305th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 305th Infantry Regiment was a National Army unit first organized for service in World War I as part of the 77th Infantry Division in Europe. It later served in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Since then it has served as a training Regiment. In 1999, it was withdrawn from the Combat Arms Regimental System and redesignated as a non-branch regiment. The regiment's 1st and 2nd battalions are stationed at Camp Shelby under the command of the 177th Armored Brigade. The regiment's 3rd battalion is inactive.
| 305th Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
 Regimental Coat of Arms | |
| Active | 1917–1919 1921–1946 1946–1965 1999-present |
| Country |  USA |
| Branch | U.S. Army |
| Role | Infantry |
| Size | Regiment |
| Part of | 177th Armored Brigade |
| Garrison/HQ | Camp Shelby, Mississippi |
| Motto(s) | "Second to None" |
| Anniversaries | Constituted 5 August 1917 in the National Army |
| Engagements | Oise-Aisne Meuse-Argonne Champagne 1918 Lorraine 1918 Western Pacific Leyte Ryukyus |
| Decorations | Philippine Presidential Unit Citation Presidential Unit Citation Army Superior Unit Award |
| Battle honours | World War I World War II |
| U.S. Infantry Regiments | ||||
|
History
World War I
The Regiment was constituted 5 August 1917 in the National Army as the 306th Infantry and assigned to the 153rd Infantry Brigade of the 77th Division. Commanded by William Renwick Smedberg Jr., who later commanded the 153rd Brigade,[1] it was organized at Camp Upton, New York on 29 August 1917. The regiment participated in the following campaigns: Oise-Aisne, Meuse-Argonne, Champagne, and Lorraine. The regiment demobilized at Camp Upton on 9 May 1919.[2][3][4]
Between the Wars
The regiment was reconstituted in the Organized Reserves as the 305th Infantry on 24 June 1921 and reassigned to the 77th Division (later redesignated as the 77th Infantry Division) within the II Corps area. It was actually organized in August 1921 with the entire Regiment located in New York, New York. The primary ROTC feeder schools were the College of the City of New York and New York University. The Regimental designated mobilization training station was Camp Jackson, South Carolina.[2]
World War II
Ordered into active military service 25 March 1942 and reorganized at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. The regiment participated in the January 1943 Louisiana Maneuvers. In July 1943, the regiment was organized with 3,256 officers and enlisted men:[5]
- Headquarters & Headquarters Company- 111
- Service Company- 114
- Anti-Tank Company- 165 (M1 gun)
- Cannon Company- 118 (M3 howitzer)
- Medical Detachment- 135
- Infantry Battalion (x3)- 871
- Headquarters & Headquarters Company- 126
- Rifle Company (x3)- 193 (M1 carbine, M1 Garand, M1903 Springfield, M3 submachine gun, M1919 Browning machine gun, M9 Rocket Launcher, M2 mortar)
- Weapons Company- 156 (M1 mortar, M2 machine gun)
The regiment departed San Francisco on 23 March 1944 and arrived in Hawaii on 1 April. The 306th first saw combat during the liberation of Guam in July, 1944. The 306th served in the liberation of the Philippines, arriving on 23 November 1944. The regiment fought on Okinawa from 27 April though 27 June.[6][7]
Post War Service
Activated 17 December 1946 in the Organized Reserves with headquarters in New York City. In May 1959 the regiment was reorganized as a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System to consist of the 1st Battle Group, an element of the 77th Infantry Division under the Pentomic division design.[8] After adoption of the ROAD program,[8] the regiment was reorganized on 26 March 1963 to consist of the 1st and 2d Battalions, subordinate elements of the 77th Infantry Division. The 1st and 2d Battalions were inactivated 30 December 1965 and relieved from assignment to the 77th Infantry Division.[8]
Under the 87th Training Division
The 305th Infantry was withdrawn 17 October 1999 from the Combat Arms Regimental System, redesignated as the 305th Regiment, and reorganized to consist of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd battalions, elements of the 87th Division (Training Support).[9] The 1st, 2nd and 3rd battalions were concurrently allotted to the Regular Army.
Transfer to First Army
On 15 December 2007, the battalions were relieved from their assignment to the 87th Division and reassigned to First Army’s 177th Armored Brigade. In October 2012, 3rd Battalion was inactivated.
Lineage and honors
Campaign participation credit
| Conflict | Streamer | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
World War I  |
Oise-Aisne | 1917 |
| Meuse-Argonne | 1917 | |
| Champagne | 1918 | |
| Lorraine | 1918 | |
World War II   |
Western Pacific | |
| Leyte (with Arrowhead) | 1944 | |
| Ryukyus(with Arrowhead) | 1945 |
Decorations
| Ribbon | Award | Element | Inscription | Orders |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation | Entire Regiment | 17 October 1944 to 4 July 1945 | War Department General Orders |
 |
Presidential Unit Citation | 1st Battalion | Okinawa | War Department General Orders |
 |
Army Superior Unit Award | 1st & 2nd Battalions | 2008-2011 |  Permanent Orders 332-07 announcing award of the Army Superior Unit award |
|
Presidential Unit Citation | 3rd Battalion | Shuri defense line | War Department General Orders |
References
- Davis, Henry Blaine Jr. (1998). Generals in Khaki. Raleigh, NC: Pentland Press. pp. 337–338. ISBN 978-1-5719-7088-6 – via Google Books.
- Clay, Steven E. (2010). US Army Order of Battle 1919-1941 (PDF). Fort Leavenworth, KS: Combat Studies Institute Press, U.S. Army Combined Arms Center. p. 454. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- Historical Division, Dept of the Army (1992). "US Forces in Meuse-Argonne Offensive 29 September – 11 November 1918" (PDF). Fort Leavenworth, KS: U.S. Army Combined Arms Center. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- "Order of Battle (Unit Structure) – American Forces – World War I". www.newrivernotes.com. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- Wilson, John B. (1998). Maneuver and Firepower: The Evolution of Divisions and Separate Brigades | U.S. Army Center of Military History (PDF). U.S. Army Center for Military History. p. 183. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- "Component Elements of the Infantry Divisions in World War II - U.S. Army Center of Military History". history.army.mil. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Army Center for Military History. 1950. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- Stanton, Shelby L. (2006). World War II order of battle, U.S. Army (ground force units). Mechanicsburg, Pa.: Stackpole Books. ISBN 9780811701570.
- Wilson, John B. (1998). Maneuver and Firepower: The Evolution of Divisions and Separate Brigades | U.S. Army Center of Military History (PDF). U.S. Army Center for Military History. p. 270. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- Wilson, John B. (1998). Maneuver and Firepower: The Evolution of Divisions and Separate Brigades | U.S. Army Center of Military History (PDF). U.S. Army Center for Military History. p. 424. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- Bowery, Charles R. Jr. (8 July 2019). "305th Regiment | Lineage and Honors | U.S. Army Center of Military History". history.army.mil. U.S. Army Center for Military History. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
External links
- "1st Battalion 305th Infantry, 177th Armored Brigade". www.first.army.mil/diveast. U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- "2nd Battalion 305th Field Artillery, 177th Armored Brigade". www.first.army.mil/diveast. U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- Tiebout, Frank (1919). History of the 305th Infantry. Retrieved 9 May 2021 – via longwood.k12.ny.us.
- Division, 77th, United States Army Infantry (1947). Ours to Hold it High: The History of the 77th Infantry Division in World War II. Infantry Journal Press. Retrieved 9 May 2021.