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48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (United States)

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48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team
Shoulder sleeve insignia
Active1825–present
Country United States
Branch United States Army
TypeInfantry
SizeBrigade
Garrison/HQMacon, Georgia
Nickname(s)Macon Volunteers (special designation)[1]
Lightning Brigade (former)
EngagementsIndian Campaign
American Civil War
World War I
World War II
Iraq Campaign
Afghanistan Campaign
DecorationsPresidential Unit Citation, Meritorious Unit Commendation, French Croix de Guerre with Palm, Luxembourg Croix de Guerre, Belgian Fourragere

The 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team ("Macon Volunteers"[1]) is a modular infantry brigade of the Georgia Army National Guard.

One of the oldest units in US Army history, the lineage of the 48th Infantry Brigade can be traced back to 1825. It is one of few units in the US military that also saw service as a unit of the Confederate States of America during the US Civil War.

History and lineage

Background

The 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team was originally organized on 23 April 1825, at Macon, Georgia as the "Macon Volunteers, Georgia Volunteer Militia". It mustered into Federal service on 18 February 1836, at Picolata, Florida, as "Captain Seymor's Company, 1st Battalion Georgia Volunteers".

The unit was brought into Confederate service on 20 April 1861 at Macon, and was reorganized and redesignated on 22 April 1861 as Company D, 2nd Battalion, Georgia Infantry. Surrendered 9 April 1865 at Appomattox, Virginia.

It reorganized on 11 April 1872 as the Macon Volunteers, and reorganized and redesignated 15 June 1874 as Company B, 2nd Battalion. It reorganized and redesignated on 23 January 1891 as Company B, 2nd Infantry Regiment. Mustered into federal service 11–14 May 1898 at Griffin, Georgia as Company F, 1st Georgia Volunteer Infantry; and mustered out of service on 18 November 1898 at Macon, Georgia and resumed state status as Company B, 2nd Infantry Regiment. The unit was redesignated on 21 December 1899, as Georgia State Troopers; and on 1 October 1905 as the Georgia National Guard. The unit was drafted into federal service in August 1917 as Company B, 151st Machine Gun Battalion, an element of the 42nd Division. It demobilized in May 1919 at Camp Gordon, Georgia.

The unit was reorganized and federally recognized 29 November 1920 in the Georgia National Guard at Macon, Georgia as Company H, 1st Infantry. Redesignated 8 March 1921 as Company B, 1st Infantry. Redesignated 1 July 1922 as Company B, 122nd Infantry.

It was reorganized and redesignated on 28 November 1922 as Headquarters Company, 59th Infantry Brigade, an element of the 30th Division. It was inducted into federal service on 16 September 1940 at Macon, and was and redesignated on 16 February 1942 as the 30th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop while remaining assigned to the 30th Infantry Division. It was redesignated 11 August 1943 as the 30th Reconnaissance Troop, Mechanized. It was deactivated on 17 November 1945 at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

From 1945 to 1973, the brigade underwent a series of redesignations culminating in its current form, the 48th Infantry Brigade. It reorganized and was federally recognized 12 December 1946 as Headquarters Company, 121st Infantry, an element of the 48th Infantry Division. Converted and redesignated 1 November 1955 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Combat Command B, 48th Armored Division. Reorganized and redesignated 16 April 1963 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Brigade, 48th Armored Division. Converted and redesignated 1 January 1968 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d Brigade, 30th Infantry Division. It consolidated on 1 December 1973 with the 182nd Military Police Company and the consolidated unit was reorganized and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 48th Infantry Brigade.

Georgia Special Operations Ribbon awarded to Soldiers of the 48th Infantry Brigade in 1991 for Operation Desert Shield/Storm

USArmypatches.com says the separate brigade insignia was Worn from 16 April 1974 – 5 June 1999.[2]

The unit was inducted into federal service on 30 November 1990 at Fort Stewart, GA. That year, more than 4,500 members of the unit were mobilized to participate in Operation Desert Storm. The unit completed training conducted at the Army's National Training Center in California, and was first and only National Guard combat brigade validated as combat ready for the Gulf War. However, the brigade was criticized for being underprepared for war.[3] The conflict ended before the brigade could be employed in the Persian Gulf and It subsequently demobilized on 10 April 1991 at Fort Stewart. The unit was awarded the Georgia Special Operations Ribbon by the State of Georgia for the mobilization. Mobilized Soldiers were also awarded the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with "M" device,[4] along with the National Defense Service Medal (NDSM) for the period 2 August 1990 and 30 November 1995.[5]

In June 1999, the 48th Infantry Brigade (Enhanced) (Mechanized) became part of the newly re-flagged 24th Infantry Division. In 2006, the 24th Infantry Division was inactivated and the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team became part of the 35th Infantry Division, headquartered at Fort Leavenworth, KS.

The unit also has a training associate relationship with the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized).

Bosnia

Elements of the 48th Infantry Brigade deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina for Stabilization Force (SFOR) Rotation 9 to provide support operations for Task Force Eagle (United States contingent to United Nations Operations in support of Dayton Peace Accord). The SFOR9 rotation was scheduled from April to October 2001. The Georgia units were mobilized under a Presidential Selective Reserve Call Up. While other National Guard units have participated in the Bosnia operations in the past, the 48th Infantry Brigade (Mechanized) was among the first National Guard combat units of this size and capability to take over such a large and significant portion of the mission.[citation needed]

Iraq

U.S. Army Spc. Darrell Hubbard, 1–121, 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Georgia Army National Guard, completes a nine-mile rucksack march around Gharib Ghar, a 7,000 ft. mountain near Kabul, Afghanistan, as part of the Non-commissioned officer of the Year competition. The competition was a rugged four-day test to identify the best of the 48th IBCT.

In October 2004, the 48th Infantry Brigade was notified that it would be mobilized into federal service in support of the Global War on Terrorism. Elements of the brigade began mobilizing in December 2004 at Fort Stewart, Georgia, with the remainder of the brigade entering federal service in early January 2005. The brigade completed five months of training, including a rotation at the National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California and was validated as combat-ready.

In May 2005, the unit began deploying to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom III (the third major U.S. military rotation of forces into the area of operations) and experienced some of the fiercest combat actions in the campaign. The brigade was assigned to Multi-National Division – Baghdad (MND-B) under the control of the 3rd Infantry Division and was responsible for a sector of southwest Baghdad, nicknamed the Triangle of Death. It replaced the 2nd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division. The brigade was headquartered at Camp Stryker, part of the Victory Base Complex (VBC). Elements of the 48th Brigade occupied and maintained forward operating bases (FOBs) in Mahmudiyah, Lutifiyah, Latifiyah, and Yusifiyah; and established a new joint United States/Iraqi Army permanent patrol base, designated PB Lion's Den, located to the west of the Radwaniyah Palace Complex.

The 48th Brigade conducted a unique brigade-wide change of mission in October 2005, taking over the Iraq Theater of Operations

About 200 soldiers with the Army National Guard’s 48th Brigade Infantry Combat Team were greeted by Team Robins members upon their return from Afghanistan September 16, 2014. The unit’s arrival concludes a nine-month deployment in which soldiers provided base operations support, security, training and force protection. The 48th Brigade, commanded by Col. Randall Simmons and Command Sgt. Maj. Shawn Lewis, led some of the largest and most complex transfers of installations to date. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ray Crayton)

(ITO) security mission from the 56th Brigade Combat Team. The 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division replaced 48th Brigade units in Baghdad. The brigade's headquarters relocated to Camp Adder (also known as Ali Air Base or Tallil Air Base) in vicinity of Nasiriyah, Iraq, and the brigade had elements stationed as far south as Kuwait to as far north as Mosul, and as far west as the Syrian border.

On 20 April 2006, at Ft. Stewart, more than 4,000 members of the brigade began to return home after a year of combat operations in Iraq. The April 20th arrival marked the first of nearly a dozen flights over the subsequent weeks that brought the soldiers back to Georgia.

During this period, the 48th Infantry Brigade became the first unit in the Army to receive the new Army Combat Uniform in place of the older Battle Dress Uniform.[6]

Afghanistan

In December 2007, the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team was alerted that it will be deployed to Afghanistan in the summer of 2009 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). This rotation reflects the continued U.S. commitment to assisting in the security of Afghanistan and the development of the Afghan National Security Forces. Afghan forces continue to improve capability and assume responsibility for security. Force levels in Afghanistan continue to be conditions-based, and are determined based on the recommendations of military commanders in Afghanistan and in consultation with the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

The first elements of the 48th Brigade began training in January 2009 in preparation for a year-long deployment to Afghanistan.[7]

In 2009, more than 3000 Guardsmen deployed from the 1st Battalion, 121st Infantry, headquartered in Winder, GA; 2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry, headquartered in Griffin, GA; 1st Battalion, 118th Field Artillery, headquartered in Savannah, GA; 1st Battalion, 108th Cavalry, headquartered in Calhoun, GA; 148th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, headquartered in Statesboro, GA; and the 48th Brigade Support Battalion, headquartered in Dublin, GA to support Operation Enduring Freedom.[8] The 48th IBCT returned home in March 2010 after being replaced by the 86th IBCT (MTN).

The 48th IBCT suffered eight casualties while deployed to Afghanistan: MAJ Kevin M. Jenrette (4 June 2009, 1–108th Cavalry), SFC John C. Beale (4 June 2009, 1–108th Cavalry), SGT Jeffrey W. Jordan (4 June 2009, 1–108th Cavalry), 1SG John D. Blair (20 June 2009, 1–121st Infantry), SGT Isaac Johnson, Jr. (6 July 2009, 1–108th Cavalry), SGT Brock Chavers (6 July 2009, 2–121st Infantry), SGT Raymundo P. Morales (21 July 2009, 1–108th Cavalry), and SSG Alex French IV (30 September 2009, 1–121st Infantry).

Order of battle

Current units[9]

48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team

Pre-Modular

48th Infantry Brigade (Enhanced) (Mechanized)

2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment

2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment
121st Infantry Regiment coat of arms
Active1810 – present
CountryUnited States
AllegianceState of Georgia
BranchArmy National Guard
TypeInfantry
RoleLight
SizeBattalion
Part of48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team
Garrison/HQForsyth, Georgia
Nickname(s)Warriors
EngagementsSeminole War, Mexican-American War, Civil War (Confederate Service), World War I, World War II, Iraq Campaign, Afghanistan Campaign
DecorationsMeritorious Unit Commendation, Presidential Unit Citation
Commanders
Current
commander		LTC Andrew Heymann
Command Sergeant MajorCSM Scott Turner
Insignia
121st Infantry distinctive unit insignia

The 2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry Regiment is a light infantry battalion of the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), Georgia Army National Guard. The Battalion is one of the oldest units in the U.S. Army, tracing its lineage to Georgia state militia units formed between 1810 and 1825. The Battalion provides the 48th Brigade with mounted and dismounted maneuver assets to destroy enemy formations in close combat. Prior to 2007, the unit was designated as a heavy mechanized formation and equipped with M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles.

Pre-World War I

The earliest units associated with the 2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry were the Albany Guards and Barnesville Blues of the Georgia State Militia. These units, formed in 1810 along with the Baldwin Blues and Floyd Rifles, were the first organized infantry militia units in the state. In 1825, the Macon Volunteers also organized. Detachments of these infantry units served in the Seminole War and the Mexican War. During the American Civil War, the regiment was organized as the 4th Regiment Georgia Volunteers, 3rd Georgia Battalion, and finally the 37th Georgia Regiment. Units fought in most major battles of the war, including Malvern Hill, Sharpsburg, Spottsylvania, the Battle of Gettysburg, Second Manassas, Richmond, Seven Pines, Mechanicsville, Cold Harbor, the Wilderness Campaign, and Appomattox.

During the post-Reconstruction period several other regional units were added to the rolls, and by 1891 the regiment had organized into two battalions under the banner of the Second Georgia Infantry Regiment. In 1898, the Barnesville Blues fought as Company F, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Georgia Infantry Regiment during the Spanish-American War. During the Militia Act reorganization of the army in 1916, the 2nd Georgia became the 121st Infantry Regiment of the 31st "Dixie" Division.

World War I and Inter-war Years

With war looming in Europe, 2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry was federalized to patrol the border with Mexico. In 1916 and 1917, elements rotated between the southern border, Georgia and Florida. The prickly pear on the left of the Distinctive Unit Insignia alludes to this mission.

In September 1918, the entire regiment was ordered to duty in World War I. They arrived in France in October, and before the regiment disembarked, tragedy struck. Longtime commander COL J. A. Thomas, the man responsible for the regimental title "The Old Gray Bonnets", died aboard ship. The news didn't get any better for the tight knit unit once ashore as most of the unit was broken up into small replacement groups and immediately sent to the front. However, F Company of 2nd Battalion, along with B and C Companies of the 1st Battalion had travelled to Europe separately and were assigned intact to the 151st Machine Gun Battalion of the 42nd (Rainbow) Division. Elements of the regiment were to participate in six separate campaigns during their brief service in the war, garnering several individual citations of valor. This service is represented by the fleur-de-leis in the left side of the unit's DUI.

Upon return from France, the units were reorganized several times. In 1925, while at summer encampment at Tybee Island, GA, a hurricane struck. The National Guard camp was completely flooded and had to be rebuilt by men of the battalion. In 1934, labor unrest struck the textile mills of Georgia and 2nd Battalion was again called up, this time for state duty. Once state troops became involved in the labor troubles, they quickly died down with little violence.

In 1938, with war threatening Europe again, the massive Mississippi Maneuvers were conducted by the U.S. Army at Camp Shelby, MS. 2nd Battalion was one of the units involved. In 1940, as war seemed more inevitable, the Army developed an even larger exercise, the Louisiana maneuvers. Upon completion of that assignment, the entire regiment was federalized on 16 September 1940 at Ft. Jackson, SC and assigned to the 30th Division.

World War II

The 2–121 Infantry saw extensive activity leading up to World War II and extensive action during WWII.

From 1990

The Battalion was federalized for Desert Storm as part of the 48th Infantry Brigade on 30 November 1990. It arrived at Fort Stewart on or around 3 December 1990. After certifying at the National Training Center as combat-ready, the whole brigade was demobilised between 27 March and 10 April 1991.[10]

The Battalion then deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina for Stabilization Force (SFOR) Rotation 9 to provide support operations for Task Force Eagle (United States contingent to United Nations Operations in support of Dayton Peace Accord). The SFOR9 rotation was scheduled from April to October 2001.

The Battalion mobilized as a component of the 48th Brigade Combat Team in 2004 for War on Terror combat operations. In May 2005 the unit began deploying to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and experienced some of the fiercest combat actions in the campaign. During the first half of the brigade's deployment to Iraq (Spring 2005 through Spring 2006), the 2–121st spent much of its time of the region of Baghdad while the sister units 1–108 Armor was in the Southwest region (triangle of death). The unit's focus shifted during the second half of the deployment to a theater security mission primarily consisting of convoy escort and civilian military operations. 2–121 suffered eight fatalities while deployed to Iraq. On 20 April 2006, at Ft. Stewart, members of the 2–121st returned home after a year of combat operations in Iraq.

As a part of the United States Army's ongoing transformation to a lighter, more modular force the 2nd Battalion, 121st Infantry was re-designated as light infantry in 2007. The unit gave up its M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles and became a dismounted force, with its anti-armor (Delta) company receiving up-armored HMMWVs.[11]

In December 2007, the Georgia National Guard's 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team was alerted that it would be deployed to Afghanistan in the summer of 2009 for Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF).[12] In January 2009, the 2–121st began training for the expected year-long deployment.[7] In the Spring of 2009, the unit returned to Camp Shelby, MS, the site of its World War II preparations nearly 70 years prior. The unit was subsequently deployed to Afghanistan in May.

While deployed in Afghanistan, the 2–121st participated in training the Afghan National Security Forces while conducting counter insurgency operations in the North, East, and Kabul Regional Command areas of operation. In April 2010 the unit redeployed from Afghanistan and demobilized at Fort Stewart, GA. The battalion suffered 2 fatalities while deployed to Afghanistan.

Current Organization

Headquarters and Headquarters Company (Huron), located in Forsyth, GA
A Company (Apache), located in Griffin, GA
B Company (Blackhawk), located in Newnan, GA
C Company (Comanche), located in Cordele, GA and Americus, GA
D Company (Dakota), located in Valdosta, GA
H Company (Hotel), 148th Brigade Support Battalion Forward Support Company, located in Albany, GA (attached)

Lineage and honors

Campaign streamers

Seminole Wars

Seminole (1835–1842)

Civil War

Peninsula (1862)
Fredricksburg (1863)
Gettysburg (1863)
Appomattox (1865)

World War I

Champagne-Marne (1918)
Aisne-Marne (1918)
St. Mihel (1918)
Meuse-Argonne (1918)
Lorraine (1918)
Champagne (1918)

World War II

Normandy (1944)
Northern France (1944)
Rhineland (1944–1945)
Ardennes-Alsace (1944–1945)
Central Europe (1945)

Global War on Terror

Iraq: (2005–2006)

Transition of Iraq
Iraqi Governance

Afghanistan: (2009–2010)

Consolidation II
Consolidation III

Unit decorations

French Croix de Guerre with Palm (France – 1944)
Presidential Unit Citation (Hurtgen Forest – 1945)
Meritorious Unit Citation (European Theater – 1945)
Luxembourg Croix de Guerre (Luxembourg – 1945)
Meritorious Unit Citation (Afghanistan – 2010)

References

  1. ^ a b "Special Designation Listing". United States Army Center of Military History. 21 April 2010. Archived from the original on 9 June 2010. Retrieved 14 July 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ "US Army Military Insignia". usarmypatches.com. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  3. ^ Jacobs, Jeffrey (1 March 1994). The Future of the Citizen-Soldier Force: Issues and Answers. University Press of Kentucky. pp. 96–97. ISBN 978-0-8131-1847-5. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  4. ^ "Armed Forces Reserve Medal". Armed Forces Reserve Medal. United States Army Human Resource Command. 23 December 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  5. ^ "Title 32- National Defense". 578.23 National Defense Service Medal. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1 July 2008. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  6. ^ "Ga. Guard unit first to deploy in new Army Combat Uniform - AR15.Com Archive". ar15.com. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  7. ^ a b "A local unit trains at Fort McClellan before Afghanistan". My Web Pal. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  8. ^ [1]
  9. ^ Georgia National Guard. "ISSUU - Georgia Department of Defense 2011 Annual Report by Georgia National Guard". Issuu. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  10. ^ Thomas D. Dinackus, 'Order of Battle: Allied Ground Forces of Desert Storm,' chart 10-3 footnote 10.
  11. ^ 48th IBCT soldiers transform from heavy armor to light infantry at annual training [2]
  12. ^ "Five Guard brigades notified of 2009 deployments". Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 22 November 2014.

External links

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