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The 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team is a unit of the Illinois Army National Guard, which perpetuates the history of the 33rd Infantry Division. Known as the 66th Infantry Brigade until 2005, it is one of the brigades of the 35th Infantry Division. The brigade was re-activated under the Transformation of the United States Army and subordinated to the Illinois Army National Guard. The 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team deployed to Afghanistan in December 2008 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and re-deployed in August 2009.
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History
The post-World War II reorganization of the Army National Guard included the 33rd and 44th Infantry Divisions as Illinois-based units.
The 44th Infantry Division was inactivated in 1954, following its return from deployment for the Korean War.
The 33rd Infantry Division continued until 1968, when it was inactivated as part of a National Guard force reduction. The 33rd Infantry Brigade was then created as a non-divisional organization.
The 66th Infantry Brigade, which had been part of the 44th Division and then the 33rd, continued in service as an Illinois organization assigned to the 47th Infantry Division. The 47th Division was inactivated in 1991, and the 66th Brigade was assigned to the 34th Infantry Division.
In 1997, the 66th Brigade was reassigned to the 35th Infantry Division.
As part of the Army’s conversion to modular divisions and brigades in 2005, the separate 33rd Infantry Brigade was inactivated. The 66th Brigade was re-flagged as the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, which continued to be aligned with the 35th Division.
Recent deployments
Soldiers of the 66th Brigade were activated for homeland security duty following the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks.
In 2008 and 2009, soldiers of the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team served in the War in Afghanistan.
Task organization
As of 2015, the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team is composed of:
In popular culture
The 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat team is depicted at various times in its history in the artwork entitled "Forever, My Brother" by Marc Wolfe.