The lineage of the 163rd Armored Brigade can be traced back to the constitution of the 1st Regiment of Infantry in the Montana National Guard between 1884 and 1887. Redesignated as the 1st Montana Volunteer Infantry in May 1898, it was mustered into Federal service and fought in the Philippine Insurrection, earning credit for participation in two campaigns (Manila and Malolos).
During World War I, the unit was designated the 163rd Infantry Regiment and assigned to the 82nd Brigade, 41st Division. Because the 41st was a Depot Division (i.e., source of replacement troops), the Regiment earned a World War I streamer without an inscription for a specific campaign.
The 163rd was again assigned to the 41st Division (now 41st Infantry Division) in the Second World War, and was honored with a Presidential Unit Citation for its actions in the Papua campaign and a Philippine Presidential Unit Citation for its actions in the liberation of the Philippines. It also received two Arrowheads denoting that it took part in assault landings at New Guinea and in the Southern Philippines.
In 1953 the Regiment was redesignated as the 163rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, and in 1988 a major reorganization created the 163rd Armored Brigade as well as the 163rd Cavalry. It is unclear when the 163rd Armored Brigade was inactivated but it apparently came at some point in the mid-1990s.
The 163rd Armored Brigade Shoulder Sleeve Insignia, or unit patch, was approved while the unit was still an Armored Cavalry Regiment on 18 April 1968; it was redesignated for the Brigade on 1 February 1989. Yellow is used as a traditional Cavalry color and the green bend is symbolic of lush, green terrain of Montana. A buffalo skull recalls the heritage of Montana as part of the Old West.
Related Items
163rd Armored Brigade Unit Crest (DUI)
163rd Armored Brigade Combat Service ID Badge (CSIB)