FORT RILEY, Kansas -- The oldest engineer unit in the in the Army celebrated its 169th birthday during its Engineer Week June 29 at McCormick Park.
Engineer Week is an annual event dedicated to honoring the battalion's strong history, while paying tribute to Soldiers past and present. The week-long event was an opportunity to build stronger relationships between the unit's community partners and current and former Soldiers of the Diehard battalion.
"We are here to celebrate our rich history as the oldest and most decorated engineer battalion in the Army," Lt. Col Jason Taliaferro, commander, 1st Bde. Eng. Bn., 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, said.
The battalion's Company A can trace its history back to 1846 when company miners, sappers and pontoniers were constituted at West Point, New York. The battalion has received 67 decorations and campaign streamers and eight foreign awards.
"This was a great event that brought our partners, alumni and Soldiers together for a great morning of engagement," Taliaferro said of the birthday celebration.
Retired Capt. Larry Blair, Company C, 1st Bde. Eng. Bn., 1st ABCT, 1st Inf., Div., delivered the key note address to "Diehard" battalion officers during a professional development session.
"Being a company commander during the Vietnam War was totally different then what you experience now a days," Blair said. "The one thing that never changes is making sure you and your Soldiers are well prepared for the fight."
Blair said he was impressed by the esprit de corps within the battalion and the positive attitude of all the Soldiers.
"It was an honor to be able to spend time with the Soldiers that serve our nation on their 169th birthday," Blair said. "I am very impressed with the all-volunteer Army."
The unit's culminating event was a ball in Manhattan, Kansas.
"The week was not just about fun and games, but an opportunity to thank the Soldiers, families, community partners and our alumni who helped cement the legacy of our engineer battalion," Taliaferro said.
Taliaferro said the ball was a great way of tying the battalion's future with its past, which made the week an enjoyable learning experience for everyone involved.
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