864th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy)
On order, the 864th Engineer Battalion deploys and conducts general engineering operations in support of Army operations. The 864th Engineer Battalion is made up of the Battalion Headquarters, Headquarters Support Company, Alpha Company, and Bravo Company plus Charlie Company which is located in Alaska.
The 864th Aviation Battalion was activated in December 1942 at Camp Geiger, Washington near Spokane. The Battalion served in the Pacific Theater during WW II, earning three campaign streamers and the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. The unit was deactivated in Japan in 1946.
It was returned to the active Army during the period of December 1950 to July 1952 for the purpose of highway construction in the state of Oklahoma. The battalion was reactivated in September 1955 at Wolters Air Field, Mineral Wells, Texas. It was designated as a Special Category Activity Reassigned With Air Force unit, performing airfield construction and maintenance for the fledgling U.S. Air Force. The battalion was reassigned to the Army in March 1956 as the 864th Engineer Battalion (Construction), remaining at Camp Wolters.
In May 1965, the battalion was shipped to Cam Rahn Bay, RVN. The battalion was the first U.S. engineer battalion-size unit in Vietnam and responsible for port transportation and support facilities construction. As more engineer battalions were assigned to Vietnam, the unit was assigned missions of base camp construction and line of communication construction and maintenance. For its outstanding efforts, the battalion was awarded the distinctive designation "Pacemakers" by the Secretary of the Army in September 1968. The battalion returned to CONUS in August 1971, after earning thirteen campaign streamers, the Vietnamese Civic Action Honor Medal, First Class, and two Meritorious Unit Commendations.
In CONUS, the battalion was assigned to Fort Lewis, Washington. The battalion was reorganized in June 1976 as an Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy). During the period 1986-1990, the battalion deployed vertical platoons to Honduras in support of the U.S. Southern Command. In 1987, the battalion was reorganized with a Headquarters and Support Company and three line companies, which included Charlie Company which was stationed at the Presidio of San Francisco. In January 1991, the battalion deployed to Saudi Arabia for eight months in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. During this period, the 864th was responsible for construction of 290 miles of petroleum pipeline, the repair and maintenance of main supply routes, enemy prisoner of war camp construction, and provided emergency services restoration to Kuwait City.
In 1992, the battalion deployed a platoon to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, providing humanitarian relief to Haitian refugees. In the winter of 1993, the battalion deployed to Arizona in support of JTF-6, providing a multitude of construction missions in support of the Border Patrol and various law enforcement agencies. In July 1993, Charlie Company, 864th Engineer Battalion was inactivated and colors retired. Bravo Company and support elements from HSC deployed to Honduras to build schools from June 1994 to September 1994. The battalion deployed elements from HSC, Alpha and Bravo Companies to McCall, Idaho in support of Task Force "Rugged-Pacemaker" to fight forest fires in the summer of 1994. In the spring of 1995, elements of HSC and Bravo Company deployed to Texas, again to support JTF-6 missions while Alpha Company deployed to Thailand to build structures during exercise "Cobra Gold." In June 1996, the Alpha Animals deployed to Haiti, for a 6 month rotation, to construct schools and renovate a hospital for the locals. Meanwhile, HSC and elements of Bravo Company deployed to Hanford, Washington, with one day notice, to combat fires in that area. In April 1997, Bravo Company deployed to Thailand in support of "COBRA GOLD" to provide humanitarian and civic assistance, in the form of new construction and facilities upgrade.
In February 1998, the battalion deployed to Laredo, Texas in support of JTF-6 to conduct general engineering construction missions. Bravo also deployed to Alaska in September of 1998 through October 1998 to conduct base camp and road construction in support of JTF ALASKAN ROAD.
HSC and the Earth Moving Platoons from Alpha and Bravo company deployed to White Sands, New Mexico to conduct horizontal construction missions to include road and airfield construction, and two new golf course fairways and a driving range from February 1999 to April 1999. Meanwhile in April 1999, Bravo company deployed a vertical platoon to Abilene, Texas in support of JTF-6 and the Abilene Police Department to construct a shoot house for their training facility. Shortly thereafter in May of 1999, Alpha company deployed to Thailand in support of "COBRA GOLD" to again provide humanitarian and civic assistance, in the form of new construction and facilities upgrade. Alpha company and elements from HSC and Bravo company deployed to KOSOVO to conduct base camp construction and facilities upgrade along with constructing and improving existing road networks for Camp Bondsteel and the NATO forces assigned there from August 1999 through February 2000. Meanwhile Bravo and HSC were busy taking part in constructions missions that were vital to the Army's new Medium Brigade Transformation Project being conducted at Fort Lewis.
The rich tradition of the Alpha Company Animals roughly parallels that of the Pacemaker Battalion. However, there have been a few periods in Alpha Company history during which the unit has completed more essential and challenging missions.
In February 1992 Alpha Company deployed its First Plattoon to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to construct a holding camp for Haitian Refugees. This included construction of showers, fences, pipe lines, a washrack, a playground, tent cities, a school, and a church. Firts Platoon soldiers were awarded the Humanitarian Service Medal for their efforts.
In March 1993 ten Alpha Company soldiers returned from Operation Restore Hope. This operation sent theses soldiers to Somalia, East Africa, under the 43rd Engineer Battalion out of Fort Benning Georgia. Alpha Animals aided in the construction of numerous medic tables, guard shacks, basecamps, and upgraded roads allowing relief supplies to reach needy Somalian people expeditiously.
The Animals were a vital piece of Task Force "Rugged Pacemakers" that deployed in August 1994. The company aided the Idaho Forestry Department in controlling wild fires.
From April 1995 to June 1995, the company's assets were spread between two continents. The Earthmoving Platoon (horizontal construction) and Maintenance Platoon deployed to McGregor Range Complex at Fort Bliss, Texas, in support of JTF-6 and the US Border Patrol. The platoon constructed a special purpose range that provided various federal agencies a specialized firearms training facility. During the same time frame, First and Second Platoons deployed to Thailand in support of Cobra Gold 1995. The two platoons were spread over four construction sites constructing two multipurpose buildings, a library, and a water basin within 21 days. In August 1995 Second Platoon deployed to Yakima Training Center to construct the 2nd Ranger Battalion a Rotary Wing Bilat Target.
In 1996, the company deployed to Haiti for six months to build schools and renovate structures.
In January 1998, 1st, 2nd, and EM Platoons deployed to Loredo Sands, Texas in support of JTF-6 and the US Border Patrol's (USBP)anti-drug effort. In just 75 days, the company build a 165 by 60 foot barracks to house 80 people, constructed and upgraded almost 20 miles of roads, constructed 11 drainage structures, established the ground work and drainage for a 10 aircraft heliport, constructed the 300 soldier base camp necessary to allow the CEA, USBP, and JTF-6 to conduct sustained operations in an area that has been a traditianal "highway" for drugs into our country. In June to September, the Earth Moving Platoon constructed a box culvert for Pincus Road on Fort Lewis. In June, 1st platoon deployed to Priarie Washington where they converted a 120 year old railroad bridge into a foot bridge to help complete a 26 mile hiking and biking trail for the Rails to Trails Coalition.
