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1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division

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1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division
11th Airborne Division Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, worn by 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team paratroopers
Active1917 – present
CountryUnited States United States of America
Branch United States Army
TypeMotorized infantry
Part of11th Airborne Division
Garrison/HQFort Wainwright, Alaska
Nickname(s)Arctic Wolves
EngagementsWorld War I
World War II
Vietnam War
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Operation Enduring Freedom

The 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division is a infantry brigade combat team (BCT) of the United States Army, part of the 11th Airborne Division. Until 2022, the brigade was formally assigned to the 25th Infantry Division.

The unit is stationed at Fort Wainwright, Alaska.

Organization

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History

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Colonel Todd R. Wood, former commander of the 1/25th Infantry Brigade, and Sergeant Major Bernie Knight unfurl the brigade's flag during the redeployment ceremony at the Army airfield Fort Wainwright.

The brigade traces its history to the headquarters of the 167th Infantry Brigade of the 84th Division, created in 1917. It was reorganized and renamed in 1942 as the 84th Reconnaissance Troop (excluding the 3rd Platoon) of the 84th Division. The 84th Infantry Division entered combat in Holland in November 1944. In response to the German counterattack in the Ardennes, the 84th Regiment was sent to Belgium to help stop the German advance. After invading Germany and facing strong German resistance, the 84th Division crossed the Ruhr and Rhine rivers, reaching the Elbe River and on May 2, 1945, joined forces with the Soviet Red Army. The 84th Reconnaissance Troop was disbanded in 1946 and reformed in 1947 as the 84th Reconnaissance Platoon (later Company). The 84th Reconnaissance Company was disbanded in 1959. At the same time, it was reorganized (excluding the 3rd Platoon) into the headquarters and headquarters company (HQ) of the 167th Infantry Brigade. It was renamed the headquarters and headquarters company of the 1st Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division and began operating on August 26, 1963, at Schofield Barracks.

Arriving in Vietnam on April 29, 1966, the 1/25th Brigade was initially based in Cu Chi and participated in all twelve campaigns of the 25th Division, receiving a citation for courage in the Tay Ninh province. The battalions serving in the 1st Brigade were the 4/9th Infantry, 2/14th Infantry (until February 1970), 3/22nd Infantry (from February 1970), and 4/23rd Infantry (mechanized). The 1st Brigade left Vietnam on December 8, 1970. It was stationed at Schofield Barracks from 1971 until its relocation to Fort Lewis, Washington, in 1995.

In early 2002, the 1/25th Brigade began its transformation from a light infantry brigade to a "Stryker" brigade. It achieved combat readiness in mid-2004 and began a year-long deployment in Iraq in September 2004. The 1/25th Brigade distinguished itself by conducting large-scale combat operations against insurgent forces and engaging in stability initiatives in and around the city of Mosul. For its operations in Iraq, the 1st Brigade and its subordinate units received a unit award for valor and credit for participation in the Iraq management campaign. The brigade returned to Fort Lewis in September 2005. On June 1, 2006, the 1/25th Brigade and its subordinate units were deactivated, with its personnel and equipment transferred to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment.

On December 16, 2006, the 1st Mechanized Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division was reactivated at Fort Wainwright (Alaska). The 172nd Infantry Brigade, which had returned after 16 months of combat duty in Iraq, was officially re-designated as the 1st Stryker Brigade of the 25th Infantry Division,[1] with personnel and equipment transferred from the deactivated 172nd Mechanized Brigade.[2] In September 2008, the 1/25th Mechanized Brigade began a 12-month deployment in Iraq. The 1/25th Stryker Brigade, stationed in Diyala province, northeast of Baghdad, served as part of a multinational division—Operational Group "Northern Lightning." The brigade successfully conducted combat operations in partnership with Iraqi security forces against insurgent elements, as well as numerous civil action projects aimed at improving the quality of life in the province. The 1/25th Stryker Brigade received recognition for its participation in the "Iraqi Surge" and "Iraq Sovereignty" campaigns and returned to Fort Wainwright in September 2009.

From May 2011 to May 2012, the 1/25th Stryker Brigade was deployed for the first time in southern Afghanistan. During its 12-month deployment, the 1/25th Stryker Brigade was based in Kandahar province. In partnership with the Afghan 1st Brigade, 205th Corps Atal ANA, and Afghan police units, the 1/25th Mechanized Brigade's capabilities significantly enabled Afghan forces and ISAF units to conduct offensive operations, leading to a significant reduction in insurgent attacks in the province. For its service in Afghanistan, the 1/25th Stryker Brigade was credited with participation in the "Consolidation III" and "Transition I" military campaigns.[3]

On June 6, 2022, the brigade was re-designated as the 1st Infantry Brigade of the 11th Airborne Division. Prior to June 6, 2022, the brigade had been under the command of the U.S. Army Alaska Command, formally part of the 25th Infantry Division, whose headquarters are located in Hawaii.[4] It was announced that the 1/11th Infantry Brigade would disassemble its Strykers in summer 2022 and transfer operational vehicles to other Army mechanized units. After these changes, the brigade would test several new vehicles, including the dual-tracked all-terrain vehicle CATV, which would replace the former Stryker.[5] On August 22, the dual-tracked all-terrain vehicle BvS10 Beowulf was selected to replace the Stryker.[6]

Lineage and honors

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Soldiers stand in formation during the reflagging ceremony of the 172nd Stryker Brigade to the 1st/25th Stryker Brigade at Fairbanks, Alaska, on December 14, 2006.
  • Formed on August 5, 1917, in the National Army as the Headquarters of the 167th Infantry Brigade, assigned to the 84th Division
  • Organized on August 25, 1917, at Camp Zachary Taylor, Kentucky
  • Demobilized in February 1919 at Camp Zachary Taylor, Kentucky
  • Reconstituted on June 24, 1921, as Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 167th Infantry Brigade in the Organized Reserves, assigned to the 84th Division
  • Organized in November 1921 in Southern Indiana
  • Renamed on March 23, 1925, to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 167th Brigade
  • Renamed on August 24, 1936, to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 167th Infantry Brigade
  • Reorganized and renamed on February 23, 1942, to the 84th Reconnaissance Troop (excluding the 3rd Platoon) of the 84th Division (simultaneously, Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 168th Infantry Brigade was reorganized and renamed as the 3rd Platoon of the 84th Reconnaissance Troop)
  • Activated on October 15, 1942, and reorganized at Camp Howze, Texas, into the 84th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop, part of the 84th Infantry Division
  • Reorganized and renamed on August 12, 1943, to the 84th Reconnaissance Mechanized Company
  • Inactivated on January 24, 1946, at Camp Kilmer, New Jersey
  • Renamed on December 19, 1946, to the 84th Mechanized Cavalry Reconnaissance Platoon, assigned to the 84th Airborne Division
  • Activated on June 11, 1947, in Madison, Wisconsin (Organized Reserves were renamed on March 25, 1948, to the Organized Reserve Corps; renamed on July 9, 1952, to the Army Reserve)
  • Reorganized and renamed on April 6, 1948, to the Reconnaissance Platoon of the 84th Airborne Division
  • Reorganized and renamed on March 29, 1951, to the 84th Airborne Reconnaissance Company, assigned to the 84th Airborne Division
  • Reorganized and renamed on March 1, 1952, to the 84th Reconnaissance Company, part of the 84th Infantry Division; location moved to Appleton, Wisconsin
  • Location moved on May 18, 1953, to Wausau, Wisconsin
  • Inactivated on May 18, 1959, in Wausau, Wisconsin; simultaneously reconstituted (excluding the 3rd Platoon) in the Regular Army as Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 167th Infantry Brigade (the 3rd Platoon of the 84th Reconnaissance Company continued as a separate unit)
  • Renamed on June 21, 1963, to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division
  • Activated on August 26, 1963, at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
  • Reorganized and renamed on July 27, 2005, to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division
  • Inactivated on June 1, 2006, at Fort Lewis, Washington
  • Activated on December 16, 2006, at Fort Wainwright, Alaska[3]
  • Reorganized and renamed on June 6, 2022, to the 1st Brigade, 11th Airborne Division.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "A Stryker soldier holds his daughter". Department of Defense. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  2. ^ "172nd Stryker Brigade legacy to live on as unit 'Reflags,' gets new Commanders". US Army. 15 December 2006. Archived from the original on 7 May 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022. style="background: #DFF; color:black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="free table-free"|PD-US Army
  3. ^ a b "1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team History". US Army. 5 May 2016. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  4. ^ "New Army 11th Airborne Division Gets Stand Up Date, Force Outline". Military News. 18 May 2022. Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Army activates Arctic-focused 11th Airborne Division in Alaska, cuts Strykers". Stars and Stripes. Archived from the original on 6 June 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
  6. ^ "BAE Systems wins US Army deal for Cold Weather All-Terrain Vehicle". 23 August 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
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