World War I Originally designated the 407th Supply Train (Motor), the unit was activated on 5 August 1917 at
Camp Gordon, Georgia as the country was building up for
World War I. The unit was part of the 82d Infantry Division, which was assigned to the
American Expeditionary Force on the Western Front in France. The supply train served during the American offensive on the St. Mihiel Salient and during the severe fighting in the
Argonne Forest. After the
Armistice, the unit was
demobilized in 1919, and reorganized two years later in the organized reserves as the 82d Division Train,
Quartermaster Corps. After several other changes in designation, the Supply Train finally received its present-day numerical designation as the 407th Quartermaster Regiment on 1 July 1936.
World War II Following the attack on
Pearl Harbor, the 82d, along with the 407th, was called to active duty on 25 March 1942 at
Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. On 15 August of that same year, the 407th became the 407th Airborne Quartermaster Company. The 407th then supported the division in both
Sicily and
Italy. When the division went into
Normandy, the 407th arrived there with the
glider forces and the seaborne forces. The 407th also participated in the
glider assault into the Netherlands. For these two operations, the 407th is credited with two arrowheads (initial assault) on its
battle streamers. In the years after
World War II, the 407th finally became a full
battalion.
Post World War II On 1 September 1957, the unit reorganized as the 407th Supply and Transportation Battalion. In this configuration, the 407th served in the
Dominican Republic for Operation POWER PACK in
Grenada for Operation URGENT FURY, in
Panama for Operation Just Cause, and in
Saudi Arabia and
Iraq for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Post 1990 On 22 October 1993, the unit took its present-day form as the multi-functional 407th Light Support Battalion. In this configuration, the unit provides all direct support logistical needs as part of the Division's 2d Brigade Task Force. During
Operation Restore Democracy in
Haiti, the 407th was ready to deploy with
Task Force Falcon, only to be stood down at the last minute. From January until September 2017, 407th Brigade Support Battalion (led by LTC Elizabeth H. Curtis) deployed to Kuwait and Iraq as a part of Task Force Falcon (led by COL J. Patrick Work) in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. They played a critical role in the advise and assist efforts that led to the liberation of Mosul on 20 July 2017. Of note, LTC Curtis was the second female battalion commander in the history of the unit (the first was Ret. Gen. Ann Dunwoody) and the first woman to lead the organization through a combat deployment. The soldiers of the 407th perform many tasks: pumping fuel from a forward area refueler, transporting critical ammunition, issuing food and supplies, fixing damaged vehicles, maintaining the brigade's weapons systems, issuing repair parts, or treating and evacuating casualties from the drop zone. ==Past commanders==