1st Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division
Iron Brigade
On order, Iron Brigade Combat Team, 2ID transitions to crisis and/or war and deploys to initial positions. On order it defends or counterattacks to destroy nKPA forces that have crossed the former MDL, and on order conducts offensive operations to complete the destruction of those nKPA forces. It is prepared to conduct force protection operations in support of the division.
The 1st Brigade Headquarters is derived from the original Headquarters Troop, 2nd Infantry Division, originally organized in 1917 at Fort Ethan Allen, Vermont, by details from the 2nd Cavalry. This unit fought through all the major campaigns of World War I with the Division. After the war and a tour of occupation duty, it returned to the U.S. in 1919 to Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The Headquarters Troop was redesignated Headquarters Company, 2nd Infantry Division when the Division was reorganized under the triangular concept.
When the Division was ordered into combat in World War II, this newly designated company was often called on to drop its administrative duties and participate as infantry, earning five battle streamers and several foreign decorations. When the war ended in Europe, the Division returned to Camp Swift, Texas and remained their unit it was transferred to Fort Lewis, Wash. in April 1946.
Headquarters Company's next assignment came on 9 July 1950, when the Division was alerted for movement to Korea. With the termination of hostilities, the unit remained in Korea unit it returned to the United States in October 1954.
The Department of the Army inactivated the unit in 1957, and it was disbanded on 2 May 1960 at Fort Benning, Georgia. The unit was reconstituted 25 January 1963 in the Regular Army and concurrently redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division. On 16 April 1963 it was activated at Fort Benning, Georgia.
On 1 July 1965, by the redesignation of the 1st Cavalry Division the unit returned to Korea. At the start of 1966, 1st Brigade consisted of 2nd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment; 2nd Battalion, 72nd Armor Regiment; 2nd Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment; and the 16th Turkish Armed Forces Company. 1st Brigade became an armor (iron) brigade on 16 October 1978 when the 2nd Battalion, 72nd Armor Regiment rejoined 1st Brigade, replacing the 1st Battalion, 31st infantry Regiment (Mechanized). On 16 August 1986, the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized) was redesignated the 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment (mechanized). On 16 August 1992, the Brigade became a Triple Threat Heavy-Light Force when the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment was assigned to the Brigade. On 1 January 1994, the 1st Battalion, 72nd Armor Regiment replaced 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment to make the iron brigade a Triple-Threat Heavy Force.
