36th Infantry Brigade (United States)

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unit_name=36th Infantry Brigade


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dates=May 1967 - Present
country=United States
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type=Infantry
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The 36th Infantry Brigade was an Infantry brigade of the United States Army National Guard of Texas. It was later redesignated to be the 72nd Brigade Combat Team, 36th Infantry Division.

History

The lineage and honors of the 36th Infantry Brigade can be traced back to the 36th Infantry Division, originally organized at Camp Bowie, Texas (Now known as Forth Worth on 18 July 1917, which drew from units of the Texas and Oklahoma National Guard.

After taking part in operations in France during World War I, the unit was reorganized into 2 separate units, an "all Texas" division, while its Oklahoma units sub-components joined to form part of the 45th Infantry Division.

The Division was mobilized on November 25 1940, and placed on active duty station at Camp Bowie, before transferring overseas to North Africa and Italy. In the process, the 36th became the first American combat division to land in Europe during World War II. The unit accumulated seven campaign streamers during the war, taken part in two assault landings. Fourteen soldiers of the brigade received the Medal of Honor.

Upon its return home, the unit was reorganized as part of the Texas National Guard and was deactivated in 1968. With the inactivation of the 49th Armored Division, the 36th Brigade assumed the lineage and honors of the 36th Infantry Division.

In February, 2003, the brigade was called upon to respond to the Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster. Gov. Rick Perry called several hundred National Guard service members to duty to assist the recovery effort under the operational name of "Big Thicket."

Order of Battle

Former

*HHC, 36th Infantry Brigade
*4th Battalion, 112th Armor Regiment
*1st Battalion, 141st Infantry Regiment
*3rd Battalion, 141st Infantry Regiment

Links

* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/49ar-div-36bde.htm GlobalSecurity.org: 36th Infantry Brigade]
* [http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Inf/36th%20Infantry%20Brigade.htm The Intitute of Heraldry: 36th Infantry Brigade]