Photo from Ohio National Guard Heritage Center Collections
Soldiers from Company C, 1st Battalion, 148th Infantry, stand in formation outside of the Delaware Armory during a call to duty ceremony for the unit in October 2001 prior to their mobilization for Operation Noble Eagle.
20 years ago
‘We’ll Do It’ Regiment first to answer call
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Mann, Ohio Army National Guard Historian
Just weeks following the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States, the 1st Battalion, 148th Infantry was the first Ohio National Guard unit to receive federal mobilization orders for Operation Noble Eagle.
Soldiers from Company C, 1st Battalion, 148th Infantry, carry their gear from the Delaware Armory in October 2001 as they prepare to mobilize to Fort Knox, Ky. for Operation Noble Eagle.
: Staff Sgt. James Scally of Company C, 1st Battalion, 148th Infantry, gives his young son a goodbye kiss during a call to duty ceremony for the unit in October 2001 prior to being mobilized for Operation Noble Eagle.
Beginning on Oct. 6, 2001, Soldiers from the battalion began to arrive at their readiness centers to start the mobilization process. It was the first time since 1952 — for the Korean War — that the 148th had been ordered into federal service.
The units then received post-mobilization training at Fort Knox, Ky. From there, the battalion’s six companies were organized into task forces that were sent across the Midwest to guard and protect key military installations and other critical infrastructure sites.
Xenia’s Company A was sent to Newport Chemical Depot, Ind., just north of Terre Haute. Company B, from Bowling Green, remained at Fort Knox. Company D, located in North Canton, established operations at Selfridge Air Force Base, Mich. Delaware’s Company C was split across three sites: Rock Island Arsenal, Ill.; Lima Army Tank Plant in Northwest Ohio; and Ravenna Arsenal in Northeast Ohio. Soldiers from Lima’s Headquarters Company and Urbana’s Company E were cross-leveled to various task forces as required. The battalion headquarters remained at Fort Knox to support the various sites.
The companies spent a year on active duty and by September 2002, all elements had been replaced and the Soldiers had returned home. Since Operation Noble Eagle, the battalion has deployed to Kosovo, Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan and Jordan.
