Originally formed in the Army’s Organized Reserves in 1928 as Headquarters and Headquarters and Service Company, 377th Engineer Regiment, the 372nd Engineer Brigade has undergone several redesignations and activations/inactivations, but has remained in the Engineer branch for its entire existence. In the ninety years since it was constituted, it has called several states home—West Virginia, Iowa, Maryland—but acquired its nickname as the “Timberwolf Brigade” after it moved to Minnesota from Iowa in 2007.
Called into active Federal service in 2009, the 372nd Engineer Brigade was honored with a Meritorious Unit commendation on 17 September 2013 for its ten-month tour (11/2009 to 10/2010). During this period, the Brigade carried out more than 2500 route-clearance package missions which yielded over 800 IEDs and unexploded ordnance devices, clearing 200,000-plus kilometers of roadways in the process. During the same period, they also finished more than 400 construction project encompassing over 40 forward operating bases in eastern and northern Afghanistan. Making the honor more special was the fact that it was their second MUC for serving the War on Terror, proving that the unit takes its motto of “Engineering Leadership” quite seriously.
As of Autumn 2023, the 372nd Engineer Brigade is allotted to the U.S. Army Reserve where it was a subordinate unit of the 416th Engineer Command. The Brigade is headquartered in Fort Snelling, Minnesota and comprises three Engineer Battalions: the 367th, 863rd, and 983rd.
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The 372nd Engineer Brigade Distinctive Unit Insignia was originally approved for the 372nd Engineer Group on 2 February 1972. It was gven its current designation, with an updated description, on 6 September 2008. Its scarlet and white hues are the colors of the Corps of Engineers while the masoned wall in the center of the insignia symbolizes the building capabilities of the Brigade.Green, white, and scarle are, the national colors of Italy; combined with the three rows of masonry, they call the unit's participation in three campaigns in Italy during World War II (Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno, and North Apennines). A gold "T" square is a tool used by draftsmen when crafting building blueprints and is an allusion to the unit's overall mission.
Guidance on wear of the DUI is found in DA Pamphlet 670-1, Section 21-22, "Distinctive unit insignia" and 21–3(d) and (e), "Beret" and "Garrison Cap," respectively.
Related Items
372nd Engineer Brigade Patch (SSI)
372nd Engineer Brigade Combat Service ID Badge (CSIB)