NORMANDY, France —The 299th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, held a ceremonial casing of its colors as part of its inactivation ceremony, June 6, 2026, Omaha Beach, Normandy.

The event, held on the 82nd anniversary of the Allied D-Day landings, marked the conclusion of the battalion’s current era of active service. Against the backdrop of the historic beaches where combat engineers once breached heavy defenses to secure a foothold in Europe, the Soldiers of the 299BEB stood in final formation to honor the unit's legacy.

As one of the first units to land on the beaches of Normandy, the 299th Combat Engineering Battalion breached obstacles to clear paths for the first wave to engage the enemy offensive and push back forces.

“Pioneers, today we stand on hallowed ground, ground where our legacy was written in blood, courage, and unwavering determination," said Command Sgt. Maj. Adam Law, command sergeant major of the 299BEB, 1SBCT, 4th Inf. Div. "Past and present Soldiers have carried the Pioneer name with pride, discipline, and grit!

Casing the colors is a time-honored U.S. Army tradition. The battalion guidon, which represents the organization's history, loyalty, and the combat readiness of its Soldiers, is furled and placed in a protective case, symbolizing the command's official inactivation.

"A casing ceremony is always significant; it marks the end of a chapter and the beginning of the next," said Lt. Col. Benjamin Washkowiak, commander of the 299BEB, 1SBCT, 4th Inf. Div. "But to conduct this ceremony here, in Normandy, carries a weight and meaning that no parade field back home could ever replicate.

Throughout its history, the 299BEB has provided critical mobility, counter-mobility and survivability to combat operations. The Soldiers have been instrumental in enabling maneuver elements across various theaters of operation.

Following D-Day, the 299th CEB continued supporting Allied operations across France and into Germany through route clearance, bridge construction, and demolition missions. During the Normandy campaign, the battalion also helped establish one of the first temporary American cemeteries near the invasion beaches while combat operations were still ongoing. The unit supported the breakout from Normandy near Saint-Lô and later participated in operations throughout the Rhineland campaign as Allied forces advanced into Germany. Like many combat engineer units during WWII, the 299th frequently operated under direct enemy fire and often fought alongside infantry while conducting technical engineering tasks.

"Today, the Soldiers of the 299th stand on the same coast, under the same winds, as the engineers who forged your battalion's legacy," said Washkowiak. "You can look across these dunes and know that your colors carry a history of the highest form of service-service that removes obstacles, that opens the way for others, and that never stops under pressure."

While the Soldiers of the 299th BEB will now be reassigned to other units across the Army to continue their service, the battalion’s lineage and honors will be preserved by the men and women who served in it and honor its legacy. The encased colors will be securely stored, ready to be uncased and flown once again should the nation require the steadfast support of the 299th Brigade Engineer Battalion in the future.