The 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division was founded on May 24, 1917 as the 1st Expeditionary Division. The unit has served in World War I, World War II, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

In World War I, the unit arrived in France and was baptized by fire in the battles of Montdidier-Noyon, Aisne-Marne, St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne, Lorraine 1918, and Picardy 1918.

During WWII, the unit fought battles in Morocco, Tunisia, Sicily, the invasion of Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and other locations across Central Europe.

In 1964, 3/1 fought in The Republic of Vietnam where it saw six years of combat earning thirteen streamers and citations for its actions.

In 1991, 3/1 deployed to Saudi Arabia where it participated in the Defense of Saudi Arabia and Liberation and Defense of Kuwait Campaigns. The unit was involved in the VII CORPS spearhead operation into Iraq.

From March 1996 to March 1997, units with the 3rd Brigade deployed to The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to stabilize the peace process in the war-torn country.

In October 1996 and again in March 1997, 3rd Brigade deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina to support national and municipal elections. 3rd Brigade deployed to Kosovo in November of 1999 and again in April 2002. The Brigade provided a safe and secure environment for all Kosovars regardless of their ethnicity.

The unit deployed to Iraq in January 2004. That spring, Muqtada Al-Sadr laid siege to Baqubah, Iraq, taking over government buildings and threatening coalition forces to stay out of the city. Members of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry division, along with other battalions, moved the brigade-size force 20 kilometers outside the city the night before Easter Sunday to secure the city and clear out insurgents.

The Brigade moved mainly with armored vehicles. 3/1 worked with members of the Iraqi National Guard and conducted raids on known anti-coalition insurgents.  3/1 was able to hand-off security to the members of the Baqubah Iraqi Police Force in January 2005.

The unit deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in June 2008. Over the year in Afghanistan, 3/1 provided security, ran Humanitarian Assistance missions, and built relationships with the people. The Soldiers of 3/1 also built up the Afghanistan infrastructure that included hospitals, schools, and roadways. 3/1 pursued the Taliban and pushed them out of Afghanistan while maintaining security between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The unit returned to the states and in autumn 2009 and relocated from Fort Hood, Texas to Fort Knox, Kentucky.  From there it reset and reconstituted as the first major combat unit assigned to Fort Knox in more than 15 years. 

In the largest combat deployment from Fort Knox since World War II, in December 2010 the brigade deployed as Task Force Duke to eastern Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom where it had coalition force control of Khowst and Paktya Provinces within Regional Command East.  The 1st Battalion 26th Infantry Regiment, 6th Squadron 4th Cavalry Regiment and the 1st Battalion 6th Field Artillery conducted counterinsurgency operations and helped secure and reinforce the border provinces of Khowst and Paktya while working hand in hand with Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police, Afghan Border Police.  The Special Troops Battalion assisted the local governments and established working relationships with Afghan forces in the area of operations, while partnering with Afghan Border Police headquarters in Paktya province.  201st Brigade Support Battalion provided logistical support for the brigade and helped build Afghan logistics support capability.   2nd Battalion 2nd Infantry Regiment operated separately from TF Duke under the Polish Brigade Task Force White Eagle in Ghazni Province where it also conducted vital counterinsurgency operations in the volatile region.

The Duke Brigade redeployed to Fort Knox in January 2012 after its second year-long tour in Afghanistan and is currently conducting extensive training and preparation for future contingency operations.