168th INFANTRY REGIMENT
Lineage and Honors
➤ JUN 1861, Company F of Villisca, Iowa, organized.
➤ 24 JUN 1861, Governor of Iowa,
Samuel J. Kirkwood, issued a
general order to the officers and companies of the Iowa
Volunteer
Militia, in the counties of Montgomery, Page, Adams, and
Taylor,
to meet in Clarinda, on 03 July.
The purpose was to form a regiment
,
and to bring their arms and equipment, whether furnished by
the
state, or their own rifles.
Reporting for duty were ten companies of infantry, numbering
490
men, and five companies of mounted riflemen, numbering 244
men.
Among those were the Montgomery County Tigers - Company H,
numbering 45 men. Also, Montgomery
County Rangers (mounted),
also numbering 45 men.
➤ 05-06
JUL 1861, 250 men from the regiment marched the 33 miles
to Maryville, MO, and along with the 2nd Iowa Infantry, took
charge
of the town and the rebel prisoners, who had been captured.
Additional operations on 10 JUL, 28 AUG, &
03 SEP, were under authority
of the State of Iowa, preventing its own territory from
rebel invasion.
Had it not been for the prompt and resolute marching of the
state militia, at the call of the union men in the border
counties
of Missouri, that the Missouri rebels
would have over-powered
the unionists and made some destructive raids into
Iowa.
➤ 08-31 AUG 1861, 4th Regiment,
Iowa Volunteer Infantry, mustered into
Federal service by independent companies, in
Council Bluffs, from troops in
the southwestern area of Iowa (including Council
Bluffs Guards, organized
1855-1856,
under the leadership of Colonel Grenville Mellen Dodge).
168th Regiment began its lineage as the 4th
Regiment, Iowa Volunteer Infantry.
The year 2020 is the
160th year in the lineage of the 168th Infantry
Regiment.
Citizen-soldiers
from Red Oak, Montgomery County, and Southwest Iowa.
➤ 01 JAN 1864, 4th Regiment,
Iowa Volunteer Infantry, reorganized as
the 4th Iowa Veteran Infantry Regiment.
American
Civil War (Confederate States of America secession from
the U.S.)
Southwest Iowa volunteers engaged Confederate
soldiers, ranging from
skirmishes in Liberty, Chillicothe, Kirksville, and
Springfield, MO;
thru battles such as Pea Ridge and Ft Hindman, AR, Shiloh,
Lookout Mountain, and Missionary Ridge, TN, Jackson,
Corinth,
and Vicksburg, MS, Jonesboro, GA, Bentonville, NC;
Mississippi Central Expedition;
Siege of Jackson, MS, Siege of Atlanta, GA, Siege of
Savannah, GA;
Sherman's March to the Sea;
subsequently honored in the The Grand Review of the
Armies
in Washington, DC.
Campaign Streamers:
Arkansas, 1862
Vicksburg, NOV 1862 - JUL 1863
Chattanooga, 21 SEP - 25 NOV 1863
Alabama, 1863
Atlanta, 04 MAY - 02 SEP 1864
North Carolina, 1865
South Carolina, 1865
➤ 24 JUL 1865, 4th Iowa Veteran
Infantry Regiment mustered out.
➤ 1868 through 1875, 4th Iowa
Veteran Infantry Regiment reorganized
as independent companies of Iowa volunteer
militia.
➤ Independent Iowa volunteer
militia companies consolidated,
forming the 3rd Infantry Regiment on 18 FEB 1876,
and the 5th Infantry Regiment on 15 JAN 1877.
➤ 03 APR 1878, Iowa State
Militia redesignated as the
Iowa National Guard.
➤ MAY 1879, Company K organized,
an element of the 5th Infantry Regiment,
Iowa National Guard.
➤ 30 APR 1892, 3rd and 5th
Infantry Regiments consolidated and
redesignated as the 3rd Infantry
Regiment, Iowa National Guard.
Company K became part of the 3rd Infantry Regiment.
➤ During late 1892,
Company K redesignated as
Company M of
the 3rd Infantry Regiment of the Iowa National Guard.
➤ 30 MAY 1898, 3rd Infantry
Regiment mustered into
Federal service as the 51st Infantry Regiment, Iowa
Volunteers.
Philippine Insurrection
The 51st Infantry Regiment transferred to the
2nd Brigade, Second Division,
Eighth Army
Corps, commanded by Brigadier General Arthur MacArthur,
Jr.,
father of General of the Army Douglas MacArthur.
The 51st engaged in
Philippine Insurrection actions such as:
Quingua River, 23 - 24 APR 1899
Pulilan, 24 APR 1899
Calumpit, 25 APR 1899
Santo Tomas, 04 MAY 1899
San Fernando, 05 MAY 1899
Campaign Streamers:
Manila, 04 FEB - 17 MAR 1899
Malolos, 24 MAR - 16 AUG 1899
➤ 02 NOV 1899, 51st Infantry
Regiment, Iowa Volunteers, mustered out.
➤ 26 MAR 1900, 51st Infantry
Regiment, Iowa Volunteers,
reorganized as the 51st Infantry Regiment.
➤ 26 NOV 1902, 51st Infantry Regiment redesignated as 55th Infantry
Regiment.
➤ 04 JUL 1915, 55th Infantry
Regiment redesignated as the
3rd Infantry Regiment.
➤ 26 JUN 1916, mustered into
Federal service for the Mexican Border Campaign.
Mexican Border Campaign
The 3rd Infantry Regiment, an element of the
Iowa Brigade, was stationed
near Brownsville, TX. Deployment
purposes: 1) provide reserve forces to
the US Army in their Punitive Expedition against the
Mexican Revolutionary
Leader Pancho
Villa; 2) prepare for
possible military action subject to an
alliance between Mexico and Germany, if the US were to
enter WWI.
➤ 20 FEB 1917, 3rd Infantry
Regiment mustered out.
➤ 05 AUG 1917, 3rd Infantry
Regiment called into Federal service.
➤ 16 AUG 1917, 3rd Infantry
Regiment redesignated 168th
Infantry Regiment.
The 168th was an element of the 84th Infantry
Brigade, commanded by
Brigadier General Douglas
MacArthur. The 84th Infantry Brigade was
an element of the 42nd Rainbow Division.
Coat of Arms of the 168th Infantry Regiment
Shield
◊ A bend argent in the colors of the rainbow.
The rainbow (blue
for valor, gold
for love, red
for sacrifice) represents service
of the 168th during World War I in
the 42nd Rainbow Infantry Division -
comprised of units from across the US. As
General Douglas MacArthur stated,
the 42nd organization would "stretch over the whole
country like a rainbow".
◊ A prickly pear cactus, representing the Mexican
Border Campaign.
◊ A palm tree representing the Philippine
Insurrection Campaign.
Motto
◊ On Guard.
World War I
➤ During JUN and JUL 1917, the 34th Infantry
Division was formed
from National Guard units of ND, SD, NE, MN, IA (including
the
168th Infantry Regiment); training begins in Camp Cody, NM.
➤ The moniker of the 34th,
Sandstorm Division, from WWI,
was renamed
Red Bull Division during the WWII Italian Campaign.
➤ JUN 1918, the 34th Infantry
Division loses nearly all trained personnel
in order to meet requirements of the AEF (American
Expeditionary Forces)
replacement system. The 168th
Infantry Regiment is assigned to the
42nd Rainbow Infantry Division.
➤ 17 OCT 1918, the 34th Infantry
Division is skeletonized.
➤ In 1918, the Iowa National
Guard consisted of one brigade of infantry,
comprised of the First, Second, and Third Infantry
Regiments.
The Third Infantry Regiment, designated the 168th while in
Federal service,
comprised of fifteen companies, one of which was Company M,
of Red Oak and Montgomery County, Iowa.
The First and Second regiments fought as part
of the 168th Infantry Regiment,
an element of the 42nd Rainbow Division, in
the major battles of Sedan,
Lorraine,
Champagne, Château Thierry, Saint Mihiel,
Meuse-Argonne.
➤ The 42nd Rainbow Infantry
Division, of which the 168th Infantry Regiment
was an element, saw more days of combat than any
American Division during
the Great War; suffering 2,058 killed in action plus
another 12,625 casualties.
Campaign Streamers:
Lunéville Sector (Lorraine), 11 FEB - 23 MAR 1918
2nd battle of the Champagne-Marne, 15 JUL - 16
SEP 1918
Saint Mihiel, 12
- 16 SEP 1918
Meuse-Argonne, 26 SEP - 11 NOV 1918
➤ 17 MAY 1919, 168th
demobilized; 42nd Division demobilized 09 MAY 1919.
➤ 1920-1921, 168th reorganized and
Federally recognized as the
168th Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry
Division.
168th Infantry Regimental Colors
➤ 10 FEB 1941, National Guard
units from ND, SD, MN, and IA,
including the 168th Infantry Regiment inducted into Federal
service,
as elements in the 34th Infantry Division.
World War II
➤ The 34th Infantry Division's
three infantry regiments were the
133rd, the 135th, and the 168th. The latter comprised
of the 1st,
2nd, and 3rd Battalions. Company F was
assigned to the
2nd Battalion; Company M to the 3rd Battalion.
➤ The 168th Infantry Regiment
fought in six major engagements
throughout North Africa and Italy, from Operation Torch and
Tunisia,
thru Salerno and Anzio, to Bologna and the Po Valley.
➤ Interestingly, on 29 APR 1945, the Wehrmacht 34th Infantry
Division (1936-1945), veterans of the French, Eastern, and
Italian
fronts, surrendered to the US Army 34th Infantry
Division.
Source: The 34th Infantry Division During World War II
by
Lt Colonel Homer R. Ankrum in The
Iowa Militiaman, Spring 1991.
Presidential Unit
Citations:
Mount Pantano,
Italy, Streamer Embroidered
Cervaro, Italy, Streamer Embroidered
French Croix de Guerre
with Palm:
Belvedere, France, Streamer Embroidered
French Croix de Guerre
with Silver Star:
Embroidered FRANCE
Campaign Streamers:
Algeria-French Morocco, with Arrowhead, 08 -
11 NOV 1942
Tunisia, 17 NOV 1942 - 13 MAY 1943
Naples-Foggia, 09 SEP 1943 - 21 JAN 1944
Anzio, 22 JAN - 24 MAY 1944
Rome-Arno, 22 JAN - 09 SEP 1944
North Apennines, 10 SEP 1944 - 04 APR 1945
Po Valley, 05 APR - 08 MAY 1945
➤ The maxim of the 34th Red Bull Infantry
Division is
ATTACK, ATTACK,
ATTACK
adopted by the Division in 1943 and characterized by the
nature of
the Division’s combat operations for the remainder of
World War II.
U.S.
Army 34th Infantry Division Unit Insignia
Blue reflects the Infantry.
The black
olla (a Mexican water flask), suggestive
of training in New Mexico during World War I.
The stylized red
bovine skull is symbolic of vitality,
courage and strength.|
The two fasces (crossed diagonally and superimposed
by a black olla bearing a gold fleur-de-lis debruised by
a red bovine skull) imply authority and commemorate
the unit’s campaign service in Italy during World War II.
The gold fleur-de-lis alludes to
excellence and the Division’s
French Croix de
Guerre for service in World War II.
➤ 03 NOV 1945, 168th Infantry
Regiment mustered out.
➤ 23 JAN 1947, 168th Infantry
Regiment reorganized and
Federally
recognized with Headquarters at Council Bluffs.
➤ 01 MAY 1959, 168th Infantry
Regiment reorganized as a parent
regiment under Combat Arms Regimental System to consist of
the
1st Battle Group, an element of the 34th Red Bull Infantry
Division.
➤ 01 MAR 1963, 168th Infantry
Regiment relieved from
assignment to the 34th Red
Bull Infantry Division.
➤ 01 MAR 1964, 168th Infantry
Regiment reorganized into
1st and 2nd Battalions.
➤ 01 JAN 1968, 168th Infantry
Regiment organized to consist
of the 1st Battalion, an element of the 47th Infantry
Division.
➤ 01 MAY 1989, 168th Infantry
Regiment withdrawn from the
Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the
U.S. Army Regimental System.
➤ 10 FEB 1991, 168th Infantry
Regiment reorganized as the
1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment, 34th Red Bull Infantry
Division.
➤ 2000-2001, troops from the 168th
Infantry Regiment comprised
Task Force Charlie, providing
security for US Armed Forces in Kuwait.
➤ 2004, 168th Infantry Regiment,
inducted into Federal service, deployed
to Afghanistan, providing provincial reconstruction
team security forces.
➤ 2010, The 168th Infantry
Regiment, inducted into Federal Service,
deployed to Afghanistan as Task Force 1-168th, in
support of Operation
Enduring
Freedom with Afghan Security Forces in Province of Paktya.
➤ 2010, Iowa National Guard 1168th
Transportation Company,
Red Oak and Perry, was replaced by Company F,
334th Brigade
Combat Team, 34th Red Bull Infantry
Command.
➤ 03 SEP 2011, 168th Infantry
Regiment, 34th Red Bull
Infantry Division,
reverted to Iowa National Guard control as the 1st
Battalion,
168th Infantry Regiment, Headquarters at
Council Bluffs.
The 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment is
an element of the
2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Iowa National Guard, with
oversight by the 34th Red
Bull Infantry Division, Minnesota
National Guard, Headquarters at
Rosemount, MN.
The 168th Infantry Regiment and 2nd Infantry
Brigade Combat Team
is capable of supporting the
regular US Army with a trained and
combat-ready force.
Army Meritorious Unit Commendation
Iraq,
AUG 2007 - APR 2008, Streamer Embroidered
Afghanistan, 2010 - 2011, Streamer Embroidered
Crest (hawk's head) for the
various
Iowa National Guard regiments and battalions.
二二二二二二
Some sources for Lineage
and Honors of the
168th Infantry Regiment:
History of Montgomery County, Iowa, Des Moines:
Iowa Historical and Biographical Company, 1881.
Pages 488-490 from The Army
Lineage Book,
1953,
Volume
II: Infantry, U.S. Army Center for Military History.
Volume II Includes History of the Organization of
United States Infantry.
From Lineage
and
Honors (updated 2014),
U.S. Army Center for Military History
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