| Unit Name: | 246th Transportation Battalion |
| Dates: | March 2006 to Present |
| Branch: | Michigan Army National Guard |
| Role: | Transportation |
| Size: | Battalion |
| Command Structure: | 272nd Regional Support Group |
| Garrison: | Jackson, Michigan |
| Nickname: | Wolf Hounds |
| Motto: | "Born of War" |
| Colors: | Brick red and golden yellow |
| Battles: | World War IAisne-MarneOise-AisneMeuse-ArgonneAlsace 1918World War IIPapuaNew Guinea (with arrowhead)LeyteLuzonWar on TerrorismCampaigns to be determined |
| Decorations: | Presidential Unit Citation (Army), Streamer embroidered PAPUAFrench Croix de Guerre with Palm, World War I, Streamer embroidered OISE-AISNEPhilippine Presidential Unit Citation, Streamer embroidered 17 OCTOBER 1944 TO 4 JULY 1945 |
| Current Commander: | LTC Renn N. Moon |
| Identification Symbol Label: | Distinctive Unit Insignia |
The 246th Transportation Battalion is a transportation battalion of the United States Army. During peacetime, the 246th is part of the 272nd Regional Support Group, a major subordinate command of the Michigan Army National Guard. Headquarters for the 246th are at the Jackson Readiness Center in Jackson, Michigan.
Headquarters of the 246th Transportation Battalion provides command, control, and supervision of units engaged in motor transport and terminal operations (less seaport).
Subordinate to the 246th during peacetime are:
All of the battalion's subordinate companies have deployed at least once to Afghanistan or to the Iraq War. The 1461st was awarded a Meritorious Unit Citation for its actions in Operation Iraqi Freedom during the period of 19 September 2006 through 3 August 2007.[1]
Organized in 1905 in the Michigan National Guard at Ionia as Company A, Signal CorpsRedesignated in November 1910 as Company B, Signal CorpsConverted and redesignated in 1911 as Company E, 2d InfantryRedesignated 22 April 1915 as Company E, 32d InfantryMustered into Federal service 1 July 1916 at Camp Grayling, Michigan; mustered out of Federal service 15 February 1917 at Fort Wayne, MichiganDrafted into Federal service 5 August 1917Reorganized and redesignated 23 September 1917 as Company D, 126th Infantry, an element of the 32d DivisionDemobilized 24 May 1919 at Camp Custer, Michigan
Reorganized and Federally recognized 6 April 1921 in the Michigan National Guard at Ionia as Company H, InfantryRedesignated 28 November 1921 as Company H, 126th Infantry, an element of the 32d DivisionInducted into Federal service 15 October 1940 at Ionia (Headquarters, 32d Division redesignated 1 February 1942 as Headquarters, 32d Infantry Division)Inactivated 28 February 1946 at Kokura, Japan (126th Infantry relieved 31 May 1946 from assignment to the 32d Infantry Division and assigned to the 46th Infantry Division)
Reorganized and Federally recognized 17 December 1946 at IoniaReorganized and redesignated 15 March 1959 as the Combat Support Company, 1st Battle Group, 126th InfantryReorganized and redesignated 15 March 1963 as Company B, 1st Battalion, 126th InfantryRelieved 1 February 1968 from assignment to the 46th Infantry Division; concurrently consolidated with part of Company A, 1st Battalion, 126th Infantry (organized and Federally recognized 15 November 1965 at Ionia), and consolidated unit converted and redesignated as the Supply Platoon, 1st, 2d, and 3d Direct Support Platoons, and the Avionics Section, 1463d Transportation CompanyReorganized and redesignated 1 February 1972 as Detachment 1, 1463d Transportation CompanyConsolidated 1 July 1972 with Detachment 1, Company A, 3d Battalion, 126th Infantry (organized and Federally recognized 1 February 1972 at Wyoming), and consolidated unit designated as Detachment 1, Company A, 3d Battalion, 126th Infantry, an element of the 38th Infantry DivisionConverted and redesignated 1 March 1977 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 107th Supply and Service Battalion; concurrently relieved from assignment to the 38th Infantry DivisionRedesignated 13 April 1984 as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 107th Supply and Service BattalionReorganized and redesignated 1 August 1994 as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 107th Support BattalionReorganized and redesignated 1 September 1997 as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 146th Support Battalion; concurrently, location changed to Bay City
Consolidated 1 September 2005 with and Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 107th Quartermaster Battalion (organized and Federally recognized 12 December 2002 at Jackson); consolidated unit designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 107th Quartermaster Battalion, and location changed to JacksonOrdered into active Federal service 21 May 2006 at Jackson; released 16 November 2007 from active Federal service; consolidated with Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 746th Maintenance Battalion (see ANNEX); and consolidated unit designated as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 246th Transportation Battalion
ANNEXConstituted 13 May 1946 in the Michigan National Guard as the 746th Ordnance Maintenance Company and assigned to the 46th Infantry DivisionOrganized and Federally recognized 12 December 1946 at Fort CusterLocation changed 15 December 1952 to Battle CreekExpanded, reorganized, and redesignated 5 January 1953 as the 746th Ordnance Battalion, with headquarters at Lansing, and remained assigned to the 46th Infantry DivisionRedesignated 15 March 1959 as the 107th Ordnance Battalion and remained assigned to the 46th Infantry DivisionRedesignated 15 March 1963 as the 107th Maintenance BattalionOrdered into active Federal service 24 July 1967 at Camp Grayling, Michigan; released 2 August 1967 from active Federal service and reverted to state controlRelieved 1 February 1968 from assignment to the 46th Infantry Division; battalion concurrently broken up and its elements reorganized and redesignated as follows:Headquarters and Company A as Headquarters and Company A, 107th Maintenance Battalion (Company B as the 1071st Heavy Equipment Maintenance Company; Companies C and D as the 1072d Light Maintenance Company; Company E as the 1463d Transportation Company - hereafter separate lineages)Reorganized and redesignated 1 February 1972 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 107th Supply and Service BattalionReorganized and redesignated 1 March 1977 as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 746th Maintenance BattalionHOME STATION: Jackson
The 246th Transportation Battalion coat of arms and distinctive unit insignia were both approved on 17 April 2008.[2] Both consist of a blue shield with a gold wheel and gauntlet surmounting the brick red hub. The base of the shield consists of a golden yellow dancetté.
On the coat of arms, there is a crest above the shield. The crest consists of a golden and blue wreath on which stands a gold griffin. Atop the distinctive unit insignia is a brick red scroll inscribed "Wolf Hounds" in gold.
Symbolism
In heraldry, the griffin represents vigilance and readiness. For Michigan, it also harkens to French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle whose ship, Le Griffon, was the first European vessel to sail the upper Great Lakes.[3]
Brick red and golden yellow are the colors traditionally associated with transportation units. The wheel symbolizes the battalion's basic mission of transportation. The closed gauntlet, adapted from the 46th Infantry Division's shoulder sleeve insignia, alludes to the historical significance of the division to the units in the battalion. It also denotes the unit's vigilance to engage in any audacious task. The dancetté signifies the Lower Peninsula and the hills of southern Michigan, the home state of the battalion.[2]