321st Engineer Battalion (United States)

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321^st Engineer Battalion
Coat of Arms of the 321st Engineer Battalion
Active
Country	United States
Branch	U.S. Army
Type	Engineer
Motto	"Semper Tentare," to Always Try
Engagements	World War II Operation Iraqi Freedom
Insignia
Distinctive Unit Insignia

The 321st Engineer Battalion was an Army Reserve battalion with active service in World War II and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

1 History
2 Combat History
3 Insignia
- 3.1 Symbolism
- 3.2 History
4 Decorations
5 Notes
6 References

[edit] History

The 321st Engineer Battalion was constituted in the National Army on September 5, 1918 as the 321st Engineers, and assigned to the 96th Division. Four months later, on 7 January 1919, the unit was disbanded. The unit was reconstituted in the Organized Reserves on June 24, 1921 as the 321st Engineers, again assigned to the 96th Division. The battalion was organized in Seattle, Washington in January of 1922. On January 30, 1942, the unit was reorganized as an element of the 96th Infantry Division, and was redesignated as the 321st Engineer Battalion. The Battalion was ordered to active service along with the 96th Infantry Division on August 15, 1942. This time, they were organized at Camp Adair, Oregon as the 321st Engineer Combat Battalion. After service in the Pacific Theater, the unit is inactivated at Camp Anza, California on February 3, 1946. On December 1, 1946, the battalion was activated with headquarters in Reno, Nevada. Later on, on November 10, 1948, the headquarters were moved to Boise, Idaho. On November 15, 1953, the battalion was again redesignated as the 321st Engineer Battalion. They were relieved from assignment to the 96th Infantry Division on February 15, 1963. The unit was reassigned to the 70th Regional Support Command in 1996^[1]. The battalion was activated as the lead element of Task Force Pathfinder, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, in 2006^[2].

[edit] Combat History

The 321st Engineer Battalion served with the 96th Infantry Division in the Pacific Theater from 1942 to 1946. Major areas of operation include Leyte Island, Philippines, and Okinawa, Japan^[3].

The battalion was activated as the lead element of Task Force Pathfinder in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in May 2006 to October 2007. Major areas of operation include Al Anbar, Iraq, specifically Ar Ramadi, and Fallujah^[4].

[edit] Insignia

A silver metal and enamel device, 1 3/32 inches in height overall consisting of a shield blazoned: Gules, a pale Argent, on a chief of the last a setting sun of the first. Attached below the shield a red scroll, upturned, inscribed "Semper Tentare".

[edit] Symbolism

The shield is red and white, the colors of the Engineer Corps. The pale stripe represents the Columbia River and the setting sun symbolizes that unit is organized in the westernmost states.

[edit] History

The insignia was originally approved for the 321st Engineer Regiment, Organized Reserves on July 14, 1930. On September 22, 1942 it was redesignated for the 321st Engineer Battalion^[5].

[edit] Decorations

Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for Okinawa
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for the Pacific Theater – 1944
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) for the Pacific Theater – 1945
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for 17 October 1944 to 4 July 1945^[6].

[edit] Notes

^ U.S. Army Center of Military History. "Lineage and Honors: 321st Engineer Battalion."
^ Kolb 2008, pg 3.
^ Globalsecurity.org: "96th Regional Readiness Command."
^ Kolb 2008, pg 3-4.
^ The Institute of Heraldry. "321st Engineer Battalion"
^ U.S. Army Center of Military History. "Lineage and Honors: 321st Engineer Battalion."