44th Chemical Battalion
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = 44th Chemical Battalion
| image = 44th Chemical Battalion Coat of Arms.jpg
| caption = Coat of Arms of the 44th Chemical Battalion
| dates = {{plainlist|
- 1989–1997
- 2003–present
}}
| country = {{flagcountry|USA}}
| branch = United States Army National Guard (Illinois Army National Guard)
| type =
| role = Chemical defense
| command_structure = 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade
| garrison = Macomb, Illinois
| motto = Pride Integrity Courage
| identification_symbol = 100px
| identification_symbol_label = Distinctive Unit Insignia
}}
The 44th Chemical Battalion is a chemical defense battalion of the Illinois Army National Guard, organized in 2008. It is headquartered at Macomb, Illinois, part of the 404th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, formerly a chemical brigade.
A previous unit with the same designation was organized in 1989, headquartered at Sycamore and then Machesney Park as part of the 404th Chemical Brigade before its 1997 inactivation.
History
A unit with the same designation was headquartered at Sycamore as part of the 404th Chemical Brigade, organized on 1 July 1989 and activated in September of that year.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/127495359/?terms=%22chemical%2Bbattalion%22|title=Deployment of local battalion is uncertain|last=Crase|first=Mike|date=22 August 1990|work=The Daily Chronicle|url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com}} It included the 244th Chemical Company (Smoke) at Rockford and the 444th Chemical Company (Decontamination) at Freeport, and the latter's Detachment 1 at Galva. After returning from summer training at Fort McCoy in August 1993, the 62-man headquarters of the battalion was mobilized for flood relief duty along the Mississippi River at Quincy in response to the Great Flood of 1993.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/128287845/?terms=%22chemical%2Bbattalion%22|title=Guard unit is mobilized to help in flooded areas|last=Siwicki|first=Gene|date=10 August 1993|work=The Daily Chronicle|url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com}} It was relocated to Machesney Park on 1 October 1995; the Sycamore armory was taken over by the newly activated Battery C, 2nd Battalion, 122nd Field Artillery.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/128595504/?terms=%22chemical%2Bbattalion%22|title=The Kings of Battle|last=Mann|first=Dave|date=16 July 1996|work=The Daily Chronicle|url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com}} The battalion was officially inactivated by orders effective 1 September 1997 along with the brigade.{{Cite web|url=http://www.il.ngb.army.mil/Army/UnitWeb/404chem/history.htm|title=History and Lineage|publisher=Illinois Army National Guard|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717090358/http://www.il.ngb.army.mil/Army/UnitWeb/404chem/history.htm|archive-date=17 July 2011|url-status=dead|access-date=17 July 2011}}
The current battalion was constituted 1 September 2005 in the Illinois Army National Guard as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 44th Chemical Battalion, and three years later organized and Federally recognized on 5 August 2008.{{Cite web|url=https://history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/chem/044cmbn.htm|title=44th Chemical Battalion Lineage and Honors Information|date=18 March 2011|publisher=U.S. Army Center of Military History|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110522195705/http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/chem/044cmbn.htm|archive-date=2011-05-22|url-status=dead|access-date=5 May 2018}} The battalion initially included the 135th Chemical Company at Machesney Park, the 444th Chemical Company (Combat Support) at Monmouth, and the 445th Chemical Company at East St. Louis. Before being constituted it was on Carrier status.{{Cite web|url=http://www.il.ngb.army.mil:80/Army/UnitWeb/404chem/bnunit.htm|title=Battalions and Units of the 404th Chemical Brigade|publisher=Illinois Army National Guard|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100126163005/http://www.il.ngb.army.mil/Army/UnitWeb/404chem/bnunit.htm|archive-date=2010-01-26|url-status=dead|access-date=26 January 2010}} After 2007 the 444th Chemical Company was relocated to the new Galesburg Readiness Center.{{Cite news|url=http://www.reviewatlas.com/news/20160708/hard-to-sustain-interest-in-old-galesburg-armory|title=Hard to sustain interest in old Galesburg armory|last=Hobe|first=Marty|date=8 July 2016|work=The Register-Mail|access-date=5 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505205328/http://www.reviewatlas.com/news/20160708/hard-to-sustain-interest-in-old-galesburg-armory|archive-date=2018-05-05|url-status=live}} In 2010, the 445th Chemical Company was relocated to Shiloh.{{Cite web|url=https://www.il.ngb.army.mil/Organizations/Army/cities/southern.aspx?city=shilo|title=Southern Illinois Units – Shiloh|publisher=Illinois National Guard|access-date=5 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505205557/http://www.il.ngb.army.mil/Organizations/Army/cities/southern.aspx?city=shilo|archive-date=2018-05-05|url-status=live}} The battalion also includes 450th Chemical Detachment at Macomb.{{Cite web|url=https://www.il.ngb.army.mil/Organizations/Army/cities/westcentral.aspx?city=macomb|title=West Central Illinois Units – Macomb|publisher=Illinois National Guard|access-date=5 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505210050/http://www.il.ngb.army.mil/Organizations/Army/cities/westcentral.aspx?city=macomb|archive-date=2018-05-05|url-status=live}}
The 150-strong 135th Chemical Company was mobilized for Operation Enduring Freedom – Afghanistan in September 2008,{{Cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2008/09/30/war-in-afghanistan-calls/|title=War in Afghanistan calls|last=Janega|first=James|date=30 September 2008|work=Chicago Tribune|access-date=5 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505205316/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2008-09-30/news/0809290472_1_afghanistan-army-national-guard-illinois-guard|archive-date=2018-05-05|url-status=live}} serving on convoy security duty{{Cite news|url=http://www.wrex.com/story/8452634/local-guard-unit-ready-to-deploy|title=Local Guard Unit Ready to Deploy|last=Cummings|first=Ryan|date=9 June 2008|work=WREX|access-date=5 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505205018/http://www.wrex.com/story/8452634/local-guard-unit-ready-to-deploy|archive-date=5 May 2018|url-status=dead}} at Camp Phoenix with the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team Task Force Phoenix. Eight of its personnel received Bronze Stars for actions during the deployment before it returned to the United States in September 2009.{{Cite news|url=http://www.rrstar.com/x1420195036/Rock-Valley-College-to-host-soldiers-homecoming|title=A happy welcome home for soldiers|last=Haas|first=Kevin|date=10 September 2009|work=Rockford Register Star|access-date=5 May 2018}} The 445th Chemical Company also deployed to Afghanistan at the same time.{{Cite news|url=http://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/illinois/news/for-soldiers-welcome-home-at-last/article_ed00b00a-8e69-5906-9b2a-b6cdc438cfb3.html|title=For soldiers, welcome home at last|last=West|first=Ken|date=16 September 2009|work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|access-date=5 May 2018}} With about 120 personnel, the 444th Chemical Company was mobilized for a deployment to Kuwait in February 2012, providing security at Camp Virginia{{Cite news|url=http://wqad.com/2012/05/14/local-soldiers-celebrate-mothers-day-half-a-world-away/|title=Local soldiers celebrate Mother's Day half a world away|last=Nelson|first=Shellie|date=14 May 2012|work=WQAD|access-date=5 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505210230/http://wqad.com/2012/05/14/local-soldiers-celebrate-mothers-day-half-a-world-away/|archive-date=2018-05-05|url-status=live}} before returning to the United States in December.{{Cite news|url=http://www.galesburg.com/article/20121223/news/312239970|title=444th Chemical Company returns from Kuwait|last=Dutton|first=Matthew|date=23 December 2012|work=The Register-Mail|access-date=5 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505205204/http://www.galesburg.com/article/20121223/news/312239970|archive-date=2018-05-05|url-status=live}}
File:44th Chemical Battalion equipment demonstration Anakonda 2016.jpg
In June 2016, the battalion deployed to Poland to practice troop/equipment decontamination and mass casualty evacuation operations during NATO Exercise Anakonda 2016, which ran from June 7 to June 17 at Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area. When it participated in the exercise, the unit included a large number of Polish-American soldiers, many of whom spoke Polish and were familiar with the culture; it had participated in similar exercises since 2006.{{Cite news|url=http://www.mcdonoughvoice.com/news/20160616/macomb-based-44th-national-guard-chemical-battalion-in-poland-on-exercises|title=Macomb-based 44th National Guard Chemical Battalion in Poland on exercises|last=Headquarters|first=Sgt. Dennis Glass 361st Press Camp|work=The McDonough County Voice|access-date=2018-05-05|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505135001/http://www.mcdonoughvoice.com/news/20160616/macomb-based-44th-national-guard-chemical-battalion-in-poland-on-exercises|archive-date=2018-05-05|url-status=live}}
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