Grand Prairie Army Reserve unit de-activated
As part of the U. S. Army’s reorganization and realignment program designed to shift the Army Reserve from a technically focused force to a trained and ready force, the 493rd Engineer Group (Combat) of Grand Prairie was de-activated.
The Inactivation Ceremony held Sunday at the Grand Prairie Armed Forces Reserve Complex, featured speeches from Brigadier General Philip Harahan, Commanding General 90th Regional Readiness Command, Colonel Mark Williams, 493rd Engineer Group Commander, and Ruthe Jackson, Grand Prairie Mayor Pro Tem.
The unit was originally activated on December 15, 1967 in Dallas, Texas and has a rich history of service with joint operations in Honduras, Belize, and El Salvador as well as several within the United States.
The unit was mobilized in March 2003 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and was deployed to Iraq to support the 1st Armored Division in the Baghdad area. The 493rd was de-mobilized in May 2004.
Current members of the 493rd will be re-assigned to other Army Reserve units.
