2:63rd Armor

• Origins: The 2nd Battalion, 63rd Armor Regiment (2/63rd Armor) traces its lineage to the 745th Tank Battalion, constituted during World War II in 1942. • World War II Service: The original 63rd Armor fought in key European campaigns, including Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe. • Cold War Deployments: During the Cold War, 2/63rd Armor was stationed in Germany as part of the U.S. Army’s forward-deployed forces to deter Soviet aggression. • Operation Desert Storm: The battalion played a significant role in the 1991 Gulf War, participating in the rapid armored advance into Iraq and Kuwait. • Assignment to 1st Infantry Division: For much of its modern history, 2/63rd Armor was an integral part of the 1st Infantry Division (the "Big Red One"). • Bosnia Peacekeeping: The battalion was deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina in the mid-1990s as part of NATO’s peacekeeping operations, supporting stability in the Balkans. • Distinctive Unit Insignia: The unit's crest features a white shield with a black "pale" that recalls the Iron Cross, referencing its service in European theaters. • Nickname: 2/63rd Armor was commonly known as the “Dragons,” a nod to the aggressive spirit and powerful armored punch of the battalion. • Deactivation and Reactivation: The battalion has been inactivated and reactivated multiple times, most recently in the early 2000s during Army force restructuring. • Legacy: Former members of 2/63rd Armor have gone on to distinguished careers in both military and civilian life, and the battalion maintains a strong alumni network.