HISTORY
11TH LIGHT INFANTRY BRIGADE
The 11th Infantry Brigade was originally organized in the Regular Army on December 4, 1917 at Camp Forrest, Georgia, as an element of the 6th Division and served as part of the division during World War I. The brigade was credited with two campaign participations during World War I: Alsace 1918 and Muese-Agronne.
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After inactivation in 1921, the 11th Brigade was assigned on inactive status. The 11th Brigade was reconstituted on April 15, 1966 as a Regular Army unit, and was reactivated on July 1, 1966 at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Under the new organization, the 11th Brigade consisted of the following units:
1st Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment
3rd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment
4th Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment
4th Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment (In correctly listed as the 4th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment in the Americal History book published in 1971)
Troop E, 1st Cavalry
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Beginning in early 1967, the brigade trained extensively in jungle operations in preparation for commitment to Vietnam. To stress realism in the Vietnam-oriented tactical training, the brigade conducted "live-fire' operations in the rugged, thickly-vegetated terrain of the Koolau Mountains on the island of Oahu.
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The advance party, consisting of 350 personnel with representation from all brigade units, departed Hawaii by aircraft on November 28, 1967, for Duc Pho, Quang Ngai Province, I Corps Tactical Zone, Republic of Vietnam.
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Prior to joining the Americal Division, intensive in-country training was conducted for a month. Upon completion of this training, the 11th Infantry Brigade moved from Landing Zone Carentan to their permanent base camp at Landing Zone Bronco, near Duc Pho, in late January 1968. A fourth infantry battalion, the 4th Battalion, 21st Infantry, joined the "Jungle Warriors" in April 1968. Successful operations during this time included Operation Norfolk Victory, Champagne Grove, and Vernon Lake II. During these operations, the brigade succeeded in destroying the enemy's major bases of operation, weapons and munition caches, rice and salt caches, and interdicting his major infiltration and logistical routes.
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The 11th Infantry Brigade operated from five forward fire support bases, each strategically located to hinder the enemy's movement and interdict his traditional lines of infiltration.
6TH BATTALION, 11TH ARTILLERY
The 6th Battalion, 11th Artillery was originally organized on June 1, 1917 in the Regular Army at Douglas, Arizona as Battery F, 11th Field Artillery. In November of that year it was assigned to the 6th Division. In March 1921 the unit was reassigned to the Hawaiian Division. It stayed with the Hawaiian Division until October 1941 , when it moved from beautiful Hawaii to Korea and was assigned to the 24th Infantry Division.
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During World War II, this artillery unit participated in five major battle campaigns and during the Korean Conflict, the 6th Battalion of the 11th Artillery participated in eight major campaigns.
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The hard-fighting 6th Battalion, 11th Artillery made itself known all over the world, earning the Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation (PYONGTAEK), and Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation (KOREA).
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Turmoil in Southeast Asia sent the battalion to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii in March, 1967. After the completion of training, the main body of the 6th Battalion, 11th Artillery arrived in Vietnam on December 19, 1967 as an organic unit of the 11th Infantry Brigade.
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From the time of arrival in the Republic of Vietnam the men of the "On Time" 6th Battalion, 11th Artillery have taken part in six major campaigns.
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Wars are won by teamwork -- Artillery and Infantry are a winning combination; so is the 6th Battalion, 11th Artillery and the men of the 11th Infantry Brigade.
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Source: the americal division, "under the southern cross" - published by the U.S. Army in 1971.
ECHO TROOP, 1ST CAVALRY
E Troop, 1st Cavalry was first constituted March 2, 1833 as Company E, United States Regiment of Dragoons.
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The unit has participated in the Mexican War, the Indian Wars, the Civil War, the War with Spain, World War II, and Vietnam.
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On December 6, 1967, E Troop, 1st Cavalry, departed Hawaii aboard the USS General William Weigel for the Republic of Vietnam. The main body arrived at Quin Nhon on December 21, 1967. Immediately therafter, E Troop joined the 11th Infantry Brigade.
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The unit's mission is to provide security and perform reconnaissance for the 11th Infantry Brigade and to engage in offensive, defensive, or delaying action as an economy of force unit.
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In that same month, E Troop received nine M551 Armored Reconnaissance/Airborne Assault Vehicles, and since then E Troop has been employed as an armor unit and has been engaged primarily in security missions. Though somewhat limited in mobility by the terrain in the 11th Brigade's area of operation, E Troop has proved the value of armor-protected firepower on repeated occasions.
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Source: the americal division, "under the southern cross" - published by the U.S. Army in 1971.
26TH ENGINEER BATTALION (COMBAT)
