Maps and Theater Context

Campaign Maps

Maps help orient the story, but they are not decorations. A unit movement map must be supported by the record. A theater-context map gets labeled as theater context. Simple enough, yet somehow staff sections have fought wars over less.

Iraq and Afghanistan Map Cards Added

The modern war section now separates Iraq and Afghanistan. For now, these are theater-context cards tied to the new history pages. Do not publish detailed route overlays, base-to-base movement maps, or company-specific operational graphics unless a reliable source supports them and the imagery is cleared for public use.

Campaign Context

Maps by Era

Use these maps as the visual doorway into each era. Where the archive supports a unit-specific map, label it that way. Where it only supports general theater context, say so up front.

World War II

North Africa and Europe

Campaign-map context for the battalion’s World War II roots, including North Africa, Sicily, Italy, southern France, and the push through Europe.

Open World War II
Korean War

Korea

Terrain, lines of advance, withdrawals, and engineer work across a peninsula that made every road, bridge, and ridgeline matter.

Open Korea
Vietnam

Vietnam Theater

Vietnam-era operational context for battalion service, including areas tied to unit histories, vignettes, and Swampy Sentinel material.

Open Vietnam
Fort Ord

California and the Drawdown Era

Fort Ord-era context for the battalion’s post-Vietnam home station, training, reorganization, and move to Fort Lewis.

Open Fort Ord Era
Research Rule

Map Discipline

A general theater map is fine when labeled as context. A movement map needs a source. A pretty arrow with no paperwork is just PowerPoint wearing body armor.

Next Build

Modern RUGGED Era

Future map work should cover Fort Lewis, JBLM, reorganizations, and the 14th Brigade Engineer Battalion after the modern-era page is built.

Research Status

Map Verification Table

EraMap TypeStatusNext Action
World War IITheater and campaign contextUse only maps tied to confirmed campaign participation or clearly labeled public-domain theater context.Confirm image rights and label source.
KoreaTheater contextCampaign participation is confirmed in the lineage record.Pair with Korea history page and source notes.
VietnamOperational contextUse archive locations and source-backed maps only.Tie map labels to Swampy Sentinel and Vietnam history content.
Desert Shield / StormSouthwest Asia theater context761st Chemical Company Saudi Arabia deployment is confirmed. Unit-specific movement map not yet located.Do not publish a movement overlay until records support it.
Iraq / Operation Iraqi FreedomIraq theater context; Task Force Rugged operational contextOfficial award and campaign records support Iraq service. Detailed movement graphics should be tied to newsletters, orders, or public-domain maps.Build a source-backed map panel from FOB Warrior, Kirkuk, COB Adder, Tallil, COB Speicher, Tikrit, Anbar, Balad, and other confirmed locations.
Afghanistan / Operation Enduring FreedomAfghanistan theater context; Task Force Rugged operational context2011–2012 Afghanistan service and award record are supported. Detailed route overlays remain pending source-backed map products.Build a source-backed map panel from Kandahar, Camp Leatherneck, FOB Pasab, Southern Afghanistan, Western Afghanistan, and confirmed company locations.