59th Ordnance Brigade

The 59th Ordnance Brigade is a distinguished unit of the United States Army with a lineage dating back to World War II. Originally constituted in 1942 as the 71st Ordnance Battalion, it was redesignated as the 59th Ordnance Group in 1955 and later as the 59th Ordnance Brigade in 1959. Throughout the Cold War, the brigade was primarily based in Germany, where it was responsible for the storage, maintenance, and security of U.S. nuclear and conventional munitions in Europe. The unit played a critical role in NATO’s defense posture until its inactivation in 1992, though it was later reactivated at Fort Lee, Virginia, focusing on advanced ordnance training and support.