2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division

Shoulder sleeve insignia of the 28th "Keystone" Infantry Division. Worn by soldiers of 2nd Brigade, 28th Infantry Division.
Distinctive brigade badge

The 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team is a unit of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard’s 28th Infantry Division. 2nd Brigade's headquarters is in Washington, Pennsylvania, and the brigade also contains units from Ohio and Maryland.

History

Headquarters, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team was organized in July 1872 as a company called the Washington Guards. In November 1873, the company was formally incorporated into the Pennsylvania National Guard as Company H, 10th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment.[1]

Company H was mobilized for the Spanish–American War from 1898 to 1899 and served in the Philippines.[2] In 1916, the company was federalized for service on the Mexico–United States border during the Pancho Villa Expedition.[3]

In 1917, Company H merged with Company H, 3rd Infantry Regiment, and the new unit was designated Company H, 110th Infantry Regiment. From August, 1917 to June, 1920 the 110th Infantry was mobilized for service in France during World War I.[4]

Company H, 110th Infantry was inducted into federal service for World War II in February 1942. It served with the 28th Infantry Division in the European Theater, and was demobilized in October, 1945.

In September 1950, Company H was activated for service during the Korean War, and remained mobilized in West Germany until June, 1954.[5]

Company H was re-designated Company C, 1st Battle Group, 110th Infantry as part of a 1959 reorganization.[6]

In 1963, Company C was combined with Headquarters, 1st Battle Group, and the new unit was designated Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Brigade, 28th Infantry Division.[7]

In 1968, the 2nd Brigade Headquarters was reorganized as the 689th Military Police Company.[8] In the early 1970s, another reorganization led to the creation of the 408th General Supply Company.[9]

The 408th General Supply Company was again designated Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Brigade, 28th Infantry Division as the result of a 1975 reorganization.[10]

Campaign participation credit

War with Spain

Philippine–American War

World War I

World War II

War in Iraq

Decorations

World War II

War in Iraq

Recent events

Following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, members of 2nd Brigade mobilized as units and individuals for both homeland security and missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.[15]

In 2005 and 2006 2nd Brigade served in Iraq under the command of Colonel John L. Gronski, who led a temporary task organization that included units from Vermont, Kentucky, Nebraska, Utah, Indiana and Michigan, as well as regular Army units from the 3rd Infantry Division and 101st Airborne Division. This task organization also included battalions of the United States Marine Corps. In succession these were 1st Battalion 5th Marines (2005); 3rd Battalion 7th Marines (2005-2006); and 3rd Battalion 8th Marines (2006).[16]

2nd Brigade operated in al Anbar Province and received credit for aiding in the organization and training of Iraqi Security Forces, capturing terrorists, destroying insurgent groups, and destroying or disarming more than 1,100 improvised explosive devices.[17][18][19][20][21][22]

January 2016 the Brigade Headquarter Mobilized for Duty in Kosovo. The Brigade assumed the command for Mult-National Battle Group East in March for KFOR-21 Rotation. Redeployed in November 2016.[23]

In June 2016, 1st Battalion-110th Infantry Regiment deployed to Jordan, UAE, and Kuwait to train their forces.[24]

Task organization

In 2005 and 2006 the Army's transition to modular units led to the designation of 2nd Brigade as the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team. As of 2024, the task organization consists of:

References

  1. ^ Association of the 110th Infantry, History of the 110th Infantry, 1920, page 1
  2. ^ Pennsylvania Adjutant General, Record of Pennsylvania Volunteers in the Spanish–American War, 1898-1899, 1901, page 424
  3. ^ George Thornton Fleming, History of Pittsburgh and Environs, 1922, page 134
  4. ^ Francis Earle Lutz, The 110th infantry in the world war, 1919, page 12
  5. ^ Washington Reporter, 110th Infantry Federalized for Fifth Time, 9 September 1950
  6. ^ Washington Observer, 110th Infantry Ends Enlistment Freeze, 23 February 1962
  7. ^ Washington Reporter, Guard Units to be Reduced, 15 March 1963
  8. ^ Washington Observer-Reporter, Waynesburg Guard Unit has no Word on Call Up, 29 January 1968
  9. ^ Washington Observer-Reporter, 408th Highly Specialized Guard Unit, 28 June 1972
  10. ^ John B. Wilson, Center of Military History, Armies, Corps, Divisions, and Separate Brigades, 1999, page 311
  11. ^ Barry Jason Stein, Peter Joseph Capelotti,U.S. Army Heraldic Crests, 1993, page 169
  12. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, Invitation pamphlet, 2/28 BCT Fallen Warrior Memorial Dedication Archived 5 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine, 2012
  13. ^ Center for Military History, Army Lineage Series, Armor-Cavalry: Army National Guard, 1972, page 124
  14. ^ Department of the Army, Army Concurrence for 1 Marine Expeditionary Force Navy Unit Commendation Archived 18 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine, 20 July 2009
  15. ^ Pennsylvania National Guard, About: 28th Infantry Division Archived 22 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine, accessed 28 June 2013
  16. ^ Chris Rosenblum, Centre Daily Times, Chimes of Freedom May Ring for Soldiers: National Guard Seeks Funds to Honor 82 Fallen Members in Iraq, 4 December 2007
  17. ^ Rory Schuler, Lebanon Daily News, 28th Division Commander Touts Work of Brigade in Iraq, 24 March 2006
  18. ^ Alfred A. Smith, The Spectrum, 2/28th Brigade Combat team takes over the Al Anbar Province in Iraq Archived 1 July 2013 at archive.today, 4 August 2005
  19. ^ Monte Morin, Stars and Stripes, Suicide bomb kills dozens of Iraqi police recruits, two Americans, 6 January 2006
  20. ^ Blackanthem.com, Iraqi Soldiers Capture Insurgents, Disarm Roadside Bombs, 24 November 2005
  21. ^ Monte Morin, Stars and Stripes, Marine bomb expert shaken but not deterred by IED, 15 January 2006
  22. ^ Cnn.com, Ramadi Battle Kills 100-plus Insurgents, 1 March 2006
  23. ^ "Members of Pa. National Guard's 2nd Infantry Brigade depart for Kosovo deployment".
  24. ^ Pennsylvania Guardsmen deploy to Jordan[usurped] 7 July 2016