 1955, the 19th assisted the citizens of northern Pennsylvania after Hurricane Diane caused massive flooding in the region. In the winter of 1958, the battalion returned to Maryland to assist with a snow emergency in Baltimore. Finally, they travelled to French Creek in Pennsylvania where they conducted explosive clearing of ice floes in two gorges to prevent flooding.
Vietnam War
In 1965, the battalion deployed to Vietnam in an amphibious landing on the beaches of Qui Nhon. Its primary mission was to upgrade highway QL-1 from a dirt trail to an all-weather road connecting Qui Nhon and Bong Son. The first phase of this project consisted of the construction of seven Bailey Bridges, decking three existing railroad bridges, and building six timber trestle bridges. During this time, the battalion completed construction projects in support of the Republic of Korea Tiger Division, the 4th Cavalry, the Americal Division, the 4th Infantry Division, and the 199th Light Infantry Brigade, to include port and airfield repair, warehouses, fuel and ammo depots, and pipelines. In the end, the 19th improved and upgraded more than 70 kilometers of QL-1, constructing 11 Bailey Bridges and 34 timber pile bridges, so multiple times, through near-daily enemy contact. The unit returned to Fort Lewis, on October 14, 1970, having suffered more than 505 casualties including 105 killed in action. [4]
Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm
The battalion deployed to Saudi Arabia in early 1991 in support of the 1st Armored Division, during which time they constructed two crossing routes over the Trans-Arabian pipeline. With the beginning of the invasion of Iraq on February 24, B and C Companies pushed 200 lanes through the berms along the Iraq/Saudi Arabia border. As the 1st Armored Division pushed into Iraq, the battalion built 220 km of road and constructed FARPs for 4th Aviation Brigade's AH-64 Apache helicopters. They also provided recovery support for the 1st Armored Division as their vehicles became stuck in the wet sand of the region. All told, the 19ths built or maintained more than 475 km of roads, 15 helipads, four pipeline crossings, three prisoner holding areas, and 241 points of entry into Iraq. [4]
Global War on Terror
Operation Iraqi Freedom
On October 16, 2005, the 19th Engineer Battalion was reactivated at Fort Knox, KY, as the Army's first modular Engineer Battalion, allowing each company to deploy individually in support of US operations. In August 2006, the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Forward Support Company, 15th Engineer Company, and 72d Survey and Design Detachment deployed to Iraq, followed in October by the 60th Engineer Company. The battalion was assigned the mission of assured mobility, partnering with Iraqi Army Engineer Units to provide General Engineering (GE) support within Task Force Lightning's (25th Infantry Division) Area of Operations (AO). [7] It repaired 2664 road craters and 40 destroyed culverts throughout its 15-month deployment, returning to Fort Knox in November 2007. [4] During this deployment, the unit lost its only Soldier during the Global War on Terror, 1LT Christopher Rutherford of the Forward Support Group, who died in an IED strike in July 2007. [8]
502nd Multi-role Bridging Company (MRBC) deployed to Iraq in support of the Iraqi offensive into Mosul. This deployment was both a training mission and an operational mission. The Soldiers worked with an Iraqi bridge regiment in preparing and emplacing a 230-meter Improved Ribbon Bridge across the Tigris River. They also assisted in the repair of a bridge across the Zab River. [9]
Operation Enduring Freedom
In December 2006, the 76th Engineer Company deployed to Afghanistan in support of a brigade expansion. With the Afghan Theater expanding to include two Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs), life support capabilities needed to be expanded to accommodate the increased troop presence. As such, half of the company began construction to expand Bagram Airfield before moving to FOB Fenty in February 2007 to rapidly expand housing and infrastructure. The other half of the company was tasked with the same mission at FOB Salerno before the company reconsolidated at FOB Fenty in June 2007. [10]
When 173d Airborne Brigade Combat Team took over the battlespace, 76th continued their work, constructing 185 B-huts, four SEA-huts, and six brick-and-mortar barracks across 14 FOBs. The company was then tasked with the winterization of the theater, constructing or upgrading infrastructure at 16 FOBs simultaneously. The company returned to Fort Knox in March 2008. [11]
On April 28, 2009, the battalion returned to Afghanistan with 15th Engineer Company, 60th Engineer Company, 76th Engineer Company, [11] and eventually 502d Multi-role Bridge Company, setting up its battalion command post at Kandahar Air Field. [12] With Kandahar as the main hub, the battalion pushed companies to FOBs Wolverine, Frontenac, and Spin Buldak, respectively. Though deployed independently of each other, the three engineer companies had similar missions: expanding life support areas and improving FOB security and force protection measures throughout their AOs. These improvements included helipads, taxiways, UAV landing strips, berms, entry control points, and ammunition holding areas among other construction projects. In total, the battalion completed more than $23 million worth of work while deployed.
In August 2009, 502 MRBC joined the battalion in Afghanistan to conduct fixed and float bridging operations throughout Afghanistan. Most of the company, including the headquarters, was stationed at Camp Leatherneck to support operations in the Helmand river valley, while one platoon remained at Kandahar. These elements provided bridge site reconnaissance and support to their respective AOs. Sites included the Saracha Bridge along Highway 1, the Regak Bridge in Uruzgan Province, and the construction of a Mabey Johnson Bridge at the Andar Bridge site. In April 2010, the 19th Engineer Battalion began its return to Fort Knox. [4]
In Nov 2013, 19th Engineer Battalion, along with 450 Soldiers, deployed to Kuwait on their fourth deployment since their reactivation at Fort Knox under the command of LTC John Lloyd. [13] During the deployment, the unit was responsible for road construction, infrastructure improvements, and a variety of facility upgrades, including projects in Tajikistan. The unit redeployed to Kentucky in August 2014. [14]
In Mar 2016, 42nd Clearance Company deployed to Afghanistan, less than three years after joining 19th Engineer Battalion at Fort Knox. [15] Captain Jason Schwartz took the company to Afghanistan where they conducted route clearance operations and provided security to multiple bases across Afghanistan, while performing engineer and construction tasks. [16] They deployed again between Oct 2018 and July 2019 under CPT Aaron Beatty, the battalion's last deployment as a part of the Global War on Terror. During this deployment, 42nd conducted route clearance missions in support of Operation Freedom's Sentinel in southern Afghanistan. The unit identified and cleared more than 400 IED's, 8 rocket sites, and conducted more than 200 Quick Reaction Force Missions. [17]
Named exercises
DEFENDER-Europe 21
In May 2021, 541st SAPPER Company deployed to Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria to take part in the annual multi-national NATO training exercise DEFENDER-Europe. [25] While at DEFENDER-Europe 21, 541st worked hand-in-hand with Bulgarian and American units to execute a complex training scenario focusing on counter-mobility operations. They returned from this operation in June 2021. DEFENDER-Europe is the premiere NATO training operation, integrating more than 28,000 Soldiers from more than 26 nations to respond to crisis should the need arise. [26]
Resolute Castle 21
In July 2021, 887 Engineer Support Company, based out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, deployed to Cincu, Romania in support of US Army Europe and Africa's (USAREUR-AF) Resolute Castle 21 mission. Resolute Castle is a multinational training exercise that traditionally has been supported by US Army Reserve and National Guard Engineer Units, as well as NATO Engineers, for up to six months of the year. [27] RC21 was the seventh iteration. [28] 887 ESC fell under 62nd Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade during their rotation to Europe, where they worked on multiple construction products in support of US Allies and partners.
Commanders
LTC Larson (1944)
LTC Gibbons, Thomas (1944) KIA
LTC Lombard, Joseph (1944–1945)
LTC Goodbread, Edward M (9 July 1952 – 18 November 1953)
MAJ Denton, Charles T (19 November 1953 – 12 August 1954)
LTC McCord, Howard A. (13 August 1954 – )
LTC Vassalutti, Frank J. (13 July 1957 – )
LTC Phillips, William J.
LTC Young, Roger L. (25 October 1959 – 12 August 1960)
LTC Mewshaw, Charles T. (13 August 1960 – 14 July 1961)
LTC Regn, Elmer M. (15 July 1961 – 6 April 1962)
LTC Savio, Wayne L. (7 April 1962 – )
LTC Jones, Thomas C. (1963)
LTC Mattews, Amos C (30 June 1965 – 16 July 1966)
LTC Rhodes, Nolan C. (16 July 1966 – 23 July 1967)
LTC Remson, Andrew C Jr. (23 July 1967 – 2 March 1968)
LTC Sutton, James L. (2 March 1968 – 7 September 1968)
LTC Wisdom, Donald L. (7 September 1968 – 7 February 1969)
LTC Burns, Gilbert L. (7 February 1969 – 10 July 1969)
LTC Andrews, Wilson P (11 July 1969 – 15 February 1970)
LTC Gardner, Morris L (15 February 1970 – 10 June 1970)
LTC West, Pleasant (10 June 1970 – 4 November 1970)
LTC Carpenter, Robert (4 November 1970 – 16 December 1970)
LTC Tritz, Jim (1 May 1976 – late 1977)
LTC Hardiman, Robert R (late 1977 – May 1979)
LTC McCollister, Kenneth W (May 1979 – November 1980)
LTC Lafond, Clovis O. (November 1980 – May 1983)
LTC Daly, Timothy E. (May 1983 – 10 May 1985)
LTC Gnace, James (10 May 1985 – )
LTC Paul, Courtney (October 2005 – 12 February 2008)
LTC Roscoe, Heath C. (12 February 2008 – 24 June 2010)
LTC Ray, David C. (24 June 2010 – June 2012)
LTC Lloyd, Paul C (June 2012 – 5 September 2014) [13]
LTC Handura, James J (5 September 2014 – 2016)
LTC Pinchasin, Esther S (2016–2018)
LTC Morgan, Brad A. (2018 – 24 July 2020) [31]
LTC Beal, Christopher O. (24 July 2020 – 30 June 2022)
LTC Bradford, Todd F. (30 June 2022 – present) [29]
United States 
