326th Engineer Battalion (United States)

The 326th Engineer Battalion (Sapper Eagles)[1][3] is one of three air assault engineer battalions in the United States Army.[3][4] The 326th is part of the 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team ("Bastogne")(♣), 101st Airborne Division and has been a part of the 101st since World War I.[3]

326th Engineer Battalion
326th Engineer Battalion's distinctive unit insignia[1]
Active23 July 1918–present
Country United States
Branch United States Army
SizeBattalion
Part of 101st Airborne Division
HeadquartersFort Campbell, Kentucky
Nickname(s)"Sapper Eagles" (special designation)
Color of Beret  Black
EngagementsWorld War II
  • Normandy (with arrowhead)
  • Northern France
  • Rhineland (with arrowhead)
  • Ardennes-Alsace
  • Central Europe

Vietnam

  • Counteroffensive, Phase III
  • Tet Counteroffensive
  • Counteroffensive, Phase IV
  • Counteroffensive, Phase V
  • Counteroffensive, Phase VI
  • Tet 69/Counteroffensive
  • Summer-Fall 1969
  • Winter-Spring 1970
  • Sanctuary Counteroffensive
  • Counteroffensive, Phase VII
  • Consolidation I
  • Consolidation II

Southwest Asia

  • Defense of Saudi Arabia
  • Liberation and Defense of Kuwait

War on Terrorism

  • Campaigns to be determined
Website101st Airborne Division official homepage
Insignia
Background trimming[2]
Former beret flash of the battalion worn on dark-blue berets from 1974-1979
Combat service identification badge

Lineage

The 326th Engineer Battalion's lineage of record:[3]

  • Constituted 23 July 1918 in the National Army as the 326th Engineers and assigned to the 101st Division
  • Reconstituted 24 June 1921 in the Organized Reserves as the 326th Engineers and assigned to the 101st Division
  • Organized in November 1921 at Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Regiment broken up 31 March 1942 and its elements reorganized as the 326th Engineer Battalion and remained assigned to the 101st Division
  • 326th Engineer Battalion withdrawn 15 August 1942 from the Organized Reserves and allotted to the Army of the United States; concurrently redesigned as the 326th Airborne Engineer Battalion and activated at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana
  • Inactivated 30 November 1945 in France
  • Consolidated 18 June 1948 with the 49th Engineer Combat Battalion and consolidated unit redesigned as the 49th Airborne Engineer Battalion, an element of the 101st Airborne Division
  • Allotted 25 June 1948 to the Regular Army
  • Activated 6 July 1948 at Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky
  • Inactivated 29 April 1949 at Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky
  • Activated 25 August 1950 at Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky
  • Inactivated 1 December 1953 at Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky
  • Activated 15 May 1954 at Fort Jackson, South Carolina
  • Redesignated 1 July 1956 as the 326th Airborne Engineer Battalion
  • Redesignated 25 April 1957 as the 326th Engineer Battalion
  • Inactivated 15 September 2004 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and relieved from assignment to the 101st Airborne Division Headquarters and Headquarters Company activated 19 October 2006 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky
  • Assigned 17 April 2014 to the 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division

Decorations

The 326th Engineer Battalion's decorations of record:[3]

  • Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered NORMANDY
  • Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered BASTOGNE
  • Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered SOUTHWEST ASIA 1990-1991
  • Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2003-2004
  • Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered IRAQ 2007-2008
  • Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered SOUTHWEST ASIA 2011
  • Army Superior Unit Award, Streamer embroidered 2001
  • French Croix de Guerre with Palm, World War II, Streamer embroidered NORMANDY
  • Netherlands Orange Lanyard
  • Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940 with Palm, Streamer embroidered BASTOGNE; Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action at Bastogne
  • Belgian Fourragere 1940
  • Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in France and Belgium
  • Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1968-1969
  • Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1971
  • Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1968-1970

Company A additional entitled to:

  • Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered DAK TO
  • Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered TUY HOA
  • Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1966
  • Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1966-1967

Company B additionally entitled to:

  • Valorous Unit Award, Streamer embroidered THUA THIEN PROVINCE
  • Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army), Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1968

Company C additionally entitled to:

  • Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1968

References
  1. 326TH ENGINEER BATTALION, Distinctive Unit Insignia, U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry, last accessed 6 April 2020
  2. U.S. Department of the Army Pamphlet 670-1, Uniform and Insignia Guide to the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia, Army.mil, dated 25 May 2017, last accessed 6 April 2020
  3. Lineage And Honors Information, 326TH ENGINEER BATTALION (SAPPER EAGLES), History.Army.mil, dated 17 April 2014, last accessed 6 April 2020
  4. 101ST AIRBORNE DIVISION (AIR ASSAULT) "Rendezvous With Destiny", U.S. ARMY FORT CAMPBELL official homepage, last accessed 6 April 2020
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