8th Engineer Battalion
As part of the Army's transformation towards a modular force, the 8th Engineer Brigade was inactivated at Fort Hood on May 24, 2005.
The 8th Engineer Battalion was originally constituted on 1 July 1916 in the Regular Army as the 1st Battalion Mounted Engineers.Company A was organized on 20 August 1916 at Twin Windmills, Mexico; while Headquarters and Companies B and C were organized on 21 May 1917 at Camp Stewart, TX.
The unit was reorganized and redesignated on 29 July 1917 as the 8th Engineer Battalion (Mounted). It was assigned on 27 November 1917 to the 15th Cavalry Division.
The 8th was relieved on 12 May 1918 from assignment to the 15th Cavalry Division and was reassigned on 27 July 1921 to the 1st Cavalry Division.
The 8th Engineer Battalion (Mounted) was reorganized and redesignated on 1 June 1930 as the 8th Engineer Squadron. It was reorganized and redesignated on 15 March 1943 as the 8th Engineer Combat Squadron.
Redesignated on 25 March 1949 as the 8th Engineer Combat Battalion, it was redesignated on 10 March 1954 as the 8th Engineer Battalion.
In mid-April 2004 the Battalion officially assumed responsibility from the 40th Engineer Battalion, and we gathered together in the auditorium to uncase our Battalion colors. With this transfer of authority (TOA) the 40th was free to depart from our FOB. By 18 April 2004 the last vehicles and soldiers had departed. 1st Cavalry Division (1CD) and 3rd Brigade Combat Team (3BCT) also took over at that time. This meant that the period of transition is over, and that we are now fully in command here in Baghdad.
- A Co- Headhunter FOB (owned by TF 1-9) about 10 min north of the Green Zone
- B Co- Falcon FOB (may be renamed Huggins) owned by 5BCT in SW Baghdad
- HHC, C Co- Trojan Horse FOB, in the Green Zone
One of the Battalion's biggest missions is to help the Iraqis rebuild their old and neglected infrastructure. They were responsible for two of the seven Baghdad city districts, with a population of over 1 million. The focus is on basic services: sewer, water, electricity and trash. Very few of the people living in these districts enjoy all of these on any consistent basis; some do not have any at all. The Battalion Construction staff, with both US soldiers and Iraqi engineers, is working hard to improve the quality of life for the people. They are fortunate to have a healthy budget to work with. Iraqi contractors do most all of the construction, which puts money into the local economy and creates jobs. They develop the initial project scope and specifications, take bids and then oversee the construction.
Alpha Company is conducting security missions and infrastructure assessment and repair for the area just north of the Green Zone. They were still living with Task Force 1-9 at FOB Headhunter. Bravo Company remains with the 5th BCT and living at Camp Falcon, supporting their maneuver battalions with combat engineer support. They were also assisting with infrastructure assessment and repairs for the entire Brigade area and their FOB. Charlie Company was with the BN (-) and continues to provide escort to EOD personnel with 1st Platoon deployed guarding a prison compound. C Company lives in Trojan FOB. They started a very important mission for the Division. They are in charge of clearing a former Iraqi Army ammunition supply point and have infantry and EOD forces under their control to accomplish this mission. Headquarters and Headquarters Company stays very busy supporting and coordinating all of the above missions and working to improve the living conditions on the FOB.
By June 2004 Trojan Horse soldiers were performing many varied types of missions in support of 1st Cavalry Division. From patrols, to fixed-point security, to escort missions for EOD teams, to improving force protection, to guarding high profile prisoners, sappers continued to do great things and make a big contribution to the mission in Baghdad. The top priority and most important mission, however, is working to help rebuild the crumbled Iraqi infrastructure. Each day, many soldiers helped to make a difference in the lives of Iraqi citizens. The mission is focused on the essential services: sewer, water, electricity and trash collection.
By July 2004 the Battalion had coordinated and overseen numerous troop construction missions that have increased the safety of Greywolf soldiers working in and around our AOR, including 195 HESCO bastions and over 400 T-wall barriers. By August 2004, about a third of the 8th's soldiers had traveled home for a well-deserved break. All of the companies were using a lottery system to determine the order for leave. Of course, soldiers whose wives have given birth are given special consideration. In addition to R&R many soldiers have been able to attend in country R&R programs such as Freedom Rest and Qatar.
