The 71st Infantry Brigade was Federally recognized October 15, 1917, composed of the 141st Infantry, the 142nd Infantry and the 132nd Machine Gun Battalion. Its first commander was Brigadier General Henry Hutchings, formerly Adjutant General of the State of Texas. As a part of the 36th Division, the brigade trained at Camp Bowie, Fort Worth, until it entrained for overseas duty in ,July, 1918.

On arrival in France, it was billeted in the 13th Training Area, which centered around Bar-sur-Aube. Training was carried on from the early part of August, 1918, until the latter part of September, when it moved up on the Marne, southwest of Chalons-sur-Marne, in

the Pocancy Area. As part of the 36th Division, the brigade was attached to the French. During its stay in the Bar-sur-Aube Area, Brigadier General Pegram Whitworth, U. S. A., succeeded General Hutchings in command.

On October 3, 1918, the division was transferred to the Fourth French Army under General Gouraud. On the night of October 4, the brigade was moved by truck to the vicinity of Suippes and Somme Suippes, and on October 6 marched to a rendezvous just south of Somme Py where orders were received to relieve the Second Division in the front lines, then on Mont Blanc Ridge, that night.

On the night of October 7, orders were received to attack at 5:15 a. m., October 8. This was the brigade's "baptism of fire." The advance was slow and costly but succeeded in capturing St. Etienne and drove the enemy back. Fighting was fierce and continuous from then until October 11, when the brigade was relieved by the 72nd Brigade, which continued to drive the enemy back to the Aisne River. The 71st followed in reserve and took up a position on the south side of the river, which it held until its relief from the front October 28. The brigade marched with the other units of the division to the south end of the Argonne Forest, where it joined the First American Army. The Armistice found the brigade being reequipped for a return to the front on November 13.

On November 18, the brigade started a 10-day march to the Tonnerre Area, where it was billeted in the northern part of the Division Area. It stayed in this area until May 2, when it entrained for the Le Mons Area on its way to the port of embarkation. It was mustered out at Camp Bowie, in June, 1919.

In 1922, the brigade, reorganized, again became part of the 36th Division. It consisted of the 71st Brigade Headquarters Company, the 141st Infantry and the 142nd Infantry.

The 71st Infantry Brigade was Federally recognized November 8, 1922, with Brigadier General Hutchings again its commander until his retirement August 17, 1927. He was succeeded by Brigadier General Will E. Jackson, who retired January 1, 1930. Brigadier General Oscar E. Roberts then took command until his transfer October 6, 1935, when Brigadier General Charles W. Nimon, present commander, was appointed.