The 79th Engineer Battalion started in July 1940 and was activated December 10, 1940 with the name of 79th Engineer Combat Battalion. The 79th participated in the New Guinea and Philippine campaigns, receiving Battalion honors at Milne Bay, Finschhave, Hollandis, Leyte and Luzon. In June 1944 the 79th was renamed the 79th Engineer Construction Battalion, which it participated in the occupation of Japan until 1947 when it returned to Hawaii for deactivation.

The 79th was reactivated on February 28, 1949 with the outbreak of the Korea war. From March to October 1950, the 79th was at Eniwetok in the Pacific, preparing existing air base facilities for greater capabilities. Once this was completed, the Battalion went to Korea at Hungham. During the major Chinese offensive in 1950, the 79th assisted in the evacuation by water of some 60,000 refugees and three troop divisions. This was a 24hr job, but the safety record established by the 79th Engineer Construction Battalion was Outstanding.

The 79th participated in six campaigns during the Korean conflict, in which it received two meritorious unit streamers, the Republic of Korea Presidential Citation, and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. The Battalion was deactivated in January 1955.

In February 1955 the 79th Engineer Battalion was once again reactivated, and headed to Germany . The Battalion received repeated commendations for building roads, houses, air fields, and schools from the Commanding Generals of both ADSEC and CCMZ.

In July 1958, the 79th went to help Lebanon, setting up camp in the olive groves of Beirut .

In March 1959, the Battalion arrived in Toul, Nancy, and Verdun France. The companies performed projects consisting of repairing buildings and hardstands, and construction of an extension to the Verdun airfield for a TC Helicopter Company. HQ, A, B, and C Companies returned to Pirmasens to finish up the construction season with local projects and prepare for another training season.

On March 1, 1960 tremendous earthquakes rocked the city of Agadir Morocco. The Battalion was alerted to assist in rescue efforts. Company A, 79th Engineer Battalion assembled and loaded their equipment and traveled to Ram Stein Air Force base, to be airlifted to Agadir. Flying in C-124's and C-130's, Company A was the first to arrive in Agadir on March 3, 1960 . For nine long days A Company worked in excavation, decontamination, and rescue operations. They even set up a water purification pump at the city's main pump and turned it over to the Moroccan Government upon departure of Agadir.

Company A was re-designated to Company D in December 1961.

The 79th Engineer Battalion worked on several projects through-out Europe . Created hospitals in Frankfurt, Germany, map production plants in Schwetzingen, Germany, and Hawk missile sites at Freising and Germersheim, Germany .

Company D was sent back to Morocco to take over a project from the 293rd Engineer Battalion. The project consisted of disassembly, packing, and marking for shipment specific buildings and installations. The project was completed in November 1963 a month ahead of schedule.

A special mission was conceived in September 1963 when the 39th Group formed a detachment for “Operation Home Run” which included members from the 79th and 94th Engineer Battalions. President John F. Kennedy had offered a gift of 250 straight-wall Quonset huts for Skopje, Yugoslavis, to aid the people that were made homeless from a major earthquake in July 1963. The 79th was given the responsibility of organizing the detachment and assembling the equipment using the headquarters of Company D as the main force. Erection of the Quonsets began shortly after the arrival of the 79th to Skopje . The huts were completed in January 1964. For the exceptionally meritorious conduct, the detachment was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation.

With the start of the 1965 construction season, the 79th Engineer Battalion became part of the 24th Engineer Group.

In 1965 the training season was ended with the Annual General Inspection and the Annual Army Training Test with overall ratings of excellent. The 79th competed in the 24th Engineer Group Annual Rhine River Float Bridge competition. At 1305, on 13 Mar 1965 , the 79th Engineer Battalion closed the gap across the Rhine in record time and won the Float Bridge Competition.

March 1966, the 79th Engineer Battalion came once again under the control of the 39th Engineer Group. This resulted in the relocation from Pirmasens to Neu Ulm, Germany.

Due to the massive personnel draw-down in Europe to support operations in Viet Nam, D Company was reduced to a skeleton status in April 1966. The 79th entered 1966 construction season with only two functioning construction companies.

In May 1976, the Battalion was re-designated as the 79th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy), and moved from Neu Ulm, Germany to Karlsruhe, Germany.

The 79th Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy) was de-activated in October 1992 in Germany.