340th Infantry Regiment (United States)

Last updated

340th Infantry Regiment
340 Inf Rgt DUI.jpg
Regimental Distinctive Unit Insignia
Active1917–1919
1921-1952
1959–present
CountryFlag of the United States.svg USA
Branch U.S. Army
Role Infantry
Size Regiment
Part of First Army
Motto(s)Forward
AnniversariesConstituted 5 August 1917 in the National Army
Decorations Army Superior Unit Award
Battle honours World War I

The 340th Infantry Regiment was a National Army unit first organized for service in World War I as part of the 85th Infantry Division in Europe. Since then it has served as a training regiment, training Army Reserve and Army National Guard soldiers fighting in the War in Afghanistan (2001-2021) and the War in Iraq (2003 onwards). [1]

Contents

Service history

[2]

World War I

85th Division SSI.svg
The Library of Congress - Camp Custer, Michigan, photographed from kites, camera elevated 500 feet (LOC).jpg

. [3] The regiment was constituted 5 August 1917 in the National Army as the 340th Infantry and assigned to the 170th Infantry Brigade of the 85th Division. It was organized at Camp Custer, Michigan on during August and September 1917. In July 1943, the regiment was organized with 3,755 officers and enlisted men:

The Doughboys of the regiment deployed to France as part of the American Expeditionary Forces and were billeted in the city of Humbligny. The regiment didn't participate in any named campaigns during the war; its Infantrymen were used as individual replacements to the fighting Divisions. Pioneering American football player, physician, and local politician Bradbury Robinson commanded Company L during the war. [5] [6] After completing its war service in France the regiment demobilized at Camp Custer on 21 April 1919. [7]

Post War Service

85th Division SSI.svg

The Regiment was reconstituted on 24 June 1921 in the Organized Reserves with headquarters in the Saginaw, Michigan under TOE 29-7T as part of the 85th Division (later redesignated as the 85th Infantry Division) in the Sixth Corps Area. [8] The 1st Battalion was located in Saginaw, the 2nd Battalion at Flint, Michigan and the 3rd Battalion was at Port Huron, Michigan. The entire regiment relocated on 28 July 1937 to Saginaw. During this period, the regiment conducted summer encampments in most years with the 2d Infantry Regiment at Camp Custer or some years at Camp Grayling. In 1929 the regiment conducted summer training with the 126th Infantry Regiment at Camp Grayling. The regiment conducted infantry CMTC training some years at Camp Custer, Fort Brady, Michigan, as an alternate form of summer training. Primary ROTC feeder schools were the Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science. [9] The regiment was relieved 31 March 1942 from assignment to the 85th Division under the wartime reorganization from the four-regiment square division to the three-regiment triangular division structure, allotted to the Army of the United States as an inactive unit, and finally disbanded on 4 August 1952. [10]

Under the 85th Training Division

1972 Regimental Lineage & Honors statement detailing the history, composition and battle honors for the unit. 340th Infantry Regiment Lineage & Honors certificate 15 February 1972.pdf
1972 Regimental Lineage & Honors statement detailing the history, composition and battle honors for the unit.
85th Division SSI.svg

On May 5, 1959 the 340th Infantry was redesignated a subordinate element of the 85th Division (Training Support) as the 340th Regiment (Advanced Individual Training), and reorganized to consist of the Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Headquarters and Headquarters Companies 1st, 2d, and 3d Battalions, and Companies A, B, and C organized as Infantry with the below listed companies organized from other units:

Previous UnitActionRedesignated as
Tank Company, 335th Infantry RegimentredesignatedCompany D (Armor)
Battery B, 134th Anti-Aircraft Artillery BattalionredesignatedBattery E (Air Defense)
Battery A, 403rd Field Artillery BattalionredesignatedCompany F (Field Artillery)
Company A, 310th Engineer BattalionredesignatedCompany G (Engineer)
Company B, 310th Engineer BattalionredesignatedCompany H (Engineer)
NoneconstitutedCompany I (Chemical)
Company B, 785th Ordnance BattalionredesignatedCompany K (Ordnance)
Medical Company, 337th Infantry Regiment redesignatedCompany L (Medical)
85th Military Police CompanyredesignatedCompany M (Military Police)

The 340th Regiment was reorganized January 31, 1968 to consist of the 1st Battalion (Advanced Individual Training) and the 2nd and 3rd Battalions (Basic Combat Training). The Regimental Headquarters was inactivated. On May 1, 1971, the 1st Battalion (Advanced Individual Training) was redesignated as 1st Battalion (Combat Support Training) with no change to the 2nd and 3rd Battalions. The 3rd Battalion was inactivated on 1 October 1996 and reactivated on 1 October 2002. On 1 April 2007, the 1st and 2nd Battalions were assigned away from the 85th Division; on 15 June 2008 the 3rd Battalion was also reassigned.

Current Assignment

1st Army.svg

The 1st Battalion is an Army Reserve unit assigned to the 181st Infantry Brigade at Fort Snelling, Minnesota and provides Observer, Controller/ Trainers (OC/T) and Staff to various Mobilization Training Centers responsible for conducting post mobilization training to Reserve Component units preparing them for deployment to Overseas Contingency Operations.

The 2nd Battalion is an Army Reserve unit assigned to the 4th Cavalry Brigade and provides Observer, Controller/ Trainers (OC/T) and Staff to various Mobilization Training Centers responsible for conducting post mobilization training to Reserve Component units preparing them for deployment to Overseas Contingency Operations.
The 3rd Battalion is a Regular Army unit assigned to the 181st Infantry Brigade and stationed at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin with a mission to train Infantry units of the Army National Guard.

Campaign streamers

ConflictStreamerYear(s)
World War I
Streamer WWI V.PNG
No Inscription1917-1919

[11] [12] [13]

Decorations

RibbonAwardYearInscriptionNotes
Streamer MUC Army.PNG Army Meritorious Unit Commendation 2021-2022Afghanistan Retrograde 2021-20223rd Battalion
Permanent Orders 032-0001 announcing award of the Army Meritorious Unit Commendation US Army Permanent Order 032-0001.pdf
Permanent Orders 032-0001 announcing award of the Army Meritorious Unit Commendation
Streamer SUC.png Army Superior Unit Award 2003-2004None1st Battalion
3rd Battalion
Permanent Orders 123-18 announcing award of the Army Superior Unit award Permanent Orders 123-18 20080502 HRCMD.pdf
Permanent Orders 123-18 announcing award of the Army Superior Unit award
Streamer SUC.png Army Superior Unit Award 2005-2006None2nd Battalion
Streamer SUC.png Army Superior Unit Award 2008-2011None1st Battalion
2nd Battalion
3rd Battalion
Permanent Orders 332-07 announcing award of the Army Superior Unit award 332-07 20121127 HRCMD CC.pdf
Permanent Orders 332-07 announcing award of the Army Superior Unit award
NoneSecretary of the Army Superior Unit Certificate1961-1962NoneHeadquarters Company, 3rd Battalion
DA GO 14, 20 March 1963 GO 14 March 1963.pdf
DA GO 14, 20 March 1963
NoneSecretary of the Army Superior Unit Certificate1960-1961NoneHeadquarters Company of 1st Battalion;
Headquarters, K and L Companies of 3rd Battalion
Department of the Army General Orders 15, 1962 Department of the Army General Order 15 9 April 1962.pdf
Department of the Army General Orders 15, 1962

[14] [15] [16]

Shoulder sleeve insignia

1st Army.svg

* Description: On a background equally divided horizontally white and red, 3+14 inches (83 mm) high and 2+12 inches (64 mm) wide at base and 2+18 inches (54 mm) wide at top, a black block letter "A", 2+34 inches (70 mm) high, 2 inches (51 mm) wide at base and 1+58 inches (41 mm) wide at top, all members 716 inch (11 mm) wide, all enclosed within a 18 inch (3.2 mm) Army Green border.

  1. The red and white of the background are the colors used in flags for Armies.
  2. The letter "A" represents "Army" and is also the first letter of the alphabet suggesting "First Army."
  1. A black letter "A" was approved as the authorized insignia by the Commanding General, American Expedition Force, on 16 November 1918 and approved by the War Department on 5 May 1922.
  2. The background was added on 17 November 1950.

[17]

Distinctive unit insignia

340 Inf Rgt DUI.jpg

[18]

Coat of arms

340RegtCOA.jpg

[19]

References

  1. "Infantry organization and History" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  2. unit Lineage and Honors at the Center for Military History
  3. Military Map of the United States in 1918
  4. Maneuver and Firepower p56
  5. Reports of the Commander-in-Chief, Staff Sections and Services p14-18
  6. Maneuver and Firepower p69
  7. "Order of battle for the 77th Infantry Division in World War I" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  8. Maneuver and Firepower p220
  9. The US Army Order of Battle from 1919-1941 p470
  10. The US Army Order of Battle from 1919-1941 p418
  11. U.S. Army Center of Military History (CMH). "Listing of the Campaigns of the U.S. Army Displayed on the Army Flag | U.S. Army Center of Military History (CMH)". history.army.mil. Archived from the original on 14 November 2014. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  12. "War Department General Order #24 Listing Campaigns". Archived from the original on 25 March 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  13. Regimental Lineage and Honors
  14. "CMH". history.army.mil. Archived from the original on 17 December 2007. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  15. Permanent Order 123-18
  16. "Permanent Order 332-07" (PDF). Department of the Army. 27 November 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  17. "First Army insignia page at the Institute of Heraldry". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  18. "DUI & COA". Archived from the original on 10 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  19. "regimental DUI & COA". Archived from the original on 10 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2015.