145th Armored Regiment
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The 145th Armored Regiment,
Ohio Army National Guard The Ohio Army National Guard is a part of the Ohio National Guard and the Army National Guard of the United States Army. It is also a component of the organized militia of the state of Ohio, which also includes the Ohio Naval Militia, the Ohio ...
, is a parent regiment under the
U.S. Army Regimental System The United States Army Regimental System (USARS) is an organizational and classification system used by the United States Army. It was established in 1981 to replace the Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS) to provide each soldier with continu ...
, with headquarters at Stow, Ohio. It currently consists of the 1st Battalion, 145th Armored Regiment, a 600-soldier
combined arms battalion The brigade combat team (BCT) is the basic Military deployment, deployable Military unit, unit of maneuver in the United States Army, U.S. Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branch maneuver Brigade (United States Army), br ...
of the Ohio Army National Guard located throughout northeast Ohio. For command and control purposes within the Ohio Army National Guard, 1st Battaltion, 145th Armored Regiment, is a subordinate battalion of the
174th Air Defense Artillery Brigade The 174th Air Defense Artillery Brigade is an Air Defense Artillery brigade of the United States Army. It is one of six brigade-sized major subordinate commands of the Ohio Army National Guard, activated on 1 September 2008, in Columbus, Ohio. B ...
. In 2013, the battalion entered into an alignment-for-training relationship with the
1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division The 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division is an Armored Brigade Combat Team of the Minnesota Army National Guard. It is part of the 34th Infantry Division (United States), 34th Infantry Division. Early history The lineage of H ...
. In May 2016, the battalion donned the Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of the 34th Infantry Division in anticipation of formal alignment with the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team in September 2016. As a combined arms battalion, the 1st Battalion, 145th Armored Regiment, is able to deploy two mechanized infantry companies, two armor companies, a support company, a headquarters company, and a battalion headquarters in order to accomplish its federal, state, and community missions. Its Headquarters Company (HHC) and three line companies are organic to the battalion. While combined arms battalions traditionally receive their support companies from their organic Brigade Support Battalion (BSB), since the battalion is not organic to an Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT), the 134th Support Company exists independently and is attached to the battalion. As of 2014, the battalion's fire support platoon was re-designated and currently exists as Detachment 2, Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery, and is re-attached to the battalion.


Introduction

Reorganized and re-designated from the 1st Battalion,
107th Cavalry Regiment 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 2-107th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Squadron, 107th Cavalry Regiment, ...
on 1 September 2007, the first mobilization and deployment of the 1st Battalion, 145th Armored Regiment in its current form was the 2009
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MFO-52 mission responsible for multiple observation posts throughout Egypt's
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and the operation of MFO South Camp at Sharm el Sheik, Egypt, in partnership with ten other participating nations. Since
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, however, subordinate elements and individual soldiers that now comprise the unit have deployed to
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, Operation Enduring Freedom (Europe), Kosovo Force, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Joint Task Forces
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and
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. The battalion has also deployed select individual soldiers in support of the combined
Hungary-United States Operational Mentor and Liaison Team {{unreferenced, date=July 2015 The Hungary-United States Operational Mentor and Liaison Team is a military advising unit that was created through partnership between the Hungarian Ground Forces and the Ohio Army National Guard. The partnership was b ...
with service in
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.


Current units

::


Mission, training, and capabilities

In support of their federal mission, soldiers of the battalion train as members of
M1A1 Abrams The M1 Abrams is a third-generation American main battle tank designed by Chrysler Defense (now General Dynamics Land Systems) and named for General Creighton Abrams. Conceived for modern armored ground warfare and now one of the heaviest t ...
main battle tank crews, M2A2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle crews, and as
mechanized infantry Mechanized infantry are infantry units equipped with armored personnel carriers (APCs) or infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) for transport and combat (see also mechanized force). As defined by the United States Army, mechanized infantry is di ...
platoons, squads, and fire teams. Additionally, the battalion has a scout platoon, a 120-mm M120 heavy mortar platoon, a fire support platoon, a medical platoon, a signal section, a sniper squad, and a unit ministry team. When training in a traditional
National Guard National Guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. Nat ...
status, the battalion will typically complete tank gunnery tables, Bradley Fighting Vehicle gunnery tables, or dismounted infantry squad and fire team training lanes. The battalion has also conducted successful training cycles providing training and validation to prepare other Ohio Army National Guard units for deployment to
Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and K ...
and Afghanistan. Additionally, the battalion incorporates elements of stability operations, support operations, and
counterinsurgency Counterinsurgency (COIN) is "the totality of actions aimed at defeating irregular forces". The Oxford English Dictionary defines counterinsurgency as any "military or political action taken against the activities of guerrillas or revolutionari ...
operations into larger training events. ::


Heraldry


Coat of arms


= Heraldic description

= * Shield: Argent, a bend wavy Azure between a falcon close and a cactus Proper. * Crest: That for the regiments and separate battalions of the Ohio Army National Guard: From a wreath Argent and Azure, a sheaf of seventeen arrows Argent bound by a sprig of buckeye (''aesculus glabra'') fructed Proper (two leaves bursting burr). * Motto: ''EXCEL''


= Symbolism

= The service of the original organization, the 145th Infantry Regiment is indicated by the white shield for Infantry. The falcon from the arms of Montfaucon, France and the wavy bend for the Escaut (Scheldt) River symbolize the most outstanding feats of the regiment during World War I. The giant cactus represents service on the Mexican border.


= Background

= The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 145th Infantry Regiment on 5 September 1928. It was amended on 27 November 1928. It was cancelled on 29 May 1935. It was reinstated and redesignated for the 145th Infantry Regiment on 19 May 1936. The insignia was redesignated with description and symbolism revised for the 145th Regiment on 15 April 1997. It was redesignated effective 1 September 2007, for the 145th Armored Regiment with the symbolism revised.


From statehood to the Civil War

Units of the battalion originated as independent companies of the organized militia throughout northeast Ohio. For federal service during the
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
, the unit was organized as the 7th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with companies from Cleveland and northeastern Ohio. The 7th Regiment was mustered into federal service 28 April 1861 for 3 months and then reorganized for three years on 16 June 1861 at Camp Dennison, Ohio. The regiment saw action throughout the Eastern Theater with the
Army of Virginia The Army of Virginia was organized as a major unit of the Union Army and operated briefly and unsuccessfully in 1862 in the American Civil War. It should not be confused with its principal opponent, the Confederate Army of ''Northern'' Virginia ...
and the
Army of the Potomac The Army of the Potomac was the principal Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. It was created in July 1861 shortly after the First Battle of Bull Run and was disbanded in June 1865 following the surrender of the Confede ...
, until it was transferred to the Western Theater where it joined the
Army of the Cumberland The Army of the Cumberland was one of the principal Union armies in the Western Theater during the American Civil War. It was originally known as the Army of the Ohio. History The origin of the Army of the Cumberland dates back to the creation ...
at the
Second Battle of Chattanooga The Second Battle of Chattanooga was a battle in the American Civil War, beginning on August 21, 1863, as the opening battle in the Chickamauga Campaign. The larger and more famous battles were the Battles for Chattanooga (generally referred to ...
. The 7th Regiment saw action at
Antietam The Battle of Antietam (), or Battle of Sharpsburg particularly in the Southern United States, was a battle of the American Civil War fought on September 17, 1862, between Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Union G ...
, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and in the Atlanta Campaign. At the end of their three-year enlistment, soldiers of the 7th Regiment who wished to remain in service transferred to the 5th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The regiment mustered out of federal service on 7 July 1864 in Cleveland, Ohio.


Post–Civil War to World War I

Between the Civil War and World War I, units now comprising the battalion underwent numerous consolidations and reorganizations typical of a peacetime militia force. From 1870–1877, units were independent companies of the organized militia. On 30 June 1877, companies in northeastern Ohio were consolidated as the 15th Infantry Regiment, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. On 22 March 1881, the regiment was disbanded, with Companies D, G, H, and K remaining as independent companies. Later that year on 7 July, Companies D, G, H, K, and other elements of the organized militia were reorganized and redesignated as the 5th Infantry Regiment. On 11 May 1898 the unit was mustered into federal service for the
Spanish–American War , partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence , image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg , image_size = 300px , caption = (cloc ...
at Camp Bushnell, Ohio as the 5th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Commanded by Colonel Cortland L. Kennan, the regiment had 48 officers and 1,302 enlisted men. During the war, the regiment was stationed in Tampa, Florida, and Fernandina, Florida. Due to the quick nature of the war, the regiment was mustered out of federal service at Cleveland, Ohio on 5 November 1898 and resumed status as the 5th Infantry. Between April and July 1899, the regiment was disbanded and later Companies B, C, E, F, G, H, and K were consolidated into the 5th Infantry. With the passage of the
Militia Act of 1903 The Militia Act of 1903 (), also known as the Efficiency in Militia Act of 1903 or the Dick Act, was legislation enacted by the United States Congress to create an early National Guard and which codified the circumstances under which the Guard co ...
, initiated by Secretary of War Elihu Root and U.S. Senator
Charles W. F. Dick Charles William Frederick Dick (November 3, 1858 – March 13, 1945) was a Republican politician from Ohio. He served in the United States House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. Early life Born in Akron, Ohio, his parents were Gottlieb Di ...
(also a Major General in the Ohio National Guard), militia units such as the 5th Infantry were now federally funded and recognized, and brought into compliance with improvements in the militia system borne out of weaknesses observed during the Spanish–American War mobilizations. The 5th Ohio was again mustered into Federal service on 19 June 1916 for service along the Mexican border. The regiment was mobilized at Camp Willis, near present-day Upper Arlington, Ohio, and served along the border in the vicinity of El Paso, Texas, from September 1916 until it was mustered out on 15 March 1917 at Ft. Wayne, Michigan.


World War I

For
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, the regiment was drafted into federal service on 5 August 1917. On 25 September 1917 it was reorganized and designated the 145th Infantry Regiment of the 37th Division. In June 1918 the regiment deployed to Europe, where it fought in the Meuse-Argonne, Lorraine, and Ypres-Lys campaigns. During its service in World War I, eighteen of the regiment's officers and soldiers received the
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is a military decoration awarded to ...
for extraordinary heroism fighting in France and Belgium. The regiment was demobilized over late April 1919 at
Camp Sherman, Ohio Camp Sherman is an Ohio Army National Guard training site near Chillicothe, Ohio. It was established in 1917 after the U.S. entered World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars an ...
. Following the war, elements of the 5th Infantry and the former 8th Infantry Regiment (organized in 1876 with headquarters in Massilon, Ohio) were organized as the 3rd Infantry with headquarters federally recognized on 1 July 1920 at Cleveland, Ohio. Exactly one year later, on 1 July 1921, the regiment was once again designated the 145th Infantry Regiment and reassigned to the 37th Division. On 5 September 1928, the 145th Infantry's distinctive unit insignia was authorized. It was heavily influenced by the regiment's World War I service, displaying a wavy bend to symbolize the Scheldt (Escaut) River and a falcon from the arms of Montfaucon, France.


World War II

The 145th Infantry was inducted into federal service as part of the 37th Division (later redesignated the 37th Infantry Division "Buckeye") on 15 October 1940 and left Cleveland, Ohio for
Camp Shelby Camp Shelby is a military post whose North Gate is located at the southern boundary of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, on United States Highway 49. It is the largest state-owned training site in the nation. During wartime, the camp's mission is to s ...
, Mississippi. From Camp Shelby, the regiment moved to Louisiana to participate in the Louisiana Maneuvers of June, August, and September 1941 before returning to Camp Shelby. On 26 May 1942 the division left the
San Francisco Port of Embarkation The San Francisco Port of Embarkation (SFPOE) was a United States Army command responsible for movement of supplies and troops to and from the Pacific during World War II with extensive facilities in the San Francisco area. SFPOE was established ...
, arriving at
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,
Fiji Islands Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...
exactly one month later on 11 June 1942. There, the entire division resumed training and fortified the islands against possible invasion. As one of three infantry regiments within the 37th Division, the 145th Infantry saw a significant amount of combat and distinguished itself in the
Asiatic-Pacific Theater The Asiatic-Pacific Theater was the theater of operations of U.S. forces during World War II in the Pacific War during 1941–1945. From mid-1942 until the end of the war in 1945, two U.S. operational commands were in the Pacific. The Pacific ...
. Although the allies enjoyed an improved strategic position after the success of Operation Watchtower on Guadalcanal, a strategically important Japanese base at Rabaul on the island of New Britain in the Bismarck Archipelago blocked any offensives toward the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
and Japan. In order to ultimately assault or neutralize Rabaul, the allies would first have to capture the remainder of the
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capit ...
and portions of northeast
New Guinea New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; id, Papua, or , historically ) is the world's second-largest island with an area of . Located in Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is separated from Australia by the wide Torr ...
. While an assault on Rabaul would be postponed by decision of the 1943 Pacific Military Conference, U.S. Army General Douglas A. MacArthur and U.S. Navy Admiral William F. Halsey were ordered to "begin the initial advance toward Rabaul and capture various points along the northern coast of New Guinea, New Georgia and the northern Solomons, and the Bismarcks." It was during these operations within the Northern Solomons Campaign on New Georgia and Bougainville, as part of the 37th Infantry Division, that the regiment saw most of its combat.


Asiatic-Pacific Theater


Northern Solomons Campaign


= New Georgia

= The regiment first saw combat against the Japanese during the invasion of the New Georgia islands, codenamed Operation Toenails under Admiral Halsey. There, the 145th Infantry's 3rd Battalion was tasked as part of the Northern Landing Group of the Munda-Bairoko Occupation Force, along with the Marines' 1st Raider Battalion, and the 3rd Battalion from its sister regiment, the 148th Infantry, all under the command of U.S. Marine Colonel Harry B. Liversedge. The Northern Landing Group's mission was to invade New Georgia north of Munda in order to interdict Japanese supply lines and prevent the reinforcement of Munda. On 5 July 1943 the Northern Landing Group went ashore at Rice Anchorage. Progress for Liversedge and other elements invading New Georgia was agonizingly difficult and slow due in greater part to hostile jungle terrain and weather than Japanese resistance. By 9 July, the offensive officially began and many allied units saw limited forward progress amid harsh close combat. By 13 July, U.S. Army Major General
Oscar Griswold Oscar Woolverton Griswold (22 October 1886 – 28 September 1959) was a United States Army lieutenant general in the first half of the 20th century. He is best known for his command of the XIV Corps in the South Pacific Area and South West Pacifi ...
, Commanding General of the U.S.
XIV Corps 14 Corps, 14th Corps, Fourteenth Corps, or XIV Corps may refer to: * XIV Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * XIV Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World ...
, took command on 16 July and decided not to renew the offensive until reinforcements had arrived. By 25 July, the offensive was resumed as a corps-level operation with "five regiments attacking abreast", to include all three regiments of the 37th Infantry Division. During this offensive, allied forces on New Georgia experienced jungle warfare at its worst: "the demanding, draining, and deadly task of assaulting hidden Japanese positions one by one, a style of warfare that chewed up rifle companies and became all too familiar to American ground troops in the Pacific." It was during this offensive that Major Carl F. Coleman, the regiment's operations officer noted, "enemy strong points encountered in this fashion oftentimes resulted in hasty withdrawals which were costly both in men and weapons." By 29 July, the Japanese had withdrawn to a final defensive line in front of the airfield, their main defenses shattered. As XIV Corps advanced into the last high ground protecting Munda Field, trying to break the Japanese line and defend against a counterattack, Private First Class
Frank J. Petrarca Frank Joseph Petrarca (July 31, 1918 – July 31, 1943) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II. Biography Petrarca joined the Army ...
demonstrated conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action to receive the
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valo ...
. Over the course of 27 to 31 July, Private Petrarca, a medic, would repeatedly advance under intense enemy fire to uncover, treat, and evacuate wounded soldiers. Even when mortally wounded by hostile mortar fire, Private Petrarca "continued to display valor and contempt for the foe, raising himself to his knees, this intrepid soldier shouted defiance at the enemy, made a last attempt to reach his wounded comrade and fell in glorious death."CMOHS.org – Private First Class PETRARCA, FRANK J., U.S. Army
/ref>


= Bougainville

= By November 1943, after operations on New Georgia and elsewhere, Adm. Halsey had been ordered to seize airfield sites on the final Solomon Island of Bougainville, which was occupied by approximately 37,500 Japanese soldiers. Adm. Halsey selected the
Empress Augusta Bay Empress Augusta Bay is a bay on the western side of the island of Bougainville Island, within the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in northeastern Papua New Guinea. It is a subsistence fishing area for the people of Bougainville. History Emp ...
area on the western side of the island, where 14,000 Marines cleared a shallow 4,000-yard beachhead. It would not be until March 1944 that the Japanese realized an invasion of Bougainville would not be coming from another direction, and assembled a counterattack force of 19,000 soldiers who would not have the element of surprise. Key to Maj. Gen. Griswold's defense of XIV Corps' 23,000-yard, 62,000-man perimeter, was two miles of jungle perimeter manned by the 3rd Marine Division and the 37th Infantry Division. Consistent with the rugged jungle terrain, this section of perimeter contained tactically important pieces of high ground which he refused to abandon after hard lessons learned at Munda. The linchpin to Maj. Gen. Griswold's perimeter was Hill 700 at the center of the line, manned by the 145th Infantry. On 8 March 1944 the Japanese began their massive assault on Maj. Gen. Griswold's perimeter. The plan was to focus on Hill 700 in the center of the horseshoe, as well as on the east and west "corners" of the horseshoe. By 7:00 am on the 8th, the 145th Infantry's 2nd Battalion began receiving small arms fire, combined with focused artillery barrages, making it clear that the Japanese would be attacking Hill 700. By noon, the regiment's last patrol had come in and the American forces began to return artillery fire. Once the Japanese had advanced to a point too near for further American artillery fire, Japanese soldiers began scrambling uphill, setting off warning devices and booby traps. Fighting darkness worsened by fog and rain, the regiment was aided by artificial illumination fashioned by Staff Sergeant Otis Hawkins. When Japanese soldiers approached barbed wire obstacles, SSgt. Hawkins ordered wires pulled which ignited phosphorus grenades in gallon buckets of oil, providing illumination around the perimeter. While points on the perimeter were illuminated, SSgt. Hawkins was able to direct over 600 rounds of 60 mm mortar fire and many other soldiers were able to fire on the advancing Japanese. While the Japanese had gained a small foothold during the night and managed to harass one observation post, another observation post was overrun at great cost. Four 145th Infantry soldiers manning one mortar observation post repelled several Japanese assaults with rifles, grenades, knives, and fists until all four were killed, with twelve Japanese bodies found inside their pillbox and hundreds more in the immediate area. By the morning of 9 March, the Japanese had penetrated the American lines 50 yards deep and 70 yards wide. Forward observers, directing accurate artillery and mortar fire at dangerously close distances repelled a fresh Japanese assault. By noon on 9 April, elements of the 1st and 2nd battalions, 145th Infantry, counterattacked but by 10 pm, only a few pillboxes had been regained and the Japanese still held their foothold on Hill 700. The next morning, an American 90 mm antiaircraft gun and bombers had been brought to bear on Japanese positions on the hill, coordinated with marking artillery fire. By 5 pm on the 10th, 1st and 2nd battalions mounted another counterattack and recovered all but four pillboxes from the Japanese. At dawn on 11 March, the Japanese charged the hill brandishing sabers and screaming epithets, despite withering American machinegun and small arms fire. It was during this charge that 1st Lt. Clinton S. McLaughlin, commander of Company G, 145th Infantry, and Staff Sgt. John H. Kunkel moved from pillbox to pillbox to encourage their men and break the Japanese attack. 1st Lt. McLaughlin was wounded several times and knowingly occupied outflanked emplacements, but he and SSgt. Kunkel were credited with killing over 185 Japanese soldiers and were both later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. That afternoon, after three days of continuous combat 2nd Battalion, 148th Infantry arrived to join the 145th Infantry in regaining lost portions of the hill. Companies E, F, G, and H, 148th Infantry Regiment began operations to prevent further Japanese penetration and regain ground already taken by the Japanese. Over the next two days, 148th Infantry soldiers fought aggressively, using every weapon in their inventory – from bazookas to flamethrowers – to defeat the Japanese and regain the Hill for the Americans. By 4 pm on 12 March, the two Ohio infantry units had killed or routed the Japanese and American lines were restored. According to one history of the battle, "Captured apaneseprisoners claimed that the four days of fighting had resulted in the virtual annihilation of the 2nd and 3rd battalions of the Japanese 23rd Infantry and the 13th Infantry, which had been pitted against this thin, narrow front of the 37th Infantry Division." The cooperation of the two Ohio infantry regiments lead to the successful defense of Hill 700 and the entire allied air installation at Empress Augusta Bay. The regiment remained on Bougainville until December 1944, when it would prepare for the invasion of Luzon and the liberation of
Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
.


Luzon Campaign

During the Luzon Campaign in early 1945, the 145th Infantry participated in the invasion of the island of Luzon and the approach march to the Philippine capital of Manila. The assault on Luzon commenced on the morning of 9 January 1945. In the first few days, over 175,000 troops landed on the twenty-mile beachhead.
Despite strong Japanese opposition, by 31 January, the 145th and 148th Infantry Regiments took Clark Field on Luzon. By 4 February, the 37th Infantry Division and the 1st Cavalry Division had encircled and begun to enter Manila from the north. The 37th Infantry Division moved south along the coast of Manila Bay, with the 1st Cavalry Division moving south to the east of the 37th. The Battle of Manila provided some of the worst urban combat of the entire Pacific theater. On 8 February, elements of the 37th Infantry Division crossed south over the
Pasig River The Pasig River ( fil, Ilog Pasig) is a water body in the Philippines that connects Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay. Stretching for , it bisects the Philippine capital of Manila and its surrounding urban area into northern and southern halves. Its ...
, a major obstacle dividing Manila. Both Provisor Island, a small industrial island in the middle of the Pasig River, and the Paco railway station were scenes of intense fighting for the 37th Infantry Division. The
Paco railway station Paco station is a railway station located on the South Main Line in the city of Manila, Philippines. It was originally opened by the Manila Railroad Company in 1908 as a major hub in the southern half of Manila, where trains toward Cavite provin ...
itself took ten assaults before it was taken by the Americans. Provisor Island and the Paco station on 9 and 10 February accounted for 45 killed and 307 wounded in the 37th Infantry Division. On 17 February, the 145th Infantry relieved the 129th Infantry Regiment on the eighth day of the 129th Infantry's siege of the New Police Station. By 20 February, the police station was taken, and the 145th Infantry and armored support conducted repeated grueling combined arms assaults of Japanese strong points until 23 February when allied forces converged on the Japanese walled, old-city stronghold of
Intramuros Intramuros (Latin for "inside the walls") is the historic walled area within the city of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. It is administered by the Intramuros Administration with the help of the city government of Manila. Present-day ...
. The regiment stormed Intramuros through the Quezon and Parian Gates, and by 10:30 am had secured an area of several blocks inside the city from the gate. Their progress became slowed by a flood of civilian women and children. By the evening of the 23rd, two blocks short of the city walls that were their objective, the regiment had suffered 15 killed and 45 wounded, with approximately 200 enemy killed in the process. The morning of 24 February, the remaining Japanese in the regiment's sector were in the aquarium off the southwest corner of Intramuros. Walled-off and easily defensible, the aquarium was where Company C, 145th Infantry utilize a tunnel as an assault route into the aquarium. According to one history, "The final assault began at 1600
ours One Union of Regional Staff (OURS) was a trade union in the United Kingdom. The union was formed in early 2010 by the merger of the Derbyshire Group Staff Union and the Cheshire Group Staff Union. It organises former Derbyshire Building Soc ...
An hour and a half and 115 dead Japanese later, the 145th Infantry had overcome the last organized resistance within Intramuros." By 3 March, the 37th Infantry Division had secured Manila. The pace of operations slowed while the 37th Infantry Division was temporarily reassigned directly to Sixth U.S. Army for stability and support operations within Manila. The 145th Infantry remained in Manila while the division moved to northwest Luzon and did not rejoin it until 2 June. Taking
Bagabag The name Bagabag may refer to: * Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya, a 3rd class municipality in the province of Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines * Bagabag (Papua New Guinea), an island in the Madang-Province of Papua New Guinea {{geodis ...
on 9 June, the regiment continued to participate in mop-up operations through the end of the Luzon Campaign on 30 June.


Postwar era

Overall, for their fighting in the Northern Solomons and Luzon Campaigns, soldiers in the regiment received twenty-one Distinguished Service Crosses and one Medal of Honor. On 13 December 1945 the regiment returned to the Los Angeles Port of Embarkation and was inactivated at
Camp Anza Camp Anza was a United States Army installation, in what is now Riverside, California, during World War II. Construction began on July 3, 1942, and was completed on February 15, 1943. The camp was named after Juan Bautista de Anza, an early explor ...
, California. Back in northeast Ohio, the 145th Infantry was reorganized and federally recognized on 21 November 1946. A combination of combat veterans and new recruits filled the ranks of the regiment. One recruit in Company C was a young
John Carroll University John Carroll University is a private Jesuit university in University Heights, Ohio. It is primarily an undergraduate, liberal arts institution accompanied by the John M. and Mary Jo Boler College of Business. John Carroll has an enrollment of 3 ...
football player named Don Shula, who would later have one of the finest coaching careers in the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
. On 15 January 1952, Sergeant Shula and the rest of the 145th Infantry again headed south for active service, this time to Camp Polk,
Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
. The
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
was in its second year and the Army again called on the Ohio National Guard. The division led a vigorous basic training of its soldiers and prepared to go to war. By the summer of 1952, it was clear that Washington had no plans to send multiple National Guard divisions on federal service to war as whole units, and began sending individual soldiers to
Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
from the regiment. In January 1954, 145th Infantry units began reorganizing in northeast Ohio armories with the formation being complete for a 15 June ceremony at
Camp Perry Camp Perry is a National Guard training facility located on the shore of Lake Erie in northern Ohio near Port Clinton. In addition to its regular mission as a military training base, Camp Perry also boasts the second largest outdoor rifle range ...
. As the Army sought ways to fight on the modern, atomic battlefield, the 145th Infantry underwent a series of reorganizations from 1959 to 1968, when the 37th Infantry Division cased its colors. By 15 February 1968, only the 1st Battalion, 145th Infantry remained. The non-divisional battalion was headquartered at the old Akron armory in the city's downtown. A move to the new First Sergeant Robert A. Pinn Armory in Stow, Ohio, followed that fall. On 4 May 1970, Company A of the 1st Battalion, 145th Infantry, along with Troop G of the 2d Squadron, 107th Armored Cavalry of the Ohio ARNG participated in the attempted dispersion of a crowd of student protesters at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio (the
Kent State shootings The Kent State shootings, also known as the May 4 massacre and the Kent State massacre,"These would be the first of many probes into what soon became known as the Kent State Massacre. Like the Boston Massacre almost exactly two hundred years bef ...
), firing on the protesters, killing 4 and wounding 9 others. On 1 June 1974 the 1st Battalion, 145th Infantry, was consolidated with the 107th Armored Cavalry, with the nucleus of the former organization becoming the 3rd Squadron, 107th Armored Cavalry. The 107th Armored Cavalry had a long and distinguished history of service, dating back to its organization as three independent cavalry troops in 1877. During World War I, the regiment served as the 135th and 136th Field Artillery Battalions during the Lorraine Campaign. Following the war, it was reorganized as the 107th Cavalry, with headquarters first in Cincinnati, then in Cleveland. During World War II, the regiment was reorganized as the 107th Cavalry Group and the 22nd and 107th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadrons, the latter serving in the
European Theater The European theatre of World War II was one of the two main theatres of combat during World War II. It saw heavy fighting across Europe for almost six years, starting with Germany's invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 and ending with the ...
. Throughout the remainder of the Cold War, the 107th Armored Cavalry trained and prepared for the anticipated armored showdown with the
Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army ( Russian: Рабо́че-крестья́нская Кра́сная армия),) often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and, afte ...
in Europe. Through its training, it gained a reputation as one of the premiere Armored Cavalry Regiments in the army's inventory. However, as communism fell and coalition forces quickly disposed of the Iraqi Army during the
Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...
, the need for heavy, armored formations faded away. In September 1993, the 107th Armored Cavalry reorganized as a single tank battalion under the 107th Cavalry designation. The 1st Battalion, 107th Cavalry, was originally assigned to the 28th Infantry Division ("Keystone") of the
Pennsylvania Army National Guard The Pennsylvania Army National Guard, abbreviated PAARNG, is part of the United States Army National Guard and is based in the U.S. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Together with the Pennsylvania Air National Guard, it is directed by the Pennsylvan ...
, before switching to the 38th Infantry Division ("Cyclone") in
Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
in 1994. Also in 1994, the 2nd Squadron, 107th Cavalry, then a divisional cavalry squadron, was reorganized in southwest Ohio from elements of the 372nd Engineer Battalion.


Global War on Terrorism to present

Since the beginning of the
Global War on Terrorism The war on terror, officially the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), is an ongoing international counterterrorism military campaign initiated by the United States following the September 11 attacks. The main targets of the campaign are militant ...
, soldiers and units now comprising the 1st Battalion, 145th Armored Regiment, have been active in many domestic and expeditionary federal missions. In October 2003, B and C Companies, and elements of Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) and Company A, of the 1st Battalion, 107th Cavalry were activated at their home stations and traveled to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and Fort Stewart, Georgia, for five months of mobilization training. There they were then attached to the 1st Battalion, 150th Armor (West Virginia Army National Guard), the 1st Battalion, 252nd Armor (North Carolina Army National Guard), and Troop E, 196th Cavalry (North Carolina Army National Guard) respectively, for deployment to Operation Iraqi Freedom II with North Carolina's 30th Brigade Combat Team under the 1st Infantry Division. These elements of the 1st Battalion operated in Iraq from February to December 2004, serving in Kirkush, Tuz Khurmatu, Jalawla, and Baghdad. They participated in the Transition of Iraq and Iraqi Governance campaigns and returned home in late December 2004. As the U.S. Army conducted its largest organizational transformation since World War II, the 1st Battalion, along with a company from the ''1st Battalion, 148th Infantry'', as well as a company from the ''112th Engineer Battalion'', were chosen to form a new combined arms battalion within the
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division The 28th Infantry Division ("Keystone") is a unit of the Army National Guard and is the oldest division-sized unit in the Department of Defense. Some of the units of the division can trace their lineage to Benjamin Franklin's battalion, The Pen ...
. A change in designation was required and the unit uncased the new colors of the ''1st Battalion, 145th Armored Regiment'', effective 1 September 2007. In January 2019, the 1st Battalion 145th Armored Regiment was removed from the '' 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team'' and attached to the ''
30th Armored Brigade Combat Team The 30th Armored Brigade Combat Team (30th ABCT or "Old Hickory") 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 ...
'' for deployment to the
middle east The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Province), East Thrace (Europ ...
in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.


Campaigns, decorations, Medal of Honor


Campaigns

The lineage and honors of a National Guard unit will often reflect campaigns and honors won by units which hail from a certain area, regardless of whether or not the unit's role or numerical designation remains the same. This is true of the 145th, as its campaign participation credit reflects its consolidation with the
107th Cavalry 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 Infan ...
in the three Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater campaigns listed below. * Campaign participation credit ** Civil War (Union Service) – Antietam ** Civil War (Union Service) – Virginia 1862 ** Civil War (Union Service) – Chancellorsville 1863 ** Civil War (Union Service) – Gettysburg 1863 ** Civil War (Union Service) – Chattanooga 1863 ** Civil War (Union Service) – Georgia 1864 ** War with Spain – Santiago ** World War I – Ypres-Lys 1918 ** World War I – Lorraine 1918 ** World War I – Meuse-Argonne 1918 ** World War II – Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater – Central Europe ** World War II – Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater – Northern France ** World War II – Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater – Rhineland ** World War II – Asiatic-Pacific Theater – Northern Solomons ** World War II – Asiatic-Pacific Theater – Luzon (Arrowhead Device) ** Global War on Terrorism Campaign (9 November 2008 to 14 September 2009) ** Global War on Terrorism- Operation Enduring Freedom (2019-2020)


Decorations

**
Philippine Presidential Unit Citation The Philippine Presidential Unit citation BadgeThe AFP Adjutant General, ''Awards and Decorations Handbook'', 1997, OTAG, p. 65. is a unit decoration of the Republic of the Philippines. It has been awarded to certain units of the United States mi ...
(17 October 1944 to 4 July 1945)


Medal of Honor recipients

* Private First Class
Frank J. Petrarca Frank Joseph Petrarca (July 31, 1918 – July 31, 1943) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II. Biography Petrarca joined the Army ...
** Place of Entry into Active Duty: Cleveland, Ohio ** Unit of Assignment: Medical Detachment, 145th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division ** Summary: Awarded the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty between 27–31 July 1943 on New Georgia, Solomon Islands.


Notable members

* Sergeant Donald F. "Don" Shula ** Place of Entry into Active Duty: Cleveland, Ohio ** Period of Service: January–November 1952 (
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
era) ** Unit of Assignment: 145th Infantry Regiment ** Summary: Famed coach of the
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...
, the team he led to two Super Bowl victories, and to the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
's only
perfect season A perfect season is a sports season, including any requisite playoff portion, in which a team remains and finishes undefeated and untied. The feat is extremely rare at the professional level of any team sport, and has occurred more commonly at the ...
. Shula was named 1993
Sportsman of the Year Since its inception in 1954, ''Sports Illustrated'' has annually presented the Sportsman of the Year award to "the athlete or team whose performance that year most embodies the spirit of sportsmanship and achievement." Both Americans and non-Amer ...
by ''
Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twi ...
''. He currently holds the NFL record for most career wins with 347. Shula only had two losing seasons (below .500) in his 32-year career.


Leaders

Following is a list of commanders of the units which carry the lineage and honors of today's 1st Battalion, 145th Armored Regiment. As illustrated, the unit repeatedly transformed after World War II to conform to the Army's
pentomic Pentomic (cf. ''Greek pent(e)-'' +''-tome'' "of five parts") was a structure for infantry and airborne divisions adopted by the US Army between 1957 and 1963, in response to the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons, on future battlefields. ...
division concept, and later to the ROAD (Reorganization Objective Army Divisions) concept. When commanders of multiple battalions or battle groups are listed with overlapping periods of command, it is because those units all carry the lineage and honors of the 1st Battalion, 145th Armored Regiment.


Commanders


Command Sergeants Major


Notes


External links


Bibliography of Ohio Army National Guard History
compiled by the
United States Army Center of Military History The United States Army Center of Military History (CMH) is a directorate within the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command. The Institute of Heraldry remains within the Office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Ar ...

Ohio National Guard homepage

U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry page for 145th Armored Regiment, Ohio Army National Guard
{{US Army navbox
145 145 may refer to: *145 (number), a natural number *AD 145, a year in the 2nd century AD *145 BC, a year in the 2nd century BC *145 (dinghy), a two-person intermediate sailing dinghy *145 (South) Brigade *145 (New Jersey bus) 145 may refer to: *14 ...
Military units and formations in Ohio Military units and formations established in 2007 Ohio Army National Guard
145 145 may refer to: *145 (number), a natural number *AD 145, a year in the 2nd century AD *145 BC, a year in the 2nd century BC *145 (dinghy), a two-person intermediate sailing dinghy *145 (South) Brigade *145 (New Jersey bus) 145 may refer to: *14 ...
Armor 145
145 145 may refer to: *145 (number), a natural number *AD 145, a year in the 2nd century AD *145 BC, a year in the 2nd century BC *145 (dinghy), a two-person intermediate sailing dinghy *145 (South) Brigade *145 (New Jersey bus) 145 may refer to: *14 ...
2007 establishments in Ohio