1st Theater Sustainment Command

By Lt. Col. Catherine Morelle-OliveiraDecember 28, 2010

In October 1950, the 1st Logistical Command was activated as a planning headquarters at Fort McPherson. During the Berlin Crisis of 1951, the 1st Logistical Command deployed to France. The unit mission during this period was to organize a Base Logistics Command to supervise seven depots and area port operations in western and southwestern France.

On May 12, 1952, our unit shoulder patch was approved. The familiar red, white and blue disc with the diagonal arrow pointing to 1030 hours symbolizes the fact that the mission is always accomplished prior to the eleventh hour.

On Aug. 11, 1962, the Command returned to the United States and was assigned to the III Corps, Fort Hood. Upon redeployment the unit resumed its training mission and participated in a wide range of logistical missions.

On April 1, 1965, the 1st Logistical Command deployed to the Republic of Vietnam to serve as the logistics command and control headquarters for all units participating in that conflict. During its five-year stint in Southwest Asia, the strength of the 1st Logistical Command grew to 50,000 Soldiers. The unit received five Meritorious Unit Commendations and three of its Soldiers earned the Congressional Medal of Honor. During this conflict, 1st Logistical Command performed maintenance, supply, and transportation functions with three area support commands and numerous brigade and group-sized units attached.

Following its successful tour in Vietnam, the 1st Logistical Command redeployed to Fort Lee and was redesignated the 1st Field Army Support Command on 7 December 1970.

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On June 22, 1972, the unit was redesignated the 1st Corps Support Command and reassigned to XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg.

In October 1983, the 1st COSCOM deployed to Grenada in support of Operation Urgent Fury. The specifically tailored task force consisted mainly of Fort Bragg based units. The 507th Transportation Group, the 44th Medical Brigade, the 46th Support Group and Special Troops Battalion provided multifunctional combat service support ranging from medical, postal, food and graves registration to explosives ordnance disposal.

1st COSCOM Soldiers deployed to U.S. Virgin Islands, as part of a humanitarian relief effort following Hurricane Hugo in September 1989. 1st COSCOM provided Arrival/Departure Airfield Control, organized and directed the movement of critically needed supplies, and expedited the evacuation of stranded hurricane victims.

Beginning with night airborne assaults in the largest airborne operations since World War II, 1st COSCOM deployed Soldiers to Panama on Dec. 20, 1989, in support of Operation Just Cause. COSCOM was designated as the command and control headquarters for all combat support and combat service support operations for Army forces operating in Panama during Just Cause. Additionally, 1st COSCOM organized the flow and distribution of humanitarian supplies to the Panamanian population. Prior to the airborne assault, 1st COSCOM prepared combat Soldiers and their logistics supply lines at numerous locations across the U.S. 1st COSCOM Soldiers also parachuted in with elements of the 82nd Airborne Division to make preparations for the massive logistics effort to support this operation. Redeployment of 1st COSCOM started on Jan. 12, 1990, with a mass parachute jump into the Sicily Drop Zone.

The 1st COSCOM deployed to Saudi Arabia in August 1990 as the support arm of the XVIII Airborne Corps for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. This was to become the largest military operation since World War II. During Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, 1st COSCOM provided crucial logistics support to 4 1/3 divisions. The command's five major subordinate units: the 44th Medical Brigade and the 46th, 101st, 171st at and 507th Corps Support Groups provided a full range of combat service support.

In November 1991, the 1st COSCOM deployed Logistical Task Force 46 in support of the Haitian migrant humanitarian relief effort at Guantanamo Bay. Serving as the ARFOR Headquarters of Joint Task Force Guantanamo, this Task Force provided logistical support, security and camp administration for more than 15,000 Haitian migrants. In August 1992, 1st COSCOM deployed a Logistical Task Force to Florida, in support of JTF Andrew. Once again 1st COSCOM Soldiers provided humanitarian relief to the victims of Hurricane Andrew.

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In August 1993, the 1st COSCOM deployed Logistical Task Force 507 in support of Operation Restore Hope, Somalia. During a four-month period, Task Force 507 filled over 94,000 Class IX requisitions, demilitarized over 3.5 million weapons and ammunition, logged 610,000 miles, and 10 of its Soldiers were awarded the Purple Heart.

In September 1994, the 1st COSCOM deployed to Haiti in support of Operation Uphold Democracy. Serving as the Joint Logistics Support Command, headquartered at Port-Au-Prince, Soldiers from the 1st COSCOM provided critical logistical supplies and services throughout the country. These services ranged from graves registration, water purification and showers to processing thousands of Class IX requisitions, and providing fuel and food services for over 20,000 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen.

In October 1995, the 1st COSCOM again deployed to the U.S. Virgin Islands in support of Hurricane Disaster Relief. Soldiers from the 1st COSCOM provided immediate delivery of emergency logistical supplies and services throughout the area of operations.

1st COSCOM was again alerted in early November 1998 to deploy the 46th Corps Support Group (CSG) to Central America in support of Hurricane Mitch Relief Operations. Personnel and equipment began deploying in early December and completed deployment to Central America by mid-month. Headquarters, 46th CSG was located at Comalapa Air Base. Task Force 264th was located in Guatemala and Task Force 189 was located at Nicaragua.

In May 1999, Soldiers from 1st COSCOM deployed to Fort Dix in support of Operation Provide Refuge. They provided for over 4,000 Albanian Refugees during the operation. In November 2001, Logistics Task Force 507th was formed and deployed to Uzbekistan. The LTF provided a full range of support to ground forces in Operation Enduring Freedom. In June 2002, the 1st Corps Support Command formed and deployed a Joint Logistical Command to Uzbekistan from elements of the 1st COSCOM Headquarters, the 330th MCB, and the 2d CMMC to support the Combined Joint Task Force 180.

In January 2003, 1st Corps Support Command units began to deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The initial unit to deploy was the 126th Transportation Company, along with several Movement Control Teams. In November 2004 the 1st Corps Support Command deployed to Iraq. 1st COSCOM provided logistics support to the joint Multi-National Corps-Iraq and it's Coalition partners.

On April 16, 2006, the 1st COSCOM was redesignated as the 1st Sustainment Command (Theater) and reassigned to 3rd Army.

In May 2007 the 1st Sustainment Command (Theater) deployed on an enduring mission to support logistical operation throughout the CENTCOM AOR. The command deployed to Kuwait to support both operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Horn of Africa and the Sinai. The command maintains a forward command post in Kuwait ensuring our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen are supplied with whatever they need, where ever they are.

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ENDURING SUPPORT

The 1st TSC served five years in Vietnam and continues to support the fight against terrorism for U.S. Central Command. What had been the largest military operation since World War II for COSCOM in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm has been dwarfed by the staggering volume of personnel, equipment and terrain sustained for Operations Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn and Enduring Freedom. Today the headquarters at Fort Bragg provides reach back and support to the forward deployed command team in Kuwait where the "First Team" manages people, transportation and ports to ensure critical supplies get to destinations before the need to ask. Be it fuel, water, building materials or ammunition, 1st TSC provides enduring sustainment for a battlefield of over 6 millions square miles, and to hundreds of thousands of troops.