HHC 193rd Brigade

• Origins and Activation: The Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), 193rd Infantry Brigade was originally activated on 18 December 1962 in the Panama Canal Zone. • Strategic Location: The brigade served as a key U.S. Army unit responsible for the defense of the Panama Canal, a critical strategic asset during the Cold War. • Jungle Warfare Training: The 193rd Infantry Brigade operated the Jungle Operations Training Center at Fort Sherman, training thousands of U.S. and allied soldiers in jungle warfare techniques. • Operation Just Cause: The brigade played a leading role in Operation Just Cause (December 1989), the U.S. military operation that ousted Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega. • Combat Action in Panama: Elements of HHC 193rd Brigade were among the first U.S. forces to see combat during Operation Just Cause, securing key objectives such as Torrijos-Tocumen Airport. • Humanitarian Missions: Beyond combat, the brigade conducted numerous humanitarian missions in Central and South America, including disaster relief and infrastructure projects. • Unit Inactivation: Following the implementation of the Panama Canal Treaties and the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Panama, the 193rd Infantry Brigade was inactivated on 14 October 1994. • Distinctive Insignia: The brigade's shoulder sleeve insignia—a blue shield with a gold key and white star—symbolized its mission to protect the Canal, the "key to the continent." • Legacy Reborn: The 193rd Infantry Brigade was reactivated in 2007 at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, where it now serves as a Basic Combat Training unit for new Army recruits. • Enduring Motto: The unit's motto, "No Ground To Give," reflects its storied history as a determined and resilient force, both in defending the Panama Canal and shaping new generations of soldiers.