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37th Engineer Battalion (Combat)
(Airborne)
The Corps Airborne Engineer Company is a large company designed to augment divisional assets with light, air assault, and airborne operations. The company’s capabilities are two-fold. The company is capable of performing horizontal and sapper missions. The sapper platoons support mobility and countermobility combat operations of the divisional engineer units. The light equipment platoon can construct flight landing strips and combat roads and trails. The units capability to accomplish a wide variety of missions and its easy deployability makes the unit ideal for contingency operations. US soldiers from the 37th Engineer Battalion destroyed ammunition bunkers at Khamisiyah in early March 1991. On 1 March 1991, the 2nd Platoon, Charlie Company, 307th Engineer Battalion, in direct support of TF 2-505, part of the 82nd Div (ABN), reconnoitered Khamisiyah ASP and concluded that demolition operations would require additional engineer support. Subsequently, the 37th Engineer Battalion was told to destroy the approximately 100 bunkers at Khamisiyah ASP. On 4 March 1991, the three line companies of the 37th Engineer Battalion, assisted by the two teams of the 60th EOD, were each assigned 12 to 14 bunkers to inventory and demolish. The last American units departed Khamisiyah in late April 1991. On 14 May 1996, UNSCOM visited Khamisiyah. During this visit, the Iraqis told the inspectors that the 6,323 mustard rounds had been moved to Khamisiyah from Al Muthanna to An Nasiriyah in January 1991 after the beginning of the Gulf War. The Iraqis further stated that about 2,160 sarin/cyclosarin rockets were also brought from Al Muthanna in January 1991, and stored in Bunker 73 until a chemical leak was discovered, causing approximately 1100 of the rockets to be moved to the "pit" area in February 1991. According to the Iraqis, this was done before the Coalition Forces destroyed the ammunition storage area. Months of preparation and training came to conclusion on 11 May 2001 when the "Bushmasters" of B Company 37th En Bn (C)(A) were alerted for an early departure from Pope Air Force Base, NC. Following an early morning phone call notification of departure, the Bushmasters arrived at the company area with family and friends to wish them farewell as the company departed for a six month deployment to Kosovo. Task Force 11th Engineer was comprised of the 11th Engineer Battalion from Ft. Stewart, GA; B Co, 37th Engineer Battalion from Ft. Bragg, NC; 326th Engineer Battalion from Ft. Campbell, KY; and 789th EOD Battalion from Ft. Benning, GA. The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 37th Engineers (General Service) on 4 March 1935. It was amended to correct the spelling of the motto on 4 June 1935. It was redesignated for the 37th Engineer Regiment (Combat) on 27 September 1941. On 30 August 1943, the insignia was redesignated for the 37th Engineer Combat Battalion. The insignia was redesignated for the 37th Engineer Battalion (Combat) on 18 May 1955. The distinctive unit insignia was redesignated with description amended on 13 May 1987, for the 37th Engineer Battalion. It consists of a shield blazoned: Gules, a rock Argent within a garland of oak leaves and acorns Proper. Attached below the shield a Red scroll inscribed "FORTUNA INFORTUNA FORTI UNA" in Silver. The shield is red for Engineers. The rock, taken from the arms of St. Mihiel, and the oak leaves, emblematic of the Meuse-Argonne, indicate the service of the organization in World War I. 37th Engineer Battalion (Combat)
(Airborne)
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On Order, the 37th Engineer Battalion deploys by land, sea, and/or
air as part of the XVIII Airborne Corps combined arms team to conduct
combat Engineer operations.