111th Infantry Regiment (United States)

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111th Infantry Regiment
111InfantryRegCOA.jpg
Coat of arms
Active1747 [1]
Allegiance Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Branch Army National Guard
TypeInfantry
Role Stryker
Garrison/HQ1st Battalion - Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Nickname(s) The Associators (Special Designation) [2]
Motto(s)"Nulla Vestigia Retrorsum" (No Step Backward) [3]
Engagements
Revolutionary War
War of 1812
American Civil War
Spanish–American War
World War I
World War II
Operation Noble Eagle(Kosovo Force)
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Commanders
Current
commander
LTC David W. Fittipoldi
Notable
commanders
John Cadwalder
Edward C. Shannon
Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia 111 Inf Rgt DUI.png

The 111th Infantry Regiment, originally the Pennsylvania Militia or "Associators", were a Pennsylvania militia unit that fought in the American Revolution, composed of civilian males from the citizenry of Pennsylvania. It is one of several National Guard units with colonial roots and campaign credit for the War of 1812. The Pennsylvania Militia often fought in conjunction with General Washington and the Continental Army along the Delaware River.

Contents

The Pennsylvania Militia is currently represented in the U.S. Army by 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry assigned to the Pennsylvania Army National Guard's 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division. [4] The regiment, founded as the Associators by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 21 November 1747, is the oldest regiment in Pennsylvania. [3]

In February 1942, the 111th Regiment was detached from the 28th Infantry Division and re-formed as a regimental combat team in the Army Ground Forces Reserve, attached to the Eastern Defense Command at Camp Pendleton, Virginia to guard militarily important facilities in the Chesapeake Bay area. [5] From this assignment, it was transferred to the Pacific Theater in late 1943. Throughout the rest of the war, the companies of the 111th would be used as replacement or additional units in combat conditions. The Third Battalion of the 111th was used for mopping up operations on Makin Atoll in the Gilbert Islands in December 1943.

The 111th B Company was assigned to the Seventh Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop of the Seventh Division for the assault on Kwajalein Island in February 1944. In other actions, I Company of the 111th was involved in assaulting and capturing Ujeland Atoll in the Marshall Islands in April 1944. And in September 1944, both the D and H Companies were assigned to the 81st Division for an attack on Peleliu and Auguar Islands in the Palaus chain. Later, in February 1945, the entire 111th returned to Peleliu Island for mopping-up operations. When the war ended in September 1945, the 111th had added three battle streamers, Central Pacific, Eastern Mandate and Western Pacific, for a total of 38 on its flag. [6] [7] [8] [9]

The 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Regiment was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation [10] - Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lineage

Benjamin Franklin in 1746 Feke - Benjamin Franklin.png
Benjamin Franklin in 1746

Campaign participation

American Revolutionary War

War of 1812

American Civil War

Spanish-American War

World War I

World War II

Kosovo

Iraq War

Lineage of precursor units

Provisional Headquarters Company, 6th Infantry Regiment (PAARNG)

Hospital Corps, 6th Infantry Regiment (PAARNG)

Commanders of 1st Battalion

Distinctive unit insignia

A Gold color metal and enamel device 1+14 inches (3.2 cm) in height overall consisting of an oval Azure a reproduction of the statue of Benjamin Franklin, by R. Tait McKenzie, affronté Or

The field is blue for Infantry. Benjamin Franklin was the organizer of the "Associators", to which organization the 111th Infantry traces its history

The distinctive unit insignia was approved on 27 June 1929

Coat of arms

Blazon

Azure, on a saltire Argent voided Gules a fleur-de-lis Or; on a canton of the second a fess Sable charged with three plates

That for the regiments and separate battalions of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard: On a wreath of the colors Argent and Azure, a lion rampant guardant Proper holding in dexter paw a naked scimitar Argent, hilted Or, and in sinister an escutcheon Argent on a fess Sable three plates Motto NULLA VESTIGIA RETRORSUM (No Steps Backward)

Symbolism

The shield is blue for Infantry. The saltire is for the American Civil War service and the fleur-de-lis for World War I service. The canton represents the shield that appeared on the "Associators'" flag, indicating the Revolutionary War service of the organization. The silver saltire has been voided with red in similitude to the colors of the uniforms of the Pennsylvania troops as prescribed by General George Washington in 1779. The motto was used by the 3d Infantry, Pennsylvania National Guard, for a number of years

The crest is that of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

Background

The coat of arms was approved on 13 June 1929

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References

  1. "National Guard unit formed by Benjamin Franklin still defending freedom". www.army.mil. 12 July 2009.
  2. "Special Designation Listing". United States Army Center of Military History. 21 April 2010. Archived from the original on 9 June 2010. Retrieved 14 July 2010.
  3. 1 2 http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~utsaltla/archive/111thInf/Research/111th_Uniqueness.html [ user-generated source ]
  4. "1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized)".
  5. Stanton, p. 217
  6. Kennedy, Joseph S. "111th Infantry Regiment Has A Long, Proud History . . ". philly.com. Archived from the original on 29 July 2013. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  7. "Eastern Mandates". The U.S. Army Campaigns of WW II. United States Army. pp. 1–26. Archived from the original on 22 September 2013. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  8. "Central Pacific". Archived from the original on 2 February 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  9. "Western Pacific". Archived from the original on 3 February 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2013.
  10. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 June 2010. Retrieved 3 June 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)