The 38th Sustainment Brigade is a
sustainment brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division.
Br ...
of the
United States Army National Guard
The Army National Guard (ARNG), in conjunction with the Air National Guard, is an organized militia force and a federal military reserve force of the United States Army. They are simultaneously part of two different organizations: the Army Na ...
in
Indiana
Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
.
The former 38th Division Support Command (DISCOM), along with several other support units, transformed into the 38th Sustainment Brigade in 2008. When this transformation began, the unit's headquarters shifted from
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Mari ...
, to
Kokomo, Indiana
Kokomo ( ) is a city in Indiana and the county seat of Howard County, Indiana, United States. It is the principal city of the Kokomo, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Howard County, the Kokomo-Peru CSA, which includ ...
.
The
38th Infantry Division distinctive unit insignia
A distinctive unit insignia (DUI) is a metallic Heraldry, heraldic badge or device worn by soldiers in the United States Army. The DUI design is derived from the coat of arms authorized for a unit. DUIs may also be called "distinctive insignia" (D ...
was used by members of this unit until the current design was approved in May 2009.
Service history
The 38th Sustainment Brigade’s origins date to the Mexican Border Crisis when this unit function as a combat arms company. The Indiana National Guard unit was organized and federally recognized on June 3, 1916 as Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Infantry in Indianapolis. From June 28, through July 9, 1916, the unit was mustered into federal service in support of Mexican Border service. After nearly eight months, it was mustered out of federal service from February 21-26, 1917.
Several weeks later, this unit was called up for
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
duties. Entering federal service on March 25, 1917, its members were sent to
Camp Shelby, Mississippi
Camp Shelby is a military post whose North Gate is located at the southern boundary of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on United States Highway 49. It is the largest state-owned training site in the nation. During wartime, the camp's mission is to se ...
, where the unit was redesignated as Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 152nd Infantry, a company of the 38th Division.
The 38th Infantry Division arrived in Europe in October 1918 and was dispersed into front-line fighting units. After the
Armistice of 11 November 1918
The Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed at Le Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, sea, and air in World War I between the Entente and their last remaining opponent, Germany. Previous armistices ...
was signed, the division was demobilized March 8, 1919, at
Camp Taylor, Louisville
Camp Taylor is a neighborhood and former military base six miles southeast of downtown Louisville, Kentucky, United States. First announced on June 11, 1917 it was originally a military camp named for former president Zachary Taylor. For a time ...
, Kentucky.
After World War I, Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 152nd Infantry was reorganized and federally recognized September 22, 1921, at Indianapolis. Subsequently, this unit went through two changes prior to
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
:
* Redesignation as Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 151st Infantry on January 1, 1922; and
* Reorganization and redesignation as Headquarters Company, 151st Infantry Regiment on March 20, 1934.
Its members were then inducted into World War II federal service in Indianapolis on January 17, 1941. On February 10, 1942, the 38th Division was redesignated as the 38th Infantry Division. When the unit's mission changed from service in the European to Pacific theatres, subsequent to Japan's
attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, j ...
, the 38th Division then underwent three years of training at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. It then departed for Hawaii in January 1944 for additional training and security operations.
The next stop was
Oro Bay, New Guinea
Oro Bay is a bay in Oro Province, Papua New Guinea, located southeast of Buna. The bay is located within the larger Dyke Ackland Bay. A port is operated by PNG Ports Corporation Limited with limited wharf facilities, located at .
History
Dur ...
, for jungle training and several brief encounters with Japanese troops. From there the division headed to Leyte, where it engaged in a fierce battle with the Japanese in December 1944. The next landing, Luzon, was to be the unit's assault landing, but because ground troops in the area had already secured the area, members of the division were met instead by local residents carrying baskets of food. The remainder of the tour resembled the unit's Leyte experience.
The 38th Infantry Division was then assigned the M-7 Operation to assist in eradicating the presence of Japanese troops in the Philippine Peninsula and Islands in Manila Bay as part of a five-phase plan, which included clearing Highway 1 in the north, the Fort Stotsenburg area in the very south (initiated by the landing at Mariveles), the Zambales Mountains between, and the Islands of Caraballo, Carabao, and El Fraille (Fort Drum).
Headquarters Company, 151st Infantry Regiment, was responsible for overseeing the missions of the 151st Infantry Regiment, which consisted of three battalions. The 151st, along with the 152nd and 149th Infantry Regiments, was involved in the clearing of Highway 1. The battle, now called "The Battle of Zig Zag Pass," was a bloody standstill between the Japanese and the 38th Division’s Infantry Regiments, but ultimately, the 38th Infantry Division prevailed. The 151st was also involved in the clearing of the Zambales Mountains, as well as the Island Operations. In February 1945, the Philippine Peninsula was declared clear of the Japanese. Legend has it on this day General Douglas C. MacArthur declared the 38th Infantry Division, "The Avengers of Bataan". The nickname stuck for five decades, and in 2011, the Center of Military History granted the "nickname" as the 38th Infantry Divisions "Distinctive Designation". Following the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the unconditional surrender by the Empire of Japan, the Japanese on the Philippine Peninsula surrendered to the 38th Infantry Division.
By June 1945, the 38th Infantry Division had completed operations. By November 1945, its members had returned home to Indiana by way of
Camp Anza, California
Camp Anza was a United States Army installation, in what is now Riverside, California, during World War II. Construction began on July 3, 1942, and was completed on February 15, 1943. The camp was named after Juan Bautista de Anza, an early explor ...
.
After World War II, National Guard units across the nation were required to undergo federal recognition inspections. For Headquarters Company 151st Infantry Regiment, this occurred July 29, 1947, at Indianapolis.
On February 1, 1959, Headquarters Company 151st Infantry Regiment was reorganized into a Combat Support element as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 38th Infantry Division Trains. The unit would undergo two more major reorganizations to become the sustainment element it is today. The first one occurred March 1, 1963, which reorganized and redesignated Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 38th Infantry Division Trains as Headquarters, Headquarters Company, 38th Infantry Division Support Command (DISCOM). The maintenance aspect of sustainment was added when HHC 38th Infantry Division Support Command was consolidated with 38th Infantry Division Material Management Center on September 1, 1993.
In May 2006, HHC Division Support Command was ordered into active federal service in support of the Global War on Terrorism, Operation Iraqi Freedom. This was the first time in Indiana National Guard history that a brigade-echelon unit was deployed with a female commander, COL
Marjorie Courtney
Marjorie (Courtney) Quennell (1884–1972) was a British historian, illustrator and museum curator.
Her husband was architect Charles Henry Bourne Quennell (1872–1935). They met at the Junior Art Workers Guild. They had three children, inc ...
. Under the name "Task Force Indy" – HHC DISCOM served as the Garrison Command for Victory Base Complex in Baghdad. DISCOM was released from active federal service in November 2007 and reverted to state control.
On September 1, 2008, HHC DISCOM went from a "Support" element to a "Sustainment" element when it was expanded, reorganized, and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 38th Sustainment Brigade. This reorganization would also make the 38th Sustainment Brigade a "separate" brigade (not doctrinally aligned to a specific division). This status authorized the Brigade a new Shoulder Sleeve Insignia (SSI), Distinctive Unit Insignia (DUI) and Motto. Drawing from its 38th Infantry Division roots, the brigade included elements of the 38th ID in both the DUI, and SSI, including the red and blue background on both the SSI and DUI, the cloverleaf on the DUI, and the three stripes on the SSI, which signify the three wars that the unit participated in as a part of the 38th ID (World War I, World War II, and GWOT). The brigade also adopted the nickname, "Avengers," which alludes back to the 38th ID’s distinctive designation, "Avengers of Bataan."
The Avengers were activated again for federal service in support of Operation Enduring Freedom on August 26, 2012. Their mission was to perform sustainment operations throughout the Kuwait theatre and facilitate the drawdown of troops from Afghanistan. It would also be the first time in Indiana National Guard history that the commander and the command sergeant major were both female, COL
Deedra Thombleson and CSM
Karolyn Peeler Karolyn is an English, and Swedish feminine given name that is a diminutive form of Carolina and Caroline as well as an alternate form of Karolin. Notable people referred to by this name include the following:
Given name
* Karolyn Ali (1944 †...
.
In June 2013 the brigade was relieved from its deployment to Kuwait, and demobilized through North Fort Hood, Texas, and was slated to be relieved by the
371st Sustainment Brigade (United States)
{{Infobox military unit
, unit_name= 371st Sustainment Brigade
, image=371SustainBdeSSI.jpg
, caption=371st Sustainment Brigade shoulder sleeve insignia
, dates= 29 August 1917 – present
, country= United States
, allegiance=
, branch= Ohio Army ...
, Ohio Army National Guard.
Campaign streamers
World War I
* Streamer without inscription
World War II
* New Guinea
* Leyte
* Luzon (with arrowhead)
Global War on Terrorism
* TBD
Unit Decorations
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, Streamer embroidered 17 OCTOBER 1944 TO 4 JULY 1945
Meritorious Unit Commendation, Streamer embroidered PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 1945
References
{{Reflist
38th Infantry Division Homepage* Lineage statement issued from Department of the Army Center of Military History
* National Guard Bureau Organizational Authorities
* 1947 38th Infantry Division "Avengers of Bataan" deployment history
* "Avengers of Bataan, the 38th Infantry Division Report on the M7 Operation" August 1945
038
Military units and formations established in 2007