14th Engineer Battalion The 14th Engineer Battalion is a combat engineer battalion of the United States Army based at Joint Base Lewis - McChord , Washington . The battalion is a subordinate unit of the 555th Engineer Brigade , 7th Infantry Division , and I Corps . History . Activation through World War II The 14th Engineer Battalion began as 2nd Battalion of the 36th Engineer Combat Regiment and was activated on 1 June 1941 at Plattsburgh Barracks , New York . The Battalion fought in ten campaigns during World War II , including five amphibious beach assaults : Algeria / French , Morocco , Sicily , Naples , Anzio , and Southern France . The 36th Regiment ' s shoulder sleeve insignia included a sea horse , reflecting the unit ' s amphibious operations , and is still on the 14th Engineer distinctive unit insignia . In addition to numerous combat engineer missions , the Battalion frequently fought as Infantry , including 47 continuous days at Anzio Beachhead . On 15 February 1945 in Germany , the Regiment was reorganized as the 36th Engineer Combat Group , and the 2nd Battalion was redesignated the 2827th Engineer Combat Battalion . The Battalion was inactivated 25 February 1946 at Camp Kilmer , New Jersey . The 2827th Engineer Combat Battalion was redesignated on 29 April 1947 as the 14th Engineer Combat Battalion , and activated 15 March 1950 in Kisarazu , Honshu , Japan , as part of the U . S . Army ' s post - war occupation forces . Korean War The 14th Engineer Combat Battalion landed in Korea on 18 July 1950 . The Battalion was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation ( less Company A ) for fighting as Infantry with the 25th Infantry Division ( United States ) , and for its role in the breakout of the Pusan Perimeter . Alpha Company earned a Meritorious Unit Commendation for serving as Infantry in support of the 1st Cavalry Division ( United States ) , and a Korean Presidential Unit Citation for minefield clearance operations . The Battalion was again inactivated 25 June 1958 in Korea . The 14th Engineer Battalion was reactivated 17 June 1962 at Fort Bragg , North Carolina where it served until it was alerted for service in the Republic of Vietnam . Vietnam War The 14th Engineer Battalion deployed to Vietnam on 19 October 1966 , and participated in 12 campaigns from 1966 to 1971 . The Battalion earned another Meritorious Unit Commendation for its role in Operations Gatling and Summerall , and was also awarded the Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation . Additionally , 2nd Platoon , Alpha Company was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation while supporting 2nd Battalion , 7th Cavalry during operations in Binh Thuan Province . The Battalion served with various units including the 1st Cavalry Division and the 101st Airborne Division . Volunteers from the Battalion also hauled ammunition to surrounded U . S . Marines at Khe Sahn . Cold War The 14th Engineer Battalion returned to the United States in August 1971 . The Battalion ' s new home became Fort Ord , California , where the Battalion integrated both the mission and personnel of the 613th Engineer Battalion . On 3 February 1989 , the 761st Chemical Company was assigned to the Battalion , and deployed to Saudi Arabia the following year in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm , returning in April 1991 . As a result of the U . S . Army ' s drawdown of the nineties and the closure of Fort Ord , the Battalion moved to Fort Lewis ( now Joint Base Lewis - McChord , Washington in the summer of 1993 . The 761st Chemical Company inactivated as a result of the drawdown . In April 1999 , Bravo Company was redesignated as a National Guard Unit still attached to the Battalion , and on 16 July 1999 , the 11th Chemical Company ( reassigned from the closure of Fort McClellan ) was assigned to the Battalion . In September 2004 , the 11th Chemical Company was deactivated and removed from the 14th Eng Bn order of battle . Operation Iraqi Freedom The 14th Engineer Battalion deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom ( OIF 1 ) with the 555th Engineer Brigade and the 4th Infantry Division ( United States ) from April 2003 to April 2004 . During this time the Battalion supported numerous missions and was most noted for starting Operation Trailblazer to search for and destroy improvised explosive devices ( IEDs ) . The battalion received the Valorous Unit Award for its efforts . The 14th returned to Iraq a second time with the 555th Combat Support Brigade ( Maneuver Enhancement ) from November 2005 to October 2006 for OIF 05 - 07 to continue this mission using new state of the art armored route clearance equipment in support of the 101st Airborne Division and Multi - National Division North . The 122nd Engineer Company ( South Carolina Army National Guard ) was attached to the Battalion to form Task Force Trailblazer . The 14th completed over 100 construction projects , cleared thousands of kilometers of road , and neutralized over 700 IEDs . The Battalion received the Meritorious Unit Commendation and was awarded the Combat Action Battalion Streamer for 67 % of Soldiers in the Battalion earning the Combat Action Badge . The Rugged Battalion transformed to a modular combat effects battalion in February 2007 and inactivated its Companies A and C . It ' s lettered companies were replaced with : 570th and 571st Engineer Companies , 22nd Clearance Company , and the 610th Engineer Support Company . A Forward Support Company ( FSC ) and Headquarters and Headquarters Company ( HHC ) are assigned to the battalion . The Battalion returned for its third and longest tour in Iraq for OIF 08 - 09 from 12 April 2008 – 1 July 2009 where it provided route clearance , construction , and Iraqi Army partnership throughout the country . It cleared over 140 IEDs , completed 122 troop construction projects , managed $ 34 million in Commanders Emergency Relief Projects to improve civil capacity , and trained elements of four Iraqi Field Engineer Regiments . The Battalion participated in every Iraqi Campaign except New Dawn . Operation Enduring Freedom The Battalion deployed to Afghanistan in July 2011 for its fourth combat tour in nine years . The battalion and all of its subordinate companies deployed to Regional Command - South and Southwest to support U . S . Army , U . S . Marine , and U . K . Army units in Helmand and Kandahar provinces . The Battalion also had operational control of U . S . Army route clearance units supporting Spanish and Italian Army units in Regional Command - West . The unit ' s primary mission was again route clearance . The Battalion removed over 600 IEDs from the battlefield during the tour . Organization . The unit is composed of : Campaign participation credit World War II Campaign participation credit Korean War Campaign participation credit Vietnam War Campaign participation credit Operation Iraqi Freedom Campaign participation credit Operation Enduring Freedom