The 329th Infantry Regiment is a unit of the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...

. During

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 ...

and

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. It was part of the 83rd Infantry Division.

World War II

During World War II, Lt. Sam Magill facilitated the mass surrender of 20,000 German troops on the banks of the

Loire River The Loire (, also ; ; oc, Léger, ; la, Liger) is the longest river in France and the 171st longest in the world. With a length of , it drains , more than a fifth of France's land, while its average discharge is only half that of the Rhône ...

on 17 September 1944. Brigadier General

John Mauldin John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

was the regimental surgeon during World War II. He took more than 400 photographs between the time the unit landed in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

eight days after D-Day until Germany was liberated in 1945. General George Patton reviewed the 329th and concluded "That’s the finest body of soldiers I have ever seen in the field." The 329th Infantry Regiment was the closest US unit to Berlin at the end of World War II, being ordered to stop some 30 miles short of the city.

Lineage

Constituted 5 August 1917 in the

National Army (USA) The history of the United States Army began in 1775. From its formation, the United States Army has been the primary land based part of the United States Armed Forces. The Army's main responsibility has been in fighting land battles and military ...

as the 329th Infantry and assigned to the 83rd Division Organized 30 August 1917 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 one of the dead ...

Demobilized 15 February 1919 at Camp Sherman, Ohio Reconstituted 24 June 1921 in the Organized Reserves as the 329th Infantry and assigned to the 83rd Division (later redesignated as the 83rd Infantry Division) Organized in December 1921 with headquarters at Dayton, Ohio Ordered into active military service 15 August 1942 and reorganized at

Camp Atterbury Camp Atterbury-Muscatatuck is a federally-owned military post, licensed to and operated by the Indiana National Guard, located in south-central Indiana, west of Edinburgh, Indiana and U.S. Route 31. The camp's mission is to provide full logis ...

, Indiana Inactivated 6 April 1946 at

Camp Kilmer Located in Central New Jersey, Camp Kilmer is a former United States Army camp that was activated in June 1942 as a staging area and part of an installation of the New York Port of Embarkation. The camp was organized as part of the Army Service ...

, New Jersey Activated 1 October 1946 with headquarters at Indianapolis, Indiana (Organized Reserves redesignated 25 March 1948 as the Organized Reserve Corps; redesignated 9 July 1952 as the Army Reserve) Relieved 1 March 1952 from assignment to the 83d Infantry Division and assigned to the

70th Infantry Division (United States) The 70th Infantry Division ("Trailblazers") was a unit of the United States Army in World War II, spearheading the Seventh United States Army's drive into Germany, south of Saarbrücken. Activated at Camp Adair, Oregon, in 1943, the 70th Divisi ...

Reorganized and redesignated 1 May 1959 as the 329th Regiment, an element of the 70th Division (Training), with headquarters at Detroit, Michigan (Location of headquarters changed 7 April 1966 to Fraser, Michigan) Reorganized 31 January 1968 to consist of the 1st and 3d Battalions, elements of the 70th Division (Training) Reorganized 1 September 1971 to consist of the 1st, 2d, and 3d Battalions, elements of the 70th Division (Training) Reorganized 1 October 1994 to consist of the 1st, 2d, and 3d Battalions, elements of the 70th Division (Institutional Training) Reorganized 13 January 1995 to consist of the 1st and 2d Battalions, elements of the 70th Division (Institutional Training) Reorganized 16 October - 16 November 1996 to consist of the 1st and 2d Battalions, elements of the 84th Division (Institutional Training) Reorganized 1 October 2004 to consist of the 1st and 2d Battalions, elements of the 100th Division (Institutional Training) Restructured on 15 January 2014 to be an Observer Controller/Trainer battalion under the 2nd Operations brigade under the 86th Training Division and the 84th Training Command

Distinctive unit insignia

* Description A Gold color metal and enamel device in height consisting of a shield blazoned: Argent, on a pile Sable a fleur-de-lis Or. Attached around the bottom and sides of the shield a Gold scroll inscribed "NOUS GARDONS" in Black letters. * Symbolism White is the old Infantry color; the black pile is the background of the shoulder sleeve insignia of the 83d Division and the gold fleur-de-lis indicates the organization’s service in France. The motto translates to "We Guard." * Background The distinctive unit insignia was originally approved for the 329th Infantry Regiment on 7 May 1927. It was redesignated for the 329th Regiment on 22 August 1960.

Coat of arms

*Blazon ** Shield- Argent, on a pile Sable a fleur-de-lis Or. ** Crest- That for the regiments and separate battalions of the Army Reserve: On a wreath of the colors Argent and Sable the Lexington Minute Man Proper. The statue of the Minute Man, Captain John Parker (H.H. Kitson, sculptor), stands on the Common in Lexington, Massachusetts. ** Motto NOUS GARDONS (We Guard). * Symbolism ** Shield- White is the old Infantry color; the black pile is the background of the shoulder sleeve insignia of the 83d Division and the gold fleur-de-lis indicates the organization’s service in France. ** Crest- The crest is that of the United States Army Reserve. * Background- The coat of arms was originally approved for the 329th Infantry Regiment on 27 June 1925. It was redesignated for the 329th Regiment on 22 August 1960.

Current configuration

* 1st Battalion 329th Infantry Regiment (United States) (Training) * 2nd Battalion 329th Infantry Regiment (United States) * 3rd Battalion 329th Infantry Regiment (United States) * 4th Battalion 329th Infantry Regiment (United States)

Campaign participation credit

* World War I: Streamer without inscription * World War II: Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe

Decorations

*2d Battalion entitled to: Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for GURZENICH

References

{{Reflist * Historical register and dictionary of the United States Army, from ..., Volume 1 By Francis Bernard Heitma

* Official U. S. bulletin, Volume 1 By United States (1917). Committee on Public Informatio

* Encyclopedia of United States Army insignia and uniforms By William K. Emerson (page 51

External links

* http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/inf/default.htm * http://www.history.army.mil/html/forcestruc/lineages/branches/div/default.htm * https://web.archive.org/web/20110911191248/http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/UniformedServices/crossed_musket.aspx
New Infantry Training Brigade battalion starts training
Infantry regiments of the United States Army, 329 1917 establishments in Ohio