76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (United States)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team


caption=76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team shoulder sleeve insignia
dates=1963 - Present
country=United States
allegiance=United States Army
branch=United States Army National Guard
type=Infantry
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size=Brigade
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nickname="Blue Devil" Brigade
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battles=Operation Enduring Freedom
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The 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is a modular infantry brigade of the United States Army National Guard of Indiana. The legacy of the 76th Infantry Division is carried on by this unit. [ [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/76in-bde.htm] ]

History

On the 1st of March 1963, the Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 1st Brigade of the 38th Infantry Division was born. Less than 20 months later it was renamed the 76th Infantry Brigade known as the "Blue Devil" Brigade. Since the creation of the 76th Brigade at Indianapolis on 1 November 1965, the unit has moved to Columbus, to Camp Atterbury and to Bedford with units located throughout southern Indiana.

Out of the ashes of the Blue Devil Brigade, the Nighthawk Brigade was formed. The 76th Infantry Brigade (Separate) was formed on 1 September 1994 at Indianapolis, Indiana this time with units located throughout the state of Indiana. The Nighthawk Brigade was selected to be one of the 15 Enhanced Brigades with a charter to achieve and maintain a higher state of readiness than previously expected of National Guard Brigades. Accepting this mission with an unmatched fervor, the unit relied heavily on the existing Infantry Regiments. The lineage of each combat regiment still in Indiana can be found within the brigade.

Under a plan approved by Army Chief of Staff General Eric K. Shinseki, in December 2000 the Army announced which active and reserve forces will see service in Bosnia and Kosovo through May 2005. Under the plan, units from the active Army and reserve forces will support the Stabilization Force mission, known as SFOR, in Bosnia or the Kosovo Force, known as KFOR, for six-month periods. SFOR 11 (April 2002 - October 2002) consists of the 116th Cavalry Brigade (enhanced separate brigade), Idaho Army National Guard; 76th Infantry Brigade (enhanced separate brigade), Indiana Army National Guard. Units from the 34th Infantry Division, Minnesota Army National Guard, will also support SFOR 11.

On April 6, 2004 elements of the 76th Infantry were ordered to mobilize for deployment to Afghanistan. 300 soldiers from the 113th Support Battalion, and an unidentified number of soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 151st Infantry Regiment, the 38th Military Police Company, and the 1438th Transportation Company. These units begin deploying in July 2004.

The unit suffered at least four casualties, on March 26, 2005, four soldiers, Captain Michael T. Fiscus, Master Sergeant Michael T. Heister, Specialist Brett M. Hershey, and Private First Class Norman K. Snyder were killed when a mine detonated near their vehicle as they were traveling near Kabul. [ [http://www.militarycity.com/valor/honor_march_2005.html http://www.militarycity.com/valor/honor_march_2005.html] ]

Order of Battle

* 76th Special Troops Battalion
* 1-152nd Cavalry RSTA
* 1-151st Infantry
* 1-293rd Infantry
* 1-163rd Field Artillery
* 113th Brigade Support Battalion

ources

PAO 76th Brigade Combat Team

References

Links

* [http://www.76ibct.org/ 76th Infantry Brigade Combat Team]
* [http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Inf/76th%20Infantry%20Brigade.htm The Institute of Heraldry: 76th Infantry Brigade]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/76in-bde.htm GlobalSecurity.org: 76th Infantry Brigade]