70th Brigade Support Battalion

Battalion Information

Artillery Battalion

Mission

On order, transition to war and provide combat support / combat service support to the Fires Brigade as it conducts operational joint fires in support of Ground Component Command (GCC) and 2UEx counterfire and precision strike operations.

History

The 702d Brigade Support Battalion (BSB), “The Deuce” or “Seven-Oh Deuce”, was originally organized in January and February 1918 as the Machine Shop Truck Unit #348 and Machine Shop Truck Unit #343 at Fort Sam Houston and Camp Meigs, Washington, D.C. The unit was first assigned to the 2d Division on 8 April 1920, and became a part of the 2d Division Trains, Quartermaster Corps, in 1921, as Motor Repair Section #3. The unit was re-designated several times within the next few years, with the first significant change occurring in 1936, unit was reorganized and re-designated 1 May 1936 as Company E, 2d Quartermaster Regiment. The unit was again reorganized and re-designated in 1939 as the Maintenance Platoon, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Quartermaster Battalion, 2d Division. More reorganizations and re-designations followed and by September 1942, the 702d Ordnance Light Maintenance Company was in existence, gearing for extensive participation in World War II. The unit served with distinction in the European theater of operations and received for its efforts two Meritorious Unit Citations and the Belgian Fourragerre.

After World War II, more re-designations and reorganizations occurred, until 1 February 1953, when the 702d Ordnance Battalion came into being, with its subordinate organic companies activated concurrently with the 2d Infantry Division. The battalion participated extensively in the Korean conflict through 1954 and received two additional Meritorious Unit citations and two Korean Presidential Unit citations.

After the Korean conflict the 702d Ordnance Battalion became the 702d Maintenance Battalion on 4 April 1963. The 702d Main Support Battalion activated 16 October 1989 from the deactivated 702d Maintenance Battalion as the base unit of the Army of Excellence (AOE) 2d Infantry Division Support Command (DISCOM). The DISCOM was reorganized under AOE to keep abreast of the modernization of the Division and to better support the Army’s Air-Land Battle Doctrine. The reorganization created four multifunctional support battalions from the three functional battalions of the old DISCOM.

As the Army underwent transformation in 2007, the 702d Main Support Battalion was reorganized under the 210th Fires Brigade as a brigade support battalion, and on 15 September, was redesignated as the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 70th Brigade Support Battalion.

The 70th BSB continues its proud lineage and honor. Of special note is the fact that the Division symbol – the Indianhead Patch – was designed and first displayed by soldiers of this great battalion.. The Battalion’s proud salute exemplifies their total dedication to the combat readiness of the 2d Infantry Division and protecting Freedom’s Frontier in the Republic of Korea.

The unit's insignia consists of a gold color metal and enamel device emblazoned with the motto “VIS PER SUSTENTATIONEM” “STRENGTH THROUGH SUPPORT”. Gold is emblematic of excellence and high ideals. The powder horn and feather indicate the occupational equipment of Captain Merriweather Lewis, who established the first campsite in the Fort Lewis area, the original unit location, and in whose honor the Fort was named. The chevrons, symbolic of support, represent the mountainous region where the unit was located. The green area and the gold color refer to the flag of Washington, the “Evergreen State”. The simulated lightning flashes, suggested by the three flashes on the device of the U.S. Strike Command, refer to the unit’s historic logistic support.