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181st Infantry Brigade (United States)
Encyclopedia
The 181st Infantry Brigade is an infantry
brigade
of the United States Army
based at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin
. As an Active Component/Reserve Component (AC/RC) brigade, the unit serves primarily in a training role for other units of the US Armed forces. The brigade is subordinate to the First United States Army, headquartered at Fort Gillem
, Georgia
. It has six prime components.
The unit is responsible for training selected United States Army Reserve
and Army National Guard
units in the Central-Northern United States. The unit was formerly designated as 2nd Brigade, 85th Division. The brigade was redesignated and re-missioned several times: such as in 1999, when the 181st was merged with the 2nd Brigade, 85th Division and carried that name and lineage. The 181st Infantry Brigade currently falls under the Division West, 1st Army Headquartered at Fort Carson, Colorado.
, the 181st Infantry Brigade was constituted 5 August 1917 in Camp Lewis, Washington. The Brigade was composed of the 361st Infantry Regiment, the 362nd Infantry Regiment, and the 347th Machine Gun
Battalion. The 181st Infantry Brigade trained for 10 months at Camp Lewis prior to being deployed to France in August 1918. It was assigned to the 91st Infantry Division.
After Meuse-Argonne and the liberation of France, the Brigade was sent to assist the British with quelling the German Army’s final gasps at Ypres-Lys until the signing of the Armistice on 11 November 1918, which ended World War I
. After four months of peacekeeping operations in liberated Belgium
, the Brigade was sent back to Camp Lewis and demobilized on 30 April 1919. In 1921 it was reconstituted and placed in the Organized Reserves, again assigned to the 91st Infantry Division.
, the 91st Reconnaissance Troop spearheaded Task Force Williamson under the command of General E.S. Williamson, Assistant Division Commander for the 91st Division. The 2nd Platoon of the 91st Reconnaissance Troop and the 1st Battalion, 363rd Infantry were the first to enter Leghorn (Livorno) on its way to liberating Pisa
.
The 181st Infantry Brigade was reactivated at Fort McCoy
, Wisconsin in December 2006, the Brigade trains soldiers, sailors and airmen to support contingency operations in the Global War on Terror
.
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
based at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin
Fort McCoy, Wisconsin
Fort McCoy is an active United States Army installation. It is located on 60,000 acres between Sparta and Tomah, Wisconsin, in Monroe County...
. As an Active Component/Reserve Component (AC/RC) brigade, the unit serves primarily in a training role for other units of the US Armed forces. The brigade is subordinate to the First United States Army, headquartered at Fort Gillem
Fort Gillem
Fort Gillem is a United States Army military base located in Forest Park, Georgia, on the southeast edge of Atlanta. Founded in 1941, it was a satellite installation of nearby Fort McPherson it has closed due to BRAC. The base houses many different supply and support units including the U.S...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. It has six prime components.
The unit is responsible for training selected United States Army Reserve
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
and Army National Guard
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
units in the Central-Northern United States. The unit was formerly designated as 2nd Brigade, 85th Division. The brigade was redesignated and re-missioned several times: such as in 1999, when the 181st was merged with the 2nd Brigade, 85th Division and carried that name and lineage. The 181st Infantry Brigade currently falls under the Division West, 1st Army Headquartered at Fort Carson, Colorado.
Organization
The unit is currently composed of:- Headquarters and Headquarters CompanyHeadquarters and Headquarters CompanyIn United States Army units, a headquarters and headquarters company is a company sized military unit, found at the battalion level and higher. In identifying a specific headquarters unit, it is usually referred to by its abbreviation as an HHC...
- 1st Battalion, 338th Regiment, Training Support (Combat Support/Combat Services Support)
- 2nd Battalion, 411th Infantry Regiment
- 3rd Battalion, 340th Infantry Regiment, Fort McCoy, WisconsinFort McCoy, WisconsinFort McCoy is an active United States Army installation. It is located on 60,000 acres between Sparta and Tomah, Wisconsin, in Monroe County...
. - 1st Battalion,340th Infantry Regiment, Training Support (Combat Support/Combat Services Support), Arden Hills, MinnesotaArden Hills, MinnesotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 9,652 people, 2,959 households, and 2,228 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,087.3 people per square mile . There were 3,017 housing units at an average density of 339.9 per square mile...
- 3rd Battalion, 335th Infantry Regiment, Training Support (Combat Support/Combat Services Support, Highwood, IllinoisHighwood, IllinoisHighwood is a city in the Moraine Township of Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 4,143 at the 2000 census. Highwood is a neighbor to Highland Park and the two share a weekly newspaper and school district. An attempt was made in 2005 to convert Highwood to a home rule city, but...
World War I
During World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the 181st Infantry Brigade was constituted 5 August 1917 in Camp Lewis, Washington. The Brigade was composed of the 361st Infantry Regiment, the 362nd Infantry Regiment, and the 347th Machine Gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
Battalion. The 181st Infantry Brigade trained for 10 months at Camp Lewis prior to being deployed to France in August 1918. It was assigned to the 91st Infantry Division.
After Meuse-Argonne and the liberation of France, the Brigade was sent to assist the British with quelling the German Army’s final gasps at Ypres-Lys until the signing of the Armistice on 11 November 1918, which ended World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. After four months of peacekeeping operations in liberated Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, the Brigade was sent back to Camp Lewis and demobilized on 30 April 1919. In 1921 it was reconstituted and placed in the Organized Reserves, again assigned to the 91st Infantry Division.
World War II
In July 1944, during the Arno Campaign of the Second World WarWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the 91st Reconnaissance Troop spearheaded Task Force Williamson under the command of General E.S. Williamson, Assistant Division Commander for the 91st Division. The 2nd Platoon of the 91st Reconnaissance Troop and the 1st Battalion, 363rd Infantry were the first to enter Leghorn (Livorno) on its way to liberating Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
.
Post-War
After VE day, the Brigade was deactivated and reconstituted several times through 1945 as a headquarters and headquarters company and a reconnaissance troop. It was reactivated in 1947 as a mechanized cavalry reconnaissance troop; redesignated in 1949 as the 91st Reconnaissance Company and reconstituted in 1963 as a headquarters and headquarters company.The 181st Infantry Brigade was reactivated at Fort McCoy
Fort McCoy, Wisconsin
Fort McCoy is an active United States Army installation. It is located on 60,000 acres between Sparta and Tomah, Wisconsin, in Monroe County...
, Wisconsin in December 2006, the Brigade trains soldiers, sailors and airmen to support contingency operations in the Global War on Terror
War on Terrorism
The War on Terror is a term commonly applied to an international military campaign led by the United States and the United Kingdom with the support of other North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as well as non-NATO countries...
.
Campaign Participation Credit
| Conflict | Streamer | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| World War I World War I World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918... |
Ypres Ypres Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote... -Lys Lys Lys may refer to any of the following:Places*The Lys or Leie, a river in France and Belgium*Lys , a stream of Aosta Valley in Italy*Lys, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in France... |
1918 |
| Meuse Meuse Meuse is a department in northeast France, named after the River Meuse.-History:Meuse is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790... -Argonne Argonne Argonne may refer to:*The Forest of Argonne in France*Argonne National Laboratory, a U.S. D.O.E. National Laboratory near Chicago, Illinois*Meuse-Argonne Offensive, also called the Battle of Argonne Forest, a World War I battle*Argonne, Wisconsin, a town, US... |
1918 | |
| Lorraine Lorraine (province) The Duchy of Upper Lorraine was an historical duchy roughly corresponding with the present-day northeastern Lorraine region of France, including parts of modern Luxembourg and Germany. The main cities were Metz, Verdun, and the historic capital Nancy.... 1918 |
1918 | |
| World War II World War II World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis... |
Rome-Arno Arno The Arno is a river in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the most important river of central Italy after the Tiber.- Source and route :The river originates on Mount Falterona in the Casentino area of the Apennines, and initially takes a southward curve... |
1944 |
| North Apennines | 1944 | |
| Po Valley Po Valley The Po Valley, Po Plain, Plain of the Po, or Padan Plain is a major geographical feature of Italy. It extends approximately in an east-west direction, with an area of 46,000 km² including its Venetic extension not actually related to the Po River basin; it runs from the Western Alps to the... |
1945 |