9th Mechanized Brigade
| 9th Mechanized Brigade "Mărășești" | |
|---|---|
| Brigada 9 Mecanizată "Mărășești" | |
 Insignia of the 9th Mechanized Brigade "Mărășești" | |
| Active | 22 February 1879-present |
| Country | Romania |
| Branch | Romanian Land Forces |
| Type | Mechanized Infantry |
| Size | 7 battalions + other supporting companies |
| Part of | 2nd Infantry Division "Getica" |
| Garrison/HQ | Constanța |
| Nickname | "Mărășești" |
| Engagements | Battle of Mărășești Battle of Stalingrad |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Colonel Constantin George Ileana Niță[1] |
The 9th Mechanized Brigade "Mărășești" (Brigada 9 Mecanizată "Mărășești") is a mechanized infantry brigade of the Romanian Land Forces.
History
[edit]The unit was initially formed in 1879, after the Romanian War of Independence, as Divizia Activă de Dobrogea (Dobruja Active Division). In 1903 it was renamed to 9th Infantry Division, designation under which it participated in both world wars. In World War I it fought during the Battle of Mărășești where it defended the most difficult sector, being under constant attacks for two weeks. For its heroic actions in this battle, the 9th Infantry Division received the honorific name "Mărășești". In World War II, the division fought on both the Eastern Front, where it took part in the Battle of Stalingrad, and on the Western Front, participating in the liberation of Hungary and Czechoslovakia.
After World War II, the division went through some changes becoming the IXth Army Corps and eventually the 9th Mechanized Division before being deactivated. Vasile Milea commanded the division in 1957-58.
In 2004 the 34th Territorial Mechanized "Vasile Lupu" brigade was moved from the Mihail Kogălniceanu garrison, reorganizing into the 34th Light Infantry Brigade "Vasile Lupu" (Brigada 34 Infanterie Ușoară "Vasile Lupu") headquartered at Clinceni which later became the 1st Mechanized Brigade "Argedava".[2][3] The land formerly occupied by the headquarters of the 34th Mechanized was given to the United States Army for a new base near the Mihail Kogălniceanu airport. In accordance with the transformation strategy of the Romanian Army, the Dobrujan unit was reactivated on 1 October 2009 as 9th Mechanized Brigade "Mărășești", taking over control of all units in Dobruja from the former 34th Mechanized Brigade; two new subunits were also created at this time: the 911th Infantry and 912th Tank Battalion,[2] the latter equipped with T-55 tanks and Flakpanzer Gepard.[4] The 9th Mechanized Brigade is part of SEEBRIG.[5]
Organization
[edit]- 9th Mechanized Brigade "Mărășești", in Constanța
- 114th Tank Battalion "Petru Cercel", in Târgoviște, with TR-85 main battle tanks[6]
- 912th Tank Battalion "Scythia Minor", in Murfatlar, with TR-85 main battle tanks
- 341st Infantry Battalion "Constanța", in Topraisar
- 911th Infantry Battalion "Capidava", in Medgidia
- 345th Artillery Battalion "Tomis", in Medgidia
- 348th Anti-aircraft Defense Battalion "Dobrogea", in Murfatlar, with Flakpanzer Gepard and KP-SAM Chiron[7][8]
- 168th Logistic Support Battalion "Pontus Euxinus", in Constanța
- 349th Reconnaissance Company[9]
- 353rd Combat Engineer Company[10]
- 919th Communications and Information Technology Company[11]
- 921st Military Police Company[12]
- CBRN Defense Company[13]
- Support Company[13]
341st Infantry Battalion
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The 341st Infantry Battalion, nicknamed "White Sharks", is the most experienced unit of the new brigade, with numerous international deployments, including Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq.[2] After the 34th Mechanized Brigade "Vasile Lupu" was reorganized in 2004 as the Light Infantry Brigade, the White Sharks were the component battalion that maintained the highest readiness,[14] and the only large military unit based in Dobruja.[2]
Decorations
[edit]The 9th Mechanized Brigade has received the following decorations:[15]
Order of Military Virtue, Peacetime (Knight – 2017; Officer – 2024)
References
[edit]- ↑ "Ceremonie de predare-primire a comenzii și Drapelului de Luptă la Brigada 9 Mecanizată "Mărăşeşti"". forter.ro (in Romanian). 18 March 2026. Retrieved 30 April 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Armata Dobrogei, reactivată după șase ani de repaus". România liberă. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ Trustul de Presă al MApN (April 2023). "Drumul transformării". presamil.ro. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
- ↑ "Telegraf Online - tag".
- ↑ MOLDOVEANU, Daniela (31 May 2022). "Structurile aparţinând Brigăzii 9 Mecanizată "Mărăşeşti", evaluate de o delegaţie condusă de comandantul SEEBRIG (GALERIE FOTO)". ziuaconstanta.ro. Archived from the original on 27 August 2025. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
- ↑ Mariana Chiriţă (1 March 2022). "Aproximativ 900 de militari români şi americani se vor instrui în comun". Radio România Internațional. Retrieved 29 August 2023.
- ↑ Agenția Media a Armatei (4 September 2024). "Evaluați pentru Polonia". presamil.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 16 March 2025.
- ↑ RĂDUCU, Narcis (30 September 2025). "Țintă prinsă: locul I" (PDF). Curierul ARMATEI (in Romanian). 13 (614): 4. ISSN 1582-1269 – via Forțele Terestre Române.
- ↑ Agenția Media a Armatei (17 November 2017). ""Fantomele", în acţiune". Presamil (in Romanian). Retrieved 1 August 2026.
- ↑ Daniela MOLDOVEANU (29 December 2023). "Trecere în rezervă la Brigada 9 Mecanizată "Mărășești" Constanța (GALERIE FOTO)". ZIUA de Constanța (in Romanian). Retrieved 1 August 2026.
- ↑ Daniela DUMITRAȘCU (15 July 2025). "Oamenii din spatele rețelelor" (PDF). Curierul ARMATEI (in Romanian). 8 (609): 3. ISSN 1582-1269 – via Forțele Terestre Române.
- ↑ Daniela MOLDOVEANU (23 June 2023). "Cine sunt câștigătorii Competiţiei "Subofiţerul / Soldatul anului 2023" în Brigada 9 Mecanizată Mărășești Constanța (GALERIE FOTO)". ZIUA de Constanța (in Romanian). Retrieved 1 August 2026.
- 1 2 Bogdan DINU (2010). "EXERCIȚIUL DACIA 2010" (PDF). Marina Română (in Romanian). 7 (145): 26. ISSN 1222-9423 – via Statul Major al Forțelor Navale.
- ↑ "Parastasul Brigazii 34". România liberă. 25 October 2005. Retrieved 13 June 2013.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ↑ "Decorații acordate unor drapele". presidency.ro (in Romanian).