Past and present members of Company B, 216th Engineer Battalion and the 1191st Engineer Company

Honoring Our Own: Generations of Service

Past and present members of Company B, 216th Engineer Battalion—including its detachment in Ironton—and today’s 1191st Engineer Company, Ohio Army National Guard, will be our guests of honor at the Lawrence County, Ohio Veterans Benefit Concert on November 14, 2026.

For generations, these citizen-soldiers have been our neighbors, coworkers, friends, and family. Their service has taken them around the world and brought them to the aid of communities right here at home.

The unit traces its roots to June 3, 1921, when it was organized in Portsmouth as Battery C, 135th Field Artillery. It served in New Guinea during World War II and converted to engineers in 1959. Company B deployed to Iraq in 2004, earning the Meritorious Unit Commendation. Following the 2007 reorganization as the 1191st Engineer Company, the unit deployed to Afghanistan in 2014.

Their service also includes helping communities through emergencies and recovery efforts:

• Helping clear roads and storm debris during the 2003 Lawrence County ice storm.

• Supporting hurricane relief in Louisiana after Hurricane Gustav in 2008.

• Helping erect Portsmouth’s floodgates as the Ohio River rose in February 2018.

• Clearing ice-storm debris in Gallia County during the southern Ohio emergency response in 2021.

These are just a few examples of their contributions. Over the years, unit members have also supported community cleanup, building demolition, storm recovery, and other local projects—putting their skills and equipment to work for their neighbors.

Today, members of the 1191st are deploying to the U.S. southern border in support of Operation Ardent Vanguard. We wish them a safe return and extend our appreciation to the families supporting them.

On November 14, join us in recognizing the past and present members of this unit, their families, and their lasting contributions to our communities and our country.