41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team (United States)

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41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team
41st Infantry Division SSI.svg
Shoulder sleeve insignia
Active 1968–present
Country  United States
Branch  United States Army
Type Brigade
Role Brigade combat team
Garrison/HQ Oregon
Nickname(s) Sunset (special designation)[1]
Engagements Iraq Campaign
Afghanistan Campaign
Japanese and Oregon National Guard Soldiers participate in an exercise at the Sekiyama Maneuver Area, Japan.

The 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team ("Sunset"[1]) is an element in the Oregon Army National Guard. Headquartered at Camp Withycombe, Clackamas, Oregon, it was part of the 7th Infantry Division based at Ft. Carson in Colorado (inactivated in 2006). The brigade traces its lineage back to the 41st Infantry Division.

History

The history of the 41st Brigade can be traced back to 1917 when the 41st Infantry Division was created for service in World War I primarily from National Guard units from Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana. For more information see the 41st Division history.

In 1968, the Division was reorganized as a separate brigade, located primarily within the Oregon Army National Guard. During the 1980s the brigade was the "roundout brigade" of the 7th Infantry Division, serving this capacity until August 2006, when the division was deactivated.

In 1999, 136 members of C Company, 2–162 Infantry and B Company, 1-186 Infantry were called up to active duty to protect Patriot Missile batteries in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. This was the first activation of Oregonian National Guardsmen to federal service since 1941.[citation needed]

On September 11, 2001, advance elements of the 241st Military Intelligence Company arrived in Tuzla, Bosnia, for a seven-month deployment as part of the NATO Stabilization Force.[2][3]

1–162 Infantry was deployed 6 February 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the first unit in 41st Brigade to deploy to combat operations since World War II.

Several months after 1–162 INF deployed to Iraq, 2-162 INF deployed as part of the 39th Infantry Brigade (Enhanced) (Arkansas National Guard) to Iraq. The battalion served in Baghdad and other parts of Iraq, suffering a number of casualties while conducting stabilization security missions. During the same time, a handful of personnel were sent to train foreign soldiers in Afghanistan.

2nd Platoon B Co 2nd Battalion 162nd 41st Brigade Combat Team was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for their gallantry in combat. This was the first award of the Presidential Unit Citation to a unit of the Oregon National Guard in more than six decades. The last time a unit of the Oregon National Guard received this distinction was for their valor during the Second World War. [4][5]

The Presidential Unit Citation reads: “On 03 November 2004, the unit was placed under the operational control of the 1st Regimental Combat Team of the 1st Marine Division, to execute offensive operations in the central Iraqi city of Fallujah. The unit was selected for the initial attack on the city and tasked with penetrating the enemy’s defenses and isolating the Jolan District in northwestern Fallujah. The Jolan District was believed to be the strongest of the enemy’s defenses. The unit’s rapid penetration deep into the city overwhelmed enemy positions, leading the way for further exploitation by the Marines. Throughout the remainder of the battle, the unit continued to isolate western Fallujah while attacking and destroying numerous enemy strong points. The unit’s heroic Soldiers, and their expert use of combined arms firepower, led to the destruction of the insurgents in Fallujah.”

In September, 2005, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Brigadier General Douglas Pritt commanded the majority of the brigade as part of Task Force Oregon in relief and security efforts near the French Quarter in New Orleans. By the end of the month, when Hurricane Rita wreaked havoc again on the Gulf Coast, the 41st was put in charge of the newly designated Joint Task Force Rita to assist in all disaster-related needs in Texas and Louisiana.

In the spring of 2006, BG Pritt and the brigade joined the personnel already in Afghanistan making the total force approximately 950 soldiers marking the first major deployment of the brigade to a combat zone since World War II.

The 41st IBCT deployed to Iraq, under the command of Colonel Daniel R. Hokanson, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2009 to 2010. The Brigade conducted convoy security for the 13th Theater Sustainment Command and base defense operations across Iraq including Anbar province, Baghdad, and southern Iraq.

The 41st BCT and subordinate units were awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation for its service in Iraq from 29 July 2009 to 15 April 2010 on 24 September 2013 by GO 2013-77.[6][7]

In 2014, Units of the 41st BCT deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, to include the 2-162 IN, 1-186 IN, and 1-82 CAV.

Organization

There are six major commands of the 41st Brigade:

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ http://www.oregon.gov/OMD/PressRelease/2001/8-27-01Press.shtml
  3. ↑ http://www.oregon.gov/OMD/PressRelease/2002/4-11-02Press.shtml
  4. ↑ http://schrader.house.gov/news/documentprint.aspx?DocumentID=322761
  5. ↑ http://www.oregon.gov/omd/pages/pressrelease/2011/01-09-11bpress.aspx
  6. ↑ http://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/pdf/go1377.pdf
  7. ↑ http://www.dvidshub.net/news/92522/41-infantry-brigade-combat-team-honored-with-meritorious-unit-citation#.VB5iLiuSxkE
  8. ↑ http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Heraldry/ArmyDUISSICOA/ArmyHeraldryUnit.aspx?u=4421
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