The 7th Engineer Battalion is a unit of the United States Army located at Fort Drum, New York. This battalion falls under the 10th Mountain Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team. The 7th Engineer Battalion was reactivated on 27 October 2006 at Fort Drum, New York under the 20th Engineer Brigade. The Battalion and its assigned companies deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in 2009, for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. In Iraq, the battalion provided tactical construction in support of United States Division - South, partnered with the Iraqi Army's 10th and 14th Field Engineer Regiments, and enhanced the civil capacity of Iraq via technical support for reconstruction projects. In Afghanistan, battalion soldiers conducted route clearance operations and provided firefighting support in the southern and eastern provinces, in support of NATO security operations. The battalion deployed again to eastern Afghanistan to conduct route clearance operations from October 2011 to October 2012. On 17 October 2014, the 7th Engineer Battalion converted to become the 7th Brigade Engineer Battalion. This task organization includes the 693d Engineer Company, 630th Engineer Company, the 1st BCT's Military Intelligence Company, and the 1st BCT's Signal Company.
Lineage
The battalion traces its history to a unit organized on 31 December 1861 in the Regular Army at Washington D.C., from new and existing companies of engineers as a provisional engineer battalion
Expanded 14 March-7 June 1901 to form the 1st and 2d Battalions of Engineers
1st Battalion of Engineers expanded, reorganized, and redesignated 1 July 1916 as the 1st Regiment of Engineers
1st Regiment of Engineers expanded 15 May 1917 to form the 1st, 6th, and 7th Regiments of Engineers
7th Regiment of Engineers redesignated 29 August 1917 as the 7th Engineers
Converted 17 October 2014 to become the 7th Brigade Engineer Battalion
Distinctive unit insignia
Description
A Silver color metal and enamel device 1 inch in height overall blazoned: Sable, an anchor debruised by two oars saltirewise between in fess two increscents all Argent; on a chief of the last embattled a cross Gules.
Symbolism
Black and white were the old colors of the Engineer Corps. The anchor and oars device was the badge of the Engineers and Pontoniers of the Army of the Potomac where the old units of the regiment did such gallant service. The crescents are the device of General Winfield Scott and represent the service of the old company in 1846-1848 in the Mexican War. In France, the regiment served with great gallantry in the 5th Division. The crossing of the Meuse near Dun is indicated by the device in chief of the shield which is not only a cross for the crossing of the river but the device of the lords of Dun.
Background
The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 7th Engineer Regiment on 27 August 1926. It was redesignated for the 7th Engineer Battalion on 7 March 1940. It was redesignated for the 7th Engineer Combat Battalion on 13 May 1940. The insignia was redesignated for the 7th Engineer Battalion on 6 July 1954.
Coat of arms
Blazon
* Shield
Sable, an anchor debruised by two oars saltirewise between in fess two increscents all Argent; on a chief of the last embattled a cross Gules.
* Crest- On a wreath of the colors Argent and Sable a fusil Gules on a bridge bent Argent.
*Motto SEVEN TIMES TESTED BY FIRE.
Symbolism
* Shield- Black and white were the old colors of the Engineer Corps. The anchor and oars device was the badge of the Engineers and Pontoniers of the Army of the Potomac where the old units of the regiment did such gallant service. The crescents are the device of General Winfield Scott and represent the service of the old company in 1846-1848 in the Mexican War. In France, the regiment served with great gallantry in the 5th Division. The crossing of the Meuse near Dun is indicated by the device in chief of the shield which is not only a cross for the crossing of the river but the device of the lords of Dun.
* Crest- The crest well symbolizes the work of the regiment in the 5th Division. In the very rough work of 2 to 6 November 1918, the regiment was called upon to prove itself seven distinct times. The motto is a recollection of this.
Background- The coat of arms was originally approved for the 7th Engineer Regiment on 8 April 1922. It was redesignated for the 7th Engineer Battalion and amended to update the history on 7 March 1940. It was redesignated for the 7th Engineer Combat Battalion on 13 May 1953. The insignia was redesignated for the 7th Engineer Battalion on 6 July 1954.
