36th Airborne Brigade (United States)

The 36th Infantry Brigade (Airborne)[1] was an airborne brigade of the United States Army and the Texas Army National Guard. The brigade was active from 1 November 1973 to 1 April 1980. The unit's lineage continues today in the 36th Infantry Division (United States).[2]


Authorized 36th Infantry Brigade (Airborne) shoulder sleeve insignia
As worn 36th Airborne Brigade shoulder sleeve insignia

A 36th Brigade of infantry was originally part of the National Army 18th Division, formed briefly in 1917–18.

After reactivation in 1973, the 36th Airborne Brigade consisted of two airborne infantry battalions:[3][1] The 36th Airborne Brigade was activated with units formally assigned to the 71st Airborne Brigade (Separate).

McGrath says the 36th Brigade insignia with star was authorized for wear from 10 May 1967 – 1 November 1973, but never worn, because the brigade at the time was designated 71st Airborne Brigade.[4] The unit continued to wear the patch of the 71st Airborne Brigade until the unit was disbanded. The 36th Airborne Brigade was active from 1973 to 1980, and disbanded 1980.

It was reconstituted as a divisional formation (36th Brigade, 50th Armored Division) from 1988–92. From 6 January 1988, the 7th and 8th Battalions of the 112th Armored Regiment along with other support units in the “Texas Brigade” served in the 50th Armored Division of the New Jersey National Guard. Reorganization in 1993 ended the relationship with the 50th and saw the deactivation of the 7th and 8th Battalions. According to Aumiller, the two battalions were relieved from assignment from the 50th Armored Division by 9 January 1993.

1st Battalion, 133rd Field Artillery Regiment, may have been the Direct Support battalion (effectively the brigade's artillery battalion) for the 36th Brigade from 1989.[5]

In 1992 it became the 36th Brigade of the 49th Armored Division based at Houston, TX. It seems likely to have been activated in 1992, and was definitely an active reserve (TPU) unit from Aug 1994 thru at least Feb 1997. It was likely transitioned during the May 2004 realignment when the 49th Armored Division became the 36th Infantry Division.

References
  1. "Post World War II Texas National Guard". texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org.
  2. Rottman, Gordon L. (1990). US Army Airborne 1940–1990. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. p. 49.
  3. Aumiller, Timothy S. "United States Army Infantry, Artillery, Armor/Cavalry Battalions, 1957–2011" p31, from
  4. McGrath, 'The Brigade,' 233. Patch can be seen at http://www.usarmypatches.com/Infantry.htm
  5. http://sill-www.army.mil/firesbulletin/archives/1989/DEC_1989/DEC_1989_FULL_EDITION.pdf, page 32.
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