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The 6th Infantry Regiment ("Regulars") was formed 11 January 1812.
Zachary Taylor Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was an American military leader who served as the 12th president of the United States from 1849 until his death in 1850. Taylor was a career officer in the United States Army, rising to th ...
, later the twelfth President of the United States, was a commander of the unit. The motto, "Regulars, By God!" derives from the
Battle of Chippawa The Battle of Chippawa, also known as the Battle of Chippewa, was a victory for the United States Army in the War of 1812, during its invasion on July 5, 1814, of the British Empire's colony of Upper Canada along the Niagara River. This battle a ...
, in which British Major General
Phineas Riall General Sir Phineas Riall, KCH (15 December 1775 – 10 November 1850) was the British general who succeeded John Vincent as commanding officer of the Niagara Peninsula in Upper Canada during the War of 1812. In 1816, he was appointed Governor ...
noticed that the approaching regiment had on the uniforms of militia, which the British had defeated at Queenston Heights. Instead, the Americans pressed the attack. Riall is believed to have said, "Those are Regulars, By God!", though the only source of this was opposing U.S. General
Winfield Scott Winfield Scott (June 13, 1786May 29, 1866) was an American military commander and political candidate. He served as a general in the United States Army from 1814 to 1861, taking part in the War of 1812, the Mexican–American War, the early s ...
.


Overview

The regiment participated in the
War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
, the
Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...
, the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
, the
Indian Wars The American Indian Wars, also known as the American Frontier Wars, and the Indian Wars, were fought by European governments and colonists in North America, and later by the United States and Canadian governments and American and Canadian settle ...
(1823-1879), 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 = (clock ...
,
Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
(1899–1913), the
Pancho Villa Expedition The Pancho Villa Expedition—now known officially in the United States as the Mexican Expedition, but originally referred to as the "Punitive Expedition, U.S. Army"—was a military operation conducted by the United States Army against the p ...
(1916–1917),
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 ...
,
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 ...
, and the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
. Elements of the 6th Infantry were also part of
IFOR The Implementation Force (IFOR) was a NATO-led multinational peace enforcement force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one-year mandate from 20 December 1995 to 20 December 1996 under the codename ''Operation Joint Endeavour''. Background NATO ...
,
Task Force Eagle The Implementation Force (IFOR) was a NATO-led multinational peace enforcement force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one-year mandate from 20 December 1995 to 20 December 1996 under the codename ''Operation Joint Endeavour''. Background NATO ...
, which was charged with implementing the military aspects of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
. In September 1989, the 4th Battalion 6th Infantry deployed to Panama, playing a key role in Operation Just Cause. In January 1994, the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry deployed to Macedonia for
Operation Able Sentry Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
as part of the
United Nations Preventive Deployment Force The United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP) was established on 31 March 1995 in Security Council Resolution 983 to replace the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) in the Republic of North Macedonia. The mandate of UNPREDEP r ...
. In May 1998, Company B was deployed again to Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of
Operation Joint Endeavor The Implementation Force (IFOR) was a NATO-led multinational peace enforcement force in Bosnia and Herzegovina under a one-year mandate from 20 December 1995 to 20 December 1996 under the codename ''Operation Joint Endeavour''. Background NATO ...
, Operation Joint Forge (OJE/OJF). In 1999, elements were deployed to Albania for the initial launch of support and liberation of Kosovo. In March 2003, Company C, 2nd Battalion deployed with HQ V Corps to
Kuwait Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
and participated in the initial
invasion of Iraq The 2003 invasion of Iraq was a United States-led invasion of the Ba'athist Iraq, Republic of Iraq and the first stage of the Iraq War. The invasion phase began on 19 March 2003 (air) and 20 March 2003 (ground) and lasted just over one mont ...
. The rest of the 2nd Battalion and 1st Battalion deployed 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 Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
in late April 2003 as part of 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division. The "Regulars" arrived in
Baghdad Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...
in May 2003 and were the first to relieve elements of the 3rd Infantry Division in Baghdad. The 1st and 2nd Battalions deployed again in support of
Operation Iraqi Freedom {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Iraq War {{Nobold, {{lang, ar, حرب العراق (Arabic) {{Nobold, {{lang, ku, شەڕی عێراق (Kurdish languages, Kurdish) , partof = the Iraq conflict (2003–present), I ...
in November 2005 and April 2008. The 4th Battalion, 6th Infantry deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom/New Dawn from May 2009 to May 2010. In August 2011, the 4th Battalion deployed to Al-Asad and FOB Hammer in Iraq in support of Operation New Dawn. They returned in December of that year when the U.S and Iraqi government failed to come to an agreement concerning soldiers diplomatic immunity, making the Regulars one of the last units to withdraw from the Iraq. Two battalions of the 6th Infantry Regiment are currently assigned to the 1st Armored Division; the 1st Battalion with the 2d Brigade Combat Team and the 4th Battalion with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team.


Lineage


Pre-World War I

;Lineage Constituted 11 January 1812 in the Regular Army as the 11th Infantry Regiment. Organized March–May 1812 in
Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
,
New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
, and
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
. Consolidated May–October 1815 with the 25th Infantry (constituted 26 June 1812) and the 27th, 29th, and 37th Infantry (all constituted 29 January 1813) to form the 6th Infantry Regiment. The lineages of the units that made up the 6th Infantry give the regiment campaign credit for the War of 1812. Consolidated 1 May 1869 with the 42d Infantry Regiment,
Veteran Reserve Corps The Veteran Reserve Corps (originally the Invalid Corps) was a military reserve organization created within the Union Army during the American Civil War to allow partially disabled or otherwise infirm soldiers (or former soldiers) to perform lig ...
(constituted 21 September 1866), and consolidated unit designated as the 6th Infantry Regiment. ;Narrative The present 6th United States Infantry traces its lineage back to 11 January 1812, when the Congress authorized a strengthening of the regular Army in preparation for the conflict that became known as the
War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...
. The unit was first known as the 11th Infantry Regiment and served as such on the Upper Canada–US border throughout the War of 1812. In 1831 and 1832, the regiment entered the series of actions to be known as the
Black Hawk War The Black Hawk War was a conflict between the United States and Native Americans led by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis (Fox), and Kickapoos, known as the "British Band", crosse ...
, against the Sac and
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
Indians. On 2 August 1832, the 6th Infantry caught the Indians at the junction of the
Bad Axe River The Bad Axe River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed May 13, 2011 tributary of the Mississippi River in southwestern Wisconsin in the United States. "Bad axe" is a tr ...
with the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...
(in present-day
Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
), and killed most of Black Hawk's band (records say that 950 Sac were massacred), earning the campaign streamer BLACK HAWK. In 1837, the units of the regiment left
Jefferson Barracks The Jefferson Barracks Military Post is located on the Mississippi River at Lemay, Missouri, south of St. Louis. It was an important and active U.S. Army installation from 1826 through 1946. It is the oldest operating U.S. military installation w ...
,
Missouri Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
, for Florida via
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 ...
. As part of a force commanded by Colonel Zachary Taylor, the regiment entered the
Second Seminole War The Second Seminole War, also known as the Florida War, was a conflict from 1835 to 1842 in Florida between the United States and groups collectively known as Seminoles, consisting of Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans and ...
in eastern Florida in 1837. It was the first "guerrilla-style" war fought by US troops. *1848 A Company was sent from
Fort Snelling Fort Snelling is a former military fortification and National Historic Landmark in the U.S. state of Minnesota on the bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers. The military site was initially named Fort Saint Anth ...
to construct Fort Ripley. *In 1850 E Company was sent from Fort Snelling to build and garrison
Fort Dodge Fort Dodge is a city in, and the county seat of, Webster County, Iowa, United States, along the Des Moines River. The population was 24,871 in the 2020 census, a decrease from 25,136 in 2000. Fort Dodge is a major commercial center for North Cen ...
. *In 1853 E Co. deactivated Fort Dodge and went north to assist Companies C and K build
Fort Ridgely Fort Ridgely was a frontier United States Army outpost from 1851 to 1867, built 1853–1854 in Minnesota Territory. The Sioux called it Esa Tonka. It was located overlooking the Minnesota river southwest of Fairfax, Minnesota. Half of the ...
. C *The 6th Infantry Regiment served in the
Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...
, participating in Scott's campaign to Mexico City. They fought in the
Siege of Veracruz The Battle of Veracruz was a 20-day siege of the key Mexican beachhead seaport of Veracruz during the Mexican–American War. Lasting from March 9–29, 1847, it began with the first large-scale amphibious assault conducted by United States ...
, at Cerro Gordo,
Churubusco Churubusco is a neighbourhood of Mexico City. Under the current territorial division of the Mexican Federal District, it is a part of the borough ''(delegación)'' of Coyoacán. It is centred on the former Franciscan monastery ''(ex convento de C ...
,
Molino del Rey Los Pinos (English: ''The Pines'') was the official residence and office of the President of Mexico from 1934 to 2018. Located in the Bosque de Chapultepec (Chapultepec Forest) in central Mexico City, it became the presidential seat in 1934, wh ...
and at
Chapultepec Chapultepec, more commonly called the "Bosque de Chapultepec" (Chapultepec Forest) in Mexico City, is one of the largest city parks in Mexico, measuring in total just over 686 hectares (1,695 acres). Centered on a rock formation called Chapultep ...
. From late 1860 to mid-1861 detachments of Company B from
Fort Humboldt A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
were involved in the
Bald Hills War Bald Hills War (1858–1864) was a war fought by the forces of the California Militia, California Volunteers and soldiers of the U.S. Army against the Chilula, Lassik, Hupa, Mattole, Nongatl, Sinkyone, Tsnungwe, Wailaki, Whilkut and Wi ...
, patrolling and in 1861, skirmishing with the local Indians on Mad and Eel Rivers and their tributaries. At the outset of 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 ...
in April 1861, the regiment was directed to hurry eastward from
Oregon Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
and California and join the Federal forces. According to one biographer of the time, "Several of the Regiment's best and bravest officers, honest in the mistaken construction of the Constitution and true to their convictions as to their duty, had tendered their resignations and given themselves to the Confederate cause." One of those officers was the regimental commander, Major
Lewis Armistead Lewis Addison Armistead (February 18, 1817 – July 5, 1863) was a career United States Army officer who became a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. On July 3, 1863, as part of Pickett's Charge during ...
. During the Civil War, the 6th U.S. Infantry Regiment lost 75 men during service; two officers and 29 enlisted men killed and mortally wounded, and one officer and 43 enlisted men by disease. For six years after the Civil War, the regiment served at various stations in
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...
and
South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...
. *Company G would be at
Fort Buford Fort Buford was a United States Army Post at the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers in Dakota Territory, present day North Dakota, and the site of Sitting Bull's surrender in 1881.Ewers, John C. (1988): "When Sitting Bull Surrendere ...
,
North Dakota North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the Native Americans in the United States, indigenous Dakota people, Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north a ...
1n 1870. *It moved to
Fort Hays Fort Hays, originally named Fort Fletcher, was a United States Army fort near Hays, Kansas. Active from 1865 to 1889 it was an important frontier post during the American Indian Wars of the late 19th century. Reopened as a historical park in 1 ...
,
Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
, in October 1871. The regiment saw duty on the frontier in Kansas,
Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...
,
Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...
,
Wyoming Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...
,
Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyom ...
and
Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
. *In 1872 under Col. William B. Hazen, the regiment was transferred to the
Department of Dakota A subdivision of the Division of the Missouri, the Department of Dakota was established by the United States Army on August 11, 1866, to encompass all military activities and forts within Minnesota, Dakota Territory and Montana Territory. The Depar ...
and based out of
Fort Buford Fort Buford was a United States Army Post at the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers in Dakota Territory, present day North Dakota, and the site of Sitting Bull's surrender in 1881.Ewers, John C. (1988): "When Sitting Bull Surrendere ...
Dakota Territory The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of No ...
, fighting many engagements against hostile Indian forces. *In 1872 B & C Companies built Fort McKeen, North Dakota which was renamed
Fort Abraham Lincoln Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park is a North Dakota state park located south of Mandan, North Dakota, United States. The park is home to the replica Mandan On-A-Slant Indian Village and reconstructed military buildings including the Custer House. ...
. *In 1872 and 1873, the regiment earned campaign streamers NORTH DAKOTA 1872 and NORTH DAKOTA 1873. The next several years saw much action for the regiment during the Indian Wars many of which in
Montana Territory The Territory of Montana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 26, 1864, until November 8, 1889, when it was admitted as the 41st state in the Union as the state of Montana. Original boundaries T ...
, and they were awarded campaign streamers MONTANA 1879, LITTLE BIG HORN, CHEYENNES, and UTES. *In 1880, the regiment moved to
Fort Thomas, Kentucky Fort Thomas is a home rule-class city in Campbell County, Kentucky, United States, on the southern bank of the Ohio River and the site of an 1890 US Army post. The population was 16,325 at the 2010 census, making it the largest city in Campb ...
, where it remained until called to action again in June 1898, in 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 = (clock ...
. On 1 July 1898, the 6th Regiment took the brunt of the fighting during the charge up
San Juan Hill San Juan Hill is a series of hills to the east of Santiago, Cuba, running north to south. The area is known as the San Juan Heights or in Spanish ''Alturas de San Juan'' before Spanish–American War of 1898, and are now part of Lomas de San Jua ...
. The regiment returned to the United States, serving at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, from the end of 1898 until late July 1899, when it sailed to 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 ...
to help quell the insurgents in the
Philippine–American War The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
. The Moro tribe was one of the toughest enemies the 6th had ever faced—every one of them fought to the death, and preferred to do it in hand-to-hand style. The regiment fought over fifty engagements, and it left with campaign streamers for JOLO, NEGROS in 1899, and PANAY in 1900. In March 1905, the regiment returned to the Philippines to fight the
Moros In Greek mythology, Moros /ˈmɔːrɒs/ or Morus /ˈmɔːrəs/ (Ancient Greek: Μόρος means 'doom, fate') is the 'hateful' personified spirit of impending doom, who drives mortals to their deadly fate. It was also said that Moros gave peop ...
again. For three days in 1906, elements of the regiment fought in the
First Battle of Bud Dajo The First Battle of Bud Dajo, also known as the Moro Crater Massacre, was a counterinsurgency action fought by the United States Army against Moros in March 1906, during the Moro Rebellion in the southwestern Philippines. Whether the occupants o ...
, one of the fiercest conflicts of the entire island campaign. The successful ending to the battle broke the Moro strength and ended the fighting in that part of the island. One 6th Infantry soldier received 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 valor. ...
for service in the Philippines: Captain Bernard A. Byrne, 19 July 1899, Bobong, Negros Following service in the Philippines, the 6th returned to the
Presidio of San Francisco The Presidio of San Francisco (originally, El Presidio Real de San Francisco or The Royal Fortress of Saint Francis) is a park and former U.S. Army post on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Francisco, California, and is part o ...
, California. In May 1914, it entered into service on the
Mexican border Mexico shares international borders with three nations: *To the north the United States–Mexico border, which extends for a length of through the states of Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas. *To the south ...
. In March 1916, it proceeded to San Antonio, Chihuahua, as part of the
Punitive Expedition A punitive expedition is a military journey undertaken to punish a political entity or any group of people outside the borders of the punishing state or union. It is usually undertaken in response to perceived disobedient or morally wrong behavio ...
under Brigadier General
John J. Pershing General of the Armies John Joseph Pershing (September 13, 1860 – July 15, 1948), nicknamed "Black Jack", was a senior United States Army officer. He served most famously as the commander of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF) on the Wes ...
. In February 1917, Pershing's force withdrew from Mexico and the regiment moved to
Fort Bliss Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in New Mexico and Texas, with its headquarters in El Paso, Texas. Named in honor of William Wallace Smith Bliss, LTC William Bliss (1815–1853), a mathematics professor who was the son-in-law of President ...
. Because of their action, the regiment was awarded another campaign streamer – MEXICO 1916–1917.


World War I

;Lineage Assigned 18 November 1917 to the 5th Division ;Narrative In December 1917, the 6th Regiment was assigned to the 10th Infantry Brigade, 5th Division, and began training stateside. In the latter part of May 1918, the 6th Infantry Regiment was declared ready for introduction to combat and was placed at the disposal of the French for service at the front. In July 1918, a strategic offensive plan was agreed upon by the
Allied An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
commanders, the immediate purpose of which was to reduce the salients which interfered with further offensive operations. One of these was the
Saint-Mihiel Saint-Mihiel () is a commune in the Meuse department in Grand Est in north-eastern France. Geography Saint-Mihiel lies on the banks of the river Meuse. History A Benedictine abbey was established here in 708 or 709 by Count Wulfoalde and his wif ...
salient. The
First U.S. Army First Army is the oldest and longest-established field army of the United States Army. It served as a theater army, having seen service in both World War I and World War II, and supplied the US army with soldiers and equipment during the Kore ...
was organized on 10 August and directed to launch an offensive on 12 September to reduce this salient. The 6th Regiment was destined to play an important role in this operation. On 1 December 1918 the 6th Regiment conducted a march from
Luxembourg Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small lan ...
to the city of
Trier Trier ( , ; lb, Tréier ), formerly known in English as Trèves ( ;) and Triers (see also names in other languages), is a city on the banks of the Moselle in Germany. It lies in a valley between low vine-covered hills of red sandstone in the ...
, Germany, becoming the first American troops to enter that ancient city.


Inter-war period

;Lineage Relieved in August 1921 from assignment to the 5th Division Assigned 24 March 1923 to the 6th Division Relieved 16 October 1939 from assignment to the 6th Division Reorganized 15 July 1940 as the 6th Infantry Regiment (Armored) and assigned to the 1st Armored Division Redesignated 1 January 1942 as the 6th Armored Infantry Regiment ;Narrative Between World War I and World War II, the regiment returned to the United States, where they continued to train to in various exercises as the Army began to experiment with mechanized and motorized infantry formations. In 1936, they were designated a mechanized unit by the War Department, and they left the 6th Infantry Division to join the 1st Armored Division on 15 July 1940. In February 1941, the regiment was stationed at
Fort Knox Fort Knox is a United States Army installation in Kentucky, south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. It is adjacent to the United States Bullion Depository, which is used to house a large portion of the United States' official gold res ...
, Kentucky, conducting routine training and activities under the command of Col. Harry B. Crea. In April, the regiment began supplying cadre for the 51st Infantry Regiment of the 4th Armored Division, which was to be stationed at
Pine Camp Fort Drum is a U.S. Army military reservation and a census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson County, on the northern border of New York, United States. The population of the CDP portion of the base was 12,955 at the 2010 census. It is home t ...
, New York. In May, the regiment continued to get replacements and conduct routine training. The regiment consisted of a regimental headquarters, an
antitank Anti-tank warfare originated from the need to develop technology and tactics to destroy tanks during World War I. Since the Triple Entente deployed the first tanks in 1916, the German Empire developed the first anti-tank weapons. The first deve ...
company, the regimental band, and two battalions – each with a headquarters company and four line companies. In August, the regiment moved to Louisiana to conduct maneuvers, then returned to Fort Knox in November. The 6th Infantry was pivotal in developing mechanized infantry tactics during their training with the 1st Armored Division, and this training was soon to pay off. A few weeks later, on 7 December 1941, war was declared when the
Empire of Japan The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II 1947 constitution and subsequent fo ...
attacked the US fleet at
Pearl Harbor Pearl Harbor is an American lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. It was often visited by the Naval fleet of the United States, before it was acquired from the Hawaiian Kingdom by the U.S. with the signing of the Re ...
, with
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
and Fascist Italy declaring war on the United States soon after. Soldiers awaiting release were returned to their barracks, knowing that they'd be heading for war.


World War II

The 1st Armored Division was one of the first American units to sail across the
Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
to do battle with the
Axis An axis (plural ''axes'') is an imaginary line around which an object rotates or is symmetrical. Axis may also refer to: Mathematics * Axis of rotation: see rotation around a fixed axis *Axis (mathematics), a designator for a Cartesian-coordinate ...
. Leaving from
Fort Dix, New Jersey Fort Dix, the common name for the Army Support Activity (ASA) located at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, is a United States Army post. It is located south-southeast of Trenton, New Jersey. Fort Dix is under the jurisdiction of the Air Force A ...
on 11 April 1942, the Old Ironsides patch set foot on European soil in
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
on 16 May 1942. Here, they trained with a new intensity as they prepared to go into battle for the first time.


Algeria-French Morocco

On 8 November 1942, almost a full year after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Allied American,
Free French Free France (french: France Libre) was a political entity that claimed to be the legitimate government of France following the dissolution of the Third Republic. Led by French general , Free France was established as a government-in-exile ...
, and
British armies The British Armed Forces, also known as His Majesty's Armed Forces, are the military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests, su ...
launched
Operation Torch Operation Torch (8 November 1942 – Run for Tunis, 16 November 1942) was an Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of French North Africa during the Second World War. Torch was a compromise operation that met the British objective of secu ...
, the seaborne invasion of
French North Africa French North Africa (french: Afrique du Nord française, sometimes abbreviated to ANF) is the term often applied to the territories controlled by France in the North African Maghreb during the colonial era, namely Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. In ...
. The 6th Armored Infantry Regiment was commanded by COL Claud E. Stadtman at this time, and his force was divided into different Combat Commands and Task Forces. 3rd Battalion-6th Infantry (3-6 IN), under the command of LTC George F. Marshall, was assigned to
Operation Reservist Operation Reservist was an Allied military operation during the Second World War. Part of Operation Torch (the Allied invasion of North Africa), it was an attempted landing of troops directly into the harbour at Oran in Algeria. Background The ...
with the mission of sailing directly into the
Oran Oran ( ar, وَهران, Wahrān) is a major coastal city located in the north-west of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria after the capital Algiers, due to its population and commercial, industrial, and cultural ...
harbor and capturing valuable facilities and ships before the
Vichy French Vichy France (french: Régime de Vichy; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was the fascist French state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II. Officially independent, but with half of its terr ...
could mount an effective resistance. The amphibious assault began shortly after 0200, but one landing craft's engine caught fire, alerting the defenders to their presence. They were met with a devastating volley from the French shore defenses which also managed to destroy their
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
escort ships, HMS ''Hartland'' and HMS ''Walney''. Out of 393, 9 officers were killed (including LTC Marshall), 180 enlisted men were killed, and 5 officers and 152 enlisted men were wounded. Only 47 men survived unscathed. For their outstanding courage under fire in their first action of WWII, 3-6 IN was awarded the
Distinguished Unit Citation The Presidential Unit Citation (PUC), originally called the Distinguished Unit Citation, is awarded to units of the uniformed services of the United States, and those of allied countries, for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enem ...
, but ceased to exist as a fighting unit for the time being. Despite this disaster, the other landings of Operation Torch were still scheduled to be underway in the morning, and the vehicles and men of General
Lunsford E. Oliver Major General Lunsford Errett Oliver (March 17, 1889 – October 13, 1978) was a senior United States Army officer, who commanded the 5th Armored Division during World War II. Early life and military career Lunsford Errett Oliver was born on ...
's Task Force Red (TF Red) began landing at Z Beach to the east of Oran in the Gulf of
Arzew Arzew or Arzeu ( ar, أرزيو Berber; ) is a port city in Algeria, 25 miles (40 km) from Oran. It is the capital of Arzew District, Oran Province. History Antiquity Like the rest of North Africa, the site of modern-day Arzew was orig ...
with the mission of seizing the
Tafaraoui airfield Oran Tafaraoui Airport is a joint civil/military airport in Oran Province, Algeria . History During World War II, it was a primary mission objective of the United States Army 34th Infantry Division during the Allied Operation Torch landings on 8 ...
. Attached to this TF was E Company, 2nd Battalion-6th Armored Infantry (2-6 IN) under CPT Donald A. Kersting. 1LT R. H. Leed's 1st Platoon, E/2-6 IN was the advance guard for the Task Force, and they managed to reach the airfield by 1100. Attacking alongside elements of the 1st Battalion- 1st Armored Regiment, LT Leeb's Platoon rolled onto the airfield from the east while 2nd and 3rd PLTs (under LTs J. F. Sullivan and Jesse E. Frank respectively) blocked off approaches from Oran and managed to capture an enemy ammunition train. TF Red's initial objective had been accomplished. To the west of Oran, 1st Battalion-6th Armored Infantry (1-6 IN), under the command of LTC William B. Kern, was assigned to TF Green, and they quickly assaulted and captured Y Beach without opposition. B Company was detached from 1-6 IN and joined 1st Battalion- 13th Armored Regiment in their push to secure La Senia airfield, but the
flying column A flying column is a small, independent, military land unit capable of rapid mobility and usually composed of all arms. It is often an ''ad hoc'' unit, formed during the course of operations. The term is usually, though not necessarily, appli ...
was delayed by French anti-tank guns, forcing TF Green to halt for the day. A platoon from E Co to the east was brought to help secure the airfield on 9 November. On 10 November, TF Red and TF Green converged on Oran. In the initial push into Oran, A Company (under CPT Thomas Hoban), as well as the Battalion cannon platoon for 1-6 IN supported TF Green's attack. Oran was secured by 1215 after French hold-outs and snipers were cleared from the city. At this point, many of the Vichy French soldiers joined the
Free French Free France (french: France Libre) was a political entity that claimed to be the legitimate government of France following the dissolution of the Third Republic. Led by French general , Free France was established as a government-in-exile ...
and the Allied cause, and the Vichy government was dissolved by the
Germans , native_name_lang = de , region1 = , pop1 = 72,650,269 , region2 = , pop2 = 534,000 , region3 = , pop3 = 157,000 3,322,405 , region4 = , pop4 = ...
. The Vichy soldiers fought halfheartedly against an erstwhile enemy they didn't hate, but the 6th Armored Infantry Regiment's next enemy would not be so easy.


Tunisia

After the Vichy French forces were defeated in Algeria, Allied efforts moved east, toward
Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...
. In a series of rapid thrusts beginning on 24 November, elements of the 1st Armored Division and other Allied units began advancing on
Tunis ''Tounsi'' french: Tunisois , population_note = , population_urban = , population_metro = 2658816 , population_density_km2 = , timezone1 = CET , utc_offset1 ...
. Despite early American success, a German-Italian force under General
Wolfgang Fischer __NOTOC__ Wolfgang Fischer (11 December 1888 – 1 February 1943) was an officer in the Wehrmacht of Nazi Germany during World War II. He was killed on 1 February 1943 near Mareth in Tunisia when his staff car drove into a poorly marked Italian ...
counterattacked on 1 December, driving Allied units back. LTC McGinness' 2-6 Infantry arrived in the area that afternoon and began staging for an Allied counterattack. The next day, 2 December, Axis units began harassing Allied lines of communication along the Medjez-el-Bab-
Tebourba Tebourba ( aeb, طبربة ') is a town in Tunisia, located about 20 miles (30 km) from the capital Tunis, former ancient city (Thuburbo Minus) and bishopric, now a Latin Catholic titular see. Thuburbo Minus Historically Thuburbo Minus wa ...
road, so LTC Kern's 1-6 Infantry was sent to destroy them, which they did with the help of C Bty, 27th Armored Field Artillery Battalion. By 4 December, the enemy had retaken the town of Tebourba, and the Allied forces rushed to get into defensive positions after plans for a counterattack were abandoned. 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 6th Armored Infantry formed the main body of this defensive line, supported by elements of the 1st Armored Regiment, 13th Armored Regiment, 27th Field Artillery, and 701st Tank Destroyer Battalion. LTC Kern's 1-6 Infantry, supported by B and C Bty, 27th Artillery, occupied the most exposed position of the Allied line at Djebel el Guessa and Djebel bou Aoukaz. Between these two hill masses, there lies an east–west pass that enemy forces would need to seize if they were to pierce the Allied line. The Battalion was strung out over five miles and the platoons were separated by deep ravines and would have difficulty supporting each other. On the morning of 5 December, a clear cool day, 1-6 IN came under enemy observation and endured heavy mortar and artillery fire, a sign that the enemy was soon to attack. A Co, under CPT Hoban, spotted enemy digging in to the north of Djebel el Guessa, so LTC Kern moved B Co, under CPT Walter Geyer, onto the ridge behind A Co to gain depth in his defense. After a night of continual illumination from flares, the Germans attacked on the morning of 6 December at roughly 0800. A combined attack from
Stuka The Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka (from ''Sturzkampfflugzeug'', "dive bomber") was a German dive bomber and ground-attack aircraft. Designed by Hermann Pohlmann, it first flew in 1935. The Ju 87 made its combat debut in 1937 with the Luftwaffe's Cond ...
dive-bombers, infantry, and tanks hit A Co. Seven ''Panzers'' attacked through a gap in the ridgeline, isolating 3rd Platoon and allowing German infantry to advance up the sheltered ravines. At 0900, another German armored attack twice the size of the first one attacked C Co, under CPT George Miller, from multiple directions. This attack left C Co disorganized and the Germans seemed likely to cut off 1-6 IN's route of escape. Allied armored elements began massing to counterattack on other parts of the line. For hours, 1-6 IN held on to their positions. A Co was temporarily relieved when it pulled in its left flank by using the Battalion machine-gun platoon to pin down enemy infantry. After a counterattack by B Co's
halftracks A half-track is a civilian or military vehicle with regular wheels at the front for steering and continuous tracks at the back to propel the vehicle and carry most of the load. The purpose of this combination is to produce a vehicle with the c ...
, A Co successfully withdrew to the ridge held by B Co. To the south, C Bty, 27th Artillery fired support missions for C Co, 1-6 IN temporarily checking the German advance and allowing CPT Miller's company to reorganize, but at the cost of the destruction of the Battery from German counterfire. Meanwhile, the Battalion Reconnaissance Platoon began seeking a ford in the Medjerda River to bring in armored reinforcements. 1-6 IN's one remaining assault gun fired and maneuvered against the German vehicles, and despite not destroying any of them, the crew delayed their advance long enough to allow arriving reinforcements to cross the river without being fired upon. Finally, E Co, 2-6 IN arrived at 1117 and forded the Medjerda River but were forced to leave all their vehicles behind. The rest of LTC McGinness' Battalion arrived and forced the river at 1228. With the arrival of these fresh infantrymen and some tanks from 2-13 Armor, the Germans temporarily withdrew, allowing LTC Kern to reorganize his exhausted Battalion on the flat terrain behind the armor. The Americans then counterattacked but were severely defeated by German defensive positions and anti-tank guns, leaving many destroyed
M3 Lee The M3 Lee, officially Medium Tank, M3, was an American medium tank used during World War II. The turret was produced in two forms, one for US needs and one modified to British requirements to place the radio next to the commander. In British Co ...
tanks behind, burning under the desert sky. The losses of the day had been severe. A Co and B Co had suffered heavily, and CPT Geyer had been wounded. C Co's Commander, CPT Miller, had been killed, and the company had lost many men and much of its equipment. Despite this, 1st Battalion-6th Armored Infantry Regiment had performed bravely in their defense against superior enemy armored units, and their exploits would go down in 1st Armored Division history.


Italy

They landed in
Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...
on 28 October 1943. The regiment remained there until it was reorganized on 20 July 1944 and its elements were redesignated as elements of the 1st Armored Division as follows: * 6th Armored Infantry Regiment (less 2d and 3d Battalions) as the 6th Armored Infantry Battalion * 2d Battalion as the 11th Armored Infantry Battalion * 3d Battalion as the 14th Armored Infantry Battalion One soldier of the 6th Armored Infantry Regiment and its successor battalions received the Medal of Honor for service during World War II; Private
Nicholas Minue Nicholas Minue (March 13, 1905 – April 28, 1943) was a Ukrainian American and United States Army career veteran who received the Medal of Honor posthumously in World War II. Private Minue with fixed bayonet, singlehandedly assaulted and destroye ...
, Company A, 6th Armored Infantry Regiment, 28 April 1943, near
Medjez el Bab Majaz al Bab ( ar, مجاز الباب), also known as Medjez el Bab, or as Membressa under the Roman Empire, is a town in northern Tunisia. It is located at the intersection of roads GP5 and GP6, in the ''Plaine de la Medjerda''. Commonwealth wa ...
, Tunisia (posthumous) After the war, the above units underwent changes as follows: * 6th Armored Infantry Battalion converted and redesignated 1 May 1946 as the 12th
Constabulary Constabulary may have several definitions: *A civil, non-paramilitary (police) force consisting of police officers called constables. This is the usual definition in the United Kingdom, in which all county police forces once bore the title (and som ...
Squadron; concurrently relieved from assignment to the 1st Armored Division and assigned to the 1st
Constabulary Constabulary may have several definitions: *A civil, non-paramilitary (police) force consisting of police officers called constables. This is the usual definition in the United Kingdom, in which all county police forces once bore the title (and som ...
Regiment. Inactivated 20 September 1947 in Germany. Converted and redesignated 10 October 1950 as the 6th Infantry (less 2d and 3d Battalions) and relieved from assignment to the 1st Constabulary Regiment * 11th Armored Infantry Battalion converted and redesignated 1 May 1946 as the 11th Constabulary Squadron; concurrently relieved from assignment to the 1st Armored Division and assigned to the 1st Constabulary Regiment. Inactivated 20 September 1947 in Germany Converted and redesignated 7 April 1949 as the 11th Armored Infantry Battalion and relieved from assignment the 1st Constabulary Regiment. Redesignated 10 October 1950 as the 2d Battalion, 6th Infantry * 14th Armored Infantry Battalion converted and redesignated 1 May 1946 as the 14th Constabulary Squadron; concurrently relieved from assignment to the 1st Armored Division and assigned to the 15th Constabulary Regiment. Inactivated 20 December 1948 in Germany and relieved from assignment to the 15th Constabulary Regiment; concurrently converted and redesignated as the 14th Armored Infantry Battalion and assigned to the 1st Armored Division Redesignated 10 December 1950 as the 3d Battalion, 6th Infantry, and relieved from assignment to the 1st Armored Division


Post World War II

;Lineage 6th Infantry activated 16 October 1950 in Germany. Reorganized 1 June 1958 as a parent regiment under the
Combat Arms Regimental System The Combat Arms Regimental System (CARS), was the method of assigning unit designations to units of some of the combat arms branches of the United States Army, including Infantry, Special Forces, Field Artillery, and Armor, from 1957 to 1981. A ...
. Withdrawn 16 June 1989 from the Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the
United States 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 ...
. ;Narrative In October 1950 the 6th Infantry was reconstituted as a regular infantry regiment forming the U.S. garrison in
West Berlin West Berlin (german: Berlin (West) or , ) was a political enclave which comprised the western part of Berlin during the years of the Cold War. Although West Berlin was de jure not part of West Germany, lacked any sovereignty, and was under mi ...
, designated as Berlin Command. The existing garrison units, the 16th
Constabulary Constabulary may have several definitions: *A civil, non-paramilitary (police) force consisting of police officers called constables. This is the usual definition in the United Kingdom, in which all county police forces once bore the title (and som ...
Squadron and the 3rd Battalion, 16th Infantry, were reflagged as the 1st and 3rd Battalions, 6th Infantry. The 2nd Battalion was assembled from troops in
West Germany West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
. In 1958 Berlin Command was reorganized as a
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. ...
unit. The 6th Regiment was reorganized as the 2nd and 3rd Battle Groups, 6th Infantry. The 1st Battalion (1st Battle Group) was changed to 1st Armored Rifle Battalion. On 1 December 1961 the occupation forces were designated
Berlin Brigade The Berlin Brigade was a US Army brigade-sized garrison based in West Berlin during the Cold War. After the end of World War II, under the conditions of the Yalta and Potsdam agreements, the Allied forces occupied West Berlin. This occupation las ...
. In 1964, Berlin Brigade was reorganized again. 2nd and 3rd Battle Groups were redesignated 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 6th Infantry, and 4th Battalion was also formed from cadre of the two battle groups.


Vietnam War

On 17 May 1967, the 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry was reorganized as a standard Infantry Battalion and was assigned to the 198th Light Infantry Brigade, in the Americal (23rd Infantry) Division. The 1–6th Infantry was the division's first element ashore, arriving at
Chu Lai Chu Lai is a seaport, urban and industrial area in Núi Thành District, Quảng Nam Province, Vietnam. The city is served by Chu Lai International Airport. It is also the site of the Chu Lai Open Economic Zone (Vietnamese: ''Với Khu Kinh T ...
in October to participate in its thirty-fifth campaign and ninth war. After a brief initial operation south of Duc Pho, the battalion was assigned the mission of securing the installation at Chu Lai. 1–6th Infantry participated in
Task Force Oregon Task Force Oregon, was a United States Army division-sized unit composed of 3 separate infantry brigades, active in Quảng Ngãi and Quảng Tín Provinces, South Vietnam from April to September 1967 when it was redesignated the 23rd Infantry ...
, Task Force Miracle,
Operation Wheeler/Wallowa Operation Wheeler/Wallowa was a U.S. offensive operation during the Vietnam War, launched on 11 September 1967 as two separate operations and concluding in November 1968. Initially named as Operation Wheeler and Wallowa, this was merged in Novemb ...
,
Operation Burlington Trail Operation Burlington Trail was a security operation conducted during the Vietnam War by the U.S. 198th Infantry Brigade in Quảng Nam Province, South Vietnam from 8 April to 11 November 1968. Background In early April 1968, the 198th Infantry ...
, and had the mission of protecting Americal Division Headquarters and Chu Lai Defense Command from enemy ground mortar and rocket attacks. The 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry was awarded the Valorous Unit Citation for its victory at the
Battle of Lo Giang The Battle of Lỗ Giáng was a battle during the Vietnam War. It took place from 8-9 February 1968, when the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN)'s 2nd Division attacked the Đà Nẵng Air Base as part of the Tet Offensive (Tết Mậu Thân). Th ...
, 7–11 February 1968. ''Task Force Miracle'' was formed in February 1968 during the enemy's
Tet Offensive The Tet Offensive was a major escalation and one of the largest military campaigns of the Vietnam War. It was launched on January 30, 1968 by forces of the Viet Cong (VC) and North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) against the forces o ...
when the city of
Da Nang Nang or DanangSee also Danang Dragons ( ; vi, Đà Nẵng, ) is a class-1 municipality and the fifth-largest city in Vietnam by municipal population. It lies on the coast of the East Sea of Vietnam at the mouth of the Hàn River, and is one ...
was threatened by the 60th Main Force
Viet Cong , , war = the Vietnam War , image = FNL Flag.svg , caption = The flag of the Viet Cong, adopted in 1960, is a variation on the flag of North Vietnam. Sometimes the lower stripe was green. , active ...
Battalion. The 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry and 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry assisted the Marines in the fighting. After four days of fierce fighting, the threat to Da Nang was obliterated and the task force was deactivated and returned to the Americal area of operation. During the Vietnam War, the Sixth was awarded streamers – COUNTEROFFENSIVE PHASE III, TET COUNTEROFFENSIVE, COUNTEROFFENSIVE PHASE IV, COUNTEROFFENSIVE PHASE V, COUNTEROFFENSIVE PHASE VI, TET 69 / COUNTEROFFENSIVE, SUMMER-FALL 1969, WINTER-SPRING 1970, SANCTUARY COUNTEROFFENSIVE, COUNTEROFFENSIVE PHASE VII, and CONSOLIDATION I. On 15 February 1969, the battalion was released from the 198th Light Infantry Brigade and assigned to the 23rd Infantry Division, Americal Division.


Cold War

On 13 September 1972 was reassigned to the 1st Armored Division, and was posted at Stork Barracks in
Illesheim Illesheim, founded 1283 AD, is a municipality in the district of Neustadt (Aisch)-Bad Windsheim in Bavaria in Germany. The earliest leader affiliated with Illesheim's foundation was Götz von Berlichingen, known as "the Knight with the Iron Hand." ...
, West Germany. During 1st Armored Division's closing months at Ft. Hood, Texas in 1970-71 prior to the division's assignment to Germany, 5th Battalion, 6th Infantry was the 1st Brigade's mechanized infantry battalion. In 1974, the regiment was split again, this time between Germany and the United States. The 1st Battalion was assigned to the 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division in Illesheim, Germany. The 2nd Battalion was assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division in Erlangen, Germany, a three tank battalion brigade with 2nd Battalion, 6th Infantry as the brigade's mechanized infantry. The three Berlin Brigade battalions were reflagged as the 4th, 5th and 6th Battalions,
502nd Infantry The 502nd Infantry Regiment (502nd IR), previously titled the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment (502nd PIR), is an infantry regiment of the United States Army. The regiment was established shortly after U.S. entry into World War II, and was ass ...
. The 3rd and 4th Battalions were assigned to the 2nd Brigade, 5th Infantry Division at
Fort Polk Fort Polk is a United States Army installation located in Vernon Parish, Louisiana, about 10 miles (15 km) east of Leesville and 30 miles (50 km) north of DeRidder in Beauregard Parish. It was named to honor Leonidas Polk, the first ...
, Louisiana, where elements participated in
Operation Just Cause Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
in Panama in 1989, earning campaign streamer – PANAMA, and the Valorous Unit Award for Panama. In 1989, the unit also received the Army Superior Unit Award. The 5th Battalion was assigned to the 3rd Brigade of the 5th Infantry Division. The 6th Battalion and 7th Battalion were assigned to 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division,
Bamberg Bamberg (, , ; East Franconian: ''Bambärch'') is a town in Upper Franconia, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main. The town dates back to the 9th century, when its name was derived from the nearby ' castle. C ...
, Germany.


Post-Cold War

In 1990, the 6th and 7th Battalions were called on to participate in the regiment's tenth war,
Operation Desert Shield 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, ...
/ Desert Storm. During that war in the Persian Gulf, the regiment earned campaign streamers – DEFENSE OF SAUDI ARABIA, LIBERATION AND DEFENSE OF KUWAIT, and CEASE-FIRE, as well as Valorous Unit Citations for Iraq and Iraq-Kuwait. In 1993, the 5th Infantry Division was deactivated, and the 3rd, 4th and 5th Battalions were re-flagged under the 2nd Armored Division at
Fort Hood Fort Hood is a United States Army post located near Killeen, Texas. Named after Confederate General John Bell Hood, it is located halfway between Austin and Waco, about from each, within the U.S. state of Texas. The post is the headquarters ...
. In early 1990 the 1st Battalion moved from
Illesheim Illesheim, founded 1283 AD, is a municipality in the district of Neustadt (Aisch)-Bad Windsheim in Bavaria in Germany. The earliest leader affiliated with Illesheim's foundation was Götz von Berlichingen, known as "the Knight with the Iron Hand." ...
to
Vilseck Vilseck is a town in the Oberpfalz region of northeastern Bavaria, Germany, situated on the river Vils, a tributary of the Naab river. The town is geographically separate from a nearby large American military base known as the ''Rose Barracks ...
, Germany, as part of 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division. In late 1990, as part of deployments for Desert Storm / Desert Shield, 1st Battalion became a component of the 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division; and the 6th and 7th Battalions were deactivated. The 4th Battalion was then reflagged again as 2/7 Cavalry under the
1st Cavalry Division (United States) The 1st Cavalry Division ("First Team") is a Armored brigade combat team, combined arms division (military), division and is one of the most decorated combat divisions of the United States Army. It is based at Fort Hood, Texas. It was formed ...
.


War on Terrorism

In April 2003, the 1st infantry regiment deployed to Iraq for 17 months. In November 2005, the 1st and 2nd Battalion's 6th Infantry Regiment deployed to Kuwait where they remained assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1AD, and served as part of the regional quick reaction force (QRF) stationed at Camp Buehring, Kuwait. By Spring 2006 the situation in Iraq deteriorated, leading to the call forward of the regional (QRF) in Kuwait. From there, Bravo Company 2-6 IN "Death Dealers" were sent to Ramadi, Iraq (via TQ Air Base) and operationally assigned to Task Force 1-35 Armor, Commanded by LTC Tony Deane. Bravo, 2-6 IN 'Death Dealers' or "Team Dealer" were assigned the hotly contested Al Tamim District of Ramadi's West side. Nearly a city unto itself, Tamim was 25 Sq Miles of mostly AQI controlled city. The Team Dealer Mission was to destroy enemy forces, and recapture territory seized by the enemy (AQI, a precursor to ISIL), while securing the local population helping to rebuilding relationships with local leaders. During that time the Regulars operated out of the four main U.S. bases in the area: Camp Ramadi, Blue Diamond, Corregidor, and COP Dealer. These three bases provided the Regulars a triangle-shaped perimeter from which to launch operations into the center of the city of Ramadi. Instead of a Fallujah-style sweep, the combat outpost style of fighting was used where the Regulars created patrol bases deep inside various neighborhoods of the city form which to stage operations, pull security, and draw contact. The soldiers split their time between operating out of the combat outposts and re-fitting and operating from the main bases. B Company 2-6 IN "Team Dealer" owned and controlled it Battlespace, Ta'meem. The regulars of Team Dealer were never attached to the command of other units. All units planning operations in Ta'mem, including NSW (SEALs) and other SOF or OGA unit always reported to Team Dealer to before planning ops in Tameem. And Team Dealer leadership had command and controlled of all operations in Tameem. Team Dealer respectfully and gratefully partnered with many other tactical units in Ramadi—Enablers such as NSW, Navy SEALs, EOD, Marine Anglico and dog teams. At no point was there a question who was in operational control while on patrol. In fact Team Dealer ran its own separate Tactical Operations Center, separate from that of the Battalion Task Force. Tameem belong to Dealer, because our Soldiers patrolled it every day and expertly knew battlefield and enemy. And it was precisely because Team Dealer brought so much fire power to the fight that we made final operational decisions. ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'' magazine called Ramadi the most dangerous place on the planet at that time. The Regulars served alongside the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry, "Red Currahee," Seal Team Three, and many other units. One Navy SEAL, Michael Monsoor, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for saving the lives of several of his team members during intense fighting in Ramadi. The Regulars were awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation as part of the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Armored Division for their actions in Ramadi. In 2009 the 4th Battalion, assigned to 4th HBCT, 1st Armored Division deployed in support of Operation Iraq Freedom. Following a deployment to Maysan Province the 4th Battalion was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation. In August, 2011 4th Battalion, again with 4th HBCT 1st Armored deployed to Iraq. Alpha, Delta and Headquarters company were assigned to Al Asad airbase. Bravo and Charlie companies were sent to Forward Operating Base Hammer. The battalion returned home in December 2011, one of the last Army ground forces to leave Iraq at the end of Operation New Dawn. Shortly after their return to Fort Bliss, Texas, members of 4th Battalion were advised of an imminent deployment as security forces advise and assist teams (SFAAT) to Afghanistan. The first SFAAT teams deployed in June 2012, only 10 months after their deployment to Iraq.


Honors


Campaign participation credit


Decorations

# Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for ORAN, ALGERIA # Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for MT. PORCHIA #
Valorous Unit Award The Valorous Unit Award (VUA) is the second highest United States Army unit decoration which may be bestowed upon an Army unit after the Presidential Unit Citation (PUC). The VUA is awarded by the United States Army to units of the United State ...
for LO GIANG # Valorous Unit Award for PANAMA # Valorous Unit Award for IRAQ # Valorous Unit Award for IRAQ-KUWAIT #
Army Superior Unit Award The Superior Unit Award is a decoration of the United States Army which is awarded in peacetime to any unit of the Army which displays outstanding meritorious performance of a difficult and challenging mission carried out under extraordinary circum ...
(5-6 INF) Operation Nimrod Dancer for 1989 #
Joint Meritorious Unit Award The Joint Meritorious Unit Award (JMUA) is a US military award that was established on June 4, 1981, by Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger and was implemented by Department of Defense Directive 1348.27 dated July 22, 1982. The Joint Meritori ...
(1–6 INF) (Army) 1994 Macedonia for Operation Able Sentry # Presidential Unit Citation (Army) for Operation Iraqi Freedom #
Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC; pronounced ''muck'') is a mid-level unit award of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Army awards units the Army MUC for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding achievement or s ...
(1-6 INF) OIF 05-06 Army General Orders 2013-56, for the period 7 NOV 2005 – 25 MAY 2006, available at https://www.hrc.army.mil/site/ASSETS/Awards/2014/New2014Awards/2013-56.pdf # Meritorious Unit Commendation (2-6 INF) OIF 05-06 #
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation The Meritorious Unit Commendation (MUC; pronounced ''muck'') is a mid-level unit award of the United States Armed Forces. The U.S. Army awards units the Army MUC for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding achievement or s ...
(1-6 INF) OIF 06 Army General Orders 2014-09, for the period 26 MAY 2006 – 23 OCT 2006, available at https://www.hrc.army.mil/site/ASSETS/Awards/2014/New2014Awards/2014-09.pdf # Naval Meritorious Unit Commendation (A, B 2-6 INF) OIF 06 # Meritorious Unit Commendation (2–6 INF, Company HHC, A, and C) OIF 08-09 # Meritorious Unit Commendation (4–6 INF) OIF 09-10


Notable members

*
2nd Lt. Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
Richard B. Garnett * Battalion Commander. Carter F. Ham * Platoon Sgt. Finnis D. McCleery * Regimental commander
John Frank Morrison Major General John Frank Morrison (December 20, 1857 – October 22, 1932) was a career officer in the United States Army. A veteran of the Spanish–American War, Philippine–American War, Pancho Villa Expedition, and World War I, he attained t ...
* Battalion Commander.
Norman Schwarzkopf Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf Jr. (; August 22, 1934 – December 27, 2012) was a United States Army general. While serving as the commander of United States Central Command, he led all coalition forces in the Gulf War. Born in Trenton, Ne ...


See also

* Grattan Massacre *
List of United States Regular Army Civil War units {{Short description, none The following is a list of the units of the United States Regular Army during the American Civil War. Infantry * 1st Infantry Regiment * 2nd Infantry Regiment *3rd Infantry Regiment * 4th Infantry Regiment * 5th Infantry ...


References

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External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:006 0006 United States Regular Army Civil War units and formations Military units and formations of the United States in the Philippine–American War Military units and formations of the United States in the Spanish–American War American military units and formations of the War of 1812 Military units and formations of the United States in the Indian Wars Mexican Revolution United States Army regiments of World War I Infantry regiments of the United States Army in World War II 006th Infantry Regiment Military units and formations established in 1812 006th Infantry Regiment 1812 establishments in the United States