The 36th Division Monument at the Brownwood Coliseum was moved today. It is being moved to the Texas National Guard training facility in Camp Bowie.
The monument honors the U.S. Army 36th Division which trained at Camp Bowie in World War II. They were known as the “T-Patchers”, because the Division patch on their uniforms featured a large T for Texas. The 36th Division was heavily involved in the invasion of Italy in 1944, and was a highly decorated Division. Texas Highway 36 was numbered after the 36th Division.
The 36th Division Monument has resided in front of the Brownwood Coliseum for many years, but an upcoming change to the design of the intersection of Carnegie Boulevard and Baker Street by the Texas Department of Transportation necessitated a relocation of the monument.
Moving the 15,000-pound monument is not an easy task. Fortunately, the soldiers at the Camp Bowie National Guard training facility are members of the 822nd Engineering Construction Company, and part of the 111th Engineering Battalion of the Texas National Guard. They have the equipment and the experienced men for the job.
The 111th Engineering Battalion is currently under the command of Lt. Colonel Austin Bird, but will soon be under the command of Lt. Colonel Joseph Miller. A change of command ceremony will be held at the Camp Bowie National Guard facility on 15 June at 10:00 a.m.