203rd Brigade Support Battalion
203rd Forward Support Battalion
"Eagles"
In July 2004 the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) began tranformation to the US Army's new modular force structure. As a result the relationships between the Division's brigades and Division level support support assets, often habitually attached, changed. One of the more visible changes was the inactivation of the Division Support Command, and the inactivation of the Forward Support Battalions and Main Support Battalion. These Battalions were reactivated as the Brigade Support Battalions assigned to the Division's reorganzied Brigade Combat Teams. The 203rd Forward Support Battalion was inactivated and reactivated as the redesignated and reorganized 203rd Brigade Support Battalion.
The mission of the 203rd Forward Support Battalion was to deploy by air, land, and sea to a contingency area to provide combat service support to the 3rd Brigade during mobile, combined arms offensive, and defensive operations worldwide. The mission of the 203rd Brigade Support Battalion remained roughly the same, though it was more suited to the role being organic to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team.
The 203rd Support Battalion was originally constituted on 12 November 1917, in the regular Army as the Sanitary Train, 3rd Division. The Battalion was organized at Fort Clark, Texas, in December 1917. One company, C Company, predated the Division and participated in the Mexican Expedition of 1916-1917. The Battalion accompanied the 3rd Infantry Division to France in April 1918. Baptized under fire at the Second Battle Of The Marne in June 1918, the Battalion participated in the great Offensive Of Saint Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne in the fall Of 1918. The battalion returned to the United States in August 1919.
The Battalion was reorganized and redesignated as the 3rd Medical Regiment on 19 February 1921. On 31 October 1922, the unit was inactivated at Camp Lewis, Washington. The unit was reactivated in February 1939, and was reorganized and redesignated as the 3rd Medical Battalion on 13 October 1939.
The Battalion accompanied the Marne Division in the first amphibious assault of World War II in North Africa, in the European Theater of Operations in October 1942. The Battalion also earned hard fought arrow heads on its battle streamers for its participation in the landings at Sicily, Anzio, and Southern France. The Battalion participated in a total of 9 major campaigns during World War II. For its action in the Colmar Pocket during the Central European Campaign, the Battalion earned the Presidential Unit Citation and the French Croix De Guerre with Palm.
When conflict arose in Korea, the Battalion once again moved overseas in support of the 3rd Infantry Division and took part in the first UN counteroffensive. During the spring and summer-fall offensive of 1951 and 1952, the Battalion provided quality and continuous combat service support through 3 bitter Korean winters. For the exceptional heroism and dedication of its members, the Battalion was awarded 2 Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations for action in the Uijongbu Corridor and the Iron Triangle. The Battalion also earned the Chryssoun Aristion Andrrias Bravery Gold Medal for its participation in the Korean Conflict.
In 1954, the Battalion was moved yet again to Fort Benning, Georgia. The stay in the United States was brief as the Battalion journeyed to Europe, in the spring of 1958, to support the 3rd Division in the forward defense of Western Europe.
The Battalion was reorganized and redesignated in October 1983 under the Forward Support Concept as the 2nd Support Battalion (Forward). The Battalion was redesignated on 1 May 1987 as the 203rd Support Battalion. It gained the Distinctive Unit Crest of the 3rd Medical Battalion. The 3 white stripes designated the 3 Major Operations the Division participated in World War I. The blue field symbolized the loyalty of those who gave their lives in defense of liberty and freedom. The staff of Aesculapius represented the military nature of the Battalion.
In 1996 the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) inactivated in Germany was returned to the United States reactivating at Fort Stewart, Georgia. The 3rd Brigade and support elements were reactivated at Fort Benning, Georgia.
In March 2003 the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) was committed as part of the initial invasion force in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Division returned to the United States in late 2003.
In mid-2004 the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) began transformation to the US Army's modular force structure. One of the aspects of the shift included the inactivation of the Division Support Command (DISCOM) and the inactivation of the Forward Support and Main Support Battalions. The 3 Forward Support Battalions were in turn reactivated as Brigade Support Battalions, organic to the redesignated and reorganized Brigade Combat Teams. The Division's Main Support Battalion became the Brigade Support Battalion for the newly activated 4th Brigade Combat Team. Other support elements in the DISCOM were reactivated as part of the Division's Sustainment Brigade.
In January 2005 the 3rd Brigade Combat Team deployed to Iraq again as part of Task Force Liberty headed by the 42nd Infantry Division, and subsequently attached to elements of the 101st Airborne Division. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, including the 203rd Brigade Support Battalion, returned from Iraq in January 2006.
In 2007 the 203rd Brigade Support Battalion returned to Iraq with other elements of the 3rd Brigade Combat Team on another tour of duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized) remained in Iraq into 2008.
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