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The 9th Engineer Battalion is a unit of the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
that deploys to designated contingency areas and conducts
combat Combat (French language, French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent Conflict (process), conflict between multiple combatants with the intent to harm the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed (Hand-to-hand combat, not usin ...
and/or stability operations in support of a
brigade combat team The brigade combat team (BCT) is the basic Military deployment, deployable Military unit, unit of maneuver in the United States Army, U.S. Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branch maneuver Brigade (United States Army), b ...
. It is a divisional mechanized
combat engineer A combat engineer (also called pioneer or sapper) is a type of soldier who performs military engineering tasks in support of land forces combat operations. Combat engineers perform a variety of military engineering, Tunnel warfare, tunnel and l ...
unit, composed of three line companies and a headquarters company. Its mission is to provide assured mobility, counter-mobility, general engineering, and survivability support, with well trained sappers (combat engineers) ready to deploy anywhere at any time. The unit's history spans service in 1917 in the US southwest, World War II in
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
and
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, multiple deployments to the Balkans, and multiple deployments in support of the global war on terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is most famous for the capture of the Ludendorff Bridge across the Rhine River. As of 18 May 2015, the battalion exists as the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion (9th BEB) in Fort Stewart, GA under 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.


Unit insignia

The crest was approved by the Department of the Army and the 9th Engineer Battalion on 27 July 1967. All the symbols reflect the battalion's initial service in the southwest United States. The wreath under the Gila monster is the Corps of Engineer wreath. The
Gila monster The Gila monster (''Heloderma suspectum'', ) is a species of venomous lizard native to the Southwestern United States and the northwestern Mexico, Mexican state of Sonora. It is a heavy, slow-moving reptile, up to long, and it is the only ve ...
represents service along the
Gila River The Gila River (; O'odham ima Keli Akimel or simply Akimel, Quechan: Haa Siʼil, Maricopa language: Xiil) is a tributary of the Colorado River flowing through New Mexico and Arizona in the United States. The river drains an arid watershed of ...
and the southwest desert from 1917 to 1920 (added to the insignia in 1925). The ship anchor and oars are the coat of arms from 9E's original parent unit, the 2nd Battalion Mounted Engineers. The horse head represents service as Mounted Engineers (1917–1941) and Armored Engineers (1941–1945). The wavy chevron running across the shield represents service along the
Rio Grande The Rio Grande ( or ) in the United States or the Río Bravo (del Norte) in Mexico (), also known as Tó Ba'áadi in Navajo language, Navajo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the Southwestern United States a ...
from 1917 to 1920. The lone star on the bottom represents service in Texas from 1917 to 1921. The motto "Asistiremos" was added in 1925, meaning "We Will Assist" in Spanish.


History


Early history

The battalion was constituted 15 May 1917 in the Regular Army as the 2nd Battalion Mounted Engineers. They were organized 21 May 1917 at Camp Newton D. Baker, El Paso, Texas, and redesignated the 9th Engineers (Mounted) in July 1917. The 9th spent its first years in El Paso while serving at Camp Stewart, Texas. After World War I, the battalion was declared inactive except for A Company, which was transferred to
Fort Riley Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in North Central Kansas, on the Kansas River, also known as the Kaw, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 101,733 acres (41,170 ha) in Ge ...
, Kansas to provide engineer support to the Cavalry School. From 1923 to 1936, A Company provided vital training and infrastructure support to the Cavalry School first as a unit of the 2nd Cavalry Division and later as Troop A, 9th Engineer Squadron. The performance of Troop A during this period established a tradition of excellence for the 9th Engineer Squadron as a mounted cavalry unit. The platoon leader during a significant portion of that period was 1LT Samuel D. Sturgis III, later to become the
Chief of Engineers The Chief of Engineers is a principal United States Army staff officer at The Pentagon. The Chief advises the Army on engineering matters, and serves as the Army's topographer and proponent for real estate and other related engineering programs. ...
as a lieutenant general.


World War II

Following the outbreak of World War II, the battalion was activated as the 9th Armored Engineer Battalion, part of the 9th Armored Division. Landing in France in October 1944 from their staging base in England, the 9th Armored Engineers supported the division's movement across France, making first contact with the enemy in the Schoenfels-Wilwerdange-Bissen area.


Battle of the Bulge

The battalion fought in the
Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive or Unternehmen Die Wacht am Rhein, Wacht am Rhein, was the last major German Offensive (military), offensive Military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western ...
in December 1944. In the battle, B Company operated under Combat Command B (CCB) of the 9th Armored Division and figured prominently in the
Battle of St. Vith The Battle of St. Vith was an engagement in Belgium fought during the Allied advance from Paris to the Rhine in World War II. It was one of several battles on December 16, 1944 constituting the opening of Germany's Ardennes counteroffensive ( ...
. B Company prepared three bridges for demolitions, one in Steinbruck and two in and around Galhausen. Of the 3, only one required demolition. It reinforced bridges and improved roads throughout the area and also performed counter-mobility missions such as booby trapping the woods around Galhausen and laying a minefield in the vicinity of Lierneaux. The B Company Commander was captured on 22 December 1944 when the 27th AIB CP Aid Station was overrun. The Company suffered 10 casualties during the Battle of the Bulge: five men missing in action, and five men wounded in action. The Company lost one half track, seven 2 ½ ton trucks, one ¾ ton weapons carrier, and two 2 ½ ton 4×4 trucks. C Company figuring prominently in the defense of Bastogne, for which the company was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. They are credited with blocking six roads from the south and east of Bastogne from 20 to 27 December, losing ground only once before regaining it four hours later. Prior to Bastogne, C Company was involved heavily in the Allied fighting withdrawal in the face of the German advance, improving defensive positions and fighting as infantry until they withdrew to Bastogne at 1915 on 19 December. In the Battle of the Bulge, they suffered three KIA, three died of wounds, 11 missing in action, 12 wounded in action.


The Ludendorff Bridge

On 7 March 1945, during
Operation Lumberjack Operation Lumberjack was a military operation with the goal of capturing the west bank of the Rhine River and seizing key German cities, near the end of World War II in Europe. The First United States Army launched the operation in March 1945 ...
, to clear the area west of the Rhine of German troops, Combat Command B of the 9th Armored Division arrived at the town of
Remagen Remagen () is a town in Germany in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, in the district of Ahrweiler (district), Ahrweiler. It is about a one-hour drive from Cologne, just south of Bonn, the former West Germany, West German seat of government. It i ...
. They were surprised to discover that the Ludendorff railroad bridge over the Rhine river was intact. A three-man detachment from 2nd Platoon, B Company—Lieutenant
Hugh Mott Hugh Barbee Mott (August 14, 1920 – June 24, 2005) was a soldier in the US Army. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions as part of the 9th Engineer Battalion in the capture of the Ludendorff Bridge on March 7, 19 ...
, Staff Sergeant John Reynolds, and Sergeant Eugene Dorland—accompanied the first squad of A/27th AIB to reduce the remaining explosives after the German's unsuccessful attempt to destroy the bridge. Crossing with lead elements, Dorland destroyed the main demolition switch box on the far shore. The remainder of B Company, 9th Engineers followed with the rest of A/27th AIB, finding and neutralizing more explosives on the bridge. After the crossing was initially secured, Lt. Mott led B Company in the hasty bridge repairs that allowed the first nine Sherman tanks to gingerly creep across the bridge at 2200 and begin securing the bridgehead. The next day, C Company kept the bridge open and traffic moving despite a continuous, intense artillery and aircraft attack that struck the bridge twenty-four times. C Co also created and mounted a sign on the tower alongside the western approach announcing,"CROSS THE RHINE WITH DRY FEET COURTESY OF 9TH ARMD DIV." C Co was relieved of its responsibility for the bridge at 0830 10 March 1945. When the smoke cleared, the 9th Armored Engineers had been instrumental in establishing the first bridgehead across the Rhine River since the Napoleonic Campaigns. The unit was awarded the oak leaf for their Presidential Unit Citation for their actions at
Remagen Remagen () is a town in Germany in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, in the district of Ahrweiler (district), Ahrweiler. It is about a one-hour drive from Cologne, just south of Bonn, the former West Germany, West German seat of government. It i ...
. The 9th Engineers were in the final sweep into Germany. It moved through
Limburg Limburg or Limbourg may refer to: Regions * Limburg (Belgium), a province since 1839 in the Flanders region of Belgium * Limburg (Netherlands), a province since 1839 in the south of the Netherlands * Diocese of Limburg, Roman Catholic Diocese in ...
from 26 to 28 March,
Marburg Marburg (; ) is a college town, university town in the States of Germany, German federal state () of Hesse, capital of the Marburg-Biedenkopf Districts of Germany, district (). The town area spreads along the valley of the river Lahn and has ...
29–30 March,
Warburg Warburg (; Westphalian: ''Warberich'' or ''Warborg'') is a town in eastern North Rhine-Westphalia, central Germany on the river Diemel near the three-state point shared by Hessen, Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia. It is in Höxter distr ...
31 March – 6 April, crossed the
Unstrut River The Unstrut ( or ) is a river in Germany and a left tributary of the Saale. The Unstrut originates in northern Thuringia near Dingelstädt (west of Kefferhausen in the Eichsfeld area) and its catchment area is the whole of the Thuringian Basi ...
on 11 April, the
Saale River The Saale (), also known as the Saxon Saale ( ) and Thuringian Saale (), is a river in Germany and a left-bank tributary of the Elbe. It is not to be confused with the smaller Franconian Saale, a right-bank tributary of the Main, or the Saale ...
12 April, through Trebson 16–21 April. A Company moved through Goldorf, Czechoslovakia on 1 May. After the Nazi surrender, the battalion established an occupation headquarters in the Bavarian city of Bayreuth, with A Company at Coburg, B Company at Kulmbach, and C Company at Hof. Occupation duty ended in late 1945, so the battalion left West Germany and was inactivated on 13 October 1945.


The Cold War

In 1952, the 9th Engineers were reactivated as the 9th
Engineer Combat Battalion An Engineer Combat Battalion (ECB) was a designation for a battalion-strength combat engineer unit in the U.S. Army, most prevalent during World War II. They are a component of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Also known as "Combat ...
(Army) at Fort Lewis, Washington as part of the US arms build-up for the
Korean War The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
. In autumn of 1957, the 9th Engineer Battalion moved to and replaced the 35th Engineers at
Kitzingen Kitzingen () is a town in the Germany, German state of Bavaria, capital of the Kitzingen (district), district Kitzingen. It is part of the Franconia geographical region and has around 21,000 inhabitants. Surrounded by vineyards, Kitzingen County i ...
, Germany, moving to
Aschaffenburg Aschaffenburg (; Hessian: ''Aschebersch'', ) is a town in northwest Bavaria, Germany. The town of Aschaffenburg, despite being its administrative seat, is not part of the district of Aschaffenburg. Aschaffenburg belonged to the Archbishopric ...
within the year as part of the US Army's "Gyroscope" plan of rotating units overseas. In February and March, 1960 the battalion participates in the enormous Maneuver Wintershield. The battalion remained in Europe, serving as a Corps-level engineer asset as part of the 7th Engineer Brigade, VII Corps, preparing for and helping deter a Communist invasion of West Germany. For much of this time, it was in direct support to the German Army's 12th Panzer Division (since inactivated) until its deployment in the Persian Gulf War.


The Persian Gulf War

In 1991, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Richard Jemiola, the 9th Engineers were organized in direct support of the 1st Infantry Division for operations in the
Persian Gulf War , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...
. The 9th Engineer Battalion, together with the 1st Engineer Battalion, led the 1st Infantry Division through the
Desert Breach A desert is a landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions create unique biomes and ecosystems. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About one-third of the la ...
, and assisted in liberating Kuwait. The battalion returned to Aschaffenburg, where it was inactivated in late 1992.


The Balkans

The battalion was reactivated as part of the 1st Infantry Division in Schweinfurt, Germany on 5 April 1996. In October 1996, the battalion (minus Charlie Company) deployed with the 2nd Brigade Combat Team as part of the covering force for
Operation Joint Endeavor The Implementation Force (IFOR) was a NATO-led multinational peace enforcement force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one-year mandate from 20 December 1995 to 20 December 1996 under the codename ''Operation Joint Endeavour''. Background In ...
and Joint Guard. The battalion was split between Camp Demi and Camp Dobol. The battalion provided Engineer Support, supervising former warring factions (FWF) in the clearance, proofing, and marking of minefields. The battalion conducted extensive bridge, route, and minefield reconnaissance missions, destroyed weapons caches, served as a direct peacekeeping force, and breached at least one minefield unilaterally at Dr. Pepper Bypass at Omerbegovaca. The Battalion manned Checkpoint 34A (Jusici, Bosnia) alongside Russian soldiers in January 1997. The battalion was replaced by elements of the 82nd Engineers out of Bamberg, Germany, (Blue Babes) and returned to Ledward Barracks in Schweinfurt in April 1997. For its actions in Bosnia, the battalion was awarded the Army Superior Unit Award. The 9th Engineer Battalion was deployed to the Balkans as part of
Kosovo Force The Kosovo Force (KFOR) is a North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO-led international NATO peacekeeping, peacekeeping force and military of Kosovo. KFOR is the third security responder, after the Kosovo Police and the EU Rule of Law (European ...
(KFOR) during Operation Joint Guardian II in June 1999 under Task Force Falcon. It was the first U.S. battalion to stand up at
Camp Bondsteel Camp Bondsteel is the operation headquarters of the Kosovo Force (KFOR) in Kosovo. It is located near Ferizaj in southeastern Kosovo. It is the Regional Command-East headed by the United States Army (U.S. Army) and it is supported by troops from ...
, Kosovo. The Companies operated in several villages which included
Gnjilane Gjilan ( sq-definite, Gjilani) or Gnjilane ( sr-Cyrl, Гњилане) is the third most populous city in Kosovo and it serves as both a municipality and the administrative center of the Gjilan District. According to the 2024 census, the municip ...
, Cernica, Uglari, Podgrađe, and Stansior. Missions conducted included route reconnaissance, unexploded ordnance (UXO) reconnaissance, bunker busting, bunker building, checkpoint operations, obstacle construction, rebuilding an elementary school, and securing
Pristina Airfield Pristina or Prishtina ( , ), . is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and District of Pristina, district. In antiquity, the area of Pristina was part of the Dardanian Kingdo ...
for President
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
's first visit to Kosovo. Reported accomplishments included six cordon & search missions, ten obstacle emplacement missions, three obstacle repair missions, 189 Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) incident responses, ten post blast analyses, eight vertical construction projects, over 40 kilometers of road improvement, donated over 100 boxes of toys to three sponsored schools, and over 200 escort missions. The battalion returned to Schweinfurt in December 1999, and returned for a second tour in Kosovo from May to November 2002. In August and September 2003, Alpha Company deployed to Bosnia in support of Task Force 1–18's Dynamic Response Exercise.


Iraq War


Initial invasion

In 2003, the 9th Engineers prepared to participate in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, by deploying select personnel with a large fleet of vehicles to Turkey, but that was cancelled because of Turkish refusal to participate in the Iraqi invasion.


OIF II

In February 2004, the battalion deployed to Kuwait for month-long training before their deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) II. In OIF II, the 9th Engineer Battalion, reorganized and augmented as Task Force 9th Engineer. The headquarters occupied Forward Operating Base Remagen in Tikrit, Salah ad Din province, but elements of it operated as far south as Balad and north into Bayji. In February 2005, the battalion redeployed to Schweinfurt, Germany. In March 2006, the 9th Engineer Battalion was permanently assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division. On 28 March 2008, when the 1st Infantry Division completed its move to Fort Riley, the 9th Engineer Battalion came under operational control of 1st Armored Division.


OIF 06–08

In September 2006, the 9th Engineers was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 06–08. Charlie Company was detached and assigned to Ramadi where they operated as a route clearance company. Alpha and HHC were based at
Camp Liberty Camp Liberty is a former installation of the United States Department of Defense in Baghdad, Iraq. The installation was used from 2012 to September 2016 to house members of the People's Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI, also called MEK), who had been f ...
. Alpha operated throughout west Baghdad, maintaining two organic Route Clearance Packages, one attached Route Clearance Package from the 2/12 infantry BN E Co. with an FSC for heavy transport, 1st Cavalry Division, and one construction Platoon. Alpha and HHC were instrumental in the establishment of the
Baghdad Security Belt Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the most populous cities in the Middle East and Arab world and for ...
, an integrated set of obstacles around Baghdad which would force insurgent forces entering and exiting the city to move through manned checkpoints manned by Iraqi Army and Police. Bravo Company was attached to Task Force 1-26 Infantry and operated in Eastern Baghdad. From August 2006 to January 2007 they had the mission to fight as Infantry. In February 2007, they transitioned to conducting route clearance for the remainder of the deployment. The battalion returned to Schweinfurt, Germany, after a 15-month deployment, in mid November 2007.


OIF 08–10

In March 2008, the battalion changed patches as their parent unit, 2nd Dagger Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division, was reflagged as the 172d Separate Infantry Brigade, "Blackhawks". TF Gila again deployed to Iraq in November 2008 in support of OIF 08–10 with the Brigade's Signal (57SIG), Military Intelligence (504MI), and Brigade Headquarters Companies attached. The battalion was based at
FOB Kalsu Forward Operating Base Kalsu, also known as 'FOB Kalsu', COS Kalsu or simply Camp Kalsu, was a U.S. Military installation in Northern Babil Province , Iraq, 20 miles south of Baghdad. It was officially closed by members of the 1st Brigade Com ...
, supporting the Brigade throughout the five provinces in its Area of Operations (
Wasit Wasit (, ) was an early Islamic city in Iraq. It was founded in the 8th century by the Umayyad viceroy of Iraq, al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf, to serve as the region's seat and as the garrison of the Syrian troops who enforced Umayyad rule there. It was ...
,
Babil Babylon ( ) was an ancient city located on the lower Euphrates river in southern Mesopotamia, within modern-day Hillah, Iraq, about south of modern-day Baghdad. Babylon functioned as the main cultural and political centre of the Akkadian-sp ...
,
Karbala Karbala is a major city in central Iraq. It is the capital of Karbala Governorate. With an estimated population of 691,100 people in 2024, Karbala is the second largest city in central Iraq, after Baghdad. The city is located about southwest ...
,
Najaf Najaf is the capital city of the Najaf Governorate in central Iraq, about 160 km (99 mi) south of Baghdad. Its estimated population in 2024 is about 1.41 million people. It is widely considered amongst the holiest cities of Shia Islam an ...
, and Qadisiah). On 1 January 2009 Soldiers in Iraq started operating under new rules in compliance with the newly minted
U.S.–Iraq Status of Forces Agreement The U.S.–Iraq Status of Forces Agreement (official name: Agreement Between the United States of America and the Republic of Iraq On the Withdrawal of United States Forces from Iraq and the Organization of Their Activities during Their Temporary P ...
. The most significant policy shift affected troops on the ground by putting Iraqi forces in the operational lead in most areas. Under the agreement, TF Gila Route Clearance Packages only operated during daylight hours partnered with Iraqi forces, and could only conduct unilateral operations at night. Before redeploying, Iraqi Route Clearance Units led TF Gila units on partnered missions. Gila Battalion supported the Iraqi Police (IP) and Iraqi Army (IA) as they secured voting sites and ballots for the 2009 local elections. Alpha Company found 65 unexploded ordnances (UXOs), five
explosively formed projectiles An explosively formed penetrator (EFP), also known as an explosively formed projectile, a self-forging warhead, or a self-forging fragment, is a special type of shaped charge designed to penetrate armor effectively, from a much greater standoff r ...
(EFPs), and one improvised explosive device (IED). While conducting over 500 route clearance missions throughout OIF 08–10, the Apaches cleared 25,000 kilometers of main and alternate supply routes (MSR and ASR) to maintain mobility corridors and trafficability throughout the 172d Brigade AO. The company conducted over 200 construction missions, the most notable projects including the demolition of FOB Kalsu's detainee holding area (DHA), the construction a fuel point on Patrol Base (PB) Hamiyah, and the construction of two ranges at Razazah in support of the ISF's training regimen. One highlight of the Apache construction effort was exemplified by the edification of a primary road utilized by millions of Iraqis during a pilgrimage to
Karbala Karbala is a major city in central Iraq. It is the capital of Karbala Governorate. With an estimated population of 691,100 people in 2024, Karbala is the second largest city in central Iraq, after Baghdad. The city is located about southwest ...
, Iraq to recognize the holy
day of Ashura A day is the time period of a full rotation of the Earth with respect to the Sun. On average, this is 24 hours (86,400 seconds). As a day passes at a given location it experiences morning, afternoon, evening, and night. This daily cycle dri ...
. Bravo Company, 9th Engineer Battalion was assigned to TF 3-66 AR (Black Knights) during the OIF 08–10 deployment in
Diyala Governorate Diyala Governorate ( ) or Diyala Province is a Governorates of Iraq, governorate in northeastern Iraq. Provincial Government *Governor: Muthanna al-Tamimi *Deputy Governor: Mohammed Jassim al-Jubouri Council Geography Diyala Governorate ...
. From January to October 2009, Bravo Co executed 253 route clearance missions covering 29,800 km of roads, finding 68 IEDs and striking 20. The company lost 9 vehicles, sustained 8 casualties, and received 59
Combat Action Badge The Combat Action Badge (CAB) is a United States military Badges of the United States Army, award given to soldiers of the U.S. Army of any rank and who are not members of an infantry, special forces, or medical MOS, for being "present and active ...
s. Furthermore, Bravo Co was responsible for the destruction of over 15 spider holes used by the insurgency as hide spots and cache points, and the reduction of over 100 pieces of UXO scattered along the Iranian border that hindered military travel along border routes. No element following a Bravo Co route clearance patrol was ever struck by an IED. On 4 May, Bravo Co successfully launched four mine-clearing line charges (
MICLIC A mine-clearing line charge (abbreviated MCLC or MICLIC; pronounced or "mick-lick") is a device used to create a breach in minefields under combat conditions. While there are many types, the basic design is for many explosive charges connecte ...
s) to breach RTE Headhunters, a heavily mined route, detonating at least 4 IEDs and multiple anti-tank mines during the initial breach. In doing so, the company became one of only a handful of engineer companies to conduct the task in a combat environment since the start of war in Iraq. Bravo Co provided general engineering support to the task force. The company oversaw the construction of several COPs which included the addition of T-Walls, urine soak pits, burn latrines, and personal hygiene stands. The
Society of American Military Engineers The Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) unites public and private sector individuals and organizations from across the architecture, engineering, construction, environmental, facility management, contracting and acquisition fields and ...
awarded Bravo Company the 2009 Itschner Award. The Itschner Award is named in honor of Army Lt. Gen.
Emerson C. Itschner Emerson Charles Itschner (1 July 1903 – 15 March 1995) was an American military engineer. Biography Emerson C. Itschner was born in Chicago on 1 July 1903. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1924 and was commissioned in ...
. It is presented annually to the one active and one reserve component engineer company judged to be the Army's best during the award year. Charlie Company, 9th Engineer Battalion deployed to FOB Kalsu in Babil Province, Iraq. The "Dawgs of War" conducted route clearance, route reconnaissance, and general engineering missions in five provinces to include Babil, Wasit, Karbala, Diwaniyah, and Najaf. The battalion redeployed to Schweinfurt, Germany in November 2009.


Afghanistan

The 9th Engineer Battalion, designated as Task Force Gila, deployed to eastern
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
in July 2011 in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) was the official name used by the U.S. government for both the first stage (2001–2014) of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) and the larger-scale Global War on Terrorism. On 7 October 2001, in response ...
under the 172d Infantry Brigade. For the Deployment, the 172d Brigade Headquarters Company, the 504th Military Intelligence Company, and the 57th Signal Company fell under the Command of Task Force Gila. The Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) of the 9th Engineers operated out of
Forward Operating Base A forward operating base (FOB) is any secured forward operational level military position, commonly a military base, that is used to support strategic goals and tactical objectives. A FOB may contain an airbase, hospital, machine shop, and othe ...
Rushmore (Sharan District, Paktika Province). In addition to providing Command and Control of TF Gila, HHC conducted training and partnership operations with the Afghan Uniformed Police (AUP) and the Afghan Local Police (ALP) in Paktika. HHC was augmented by a platoon from the 554th Military Police Company who were the main effort in the training of AUP and ALP throughout the province. HHC's Support Platoon also conducted partnered patrols throughout the province in order to allow key leaders of the AUP as well as TF Gila to conduct battlefield circulation to outlying AUP checkpoints. Alpha Company, 9th Engineers served as a
route clearance Route clearance is a routine part of counter-IED efforts performed by military forces around the world. The purpose of route clearance is to secure an important route and render it for safe transport. This mission relies on the use of Sapper and ...
and route improvement Company based at
Forward Operating Base Sharana Forward Operating Base (FOB) Sharana was a large forward operating base with many amenities, including a United Service Organizations installation. It is located in Paktika Province, Afghanistan. FOB Sharana was initially established as Camp Kearn ...
(
Sharan District Sharana District () or Sharan District is home to the city of Sharana, which is the capital of Paktika Province, Afghanistan. The Paktika Governor's compound is in Sharana, attached to the police headquarters for the province. The district is with ...
,
Paktika Province Paktika (Pashto: ) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in the eastern part of the country. Forming part of the larger Loya Paktia region, Paktika has a population of about 789,000 residents, who are mostly ethnic Pashtuns but sma ...
). The company's two route clearance platoons (coded RCP 5 and RCP 6) helped maintain freedom of maneuver throughout Paktika province and as far north as Ghazni City and operated extensively with the Afghan RCC (Route Clearance Company) from 2nd Brigade, 203 Corps, who took complete responsibility for device detection and clearance by the end of the deployment. Notable achievements included arriving by land to COP Curry, COP Tillman and COP Waza Khwa for the first time in over a year. The RCP platoons also performed construction security, logistical support, and traffic control point missions routinely. The company had a construction section that partnered extensively with Afghan engineers to accomplish road improvement, culvert repair, and facilities construction. They were known for their ability to move a small team to a remote COP by helicopter, repair significant structural damage to buildings using only materials at hand, and leave within two weeks. Two additional platoons from Alpha were detached to assist with the handover of COP Waza Kwah in southwest Paktika to Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). Following the handover, those two Platoons augmented Able and Venom Companies of TF Black Scarves (1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment) in Andar, Ghazni with the mission to fight as Infantry. Bravo Company, 9th Engineers, fell under the 2nd Battalion,
28th Infantry Regiment Since the establishment of the United States Army in 1775, three regiments have held the designation 28th Infantry Regiment. The first was a provisional unit that was constituted on 29 January 1813 and served during The War of 1812. The second ...
, operating out of Combat Outpost Curry (
Gomal District Gomal District (, ) is a district of Paktika Province, Afghanistan. The estimated population in 2019 was 45,873. The district is within the heartland of the Kharoti tribe of Ghilji Pashtuns.Afghan National Army The Islamic National Army (, ), also referred to as the Islamic Emirate Army and the Afghan Army, is the army, land force branch of the Afghan Armed Forces. The roots of an army in Afghanistan can be traced back to the early 18th century when th ...
(ANA),
Afghan Border Police The Afghan Border Force (ABF) was a paramilitary police responsible for counterinsurgency and security of Afghanistan's border area with neighboring countries extending up to into the interior and formed part of the Afghan National Army. In ...
(ABP), and
Afghan National Police The Afghan National Police (ANP; ; ), also known as the Afghan Police, is the national police force of the Afghanistan, Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, serving as a single law enforcement agency all across the country. The first police officer i ...
(ANP). The Sappers went on security patrols throughout Gomal District, both mounted and dismounted. Despite rugged terrain, the ANSF and Bravo Company successfully patrolled throughout the largest district in Paktika Province. Bravo leaders and Soldiers trained ANSF Soldiers and Policemen to enhance their capabilities, allowing ANSF to conduct unilateral patrols by the spring of 2012. Because of COP Curry's remote location in Paktika, resupply was accomplished via the Air Force's Air Delivery Systems (ADS). Bravo regularly received food, water, fuel, and ammunition via air drop. During the deployment, they also received the largest air drop to date in operation Enduring Freedom, accepting a 4K all-terrain forklift. Charlie Company served under several successive Task Forces from 2011 to 2012: TF Warrior, TF Thunder, TF Gunner, and TF Black Scarves. Charlie operated out of COP Sayed Abad ( Sayed Abad District,
Wardak Province Wardak is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in Central Afghan highlands, central Afghanistan. Its capital is the closest provincial city to Kabul. Wardak Have 8 District. Wardak or Wardag (Dari/Pashto: ), is one of the 34 provinces o ...
), COP Dashe Towpe (
Chak District Chak () is a district in the southern part of Maidan Wardak Province of Afghanistan. Its population was estimated at 83,376 in 2005, the last year for which figures are available. The administrative center of Chak district is the town of Chak. ...
,
Wardak Province Wardak is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in Central Afghan highlands, central Afghanistan. Its capital is the closest provincial city to Kabul. Wardak Have 8 District. Wardak or Wardag (Dari/Pashto: ), is one of the 34 provinces o ...
), and COP Band E Sardeh (
Andar District Andar () is one of the eastern districts of Ghazni Province in Afghanistan. The population has been estimated at 88,300. The district center is Miray while the other main town is Andar. The district is named after the Andar Ghilji tribe of the ...
,
Ghazni Province Ghazni (; ) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, located in southeastern Afghanistan. The province contains 19 Districts of Afghanistan, districts, encompassing over a thousand villages and roughly 1.3 million people, making it the 5th most ...
) with the mission to fight as Infantry. In Wardak, Charlie Company augmented an Afghan Army Kandak and TF Warrior in a clear-hold-build operation to secure the Chak District Center. After helping to establish security and an enduring Afghan and
ISAF The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was a multinational military mission in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014. It was established by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1386 according to the Bonn Agreement, which outlined t ...
presence in the District Center, Charlie continued partnered
counterinsurgency Counterinsurgency (COIN, or NATO spelling counter-insurgency) is "the totality of actions aimed at defeating irregular forces". The Oxford English Dictionary defines counterinsurgency as any "military or political action taken against the ac ...
operations alongside their Afghan Army partners throughout eastern Chak. In December 2011, Charlie moved to COP Band E Sardeh in Andar District, Ghazni to replace Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. Co-located with an
Afghan Army The Islamic National Army (, ), also referred to as the Islamic Emirate Army and the Afghan Army, is the land force branch of the Afghan Armed Forces. The roots of an army in Afghanistan can be traced back to the early 18th century when the Ho ...
Kandak, Charlie conducted partnered counterinsurgency operations in Andar,
Dih Yak Deh Yak also transliterated Dehyak () is a Rural area, rural Districts of Afghanistan, district in the eastern part of Ghazni Province, Afghanistan, 30 km east from the city of Ghazni. The district has an area of 715 km2, containing 66 v ...
, and Giro Districts. Charlie's counterinsurgency efforts, empowering local leaders, and strengthening the local Afghan Army were likely instrumental in the " Andar Uprising" against the Taliban in the summer of 2012, beginning just as Charlie was redeploying. TF Gila redeployed to Germany in June 2012 and inactivated on 31 May 2013. As of 18 May 2015, the battalion exists as the 9th Brigade Engineer Battalion (9th BEB) in Fort Stewart, GA under 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.


Lineage

Constituted 1917-05-15 in the
Regular Army A regular army is the official army of a state or country (the official armed forces), contrasting with irregular forces, such as volunteer irregular militias, private armies, mercenaries, etc. A regular army usually has the following: * a ...
as the 2d Battalion, Mounted Engineers Organized 1917-05-21 at Camp Newton D. Baker, Texas Reorganized and redesignated in July 1917 as the 9th Engineers Assigned 1917-11-27 to the 15th Cavalry Division *Relieved 1919-05-22 from assignment to the 15th Cavalry Division *Battalion (less Company A) inactivated 1922-10-01 at
Fort Sam Houston Fort Sam Houston is a United States Army, U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas. "Fort Sam Houston, TX • About Fort Sam Houston" (overview), US Army, 2007, webpageSH-Army. Known colloquially as "Fort Sam", it is named for the first president o ...
, Texas *Assigned 1923-03-24 to the 2nd Cavalry Division *Company A inactivated 1930-04-19 at
Fort Riley Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in North Central Kansas, on the Kansas River, also known as the Kaw, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 101,733 acres (41,170 ha) in Ge ...
, Kansas *Activated 1941-11-01 at
Fort Riley Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in North Central Kansas, on the Kansas River, also known as the Kaw, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 101,733 acres (41,170 ha) in Ge ...
, Kansas *Reorganized and redesignated 1942-07-15 as the 9th Armored Engineer Battalion; concurrently relieved from assignment to the 2d Cavalry Division and assigned to the 9th Armored Division. *Deployed from the
New York Port of Embarkation The New York Port of Embarkation (NYPOE) was a United States Army command responsible for the movement of troops and supplies from the United States to overseas commands. The command had facilities in New York and New Jersey, roughly covering th ...
on 1944-08-20. *Arrived in England on 1944-08-26, and prepared for entrance into combat. *Arrived in France on 1944-10-06, and immediately participated in the
Rhineland Campaign The Siegfried Line campaign was a phase in the Western Front (World War II)#1944–1945: The Second Front, Western European campaign of World War II, which involved engagments near the German defensive Siegfried Line. This campaign spanned from ...
. *The 9th Engineer Battalion was withdrawn from the
Rhineland Campaign The Siegfried Line campaign was a phase in the Western Front (World War II)#1944–1945: The Second Front, Western European campaign of World War II, which involved engagments near the German defensive Siegfried Line. This campaign spanned from ...
and redirected to the
Ardennes-Alsace Campaign The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive or Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein, was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during the Second World War, taking place from 16 December 1944 to 25 January 19 ...
on 1944-12-16. *The Ardennes-Alsace Campaign was concluded on 1945-01-25, and the 9th Engineer Battalion returned to the
Rhineland Campaign The Siegfried Line campaign was a phase in the Western Front (World War II)#1944–1945: The Second Front, Western European campaign of World War II, which involved engagments near the German defensive Siegfried Line. This campaign spanned from ...
. *The Rhineland Campaign concluded on 1945-03-21. *The
Central Europe Campaign The Western Allied invasion of Germany was coordinated by the Western Allies during the final months of hostilities in the European theatre of World War II. In preparation for the Allied invasion of Germany east of the Rhine, a series of offensi ...
commenced on 1945-03-22. *The Central Europe Campaign concluded on 1945-05-11, and the 9th Engineer Battalion transitioned to Occupation mode. *The 9th Engineer Battalion was located at
Bayreuth Bayreuth ( or ; High Franconian German, Upper Franconian: Bareid, ) is a Town#Germany, town in northern Bavaria, Germany, on the Red Main river in a valley between the Franconian Jura and the Fichtel Mountains. The town's roots date back to 11 ...
, Germany on 1945-08-14. *9th EB returned to the Hampton Roads Port of Embarkation on 1945-10-12, and moved to
Camp Patrick Henry Camp Patrick Henry is a decommissioned United States Army base which was located in Warwick County, Virginia. After World War II, the site was redeveloped as a commercial airport, and became part of City of Newport News in 1958 when the former C ...
. *Inactivated 1945-10-13 at
Camp Patrick Henry Camp Patrick Henry is a decommissioned United States Army base which was located in Warwick County, Virginia. After World War II, the site was redeveloped as a commercial airport, and became part of City of Newport News in 1958 when the former C ...
, Virginia *Redesignated 1951-12-17 as the 9th Engineer Combat Battalion and relieved from assignment to the 9th Armored Division *Activated 1952-01-21 at
Fort Lewis Fort Lewis may refer to: * Fort Lewis (Colorado), a former United States Army post (1878–1891) in the U.S. State of Colorado ** Fort Lewis College, a college in the Durango, Colorado, United States ** Fort Lewis Skyhawks, athletic teams of Fort L ...
, Washington *Redesignated 1953-06-10 as the 9th Engineer Battalion *Assigned 1991-10-16 to the 3d Infantry Division. *Inactivated 1992-08-15 in Germany and relieved from assignment to the 3d Infantry Division *Assigned 1996-02-16 to the 1st Infantry Division and activated in Schweinfurt, Germany *Assigned 2008-03-15 to the 172nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team in Schweinfurt, Germany *Inactivated 2013-05-31 in Schweinfurt, Germany as a component of the deactivation of the 172nd Infantry Brigade. *Activated 2015-05-18 at
Fort Stewart, Georgia Fort Stewart is a United States Army post in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It lies primarily in Liberty County, Georgia, Liberty and Bryan County, Georgia, Bryan counties, but also extends into smaller portions of Evans County ...
as the brigade engineer battalion of 2nd (formerly 4th) Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.


Honors


Campaign participation credit

*
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
**
Rhineland The Rhineland ( ; ; ; ) is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly Middle Rhine, its middle section. It is the main industrial heartland of Germany because of its many factories, and it has historic ties to the Holy ...
**
Ardennes-Alsace The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive or Unternehmen Wacht am Rhein, was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during the Second World War, taking place from 16 December 1944 to 25 January 19 ...
**
Central Europe Central Europe is a geographical region of Europe between Eastern Europe, Eastern, Southern Europe, Southern, Western Europe, Western and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Central Europe is known for its cultural diversity; however, countries in ...
*
Southwest Asia West Asia (also called Western Asia or Southwest Asia) is the westernmost region of Asia. As defined by most academics, UN bodies and other institutions, the subregion consists of Anatolia, the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Mesopotamia, the Armenia ...
** Defense of Saudi Arabia ** Liberation and defense of Kuwait ** Cease-fire *
Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...
** Kosovo Defense Campaign (pending completion of
Operation Joint Guardian Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
) * War on terrorism **
Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...
: *** Transition of Iraq *** Iraqi governance *** National resolution *** Iraqi surge **
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
: *** Transition I (pending completion of the phase)


Decorations

*
Valorous Unit Award The Valorous Unit Award (VUA) is the second highest United States Army unit decoration which may be bestowed upon an Army unit after the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). The VUA is awarded by the United States Army to units of the United State ...
** Streamer embroidered SAMARRA, IRAQ *
Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC; pronounced ''muck'') is a mid-level unit award of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Army awards units the Army MUC for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding achievement or ...
(Army), ** Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2004–2005 ** Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2008-2009 (excludes Bravo Company) ** Streamer embroidered AFGHANISTAN 2011-2012 (excludes Bravo and Charlie Companies) *
Army Superior Unit Award The Superior Unit Award is a decoration of the United States Army which is awarded in peacetime to any unit of the Army which displays outstanding meritorious performance of a difficult and challenging mission carried out under extraordinary circu ...
**Streamer embroidered 1996–1997 *Headquarters Company additionally entitled to: ** Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered EUROPEAN THEATER *Company A additionally entitled to: ** Presidential Unit Citation (Army) Streamer embroidered LUXEMBOURG ** Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered IRAQ-KUWAIT 1991 ** Valorous Unit Award, for action in Baghdad (12 October 2006 to 17 November 2007) *Company B additionally entitled to: ** Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered
ST. VITH St. Vith ( ; ; ; ) is a city and municipality of East Belgium located in the Walloon province of Liège. It was named after Saint Vitus. The majority language is German, as in the rest of the German-speaking Community of Belgium. On January ...
** Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered
REMAGEN BRIDGEHEAD The Battle of Remagen was an 18-day battle during the Western Allied invasion of Germany, Allied invasion of Germany in World War II. It lasted from the 7th to the 25th of March 1945 when American forces unexpectedly captured the Ludendorff Bri ...
** Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered ADHAMIYAH DISTRICT, BAGHDAD NOV 2006-MAY 2007 ** Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered PAKTIKA PROVINCE AUG-NOV 2011 ** Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ OCT 2008-SEP 2009 ** Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in the Ardennes *Company C additionally entitled to: ** Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered
BASTOGNE Bastogne (; ; ; ) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Luxembourg in the Ardennes, Belgium. The municipality consists of the following districts: Bastogne, Longvilly, Noville, Villers-la-Bonne-Eau, and Wardi ...
** Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered
REMAGEN BRIDGEHEAD The Battle of Remagen was an 18-day battle during the Western Allied invasion of Germany, Allied invasion of Germany in World War II. It lasted from the 7th to the 25th of March 1945 when American forces unexpectedly captured the Ludendorff Bri ...
** Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered AFGHANISTAN AUG 2011-JUN 2012 **
Belgian Croix de Guerre The ( French) or ''Oorlogskruis'' ( Dutch) is a military decoration of the Kingdom of Belgium established by royal decree on 25 October 1915. It was primarily awarded for bravery or other military virtue on the battlefield. The award was reesta ...
(1940) with Palm, Streamer embroidered BASTOGNE; cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action at Bastogne


Fallen soldiers (known)

File:9th Armored Engineer Battalion Bastogne memorial service2.jpg, CPT Dixie G. Griffin, B Company Commander, 5 November 1944 File:9th Engineer Battalion Soldiers Saluting Fallen Soldier Memorial, Ledward Barracks, Schweinfurt, Germany, 2011.jpg, SPC Sherwood B Brim of Bravo, 9th Engineer Battalion, was killed in Kosovo on 17 July 1999 when his M113A3 armored personnel carrier overturned. He and SGT Wright were the first Americans in the force to die in Kosovo. File:9th Engineer Battalion Soldiers Saluting Fallen Soldier Memorial, Ledward Barracks, Schweinfurt, Germany, 2011.jpg, SGT William W. Wright of Bravo, 9th Engineer Battalion, was killed in Kosovo on 17 July 1999 when his M113A3 armored personnel carrier overturned. He and SPC Brim were the first Americans in the force to die in Kosovo File:SPC Richard K. Trevithick.jpg, SPC Richard K. Trevithick of 9th Engineer Battalion was killed by a roadside bomb on 14 April 2004 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. File:SGT Brian Wood.jpg, SGT Brian Wood of Alpha Company, 9th Engineer Battalion was killed when his vehicle was struck by a mine on 16 April 2004 during OIF II. File:SFC Joselito Villanueva.jpg, SFC Joselito Villanueva of 9th Engineer Battalion, who was killed by enemy fire while trying to assist an Iraqi citizen that had crashed into his vehicle on 27 September 2004 during OIF II near Balad. File:SGT John T. Bubeck.jpg, SGT John T. Bubeck of Alpha, 9th Engineer Battalion, KIA OIF 06–08, when his vehicle was struck by an IED on 25 December 2006. File:PFC Andrew H. Nelson.jpg, PFC Andrew H. Nelson of Alpha, 9th Engineer Battalion KIA OIF 06–08, when his vehicle was struck by an IED on 25 December 2006 File:SPC Aaron L. Preston.jpg, SPC Aaron L. Preston of Alpha, 9th Engineer Battalion KIA OIF 06–08, when his vehicle was struck by an IED on 25 December 2006 File:SPC Sean K. McDonald.jpg, SPC Sean K. McDonald of 9th Engineer Battalion was killed when his vehicle was struck by an IED while conducting route clearance missions on 25 March 2007 during OIF 06–08.


Former Commanders and Command Sergeants Major (known)


Commanders

*Major L. E. Atkins 21 July 1917 *Captain R. G. Moses 1920 *Major Vincent C. Frisby 15 July 1942 – ? (Redesignation) *Lt. Col. Sears Yates Coker 2 October 1942 – 13 October 1945? (WWII) *LTC Frederic A. Frech - 1963-1964 *LTC Paul S Denison – 1964–1966 *LTC Milford L Nealis – 1966–1967 *LTC Robert S Kubby – 1967–1968 *LTC Harold H. Whisler – 1968–1969 * Nathan Mortiler (SP) *LTC Thedie 1976–? *LTC Roy L. Stoncipeher 1981 - 1983 *LTC Charles A. W. Hines 1984(?)-1987 *LTC Edward L. Bailey 1987-? *LTC Rich Jemiola 1991 (Persian Gulf War) *LTC James Meredith 1992 *LTC Jeffery J. Dorko 16 February 1996 – 11 July 1997 (Bosnia) *LTC Richard Jenkins 11 July 1997 – 12 July 1999 *LTC Everett McDaniel 12 July 1999 – 11 July 2001 (Kosovo) *LTC Nate Idlet 11 July 2001 – 9 July 2003 (Kosovo) *LTC Blair Schantz 10 July 2003 – 22 June 2005 (OIF II) *LTC Glen Masset 22 June 2005 – 4 February 2008 (OIF 06–08) *LTC Benjamin J. Bigelow 14 February 2008 – 12 May 2010 (OIF 08–10) *LTC Jayson C. Gilberti 12 May 2010 – 31 May 2013 (OEF 11–12) *LTC Michael R. Biankowski, Jr. 18 May 2015 – 18 August 2016 *LTC Jayson H. Putnam 18 August 2016 – 17 July 2018 *LTC William H. Shoemate II 17 July 2018 – 5 June 2020 *LTC Brian Looney - 5 June 2020 - 19 May 2022 *LTC Clinton W. Brown - 19 May 2022- Present


Command Sergeants Major

*CSM William I English – 1966–1968 *CSM Paul Hilkovsky 1968–1969 *CSM Robinson 1975–1979 *CSM Lugo 1990–1992 *CSM Walter M. Stone 7 March 1996 – 9 March 1999 *CSM Riddle 9 March 1999 – 20 July 2001 *CSM Rather 20 July 2001 – 12 May 2005 *CSM Turpin 15 May 2005 – 5 June 2008 *CSM Walton 5 June 2008 – 15 June 2009 *CSM Stewart 30 August 2009 – 3 May 2013 *CSM David K. Hopkins 18 May 2015 – 18 August 2016 *CSM Derrick Brown 18 August 2016 – 2019 *CSM Oscar Rodriguez March 2019 – Sep 2021 *CSM Jonathan L. Saunders - Sep 2021 - Present


Gallery

File:9th Armored Engineer Battalion Bastogne memorial service2.jpg, Memorial for CPT Dixie G. Griffin, B Company Commander, 5 November 1944 File:9th Armored Engineer Battalion Bastogne memorial service.jpg, "Taps" at memorial ceremony for men of Company C, 9th Armored Engineer Battalion. Who were killed during siege of Bastogne, Belgium. File:The Remagen Bridgehead - 7 March 1945 DA Poster 21-32.jpg, Poster printed by the US Army commemorating the capturing of the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen. File:2nd Platoon Bravo Co, 9th Enginner Batalion conducting a bunker busting mission in Bosnia, 1996.jpg, 2nd Platoon Bravo Co, 9th Engineer Battalion conducting a bunker busting mission in Bosnia, 1996. File:Soldiers of 9th Engineer Battalion preparing explosive charges in Bosnia Zone of Separation 1996.jpg, Soldiers of 9th Engineer Battalion preparing explosive charges in Bosnia Zone of Separation 1996. File:9th Engineer Battalion conducting a mine lifting mission in Bosnia, 1996.jpg, 9th Engineer Battalion conducting a mine lifting mission in Bosnia, 1996. File:REMAGEN BRIDGE ANNIVERSARY 7 March 1998.jpg, Edward Simon and George Spaulding from Bravo Company reenlistment at Ludendorff Bridge, 7 March 1998 File:Bravo Co 9th Engineers Uncover a Spider Hole Cache in Iraq 2009.jpg, Bravo uncovers a Spider Hole Cache in Iraq 2009 File:US Navy 090302-N-4245W-074 Ensign Matthew King, assigned to Amphibious Construction Battalion 2, explains the electrical layout in an elevated platform building.jpg, 9E Commander on a completion of work tour at Patrol Base Mahawil, 2 March 2009, Iraq. File:9th Engineers Bundeswehr Partnerhip.jpg, Soldiers of the 9th Engineer Battalion and the 701st Panzer Pioneer Battalion meet on a bridge constructed in Grafenwoehr during training, 24 August 2010. File:9th Engineer Battalion Training on the MG3 with the German Army, 2010.jpg, 9th Engineer Battalion Training on the MG3 with the German Army, 2010. File:9th Engineer Battalion Casing of the Colors, Grafenwoehr, Germany, June 2011 2.jpg, 9th Engineer Battalion Casing of the Colors, Grafenwoehr, Germany, June 2011. File:A Company, 9th Engineer Battalion, firing the MICLIC in training, Andar, Afghanistan 2011.jpg, A Company, 9th Engineer Battalion, firing the MICLIC in training, Andar, Afghanistan 2011. File:Bravo Co, 9th Engineer Battalion Patrol in Gomal Paktika 2011.jpg, Bravo Company patrols in Gomal, Paktika 2011. File:9th Engineer Battalion, Commemorating the Capture of the Ludendorff Bridge with Polish Soldiers, FOB Rushmore, Afghanistan, 7 March 2012.JPG, 9th Engineer Battalion, Commemorating Polish Independence Day with Polish Soldiers, FOB Rushmore, Afghanistan, 11 November 2011. File:9th Engineer Battalion Redeployment Ceremony, Grafenwoehr, June 2012.jpg, 9th Engineer Battalion Redeployment Ceremony, Grafenwoehr, June 2012. File:9th Engineer Battalion, Battalion Run, Schweinfurt, Germany, June 2012.JPG, 9th Engineer Battalion, Battalion Run, Schweinfurt, Germany, June 2012.


See also

*
Military engineering of the United States The United States first formed a military engineering capability on 16 June 1775, when the Continental Congress established an army with a chief engineer and two assistants. Subsequently, on 16 March 1802, the Corps of Engineers was organized by ...
*
Combat engineer A combat engineer (also called pioneer or sapper) is a type of soldier who performs military engineering tasks in support of land forces combat operations. Combat engineers perform a variety of military engineering, Tunnel warfare, tunnel and l ...
*
Military engineering Military engineering is loosely defined as the art, science, and practice of designing and building military works and maintaining lines of military transport and military communications. Military engineers are also responsible for logistics b ...


References and notes


Bibliography

*


External links


9th Engineer BattalionArticle title
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Battle of the Bulge