UNITED STATES ARMY

218th INFANTRY BRIGADE (SEPARATE) (MECHANIZED) Cold War Organization  •  1988

The 218th Infantry Brigade was a South Carolina Army National Guard formation. It was organized as a separate mechanized infantry brigade with two infantry battalions (M113 APCs), one armor battalion (M1 tanks armed with a 105mm gun), a 155Mmm self-propelled field artillery battalion, a separate armored cavalry reconnaissance troop (three platoons each with M1 tanks and M113A1-mounted scout sections) a separate air defense artillery battery and a separate combat engineer company. The 218th was earmarked for NATO and its units were organized similarly to those of the Regular Army. Organizational flags for separate brigades were vertically divided with the stripes in the prescribed branch colors—in this case national flag blue and scarlet for Infantry. Centered on the flag in proper colors was the brigade's shoulder sleeve insignia (SSI). Dimensions were 3 feet at the hoist by 4 feet on the fly with 2 1/2-inch yellow fringe. Organizational flags were made of heavyweight rayon banner cloth with the insignia applied to appear properly on both sides of the flag. Campaign and unit decoration streamers awarded to brigades were always displayed with these flags. The organizational flag was always carried or displayed with the National Color. Guidons for headquarters elements of separate brigades were of the same design as the corresponding organizational flags. Dimensions were 20 inches at the hoist by 27 inches on the fly with a 10-inch fork. Older guidons made of cotton or wool bunting were still used if serviceable, but new ones were made of heavyweight rayon banner cloth.