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Historical Vignette Intro

The Office of History publishes short articles on activities and episodes from the Corps' past. On the lower-left navigation bar, you will find archived vignettes organized by category. Please check back for new material.

Featured - 50 Years Since the Clean Water Act

Historical Vignettes

180 - 250.10 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in WWII and the Birth of Military Construction
Aug. 1, 2025
179 - 250.09 Civil War Defensive Fortifications of Washington, DC
June 3, 2025
162 - Galveston District in the Spanish-American War
May 15, 2023
161 - Twenty Years of Operations in Iraq
April 1, 2023
138 - Victory over Japan (VJ Day) and the Japanese Surrender
Sept. 1, 2020
136 - Victory in Europe (VE Day) and the German Surrender
May 7, 2020
135 - Battle of the Remagen Bridgehead
March 1, 2020
134 - 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 Lunar Landing
July 1, 2019
133 - 80th Anniversary of the D-Day Invasion
June 1, 2019
132 - Pearl Harbor Effect on Sacramento
Dec. 1, 2018
130 - Road to Alaska
Nov. 1, 2017
129 - America Enters the Great War
April 3, 2017
128 - An Army Engineer at Pearl Harbor
Dec. 1, 2016
127 - The British Bombard Ft. McHenry in Baltimore
Sept. 11, 2014
123 - Israeli Airbases
July 1, 2010
121 - Corps Construction in Sub-Saharan Africa
Nov. 1, 2009
117 - J.P. Martin, Revolutionary War NCO
July 1, 2009
116 - Engineers in Russia
June 1, 2009
113 - The Corps of Engineers organizational structure was used to hide the development of the atomic bomb in World War II
May 1, 2008
109 - Mel Brooks Was a Combat Engineer in World War II
Aug. 1, 2007
105 - Engineers Played an Important Role in Europe During the Cold War
Jan. 2, 2007
102 - U.S. Army Engineers Helped Assure Victory at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781
Oct. 1, 2006
098 - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Shaped the Combat Environment during the Korean War
July 1, 2005
087 - Congress Established the Position of Engineer Sergeant Major
June 1, 2004
079 - The Oldest U.S. Army Officer to Serve in World War II Was an Engineer
June 1, 2004
086 - Army Engineers Made Key Contributions During the Normandy Landing and Beyond in June 1944
May 3, 2004
074 - Army Engineers Oversaw the Military Reconstruction of Japan in the Aftermath of World War II
Sept. 1, 2003
069 - In Response to World Events (1941-61), Tulsa District Exemplified Flexibility
June 2, 2003
068 - the Baltimore District Mobilized its Civil Works Organization to Defend the Homeland
May 1, 2003
067 - Army Engineers Reopened a Key Italian Port
April 1, 2003
064 - Engineer Construction in the Persian Gulf Provided a Key Lifeline During World War II
Feb. 3, 2003
065 - Middle East Division’s Extensive Construction Program in Saudi Arabia
Feb. 3, 2003
063 - World War I Corps of Engineers Special Watch
Jan. 2, 2003
062 - How Army Engineers Cleared Viet Cong Tunnels
Jan. 1, 2003
061 - A Small-Scale Amphibious Operation Helped Save the Day for the Continental Army
Dec. 1, 2002
056 - After World War II, the Corps Formed a New District to Rebuild Greek Infrastructure
Sept. 2, 2002
057 - Army Engineers Were a Critical Part of the Greatest Invasion that Never Was
Sept. 1, 2002
054 - The Corps Helped Control Helicopter-Generated Dust
Aug. 1, 2002
053 - The "Hero of Little Round Top," Gouverneur K. Warren, CE
July 1, 2002
050 - The Corps of Engineers Built NASA Facilities
May 1, 2002
045 - An Engineer Helped Save New York City from British Attack during the War of 1812
March 1, 2002
043 - Reconstruct Kuwait Following the Persian Gulf War
Feb. 1, 2002
041 - The Role of Army Engineers during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm
Jan. 2, 2002
042 - The Corps Helped Kuwait Recover from Iraqi Occupation
Jan. 2, 2002
034 - the Corps Built the Pentagon in 16 Months
Sept. 3, 2001
032 - The Corps Built the Launch Sites for Atlas ICBM
Aug. 1, 2001
030 - Congress Rewarded a Revolutionary War Engineer for His Role in Taking Stony Point in July 1779
July 2, 2001
027 - An Engineer Rescued 10 Warships
June 1, 2001
023 - An Engineer General was Instrumental in Grant's Success
May 1, 2001
018 - The Corps of Engineers Built ICBM Silos
April 2, 2001
017 - The 2d Engineer Combat Battalion
March 1, 2001
001 - How the Military Construction Mission Began for the Corps of Engineers
Jan. 3, 2000
002 -The Engineers fought and lived through day of infamy
Jan. 3, 2000
008 - An Engineer Officer Helped Plan the Inch’on Invasion
Jan. 3, 2000
010 - A Revolutionary War Sapper Founded Cleveland, Ohio
Jan. 3, 2000
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170 - Hurricane Katrina after Twenty Years
Aug. 29, 2025
168 - Pittsburgh District Photos Illustrate Decades of USACE Dedication to Regional Economic Development
Feb. 3, 2025
167 - Remembering President Carter’s Water Resources Legacy
Jan. 15, 2025
166 - Troy Lock and Dam on the Hudson
Oct. 1, 2024
165 - A Brief Legislative History of the General Survey Act
April 1, 2024
163 - Civil Works for the Public Good during the New Deal, 1929-1941
March 1, 2024
159 - Clean Water Act: Everglades Restoration
Oct. 3, 2022
158 - The Clean Water Act: San Diego Vernal Pools Preservation Plan, 1980-2012
Oct. 3, 2022
157 - The Clean Water Act: The Dredged Material Research Program and the Harbor of New York and New Jersey, 1973-2016
Oct. 3, 2022
156 - The Clean Water Act: Marco Island, Florida, 1976-1982
Oct. 3, 2022
155 - The Clean Water Act and the Army Corps of Engineers
Oct. 3, 2022
140 - Defunct Districts from the Past
Nov. 1, 2020
137 - Mount St. Helens Erupts and USACE Responds
May 18, 2020
126 - 100th Anniversary of the Opening of the Panama Canal
Aug. 1, 2014
120 - Snagboats
Sept. 3, 2009
108 - Tom Brokaw's Corps Connection
July 2, 2007
107 - An Army Engineer Officer Oversaw the Construction of the Panama Canal
April 2, 2007
103 - (WRDA-86) Fundamentally Changed the Way the Corps Planned and Financed Water Resources
Nov. 1, 2006
095 - Memorial to Women of the Civil War
Feb. 1, 2005
091 - Nation’s Oldest Artificial Waterways
Sept. 1, 2004
093 - The Largest Ship Salvage Operation in Corps History Took Place in Guam
Sept. 1, 2004
088 - Congress Established the Mississippi River Commission
June 1, 2004
084 - Partner in Conservation
April 1, 2004
081 - “The Loneliest Road in America"
Feb. 2, 2004
077 - Kennedy Dedicated a Corps of Engineers Project
Nov. 13, 2003
076 - Army Engineers Supervised Construction of the Arlington National Cemetery Amphitheater
Nov. 10, 2003
060 - Pres. Kennedy's Eternal Flame at Arlington Cemetery
Nov. 1, 2003
072 - Norfolk District has Kept the Channels of Hampton Roads Open for Half a Century
Aug. 1, 2003
070 - Early 19th Century Corps of Engineers Plans for the C&O Canal
July 1, 2003
071 - Vessels to Honor Members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
July 1, 2003
067 - Army Engineers Reopened a Key Italian Port
April 1, 2003
059 - The Corps Has Helped Solve Urban Water Problems Since 1824
Oct. 1, 2002
052 - Congress created the Board of Engineers
June 3, 2002
044 - Sergeant Floyd Monument
May 1, 2002
049 - Engineers Gathered Early Aurora Borealis Statistics
April 1, 2002
040 - The Corps Designed Suspension Bridges that Saved Lives in Afghanistan
Dec. 4, 2001
039 - The Corps Oversaw the Construction of Much of Afghanistan’s Modern Road Network
Dec. 3, 2001
035 - The Corps Helped Answer President Kennedy's Call
Oct. 1, 2001
024 - The Bribe that Went Up in Smoke
May 1, 2001
020 - One of the Corps' Most Distinguished Civil Engineers Escaped Nazi Persecution
April 1, 2001
013 - What a Corps Civilian, Water Current Meters, and Apple Sorters Have In Common
Feb. 1, 2001
003 - Lt. Eugene A. Woodruff, Red River Hero
July 3, 2000
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