This article needs additional citations for verification .(December 2012) |
120th Infantry Regiment | |
---|---|
Active | 1861-present |
Country | United States |
Branch | North Carolina Army National Guard |
Type | Infantry |
Role | Mechanized infantry |
Headquarters | Wilmington, North Carolina |
Nickname(s) | Third North Carolina (special designation) [1] |
Motto(s) | Virtus Incendit Vires (Virtues Kindles Strength) |
Engagements | American Civil War -Bethel -North Carolina 1862 -Gettysburg -Wilderness -Spotsylvania -Petersburg -Appomattox World War I -Ypres-Lys -Flanders World War II -Normandy -Northern France -Rhineland -Ardennes-Alsace -Central Europe Iraq Campaign |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | John H. Manning |
Insignia | |
Distinctive unit insignia |
U.S. Infantry Regiments | ||||
|
The 120th Infantry Regiment ("Third North Carolina" [1] ) is an infantry regiment of the United States Army National Guard.
The unit is an organic element of the 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team of the North Carolina Army National Guard. Currently, 1st Battalion is the only active battalion in the regiment and is organized as a combined arms battalion under the Brigade Unit of Action table of organization and equipment. The 1st Battalion, 120th Infantry Regiment (1-120th IN) is headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina.
The 2nd Battalion, 120th Infantry Regiment was most famous for its actions in the Battle of Mortain (German: Operation Lüttich), repelling a German advance and preserving an American breakout from 7–13 August 1944 as part of the 30th Infantry Division. The 2-120th's actions sustained the American initiative as Allied forces pushed through Northern France after the Normandy invasion.
The 3rd Regiment of Infantry was called into Federal service on 25 July 1917 after the United States' entry into World War I. Drafted into service on 5 August, it became the 120th Infantry Regiment of the 30th Division on 12 September, while the 2nd Regiment of Infantry became the 119th Infantry. [2] With the 30th Division, the 120th fought in the Somme Offensive, the Ypres-Lys offensive, and the Flanders campaign during the war. [3] Both the 119th and 120th were demobilized at Camp Jackson, South Carolina on 17 April 1919, preceding the demobilization of the division headquarters there on 7 May. [2]
The 120th Infantry arrived at the port of Charleston, South Carolina, in April 1919 on the troopship USS Martha Washington and was demobilized on 17 April 1919 at Camp Jackson, South Carolina. Per the National Defense Act of 1920, it was reconstituted in the National Guard in 1921, assigned to the 30th Division, and allotted to the state of North Carolina. The regiment was reorganized on 8 November 1921 by redesignation of the 1st Infantry, North Carolina National Guard (organized 1919–20; headquarters organized 2 May 1921 and federally recognized at Graham, North Carolina) as the 120th Infantry. The regimental headquarters was relocated on 25 January 1937 to Raleigh, North Carolina. The regiment, or elements thereof, was called up to perform the following state duties: riot control for a race riot in Goldsboro, North Carolina, in 1920; riot control for the railroad strike throughout North Carolina, 17 July–31 August 1922; riot control for elections at Mayodan, North Carolina, in 1923; riot control for textile workers’ strike at Kannapolis, North Carolina, in 1923; riot control for workers’ strike at Pittsboro, North Carolina, in 1927; elements of 2nd and 3rd Battalions performed riot control for textile workers’ strike at Gastonia, North Carolina, in April 1929; riot control for textile workers’ strike in Burlington, North Carolina and Alamance County, North Carolina, 15–25 September 1934; riot control for textile workers’ strike at Reidsville, North Carolina, in September 1935. The regiment conducted annual summer training most years at Camp Glenn, North Carolina, near Morehead City, and some years at Camp Jackson, South Carolina. [5]
As a result of World War II, the regiment was inducted into Federal service at Raleigh on 16 September 1940. [2] With the 30th Division, it fought in the Normandy campaign, the Northern France Campaign, the Rhineland Campaign, the Ardennes-Alsace Campaign, and the Central Europe Campaign. The 2nd Battalion and Company K received a Distinguished Unit Citation and Croix de Guerre with Palm for their actions in the Mortain counterattack, while the 1st Battalion received a DUC for the advance from Duffescheide to Euchen, Germany. [3] After the end of the war, the regiment was inactivated at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, on 24 November 1945. [2]
Postwar, the 120th Infantry was reorganized with the 30th Infantry Division in the North Carolina Army National Guard under the command of Shelby attorney Colonel Peyton McSwain, [7] with its headquarters Federally recognized at Reidsville on 22 April 1947. Its previous 1st and 3rd Battalions were consolidated with the 119th Infantry Regiment. [2] Through 1947 and 1948, the remainder of the regiment was reorganized and Federally recognized, based at armories in western North Carolina. Support units included a Service Company at Asheville, a Heavy Mortar Company at Leaksville, a Heavy Tank Company at Waynesville, and a Medical Company at Mocksville. The 1st Battalion, with headquarters at Mount Airy, included Company A at Burlington, Companies B and D at Winston-Salem, and Company C at Lexington. The 2nd Battalion, headquartered at Asheboro, included Company E at Concord, Company F at Albemarle, Company G at Salisbury, and Company H at Hickory. The 3rd Battalion, headquartered at Kings Mountain, included Company I at Newton, Company K at Gastonia, Company L at Morganton, and Company M at Shelby. [6] The regiment participated in its first postwar summer training at Fort Bragg between 11 and 25 July 1948 with most of the 30th Division. After the camp it was estimated at 32% combat readiness by the senior army instructor of the North Carolina National Guard, which meant that in event of war it would not be combat ready for several months. [8] The 1949 summer training was held at Fort Jackson between 14 and 28 August with the division, and the senior army instructor reported that, with 90 percent of the officers and 65 percent of the non-commissioned officers veterans of World War II, the regiment would be ready for combat in at least eight months in event of war. [9]
Morganton school superintendent and 3rd Battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Maston S. Parham was promoted to colonel and became regimental commander on 30 August 1950 following the retirement of McSwain. [10] A 1954 reorganization of the 30th Infantry Division that made it an entirely North Carolina-manned force resulted in the 2 November promotion of Parham to assistant division commander and his replacement by Morganton Colonel Howell J. Hatcher. [11] To bring the division up to strength, a new 139th Infantry Regiment was organized from existing units of the division, resulting in the redesignation of companies of the 120th and the conversion and organization of new units to bring the 120th back up to strength. The regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC), the Heavy Mortar Company, and the HHC of 2nd Battalion transferred to the 139th, along with Companies A, F, and C, which became Companies E, F, and G, of the 139th, respectively. Company L of the 120th was redesignated as the regimental HHC, Battery A of the 112th Field Artillery Battalion (FAB) at Forest City was converted into the Heavy Mortar Company, and Companies G, K, I, and M became Companies C, F, G, and K, respectively. Battery B of the 112th FAB at Spindale was converted into the new Company M. [12] The new Company L at Hendersonville activated on 8 February 1955, followed by 2nd Battalion HHC at Kannapolis on 15 February, Company I at Sylva on 14 April, and Company A at Elkin on 7 June. [13]
The 1-120th, known as the "Tusk Hogs," were deployed to combat for the first time in nearly 60 years in early 2004 as part of the 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, North Carolina Army National Guard. In Iraq, the 30th HBCT served under the 1st Infantry Division. Brigade headquarters was at FOB Caldwell, east of Baghdad, while the 1-120th battalion headquarters and Charlie Company was based (for most of the deployment) at FOB Bernstein, about 45 miles south of Kirkuk. The brigade, including the 120th, redeployed Dec. 2004 – Feb. 2005.
On 6 June 2004 – 60 years after the D-Day invasion – soldiers of the 1-120th were awarded right-shoulder unit patches signifying wartime service.
The 1-120th lost four soldiers during the 2004 deployment: Specialist Jocelyn Carrasquillo (HHC/1-120th, 13 MAR 2004, Baghdad), Captain Christopher S. Cash (Commander, Alpha Company, 1-120th, 24 JUN 2004, Baqubah); Specialist Daniel A. Desens Jr. (A/1-120th, 24 JUN 2004, Baqubah); and Staff Sergeant Michael S. Voss (HHC/1-120th, 8 OCT 2004, near Kirkuk).
The Tusk Hogs were again called to serve in late 2008. Following training at Camp Shelby, Miss., and Fort Stewart, Ga., the 1st Battalion (Combined Arms), 120th Infantry Regiment deployed with the 30th HBCT to central Iraq in early 2009, this time under the 1st Cavalry Division. The 120th redeployed with the 30th HBCT in January–February 2010.
Francis S. Currey earned the Medal of Honor for his actions as a Sergeant in Company K, 120th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division. On 21 December 1944, in Malmedy, Belgium, Currey repeatedly exposed himself to hostile fire to attack the German forces and rescue five comrades who had been pinned down by enemy fire. He was awarded the Medal of Honor eight months later, on 17 August 1945.
Paul Luther Bolden earned the Medal of Honor as a Staff Sergeant in Company I, 120th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division. On 23 DEC 44, at Petit-Coo, Belgium, he and another soldier advanced on a German-held house. While his comrade provided covering fire from across the street, Bolden tossed grenades through a window, rushed to the door, and began firing. Wounded by the greatly superior number of German soldiers inside, he retreated from the house. Realizing that the Germans would not surrender, he returned to the house despite his serious wounds and killed the remaining soldiers. For these actions, he was awarded the Medal of Honor eight months later, on 30 August 1945.
Jack James Pendleton earned the Medal of Honor as a Staff Sergeant in Company I, 120th Infantry Regiment, 30th Infantry Division. On 12 OCT 44, in Bardenberg, Germany, Pendleton voluntarily led his squad in an attack against an enemy machine gun. After being seriously wounded, he continued forward alone, purposely drawing the machine gun's fire so that another squad could advance and destroy the enemy position. Killed by the intense fire from the machine gun, Pendleton was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor six months later, on 6 April 1945.
Newscaster David Brinkley served with the 120th Infantry Regiment before and during the early stages of the U.S. involvement in World War II. He was discharged for a medical condition, which prevented him from serving in the war.
The 120th Infantry Regiment's distinctive unit insignia, approved on 28 June 1928, consists of a gold metal and enamel device 1+5⁄32 inches (2.9 cm) in height overall, consisting of a shield blazoned azure, in pale a prickly pear cactus and the entrance to the canal tunnel over the St. Quentin Canal. Attached below the shield is a blue scroll inscribed VIRTUS INCENDIT VIRES ("Virtue Kindles Strength") in gold.
The shield is blue for infantry. The cactus represents service on the Mexican border as the 3rd Infantry, North Carolina National Guard. The tunnel symbolizes the mouth of the tunnel in the Hindenburg Line at Bellicourt, France, captured by the 120th Infantry on 29 September 1918.
The 1st Infantry Division (1ID) is a combined arms division of the United States Army, and is the oldest continuously serving division in the Regular Army. It has seen continuous service since its organization in 1917 during World War I. It was officially nicknamed "The Big Red One" after its shoulder patch and is also nicknamed "The Fighting First." The division has also received troop monikers of "The Big Dead One" and "The Bloody First" as puns on the respective officially sanctioned nicknames. It is currently based at Fort Riley, Kansas.
The 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, previously the 117th Infantry Regiment, is an armored brigade combat team of the Tennessee Army National Guard with headquarters in Knoxville, Tennessee. It is the only National Guard Armored Cavalry Regiment and one of only two in the entire US Army order of battle, the other being the active duty 11th ACR. The unit traces its lineage from the volunteer militias of Eastern Tennessee and has participated in conflicts from the Revolutionary War to the Global War on Terror.
The 30th Infantry Division was a United States Army unit of the National Guard that served in World War I and World War II. It was nicknamed the "Old Hickory" division, in honor of President Andrew Jackson. The Germans nicknamed this division "Roosevelt's SS". The 30th Infantry Division, involved in 282 days of intense combat over a period from June 1944 through April 1945, was regarded by a team of historians led by S.L.A. Marshall as the American infantry division that had "performed the most efficient and consistent battle services" in the European Theater of Operations (ETO). In the present day, the division's lineage continues as 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team, part of the North Carolina National Guard. The unit's most recent combat deployment was in 2019.
The 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team is an infantry brigade combat team (IBCT) in the United States Army National Guard. It was formed from the inactivated 32nd Infantry Division in 1967. It is the largest unit in the Wisconsin National Guard.
Below is an estimated list of the major units deployed within the Multi-National Force – Iraq and other United States military units that were operating in Iraq under the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) in 2009, during the Iraq War.
The North Carolina Army National Guard (NCARNG) is North Carolina's principal military force. The force is equipped by the federal government and jointly maintained subject to the call of either. The professional head of the North Carolina Army National Guard is the Adjutant General.
The South Carolina Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the U.S. Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization. National coordination of various state National Guard units is maintained through the National Guard Bureau.
Since the establishment of the United States Army in 1775, three regiments have held the designation 28th Infantry Regiment. The first was a provisional unit that was constituted on 29 January 1813 and served during The War of 1812. The second was a reorganization and redesignation of 2nd Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment on 1 October 1866 for the American Indian Wars. This incarnation of the 28th Infantry Regiment lasted until 15 March 1869, when it was consolidated back into the 19th Infantry Regiment. The third version of the 28th Infantry Regiment is the one that has the permanent designation and history, and is the one this article is about.
The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division is a combined arms armored brigade of the 1st Cavalry Division based in Fort Cavazos, TX. Major equipment includes the M1A2SEP Tanks, M2A3 & M3A3 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, M109A7 Paladin howitzers, and M1114 up-armored Humvees.
The 46th Infantry Division was a formation of the Michigan Army National Guard active between 1947 and 1968. It was initially headquartered at Lansing. Many of its units had previously been part of the 32nd Infantry Division. It was converted to the Reorganization Objective Army Division (ROAD) structure in March 1963. The Division's 2nd Brigade was assigned to the Selected Reserve Force, a higher-readiness component of the ARNG, in 1965. Virtually the entire division was involved in responding to the 12th Street riot in Detroit in July–August 1967.
The 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team is a modular heavy brigade of the United States Army National Guard. 30th ABCT relieved 3rd ABCT/4ID in Kuwait, 1 November 2019. They returned to the U.S. in September 2020 and were replaced by the 2nd ABCT/1AD.
The 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is a modular infantry brigade of the Georgia Army National Guard. One of the oldest units in U.S. Army history, the lineage of the 48th Infantry Brigade can be traced back to 1825. It is one of few units in the US military that also saw service as a unit of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. Today, the 48th IBCT is part of the U.S. Army's "Associated Units" program where it is aligned under the 3rd Infantry Division, a combined arms combat maneuver unit of the Regular Army.
The 81st Stryker Brigade Combat Team is a modular mechanized infantry brigade of the United States Army National Guard based in Washington, Oregon and California. On 9 July 2015 it was announced that the 81st Brigade would convert from being an Armored BCT to a Stryker BCT.
The 252nd Armor Regiment is an armored regiment of the North Carolina Army National Guard, part of the 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team, which in turn is part of the 29th Infantry Division.
The 119th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army. The unit was an organic element of the 30th Infantry Division of the United States Army.
The 155th Armored Brigade Combat Team is a brigade combat team of the Mississippi Army National Guard.
The 107th Cavalry Regiment, Ohio Army National Guard, is a parent regiment under the U.S. Army Regimental System, with headquarters at Hamilton, Ohio. It currently consists of the 2nd Squadron, 107th Cavalry Regiment, part of the 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (BUCKEYE), Ohio National Guard located throughout southwest Ohio.
Ramadi, the capital of Iraq's Al Anbar Governorate, was under U.S. military occupation during the Iraq War. It was a focal point of Iraqi insurgency, which erupted into open armed conflict in 2004 and in 2006, part of the Iraq War in Anbar Province. Operation Murfreesboro was a U.S. offensive in February 2007 intended to cut off the Ma'Laab district of eastern Ramadi from the rest of the town in order to drive out Zarqawi's Al-Qaeda in Iraq.
The 139th Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment of the United States Army with two unrelated incarnations. The first 139th Infantry Regiment was formed during World War I from Missouri and Kansas National Guard troops and fought as part of the 35th Infantry Division.
The 218th Infantry Regiment (First South Carolina) was an infantry regiment of the United States Army National Guard, active between 1947 and 1959. Since 1997, the 218th Regiment has been the Regional Training institute of the South Carolina Army National Guard.