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| 173rd Brigade Support Battalion | |
|---|---|
173rd Brigade Support Battalion coat of arms
| |
| Active | 1963-1972; 2005-2006; 17 September 2007 - present |
| Country |  United States of America |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Type | Support Battalion |
| Role | Support |
| Size | Battalion |
| Part of | 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team |
| Garrison/HQ | Caserma Del Din, Vicenza, Italy |
| Motto(s) | To Our Utmost |
| Colors | Silver, Blue & Yellow |
| Decorations | Presidential Unit Citation Streamer embroidered DAKTO, Meritorious Unit Commendation Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1965-1967, Meritorious Unit Commendation Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969, Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm embroidered VIETNAM 1965-1970, Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal Streamer embroidered VIETNAM 1969-1971 |
| Commanders | |
| Battalion Commander | LTC Ryan T.Hulse [1] |
| Command Sergeant Major | CSM Olanrewaju Anibaba[1] |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive unit insignia |  |
| Unit flash |  |
The 173rd Brigade Support Battalion (Airborne) is a subordinate unit of the 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) in the United States Army based in Vicenza, Italy.
The 173rd Brigade Support Battalion (Airborne) serves to support the 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne). The battalion currently consists of 475 soldiers in a headquarters and headquarters company (HHC), a supply company, maintenance company, medical company, parachute rigging company, and an aerial delivery detachment. Five additional forward support companies are detached in support of the Brigade's other subordinate units.
The 173rd Support Battalion was constituted on 26 March 1963 in the Regular Army and assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Officially activated on 25 June 1963 in Okinawa, the Support Battalion participated and logistically supported hundreds of Brigade operations in a dozen different countries in the Pacific. In May 1965, the Support Battalion was sent to Vietnam with the Brigade. For its time in Southeast Asia, the 173rd Support Battalion is recognized as having participated in 15 separate campaigns in Vietnam. The Battalion received a Presidential Unit Citation, two Meritorious Unit Commendations, and a Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with palm streamer and a Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal. On 14 January 1972, the Support Battalion was relieved from assignment to the 173rd Airborne Brigade and subsequently deactivated.
In July 2004, LTC Cynthia L. Fox was tasked to quickly combine the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 51st Maintenance Battalion located in Mannheim Germany and 501st Forward Support Company & Headquarters located in Vicenza Italy to begin the activation of the 173rd Support Battalion, achieved on 16 March 2005. Eight days later, the 173rd Support Battalion deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan to provide combat service support to Combined Task Force Bayonet. The Battalion redeployed on 24 February 2006 after spending twelve months supporting combat operations in southern Afghanistan.[citation needed]
As a part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade's transformation, the 173rd Support Battalion transitioned into a Brigade Support Battalion (BSB) and moved to Bamberg, Germany on 16 September 2006 to begin training for their deployment to Afghanistan. On 17 May 2007, the newly transformed 173rd BSB (Airborne) deployed to Bagram and Jalalabad Airfields in northeastern Afghanistan. The Battalion redeployed on 4 August 2008 after spending 15 months supporting combat operations throughout Regional Command East in Afghanistan.[citation needed]
On 22 February 2009, the Battalion was notified of a change to their deployment from Operation Iraqi FreedomtoOperation Enduring Freedom. In November 2009, the Sky Soldiers of the 173rd BSB were deployed to Forward Operating Base Shank, Logar, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom X and The Global War on Terrorism. The unit performed its mission of manning, arming, fueling, fixing, moving and sustaining over 10,000 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, civilian contractors, and other government agencies throughout Logar and Wardak provinces of Regional Command-East (RC East), Afghanistan. The Battalion redeployed from combat operations in November 2010.[citation needed]
In July 2013, the 173rd BSB deployed for a fourth time since its 2005 reactivation. This time, BSB Paratroopers deployed from Bamberg, Germany as part of Task Force Repel, back to Afghanistan and Regional Command – East, as a subordinate element of Task Force Bayonet conducting Security Force Assistance and Training (SFAT) Operations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom XIII. The Battalion aligned a forward logistics element in Wardak Province, Afghanistan and the remainder of the battalion at Forward Operating Base Shank, Logar Province Afghanistan, where they executed the difficult task of reducing the footprint of the Brigade and retrograding critical military material while continuing to train their Afghan counterparts.[citation needed]
The Battalion redeployed from combat operations in March 2013 and immediately began preparations to relocate from Bamberg, Germany to Vicenza, Italy to the newly completed Caserma Del Din where the Sky Soldiers of the 173rd BSB continue the distinction of honored service dating back to Vietnam and proudly represent the Airborne fighting spirit wherever they serve.[citation needed]
| Ribbon | Award | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Presidential Unit Citation (Army) | 1967 | for fighting in the Battle of Dak To |
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Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) | 1965–67 | for service in Vietnam |
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Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) | 1969 | for service in Vietnam |
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Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) | 2007-2008 | for service in support of Operation Enduring Freedom DAGO 2019-03 [2] DAGO 2013-28 [3] |
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Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) | 2009-2010 | for service in support of Operation Enduring Freedom[4] DAGO 2013-26 [5] |
|
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Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) | 2012-2013 | for service in support of Operation Enduring Freedom DAGO 2018-08[6] |
|
Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm | 1965–70 | for service in Vietnam |
|
Republic of Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, First Class | 1969–71 | for service in Vietnam |
| Ribbon | Award | Year | Company | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Valorous Unit Award | 2007-2008 | E Company | DAGO 2013-12 [7] |
|
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Valorous Unit Award | 2008 | F Company | DAGO 2013-10 [8] |
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Presidential Unit Citation (Army) | 2007 | F Company | DAGO 2013-07 [9] |
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Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) | 2009-2010 | F Company | DAGO 2013-50 [10] |
|
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Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) | 2012-2013 | F Company | DAGO 2014-52 [11] |
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Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) | 2009-2010 | D Company | DAGO 2014-17 [12] |
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Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) | 2009-2010 | E Company | DAGO 2013-20 [13] |
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Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) | 2007-2008 | G Company | DAGO 2013-82 [14] |
