116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (United States)

The 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team was formerly known as the 1st Brigade, 29th Infantry Division. It is currently assigned to the Virginia Army National Guard. The Brigade is headquartered in Staunton, Virginia, at the Thomas Howie Memorial Armory.Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 116th Brigade Combat Team


caption=116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team shoulder sleeve insignia
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country= United States
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branch= U.S. Army National Guard
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nickname=Stonewall Brigade
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motto=Ever Forward {116th Infantry}
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battles=American Revolutionary War
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Mexican-American War
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World War I
World War II
Operation Joint Forge
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Iraqi Freedom
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Infobox Military Unit
unit_name= 116th Infantry Regiment


caption=Distinctive Unit Insignia of the United States Army 116th Infantry Regiment
dates= 1607
country= United States
allegiance= Virginia
branch= U.S. Army National Guard
type= Infantry
role= Combat Arms
size= RegimentUS Regiments
previous=115th Infantry Regiment
next=117th Infantry Regiment

Insignia

The shoulder sleeve insignia depicts Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson mounted on his horse, a reference to the 116th's lineage as the Stonewall Brigade. The patch's nickname is 'Stony on a Pony.'

History

Formed as part of the Virginia Militia and called into Federal Service during both World Wars, and for service in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq. This regiment traces its lineage back to the famed Confederate Stonewall Brigade of the Army of Northern Virginia.

During WWII, the 116th Infantry Regiment took part in the Normady Landings. The regiment suffered 314 casualties, including soldiers from A Company, which lost 96% of their men within 10 minutes of its landing on Omaha beach. The 116th Infantry Combat Team fought its way through Les Moulins draw toward its objective, Vierville-sur-Mer. It was during the movement from Les Moulins that the 2nd Battalion broke loose from the beach, clambered over the embankment, and a small party, led by the battalion commander, fought its way to a farmhouse which became its first Command Post in France.

In 2004, 3-116th deployed to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, where it suffered several casualties, including SSG Bobby Beasley and SGT Craig Cherry. Camp Bulldog formerly a USMC camp at Bagram Airfield is named in honor of these men; Camp Cherry-Beasley. The battalion conducted combat operations in Ghazni and SECFOR operations at Bagram Airfield. Numerous slice elements were placed under the operational control of the battalion. The newly formed task force assumed the name of the beaches the regiment stormed more than 60 years prior - Normandy.

In August 2006, 1-116th mobilized in support of KFOR 8 as part of the 29th Infantry Division providing stability operations in the Serbian province of Kosovo with NATO. They become known as Task Force Red Dragon for the duration of the deployment.

In May 2007, the Brigade Headquarters Company mobilized in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Headquarters Company was stationed on the International Zone and suffered no casualties.

The Nation called upon the 3rd Battalion 116th once again in June 2007. This time the battalion deployed to both Iraq and Kuwait. A, B, and C Companies in Iraq successfully conducted convoy security patrols throughout the country. HHC, D and F Co (429 FSB) conducted security force missions in Kuwait for strategically vital assets. Several purple hearts were awarded throughout the deployment.

Current Units

116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team consists of the following elements:
* 116th Brigade Special Troops Battalion
* 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry
* 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry
* 2nd Squadron, 183rd Cavalry, RSTA
* 1st Battalion, 111th Field Artillery
* 429th Brigade Support Battalion

External links

* [http://www.29infantrydivision.org/ 29th Infantry Division Historical Society]
* [http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Inf/116InfantryRegiment.htm/ 116th Infantry at the Institute of Heraldry]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/29id-1bde.htm 116th Infantry Regiment history]
* [http://www.staunton-va.com/116th/Lineage.html 116th Regiment Lineage]