The 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team ("Thunderbird") is a modular infantry brigade combat team of the United States Army headquartered in Norman, Oklahoma. It is a part of the Oklahoma Army National Guard.
The 45th Infantry Brigade was formed from existing elements of the disbanded 45th Infantry Division which had seen extensive action during World War II and the Korean War. The 45th Infantry Brigade was activated in 1968 and assigned to training duties for active duty army units until 1994 when the 45th was selected as one of 15 Separate Enhanced Infantry Brigades. In 1999, the brigade deployed two companies (A/1-179 and C/1-179) as part of the UN peacekeeping force in the wake of the Bosnian War. In 2003, A/1-179th Infantry deployed to Saudi Arabia while B/1-179th deployed to Kuwait to provide security for Patriot missile sites. During the invasion of Iraq, B/Company 1–179th pushed North of Baghdad establishing a foothold in Taji, Iraq. Later that year, the 45th Infantry Brigade deployed to Afghanistan to train soldiers of the Afghan National Army which was followed by another brigade deployment to Iraq, in 2007, to assist in turning over of American military bases to Iraqi forces. A third brigade deployment to Afghanistan in 2011, saw the brigade assigned full-spectrum operations for the first time since the 1950s.
The brigade received all heraldry, lineage and honors from the 45th Infantry Division, including its shoulder sleeve insignia and campaign streamers for combat in World War II and Korea. It is the last brigade in the Army inventory that has a diamond-shaped shoulder sleeve insignia. Since 1999, the 45th Infantry Brigade has since received several of its own decorations for participation in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Organization
The brigade is a subordinate unit of the Oklahoma Army National Guard, headquartered in Norman, Oklahoma There is a headquarters company, a cavalry squadron, an airborne infantry battalion, two infantry battalions, a field artillery battalion, an engineer battalion, and a brigade support battalion. Headquarters and Headquarters Company 1st Squadron (Reconnaissance Surveillance and Target Acquisition), 180th Cavalry Regiment 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 134th Infantry Regiment (Nebraska Army National Guard) 1st Battalion, 179th Infantry Regiment 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry Regiment 1st Battalion, 160th Field Artillery Regiment (105mm Towed Howitzer) 545th Brigade Engineer Battalion 700th Brigade Support Battalion
45th Infantry Division
The history of the 45th Brigade Combat Team can be traced back to 1890 with the formation of the Militia of the Territory of Oklahoma. That militia was mobilized in 1898 during the Spanish–American War but never deployed. In 1916 the First Oklahoma Infantry Regiment deployed for border security duty during the Mexican Border Conflict. In 1917, the First Oklahoma Infantry Regiment, reassigned as part of the 142nd Infantry Regiment of the 36th Division fought in the final month of World War I.
On 19 October 1920, the Oklahoma State militia was organized as part of the 45th Infantry Division along with troops from Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. The division was organized and federally recognized as a US Army unit on 3 August 1923 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Prior to World War II, the division was called on many times to maintain order in times of disaster and to keep peace during periods of political unrest. Oklahoma Governor John C. Walton used division troops to prevent the State Legislature from meeting when they were preparing to impeach him in 1923. Governor William H. Murray called out the guard several times during the depression to close banks, distribute food and once to force the State of Texas to keep open a free bridge over the Red River which Texas intended to collect tolls for, even after federal courts ordered the bridge not be opened.
The division would go on to see combat in World War II. The division was active for over five years, participating in eight campaigns, four amphibious assaults, for a total of 511 days of combat. Following World War II the division became an all-Oklahoma organization. In 1950, the division was also called into service during the Korean War, as one of four national guard divisions active during the war. The Division participated in four campaigns and sustained continuous combat operations for 429 days.
Cold War years (1968–2001)