On 11 March atop LZ Sue, a fire broke out in one of the mortar platoons ammunition bunkers. An imminent disaster was averted by the quick reaction and leadership on the part of the officers and non commissioned officers in the vicinity, Major Howard Hartsfield, battalion executive officer and Captain John McAnaw, S-3 Air, were recommended for the Soldier’s Medal and Bronze Star respectively, for their part in preventing the destruction of the fire base and all its personnel. On the following day, SP/4 Richard Silva, a medic attached to company B was recommended for the Bronze Star with “V” for exposing himself to intense enemy automatic weapons and motor fire while administering to the wounded personnel from the company.
Company A
On 15 January, while conducting combat operations in the general area of LZ Sue, the company came under heavy fire for the first time and suffered one casualty. LT William Lance was hit by small arms fire in the knee and was evacuated for treatment, two days later, in subsequent action; PFC Thomas Rowe was hit in the shoulder by grenade shrapnel and was removed from the field. On the 21st, SP/4 Bobby West became the unit’s first fatality, mortally wounded by sniper fire. For his superior performance with the company, SP/4 West was posthumously promoted to SGT and awarded the Bronze Star.
On 23 February, the company again ran into enemy resistance and took severe casualties. SP/4 Douglas McNabb was fatally wounded from a grenade explosion, while PFC’s Carl Marlo, Dennis Lane and Ronald Krul were evacuated with shrapnel wounds from the same action. SP/4 Mc Nabb was later posthumously presented the Bronze Star for service.
29 February – 113 Combat Infantry Badges and 6 Bronze Stars awarded
March Operation also witnessed combat casualties SP/4 Edward Riley, Herman Tatum and PFC Shuer were injured as a result of a mine explosion. On 28 March SP/4 William Morgan, Owen Harrod (medic) and PFC Jimmy Nettles were wounded and evacuated to the 2nd surgical hospital.
Working out of LZ Sue during the month of April, the company suffered additional casualties. On the 3rd, PFC Skumurski was fatally wounded by a mine and on the 5th PFC Ross was killed while conducting ambush patrol.
Awards in March: SP/4 Craig Slocum – received a Silver Star for gallantry in action while on a night ambush patrol. During the operation an enemy grenade was thrown into the position of Slocum’s comrades, with compete disregard for his own safety, he raced toward the live explosive and threw it back toward the enemy before it had the opportunity to inflict heavy casualty. SP/4 Daniel Brettelle was presented a second Bronze Star for his outstanding courage in aiding several wounded while under constant enemy observation and fire, LTC Adkins presented SGT Richard Junk a Purple Heart for wounds he received.
Global War on Terrorism
On November 12, 2003, the 2nd Battalion deployed to Iraq with the 3rd Brigade (Stryker), 2nd Infantry Division to begin a tour of duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. This was the first deployment of an element of The Old Guard since the Vietnam War. Operating first in the dangerous Sunni Triangle area under command of the 4th Infantry Division, the soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry relieved troops of the 101st Airborne Division in January 2004 in northern Iraq. The 2nd Battalion began redeployment back to the United States in October 2004.[17]
Another historic event occurred on December 15, 2003, when Bravo Company of the 1st Battalion deployed from Fort Myer, Virginia, for duty in the US Central Command area of operations. This was the first deployment of an element of The Old Guard’s 1st Battalion since World War II. Bravo Company, also called Task Force Bravo and Team Battlehard, arrived in the US Central Command area of operations to take up duty in Djibouti on the Horn of Africa on December 17, 2003. The soldiers of The Old Guard served in support of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA) and Operation Enduring Freedom. Based at Camp Lemonnier, their missions in the region included force protection to civil affairs and engineer personnel, engaging in joint operations with other US and regional military forces and constant training to stay prepared. Team Battalehard redeployed back to Ft. Myer in July 2004.[18][19]
In 2007,1st Battalion’s Delta Company was deployed to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti as part of CJTF-HOA, supporting humanitarian missions and local military training in the region.[20]
Charlie Company, 1st Battalion deployed to Camp Taji, Iraq, in 2009 to execute its theater internment support mission.[21]
In December 2011, 2nd Battalion deployed to Kandahar Province in Afghanistan, where they were responsible for providing base security for U.S. Army Special Forces and U.S. Navy SEALs who were engaged in village stability operations.[17]
Medals of Honor
James Fegan
The following 3rd Infantry soldiers have been awarded the Medal of Honor:
Indian Wars
Sergeant James Fegan, Company H, March 1868, Plum Creek, Kansas
Corporal Leander Herron, Company A, 2 September 1868, near Fort Dodge, Kansas
Hospital Steward
Oscar Burkard
Oscar Burkard of the U.S. Army Hospital Corps, attached to the 3d U.S. Infantry, received the Medal of Honor for his actions on 5 October 1898 in the Battle of Sugar Point at Leech Lake, Minnesota.[22][23] It is listed by the U.S. Office of Medical History as the last Medal of Honor awarded in an Indian campaign.[24]
The Old Guard participated in the first battle the U.S. Army fought in during the Indian Wars—the Harmar Campaign in 1790—and also the last battle of the Indian Wars—the Battle of Sugar Point in 1898.
Vietnam War
Corporal Michael Fleming Folland, Company D, 2nd Battalion, 3 July 1969, Long Khanh (posthumous)
Notable members of the regiment[edit]
Major General and President William Henry Harrison
Major General and President Zachary Taylor[25]
Major General Benjamin Bonneville
Major General George W. Getty
Major General Ethan A. Hitchcock
Brigadier General Thomas S. Jesup
Brevet Brigadier General Josiah Harmar
Brevet Brigadier General Henry Leavenworth
Colonel John F. Hamtramck
Colonel Thomas Hunt (soldier)
Colonel Jacob Kingsbury
Brigadier General Zebulon Pike
Captain Merriwether Lewis
Colonel William Whistler
LineageConstituted 3 June 1784 in the Regular Army as the First American Regiment to consist of companies from Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.
Organized August–September 1784 in Pennsylvania and New Jersey (New York and Connecticut companies organized in 1785)
Redesignated 29 September 1789 as the Regiment of Infantry
Redesignated 3 March 1791 as the 1st Infantry Regiment
Redesignated in 1792 as the Infantry of the 1st Sub-Legion
Redesignated 31 October 1796 as the 1st Infantry Regiment
Consolidated May–October 1815 with the 5th Infantry Regiment (constituted 12 April 1808), the 17th Infantry Regiment (constituted 11 January 1812), the 19th Infantry Regiment (constituted 26 June 1812), and the 28th Infantry Regiment (constituted 29 January 1813) to form the 3d Infantry (The 17th and 19th Infantry Regiments had been consolidated with the 26th and 27th Infantry Regiments on 12 May 1814)
Consolidated August–December 1869 with one-half of the 37th Infantry Regiment (see ANNEX) and consolidated unit designated as the 3d Infantry
(2nd and 3rd Battalions inactivated 18 November 1921 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota; activated 8 June 1922 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota)
Assigned 24 March 1923 to the 7th Division
Relieved 15 August 1927 from assignment to the 7th Division and assigned to the 6th Division
Relieved 1 October 1933 from assignment to the 6th Division and assigned to the 7th Division
Relieved 16 October 1939 from assignment to the 7th Division and assigned to the 6th Division
Relieved 10 May 1941 from assignment to the 6th Division
(1st Battalion inactivated 1 June 1941 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; activated 14 February 1942 in Newfoundland)
(2nd Battalion (less Headquarters and Headquarters Company) inactivated 1 September 1942 at Fort Snelling, Minnesota (Headquarters and Headquarters Company concurrently inactivated in Greenland); battalion activated 22 October 1943 at Camp Butner, North Carolina)
Inactivated 20 November 1946 in Germany
Regiment (less 2nd Battalion) activated 6 April 1948 at Fort Myer, Virginia (2nd Battalion concurrently activated at Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.)
Reorganized 1 July 1957 as a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System
Withdrawn 16 January 1986 from the Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System
Redesignated 1 October 2005 as the 3d Infantry Regiment
ANNEX
Constituted 3 May 1861 in the Regular Army as the 3rd Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment.
Organized May 1865 – September 1866 at Fort Wayne, Michigan; Newport Barracks, Kentucky; and Fort Columbus, New York
Reorganized and redesignated 23 November 1866 as the 37th Infantry Regiment.
One-half of the 37th Infantry consolidated August–December 1869 with the 3d Infantry and consolidated unit designated as the 3rd Infantry (remaining half of the 37th Infantry consolidated in June 1869 with the 5th Infantry and consolidated unit designated as the 5th Infantry—hereafter separate lineage)