178th Infantry Regiment | |
---|---|
Country | United States of America |
Allegiance | Illinois |
Branch | Army National Guard |
Type | Infantry regiment |
Garrison/HQ | Chicago, Illinois |
Motto(s) | One Country, One Flag. |
Insignia | |
Identification symbol |
U.S. Infantry Regiments | ||||
|
The 178th Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Army, Illinois Army National Guard. It traces its history back to the Illinois state militia and has served in several American wars since its founding. The regiment is unique because its original members were part of a segregated "colored" unit. The regiment's 1st Battalion (1-178 Infantry) still exists today as an Air assault battalion.
The 178th Infantry Regiment traces its history back to the formation of the 16th Battalion, Illinois State Militia, on 1 April 1878. A and B Companies were recruited from Chicago. The Clark County Guards from Marshall became C Company, and the Cumberland County Guards from Greenup became D Company. Elements of the 178th have been reputed to extend back to 1871, with the formation of the Hannibal Guard, but federal and state recognition did not come until 1878. The Illinois General Assembly removed the 16th from the military roster in 1882, but it was reactivated soon after in 1883 as the Chicago Light Infantry until its disbanding in 1887. [1] In 1890, the unit was reactivated as the 9th Infantry Battalion, and was accepted into the Illinois State Guard in 1894. After expanding in size and funds, it was redesignated the 8th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment (Colored Troops). On 28 June 1898, the unit was called into service in the Spanish–American War with a strength of 43 officers and 1,126 enlisted men. The regiment served in Cuba from 16 August 1898 to 10 March 1899, and suffered no casualties. The unit returned to Chicago and was demobilized on 3 April. [1]
The Eighth Infantry Regiment was federalized on 30 June 1916, in Springfield, and served briefly during the Mexican Border War. It was discharged from service at Springfield on 27 October 1916. On 3 August 1917, the 8th was called to serve in World War I, and was renamed the 370th Infantry Regiment, and was placed in the 185th Infantry Brigade as part of the provisional 93rd Infantry Division on 5 January 1918. The 178th, which had not yet been activated, traces much of its history to the service of the 370th in France during World War I. Upon returning to Illinois, the regiment was disbanded on 11 March 1919. [1]
The 370th was reorganized as the 8th Illinois again in June 1919, and conducted state duties, including intensive training and maneuvers until 6 October 1940, when it was redesignated as the 184th Field Artillery Regiment (155 mm howitzer. After receiving many new recruits in preparation for World War II. The 184th trained intensely at Fort Custer, Michigan and eventually deployed to the ETO, earning campaign streamers for the Rhineland Campaign and the Central Europe Campaign. [1]
While training in Michigan, men of the regiment were detached to form the 795th Tank Destroyer Battalion in February 1942. On 16 January 1943, further restructuring followed as men of the regiment were detached to furnish new "colored" units for the Army. The 930th and 931st Field Artillery Battalions were created, and were subsequently converted into the 1698th and 1699th Combat Engineer Battalions, respectively, by 20 March 1944. These men reported to the 92nd Infantry Division and served in the North Apennines Campaign and the Po Valley Campaign. [1]
After World War II, the 184th Field Artillery was redesignated as the 178th Regimental Combat Team on 31 March 1947. The RCT contained the 178th Infantry Regiment (the parent unit), the 184th Field Artillery Battalion, the 1698th Engineer Company, the 184th Medical Collecting Company, and the 154th Army Band. On 26 July 1948, President Harry Truman issued Executive Order 9981 in order to desegregate the US Military, and although the units of the Illinois National Guard were no longer split by race, the 178th remembers its proud history as a segregated African-American unit. At the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950, the 184th Medical Collecting Company was detached from the 178th and did not return until the war ended, four years later. [1]
After reorganizations in 1959, 1963, and 1965, the First Battalion, 1-178, was assigned to the 33rd Infantry Division on 1 February 1968 and assisted in riot control in Chicago during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. [1]
Since 1968, 1-178 has performed state duties in riot control, natural disaster relief, and overseas training missions. [1] In the winter of 2008, as a part of the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, the battalion was deployed to several provinces across Afghanistan to perform SECFOR missions and assist in Provincial Reconstruction Teams, including Paktia Province, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, where they relieved elements of the 27th IBCT, New York Army National Guard. The heavy mortar platoon, consisting of four 120 mm mortars and four 81 mm mortars were placed at Command Outpost (COP) Najil, Lagman province and in Forward Operating Base (FOB) Metar Lam. They returned home in 2009
In July 2019 the battalion again deployed to both Patyika and Logar province of Afghanistan, the same area where Bravo Company was involved in combat during Operation Enduring. Later in February the battalion was moved over to Helmand province to provide area security for TF West for the remainder of the mobilization. The battalion was awarded the Meritorious Unit Citation for their service in support of Operation Freedom Sentinel 2019-2020. Numerous Combat Infantryman Badges and Combat Action Badges had been awarded for actions throughout the deployment.
In the spring of 2020, the battalion returned home in April, and, in the summer of 2020, the battalion was called to action again, to provide riot control duties in the wake of the George Floyd protests in the Chicagoland area for an additional three weeks.
1st Battalion, 178th Infantry Regiment (IL ARNG) [2]
The 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) is a combined arms division of the United States Army based at Fort Stewart, Georgia. It is a subordinate unit of the XVIII Airborne Corps under U.S. Army Forces Command. Its current organization includes a division headquarters and headquarters battalion, two armored brigade combat teams, one aviation brigade, a division artillery, a sustainment brigade and a combat sustainment support battalion along with a maneuver enhancement brigade. The division has a distinguished history, having seen active service in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Global War on Terror. The Medal of Honor has been awarded to 61 members of the 3rd Infantry Division, making the division the most honored in the Army.
The 92nd Infantry Division was an African American, later mixed, infantry division of the United States Army that served in World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. The military was racially segregated during the World Wars. The division was organized in October 1917, after the U.S. entry into World War I, at Camp Funston, Kansas, with African American soldiers from all states. In 1918, before leaving for France, the American buffalo was selected as the divisional insignia due to the "Buffalo Soldiers" nickname, given to African American cavalrymen in the 19th century. The divisional nickname, "Buffalo Soldiers Division", was inherited from the 366th Infantry, one of the first units organized in the division.
The 33rd Infantry Division was a formation of the U.S. Army National Guard between 1917 and 1968. Originally formed for service during World War I, the division fought along the Western Front during the Battle of Amiens, the Battle of Hamel, the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, at the Second Battle of the Somme, and at the Battle of Saint-Mihiel. It was re-formed during the inter-war period, and then later activated for service during World War II, seeing action against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Pacific. In the post war era, the division was reconstituted as an all-Illinois National Guard division. In the late 1960s, the division was reduced to a brigade-sized formation, and its lineage is currently perpetuated by the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
The 503rd Infantry Regiment, formerly the 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment and the 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, is an airborne infantry regiment of the United States Army. The regiment served as an independent regiment in the Pacific War during World War II; at Fort Campbell, Kentucky; in Okinawa, Japan; and in Germany. Regimental elements have been assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division, the 11th Airborne Division, the 24th Infantry Division, 25th Infantry Division, the 82nd Airborne Division, 101st Airborne Division, and the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team. Regimental elements have participated in campaigns in the Vietnam War, Operation Enduring Freedom–Afghanistan, and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The regiment claims 15 Medal of Honor recipients: two from World War II, ten from Vietnam, and three from Afghanistan. A parent regiment under the U.S. Army Regimental System. The regiment's 1st and 2nd Battalions are active, assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade, based at Caserma Ederle, Vicenza, Italy. The 3rd and 4th Battalions as well as Companies E, F, G, H, and I have been inactived.
The 112th Infantry Regiment, also known as the Sixteenth Pennsylvania, is a unit in the Pennsylvania National Guard which can trace its lineage back to before the American Civil War.
The 184th Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the United States Army consisting of soldiers from the California Army National Guard. Only the regiment's 1st Battalion remains an active military unit. The battalion supports state and federal missions in the State of California, United States of America and at overseas locations. The 184th Infantry Regiment can trace its lineage to the mid-19th century.
The Illinois Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. With the Illinois Air National Guard it forms the Illinois National Guard. National coordination of various state National Guard units are maintained through the National Guard Bureau. The Illinois Army National Guard is composed of approximately 10,000 soldiers.
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.
The 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is an infantry brigade of the United States Army and the California Army National Guard. In late 2008, the 40th Infantry Brigade Combat Team was redesignated as the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team without changing its composition.
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 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 185th Infantry Regiment is a unit of the United States Army made up of soldiers from the California Army National Guard, represented by the 1st Battalion, part of the 81st Stryker Brigade Combat Team.
The 258th Field Artillery Regiment or "Washington Greys" is a field artillery unit of the New York Army National Guard that traces its lineage from 1789 to present. Circa 1957–1966 it consisted of four battalions.
In 2009, the United States and NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) coalition, along with Afghan National Army forces, continued military operations against the Taliban in Afghanistan. 2009 marks the eighth year of the War in Afghanistan, which began late in 2001. And 75th ranger regiment is also in Afghanistan as of 2018
The 158th Infantry Regiment ("Bushmasters") is an infantry unit of the Arizona National Guard. The regiment has served abroad in World War I, World War II and Afghanistan.
The 6th Field Artillery Regiment is a Field Artillery Branch regiment of the United States Army first activated in 1907 from numbered companies of artillery. It was first organized with two battalions.
The 370th Infantry Regiment was the designation for one of the infantry regiments of the 93rd (Provisional) Infantry Division in World War I. Known as the "Black Devils", for their fierce fighting during the First World War and a segregated unit, it was the only United States Army combat unit with African-American officers. In World War II, a regiment known as the 370th Infantry Regiment was part of the segregated 92nd Infantry Division, but did not perpetuate the lineage of the 8th Illinois or World War I 370th, only sharing its numerical designation.
The 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team is a unit of the Illinois Army National Guard, which perpetuates the history of the 33rd Infantry Division. Known as the 66th Infantry Brigade until 2005, it is one of the brigades of the 35th Infantry Division. The brigade was re-activated under the Transformation of the United States Army and subordinated to the Illinois Army National Guard. The 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team deployed to Afghanistan in December 2008 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and re-deployed in September 2009.
The Chatham Artillery is an artillery unit that has played a leading role in the history of the state of Georgia since the American Revolution. In 1776, Thomas Lee was authorized to enlist a provincial company of artillery for the defense of Savannah, the first such unit in Georgia's history. Commanded by Joseph Woodruff, they defended the right flank of American forces when the British attacked Savannah. They saw service in the Oconnee wars, The Embargo Wars, and The War of 1812. They were part of the force that occupied Fort Pulaski that opened the American Civil War, and served in and around Savannah and Charleston South Carolina before joining General Johnston's forces in Columbia, South Carolina. After the reorganization in 1872, they mustered out to the border with Mexico, to stop Pancho Villa's raids in the United States. They served with the "Dixie Division" in France during World War I, and landed on Normandy Beach on D-day plus 4 in World War II. They breached the Siegfried Line, and were at the Elbe River when the war ended. In 2005 they were mobilized again into federal service, as an element of the 48th Brigade Combat team serving in Iraq, part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The Chatham Artillery was re-mobilized in 2009 to support Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, personally training Afghan Troops and Police Forces. They were demobilized in 2010 at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Today they remain in service, as a modular artillery brigade of the Georgia Army National Guard, the 118th Field Artillery.
The 122nd Field Artillery Regiment is a field artillery regiment of the Illinois Army National Guard. The regiment's 2nd Battalion is the cannon battalion assigned to the 33rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team.