1st Cavalry Division
Engineer Brigade
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"Eighth Engineers dig in to defend El Qaysumah Airfield"
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Introduction
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"Eighth Engineers dig in to defend El Qaysumah Airfield"
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Introduction
The 1st Cavalry Division Engineer Brigade is a subordinate command of the 1st
Cavalry Division, a heavily armored division stationed at Fort Hood, Texas as
part of the U.S. Third Mobile Armored Corps. As an element of the two
"on-call" heavy contingency force divisions of the Army, the Engineer Brigade,
composed of the 8th, 20th and 91st Engineer Battalions, has an on-order
mission to deploy by sea, air or land to any part of the world on a short
notice to support the Manuever Regiments to destroy, neutralize, or suppress
the enemy by cannon, rocket, and missile fires and to integrate all fires
into combined arms operations.
The history of the Corps of Engineers can be traced back to 11 March 1779,
when Congress resolved that "the Engineers in the service of the United States
shall be formed into a Corps and styled the Corps of Engineers." The
Revolution began in earnest with Engineers throwing up hasty defenses on the
forward slopes of Breeds Hill near Boston. The site was to become famous as
the location of the Battle of Bunker Hill. The culminating decisive battle in
our War for Independence occurred in October 1781, as the tried and tested
Engineers overcame the British defenses at Yorktown, Virginia.
The advent of new technology to warfare and the size of the American Army
presented the Engineers with unprecedented challenges. Engineers not only
supported the other combat arms -- often fighting as infantry; but also built
the camps, supply facilities, and transportation systems needed to sustain the
fighting army.
The 8th Engineer Battalion (Mounted) was the Engineering Battalion assigned to
the 1st Cavalry Division when it was organized on 13 September 1921, at Fort
Bliss, Texas. The tactical significance of the Engineering organizations was
recognized on 28 April 1992, with the provisional activation of the Engineer
Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division and the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment
at Fort Hood, Texas. The Brigade was formed by reorganizing the 8th Engineer
Battalion in July 1992 and moving the 20th Engineer Battalion from Fort
Campbell, Kentucky and reorganizing it from a wheeled corps to a mechanized
divisional battalion in June 1992 and by activating the 91st Engineer
Battalion from a zero balance in October 1992. The Brigade was formally
organized on 16 October 1992. The Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment
of the Brigade provides command and control for its three battalions and
provides staff support to the division.
The current capability of the Engineer Brigade has been developed in
conjunction with the long history and needs of the 1st Cavalry Division. It
is the combination of the experienced training received by each dedicated
member of the Team and adherence to the performance level and traditions of
the past. Highlights of the many subsequent historical critical missions
performed by members of the Engineer Brigade and the honors they achieved are
summarized in the chapters that follow:
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assigned elements, you may find it interesting enough to send a message to
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Now is the time for a break.
Special thanks to:
and
Steven C. Draper
Director/Curator
1st Cavalry Division Museum
Fort Hood, TX
For the provision of timely assistance and supporting documentation of the
historical missions and assignments of the Engineer Brigade, 1st Cavalry
Division.
Colonel Robert (Bob) F. Litle (Retired)
Program Director
1st Cavalry Division Association
"Alumni of the First Team"
Copperas Cove, TX
For the technical coordination of the historical review team.
Reference Books and Documentation
Armstrong, Frank H., Editor; "1st Cavalry Division and Their 8th Engineers in
Korea", Bull Run of Vermont Inc. - Burlington, VT 1997
Bluhm, Col Raymond K. Jr; "1st Cavalry Division Organizational History",
Historical Services Branch, Center of Military History - Washington, DC 1992
Dunn, Si; "The First Cavalry Division - A Historical Overview 1921-1983",
Taylor Publishing Co. - Dallas, TX 1984
HHC, 1st Cavalry Division; "1st Cavalry Division", Published by Information
Section - Korea 1958 (Revised 1960)
The 1st Air Cavalry Division; "Vietnam 1965 - 1969", Published by Dia Printing
Company, Ltd. - Tokyo, Japan 1970
Phillipos, J. E. and Gregory, R. M.;"America's First Team in the Gulf",
Taylor Publishing Co. - Dallas, TX 1992
Ullom, Gary L.; "Saber" VOl 46 NO 1, 5 and 6, 1st Cavalry Division Association
- Copperas Cove, TX 1997
First Team Public Affairs Office
Staff Document; "Historical Presentation", - Fort Hood, TX Undated
Staff Document; "Change of Command - Engineer Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division",
- Fort Hood, TX 03 July 1996
Staff Document; "Change of Command - 8th Engineer Battalion", - Fort Hood,
TX 16 June 1997
Staff Document; "Change of Command - 20th Engineer Battalion", - Fort Hood,
TX 19 June 1994
Staff Document; "Change of Command - 91st Engineer Battalion", - Fort Hood,
TX 09 July 1996
InterNet WEB Sites
588th Engineer Battalion (Combat, Army) Alumni Home Page
Mississippi State University; "The Vietnam War"
National Archives and Records Administration; "Still Pictures Branch"
U.S. Army Engineer Museum; Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri
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Copyright © 1996, Cavalry Outpost Publications ® and
Trooper Wm. H. Boudreau, "F" Troop, 8th Cavalry Regiment (1946 - 1947). All
rights to this body of work are reserved and are not in the public domain,
unless as noted in the bibliography. Reproduction, or transfer by electronic
means, of the History of the Engineer Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division or any
internal element, is not permitted without prior authorization. Readers are
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Revised 07 Mar '06