The history of the 197th dates back to 1921, when the brigade was created in the Reserves as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 197th Infantry Brigade, assigned to the 99th Division, and organized at Pittsburgh, Penn.

It was first ordered into active military service in November 1942 and was reorganized at Camp van Dorn, MS, as the 99th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop, Mechanized. During this time, the unit participated in the Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe campaigns during World War II.

After World War II, the brigade was inactivated in September 1945 at Camp Myles Standish, MA.

The most recent form of the 197th was created in August 1962 at Fort Benning, and went on to serve as a training unit preparing Soldiers to fight in Vietnam.

During the Gulf War, the 197th Brigade was attached as the 3rd Brigade to the 24th Infantry Division out of Fort Stewart, Ga. It took up a defensive positions along the Kuwaiti border and waited for Iraq forces to enter Saudia Arabia. In November 1990, the brigade prepared for action to expel Iraqi invaders from occupying Kuwait as part of an Allied coalition. The 197th Brigade was the only brigade of the 24th Infantry Division to deploy to both Desert Shield and Desert Storm in defending Saudia Arabia and The Liberation of Kuwait. After returning from the war, the 197th was inactivated and officially reactivated as the 3rd Brigade, 24th Infantry Division.

The long history of the 197th Infantry Brigade came to a close 12 Dec 2013 when the unit’s headquarters cased its colors during a ceremony at 3 p.m. at Doughboy Stadium.

*Approx 2.5″ height, chrome plated, zinc alloy, black enamel
*Attaches with 3M automotive adhesive