11th Engineer Battalion (Combat)
"Jungle Cats"
On March 15, 2004, the 11th Engineer Brigade was deactivated as part of modularity restructuring. The former Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 11th Engineer Battalion Soldiers remains in the 3rd Infantry Division, assigned to the Brigade Troops Battalion.
The mission of the 11th Engineer Battalion (Combat), is to deploy rapidly to a contingency area by air, sea, and land; protect the force; and provide continuous combat engineer support for mobile combined arms offensive and defensive operations.
The battalion consists of Headquarters and Headquarters Company and three line companies (A, B, & C). Each line company is made up of two Sapper platoons and one Assault and Obstacle platoon. The unit is habitually aligned to provide support to 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division as part of the "Raider" Brigade Combat Team. Typically, each of its line companies supports an infantry or armor task force.
The 11th Engineer Battalion's history begins in 1917 with the activation of the 11th Engineer Regiment (Railway). It was one of the three regiments activated to maintain railroads in northern France in support of the American deployment and the overall war effort. The 11th landed in France on August 1917 -- the first American unit to enter the European theater.
On 20 November, elements of the 11th were repairing a section of railway track when a British attack launched the Battle of Cambrai. In a desperate counterattack, the Germans penetrated British lines and overran the engineer work site. Fighting back with hand tools and discarded rifles, the 11th held its position. The British rallied around the engineers' site and forced the Germans to withdraw. Thus, the 11th was the "first to fight" of all American units engaged in World War I. For its valor, General John Pershing and Field Marshall Douglas Haig commended the Regiment. The 11th was ordered home and demobilized on 6 May 1919.
On 20 November 1920, the Regiment was reactivated in the Panama Canal Zone as the 11th Engineer Regiment (Combat) from E and F Companies, 3rd Engineer Battalion. For the next 23 years, the 11th conducted numerous engineer missions over rugged terrain and through dense jungle. It was in Panama that the 11th adopted for its crest the Panama Black Panther and assumed the nickname "Jungle Cats."
On 1 April 1943, the unit was reorganized as the 11th Engineer Battalion (Combat) and sent to the United States for training. The battalion deployed to Europe in November 1944. During World War II, the 11th cleared minefields, repaired roads, built and repaired bridges, conducted demolition missions, and supported the 101st Cavalry Group's penetration of the Siegfried Line. When hostilities ended the 11th stayed in Europe carrying out reconstruction projects. It was inactivated in Austria on 30 November 1946.
The 11th was reactivated in Japan in March 1950, where it constructed training areas for the 24th and 25th Infantry Divisions. It was among the first numbered TO&E units to enter Korea and supported UN forces throughout the war. The battalion also fought as infantry and supported the 24th Infantry Division in its crossing of the Naktong River. The Battalion stayed in Korea until 1971, assisting in the reconstruction and defense of South Korea.
On 20 May 1971, the Battalion was reactivated at Fort Belvoir, VA. In 1979, it was reorganized as a combat heavy battalion to provide troop construction support to the Engineer Center. It was inactivated in January 1990 when the Engineer Center moved to Fort Leonard Wood, MO. On 24 January 1992, the 11th Engineer Battalion (Combat) was reactivated at Fort Stewart, GA, and assigned to the Engineer Brigade of the 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) under the Engineer Restructure Initiative (ERI). The 24th was the first stateside unit to implement ERI. The 11th was formed from C and D Companies, 317th Engineer Battalion and elements of B and E Companies, 3rd Engineer Battalion. Thus, the activation was the second time in its long history that the 11th was formed from elements of the 3rd Engineer Battalion and the second time that it supported the 24th Infantry Division.
In October 1994, Iraq positioned forces along its border with Kuwait. The 24th Infantry Division was placed on alert to deploy. During the period 8 October 1994 to 5 December 1994, the 1lth Engineer Battalion distinguished itself while in support of operations SOUTHERN WATCH and VIGILANT WARRIOR. The battalion successfully executed its rapid contingency deployment plan and completed all missions while deterring the Iraqi threat to Kuwait. Both Headquarters and Headquarters Company and C Company were awarded the Army Superior Unit Ribbon.
In February 1998, the Battalion was alerted to deploy with the 1st Brigade Combat Team to Kuwait, in support of Operation DESERT THUNDER. The mission was to deter Iraqi aggression, assure coalition partners, and, if necessary, defend Kuwait. The Battalion successfully completed a rapid deployment to Camp Doha, Kuwait, and subsequently to the Kuwaiti desert, where it remained for over four months. During that time, the 11th Engineers supported the 3rd Infantry Division (Forward) as well as the 1st Brigade Combat Team. C Company remained at Fort Stewart in support of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team and the 10th Engineer Battalion, fully prepared to deploy on order.
