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863rd Engineer Battalion

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

863rd Engineer Battalion
(Combat) (Heavy)
863rd Engineer Battalion Distinctive Unit Insignia
Active1942–present
CountryUnited States
AllegianceUnited States Army
BranchUS Army Reserve
RoleCombat Engineers
SizeBattalion
Garrison/HQDarien, Illinois
Commanders
Battalion CommanderLTC Matthew Heid
Command Sergeant MajorCSM Dustin Gensley

The 863rd Engineer Battalion is an engineer battalion of the United States Army first formed in 1942. The 863rd participated in World War II.

Lineage and honors

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  • Constituted 15 July 1942 in the Army of the United States as the 1st Battalion, 922nd Engineer Regiment, Aviation
  • Activated 1 August 1942 at Geiger Field, Washington, as the 1st Battalion, 922nd Engineer Aviation Regiment
  • Redesignated 1 February 1942 as the 863rd Engineer Aviation Battalion
  • Inactivated 15 June 1946 in the Philippine Islands
  • Allotted 18 February 1949 to the Organized Reserve Corps
  • Activated 24 March 1949 with headquarters at Chicago, Illinois
  • (Organized Reserve Corps redesignated 9 July 1952 as the Army Reserve)
  • Inactivated 17 January 1955 at Chicago, Illinois
  • Redesignated 18 August 1959 as the 863rd Engineer Battalion
  • Activated 1 October 1959 with headquarters at Aurora, Illinois

Campaign participation credit

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World War II
  • New Guinea
  • Leyte
  • Luzon
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Inherent Resolve

Decorations

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  • Valorous Unit Award, Medal awarded to 863rd Engineer Battalion (Combat) (Heavy) for its performance in support of Task Force Strike, 2nd BCT, 101st Airborne Division throughout RC-South, Afghanistan, Operation Enduring Freedom; from 20 June 2010 to 15 April 2011.[1]

Controversy

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Operation Enduring Freedom
  • Controversy briefly erupted shortly after ending operations in Afghanistan (August 2011) when the 863rd Engineer Battalion was accused of abandoning one of its attached subordinate units to adverse weather conditions during the demobilization process in order to allow its organic personnel not to be inconvenienced by Hurricane Irene.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Valorous Unit Award Permanent Orders" (PDF).
  2. ^ Reserve soldier returns to Rothschild as Wausau unit stranded by hurricane http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/article/20110826/WDH0101/110826139/Reserve-soldier-returns-Rothschild-Wausau-unit-stranded-by-hurricane?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE
    Irene strands Wausau-based Reserve unit http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/128536943.html
    Hurricane Irene strands 12 local soldiers in New Jersey http://www.weau.com/home/headlines/Hurricane_Irene_strands_12_local_soldiers_in_New_Jersey__128572473.html
    Keokuk soldier makes his plane just ahead of Hurricane Irene http://www.thehawkeye.com/story/Coming-Home-082611
    Mokena Soldier Comes Home Sunday http://mokena.patch.com/articles/mokena-soldier-comes-home-sunday
    Soldiers welcomed home in Countryside https://abc7chicago.com/archive/8331890/ [1]

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