2335

WW2 ERA 8TH ENGINEER SQUADRON/BATTALION FLAG.

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:100.00 USD Estimated At:200.00 - 300.00 USD
WW2 ERA 8TH ENGINEER SQUADRON/BATTALION FLAG.
3’ x 4’ double applique embroidered eagle with battalion coat of arms on scarlet field which is the official color of Army engineer units, motto: "MULTUM IN PARVO" which translates literally "much in little" but what it really implies: "There is more than meets the eye". Undated Philadelphia quartermaster inspection label in sleeve hoist. The crest of Mexican aloe flower and horseshoes has its roots from 1915. The 8th Engineer Battalion was born, in part, due to the Mexican Revolutionary General, Pancho Villa. Trouble between the United States and Pancho Villa increased in October 1915, when the United States government officially recognized Villa's rival as head of the Mexican government. Feeling betrayed, Villa began attacking U.S. nationals and their property in northern Mexico. On November 26, 1915, Villa sent a force to attack the city of Nogales. In early March 1916, General John J. Pershing, commanding the district at Fort Bliss, Texas, learned that Villa's men were on the border prepared to make an attack and force the United States to intervene. Raids were so commonplace that the rumor was not seen as credible. On March 9th, 1916, Villa's troops attacked Columbus, New Mexico, and Camp Furlong, a U.S. Army post, where 240 soldiers from the 13th Cavalry Regiment were stationed. Ten civilians and eight soldiers were killed in the attack. Six soldiers and two civilians were wounded. Villa's troops burned the town, stole horses, mules, and seized machine guns, ammunition and merchandise, before fleeing to Mexico. Southern Department commander General Frederick Funston recommended an immediate pursuit into Mexico and President Woodrow Wilson concurred, designating General Pershing to command the force. In early July 1916, the 1st Battalion Mounted Engineers was established in the United States Army, which was the precursor to the 8th Engineer Battalion. The 8th Engineers were so named in July 1917. In November they were assigned to the 15th Cavalry Division remaining with them until May 1918. After World War One, in July 1921, the battalion was reassigned to the 1st Cavalry Division. This engineer battalion is one of only two units continuously assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division since its organization. In 1923, the 1st Cavalry Division assembled at Camp Marfa, Texas to stage its first Divisional level exercise. Though the maneuvers covered hundreds of square miles, the 8th Engineer Battalion mapped and marked the entire area. In June 1930, they reorganized and were renamed the 8th Engineer Squadron. In March 1943 they were renamed again as the 8th Combat Engineer Squadron. In March 1949 they renamed again to the 8th Engineer Combat Battalion and in March 1954 they became the 8th Engineer Battalion. In 1964, the 8th Engineer Battalion was posted to South Korea, where they were involved in multiple training exercises and construction projects. They built numerous concrete bunkers, several bridges and installed a large culvert. They also aided in humanitarian efforts. In early July 1965, the 11th Air Assault Division (Test) at Fort Benning was redesignated as the 1st Cavalry Division (Air Mobile). Along with this change the 127th Engineer Battalion was reflagged as the 8th Engineer Battalion. In late July President Johnson announced on that he was going to send the Airmobile Division to Vietnam. In mid-August, the battalion headed off for their flight to Asia. The battalion arrived in Vietnam by mid-September and oversaw the construction of Camp Radcliff, the base camp of the 1st Cavalry. In addition to base construction, in which they were assisted by another engineer battalion, they also leveled the top of a mountain which overlooked Camp Radcliff, so that a signal relay station could be built. After levelling the mountain top the engineers set up a security fence around the station and constructed bunkers for it. During this time, they had their first engagements with the Viet Cong. At Camp Radcliff, together with the 70th Engineer Battalion and Vietnamese laborers, the battalion constructed perimeter defenses, which were laid out and built in great depth. The battalion's first major action started in late October, when they supported the relief of the beleaguered Special Forces Camp at Plei Me enlarging airfields, clearing landing zones, and destroying captured enemy materiel and bunkers. When the camp was relieved, two platoons moved in to repair the airfield, which had been cratered by a 750-pound bomb. Two demo teams were involved in the now immortalized fighting in the Ia Drang Valley. Sergeant Nye was the team leader of the seven-man demolition team on the ground with Lt. Colonel Hal Moore throughout the fighting at LZ X-Ray. In the intense fighting that day, Hal Moore notes that he needed to clear out a secondary landing zone due to the heavy fire on the main LZ. In his book, "We Were Soldiers Once And Young," he describes: "I turned to my demolition-team leader, Sergeant George Nye of the 8th Engineer Battalion, and told him to get those trees down. This scene is depicted in the film We Were Soldiers, where the secondary landing zone is cleared with demolitions. In the last major operation of 1965, they supported 3rd Brigade in Operation "Clean House". In this operation, they were used extensively as infantrymen. They did demolition work and maintained roads. Also, the battalion coordinated engineer reconnaissance of all the major roads in the II Corps area. These reconnaissance missions were conducted by helicopter at treetop level. In the beginning of 1966, the battalion supported Operation Matador by providing demolitions and landing zone clearing teams to the infantry battalions and cleared roads and minefields. Later, they took on the additional duty of airfield construction, constructing seven new airfields, doubling the length of two others, and repairing other airfields. Over the summer of 1966, the 8th continued to provide engineer support with tunnel destruction, mine sweeping, fortification construction, timber bridge construction, airfield construction, landing zone clearance, and fighting as infantry. In 1968, at a Marine outpost south of Quang Tri, four members of the 8th Engineer Battalion were cited for heroism for helping to repel a fanatical attack by enemy sappers who had penetrated the perimeter, suffering two casualties in the assault. Later, the engineers taught the infantry how to use satchel charges, helping them in the fight in Titi Woods. In Mid-October 2005, the 8th Engineer Battalion was deactivated and removed from the 1st Cavalry Division. They were activated once more in July 2007 and most of the battalion deactivated in October. The 1st Cavalry Division’s 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion was deactivated in September 2014 and in its place the 8th Engineer Battalion was reactivated. In February 2015, the 8th Engineers began a lengthy training process. After a successful rotation to National Training Center the battalion prepared for its first Brigade Rotation to the Republic of Korea. From July 2015 through October, the engineers participated in numerous training events from single soldier through their assigned Bradleys. In January 2016, the Battalion conducted a battalion exercise to determine communication readiness. The battalion left Korea in March 2016. The 8th Brigade Engineer Battalion prepared for its 2017 rotation to NTC by sending key command and staff personnel to NTC to conduct a Pre-Deployment Site Survey. Their National Training Center training in February 2017 made them ready for their next Korea deployment. The 8th Engineers completed their rotation to Korea in February 2018. The battalion remains with the 1st Cavalry Division, which is now an armor division, as part of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team as the brigade engineer’s unit. CONDITION: good overall, few holes, 3" tear near upper hoist and scattered tears on upper edge. (02-19473-40/JS). $200-300.