By Maj. William Carraway
Historian, Georgia Army National Guard
Early History and
World War II
Statesboro
has been home to a Georgia National Guard unit since 1903 and the founding of
the Statesboro Volunteers.[1] Today,
Statesboro is home to the Headquarters Company, 177th Brigade
Engineer Battalion.
Insignia of the 264th CAB. Georgia National Guard Archives.
The
Headquarters Company was originally constituted in the Georgia Army National
Guard as Battery A, 264th Coast Artillery March 14, 1930.[2] On
October 1, 1939, the 264th CA was reorganized as the 1st
Battalion 214th Field Artillery Group[3]
with Battery A reorganized as Battery C. The 214th FAG was mobilized
to the Pacific Theater of Operations and underwent reorganization in November
1943. The 1st Battalion 214th was redesignated the 528th
Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion with the Statesboro unit redesignated as
Battery C. The unit maintained this designation through the war and was
inactivated in December 1945 at Camp Stoneman, Calif.
The
528th AAA was reestablished July 11, 1946 by the Allotment of National
Guard Ground Force Units for the State of Georgia. In October the 528th
was consolidated into Headquarters Battery, 101st Antiaircraft
Artillery Automatic Weapons Battalion with the Statesboro units designated
Headquarters Battery and Battery A, 101st Antiaircraft Artillery Gun
Battalion.[4] Upon
consolidation, the unit inherited the lineage and honors of the 101st
CAB which received the Presidential Unit Citation for its service in Papua and
the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, for service from October 17, 1944 to
July 4, 1945.[5] The unit
was federally recognized June 17, 1947.[6]
The
Korean War Mobilization and Reorganizations
On
August 14, 1950, the unit was ordered into federal service due to the outbreak
of hostilities in Korea. As part of the 108th Antiaircraft Artillery
Brigade, the unit was initially mobilized to Camp Bliss, Texas. The 108th
AAA provided air defense over industrial areas from Chicago to Philadelphia
until released from federal service in April 1952.[7]
On
July 1, 1959, the Statesboro units were reorganized and redesignated as
Headquarters Battery and Battery A, 2nd Gun Battalion, 214th
Field Artillery.[8] The Statesboro
units were converted and redesignated as Headquarters Company and Company A,
265th Engineer Battalion May 1, 1962.[9]
The
contract for the Statesboro Armory was awarded May 29, 1961.[10]
On May 20, 1962, The Statesboro Armory was dedicated to the late Prince H.
Preston, Jr., a former member of the Ga. National Guard and Congressman from
Georgia’s 1st District from 1947 to 1961. In 2006, the armory was rededicated in honor of Brig. Gen. Terrell Reddick.
The Statesboro Armory in 2017. Photo by Capt. William Carraway
The
48th AD Era
In
1963, the Georgia National Guard received all personnel allotments for the 48th
Armor Division. As part of the ensuing reorganization, the Statesboro units
were consolidated to form Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion 121st
Infantry Regiment.[11]
With the inactivation of the 48th AD January 1, 1968, the Statesboro
unit was reorganized as Headquarters Battery 2nd Battalion 214th
Field Artillery Regiment.[12]
Soldiers of 2nd Battalion, 214th Field Artillery at their Statesboro Armory August 29, 1993. Georgia National Guard Archives.
Conversion
and The Global War on Terror
On
September 1, 1993, the unit was converted and redesignated as Detachment 1,Insignia of the 648th Engineer Battalion.
848th
Engineer Company.[13]
30 days later, the unit was expanded, reorganized and redesignated as
Headquarters Company and Company A of the newly-established 648th
Engineer Battalion with additional companies in Waycross, Douglas and Baxley.[14] Following
the 1994 flood of Southwest Georgia from the effects of Tropical Storm Alberto,
Soldiers and equipment of the 648th Engineer Battalion were employed repairing
roads and assisting recovery operations.
Company
C, 648th mobilized to Bosnia with the 48th Brigade in
2001. In December 2004, the battalion was ordered into active duty for
Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 648th deployed to Iraq in 2005 and
returned the following year.
The
648th Engineer Battalion was redesignated as the 48th
Special Troops Battalion September 1, 2007 with the Statesboro units
redesignated Headquarters Company and Company A.[15]
The 48th BSTB was ordered into active Federal service April 21, 2009
at home stations for service in Afghanistan with the 48th Infantry
Brigade Combat Team. The 48th BSTB was released from active federal
service May 25, 2010 and reverted to state control. In recognition of its
outstanding service rendered in support of the 48th IBCT in
Afghanistan, the 48th BSTB was awarded the Meritorious Unit
Citation.
On
September 1, 2013, Company A, 48th BSTB relocated to Glennville, Ga.[16]
Exactly two years later, the Special Troops Battalion was converted and
redesignated the 177th Engineer Battalion.[17]
Lieutenant Colonel Kris Marshall and Command Sgt. Maj. Jeff Logan became the
first command team of the 177th. Soldiers of the 177th
supported the 48th IBCT’s Exportable Combat Training Capability
exercise at Fort Stewart in June 2017 and mobilized with the brigade during its deployment
to Afghanistan from 2018 to 2019.
Soldiers and colors of the 177th BEB in 2021. Photo by Maj. William Carraway |
As
organized, the 177th retained the mission of supporting the 48th
IBCT while expanding upon the core engineer capabilities of the unit. The
signal company of the BEB contributes to the IBCT’s awareness of the operating picture
and keeps the brigade in constant contact with higher and subordinate units. The
military intelligence capability of the BEB, housed in its MI Company provides
the decision-quality information to the brigade commander. The BEB’s unmanned
aerial surveillance capability enhances this information collection and
analysis role. In addition to a headquarters company and two combat engineer
companies, a forward support company completes the organization of the BEB.
The
equipment and specially trained personnel of the 177th BEB have
placed them in high demand for domestic response operations. 177th
Engineers have assisted Georgia citizens during hurricane response operations
and most recently during the state’s coordinated response to the COVID-19
pandemic. The 177th has also maintained a steady operational
training schedule over the years and mobilized overseas in support of exercise
Noble Partner in the Country of Georgia in September 2020.
In
June 2022, the 177th BEB once again mobilized to Fort Stewart
Georgia in support of a 48th IBCT XCTC rotation.
[1] The Adjutant General, State of Georgia. Official
Register of the National Guard of Georgia for 1916. Atlanta: 1916.
[2] Military Department
of the State of Georgia. Pictorial Review of the National Guard of the State
of Georgia. Atlanta: 1939, 215.
[3] Center for Military
History. “Lineage and Honors of the 1-214th Field Artillery
Regiment.” U.S. Army.
[4] Center for Military
History. “Lineage and Honors of the 1-214th Field Artillery
Regiment.” U.S. Army.
[5] (HHC [then HHC 101st
Coast Arty BN cited for period 23 Jul 1942 - 23 Jan 1943; WDGO 17, 1945 and
DAGO 47, 1950).
[6] NG AROTO 325.4 March
17, 1958.
[7] Center for Military
History. “Lineage and Honors of the 1-214th Field Artillery
Regiment.” U.S. Army.
[8] RA 73-59 June 10,
1959 effective July 1, 1959.
[9] RA 47-62 April 16,
1962 effective May 1, 1962.
[10] State of Georgia
Department of Defense. Annual Report, 1962. Atlanta: 1963, Sec XIV
[11] RA 57-63 March 21,
1963 Effective April 16, 1963.
[12] RA 71-67 December
14, 1967, effective January 1, 1968.
[13] OA 169-93 August 9,
1993 effective September 1, 1993.
[14] OA 170-93 August 9,
1993 effective October 1, 1993.
[15] OA 112-08 Ma7 21,
2008 effective September 1, 2007.
[16] OA 180-14 April 14,
2014 effective September 1, 2013.
[17] OA 434-14, Corrected
Copy 1, 3 February 2015.
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