38th Infantry Regiment
Coat of arms of the 38th Infantry Regiment
Active1917-present
Country United States
Branch United States Army
TypeInfantry
Nickname(s)Rock of the Marne (special designation) [1]
EngagementsWorld War I
World War II
Korean War
Iraq War
War in Afghanistan
Commanders
Battalion CommanderLTC Timothy W. Chess
Command Sergeant MajorCSM Tyler V. Arnold
Notable
commanders		Henry C. Merriam
Ulysses G. McAlexander
Olinto M. Barsanti
Insignia
Distinctive unit insignia

The 38th Infantry Regiment ("Rock of the Marne")[1] is a United States Army infantry regiment.

First & Second 38th Infantry Regiments

The first 38th United States Colored Infantry Regiment served from January 23, 1864 to January 25, 1867.

The second 38th Infantry was first established on 28 July 1866, as part of the Regular Army, one of six segregated, all-black regiments created following the Civil War. It was organized on 1 October of that year at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, and was stationed in New Mexico Territory and along the transcontinental railroads then under construction. Cathay Williams, the first recorded African-American female to serve in the U.S. Army, served with the 38th during this time, disguised as a male. On 15 March 1869, the 38th was consolidated with the 41st Infantry Regiment and redesignated as the 24th Infantry Regiment.

Current 38th Infantry Regiment

  • Constituted 15 May 1917 in the Regular Army as Company A, 38th Infantry
  • Organized 1 June 1917 at Syracuse, New York
  • Assigned 1 October 1917 to the 3rd Division
  • 15 July 1918 During Second Battle of the Marne earned the nickname Rock of the Marne
  • Assigned to Fort Douglas, Utah, 5 June 1922 to Summer 1940.[2]
  • Relieved 16 October 1939 from assignment to the 3d Division and assigned to the 2d Division (later redesignated as the 2d Infantry Division)
  • Redesignated 8 November 1957 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battle Group, 38th Infantry, and relieved from assignment to the 2d Infantry Division
  • Inactivated 4 March 1958
  • Organic elements constituted 26 January 1962
  • Battle Group assigned 19 February 1962 to the 2d Infantry Division and activated at Fort Benning, Georgia
  • Reorganized and redesigned 10 May 1963 as the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry
  • By 1972, the 1st Battalion was assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade at Camp Hovey, South Korea.
  • Inactivated 16 December 1986 in South Korea and relieved from assignment to the 2d Infantry Division
  • Headquarters transferred 28 August 1987 to the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command and activated at Fort Benning, Georgia
  • Battalion redesignated 1 October 2005 as the 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Regiment
  • Headquarters inactivated 27 April 2006 at Fort Benning, Georgia, and withdrawn from the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command
  • Battalion assigned 1 June 2006 to the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 2d Infantry Division, and activated at Fort Lewis, Washington and Battalion inactivated 16 March 2014
  • Battalion assigned 17 March 2014 to the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, and activated at Fort Carson, Colorado

Korean War

Five members of the 38th Infantry were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions in the Korean War:

  • First Lieutenant Frederick F. Henry, Company F, for actions on 1 September 1950
  • Sergeant First Class Tony K. Burris, Company L, for actions on 8–9 October 1951
  • Sergeant Charles R. Long, Company M, for actions on 12 February 1951
  • Corporal Ronald E. Rosser, Heavy Mortar Company, for actions on 12 January 1952
  • Private Miguel Vera, Company F, for actions on 21 September 1952

Campaign participation credit

During Second Battle of the Marne, 38th Infantry Regiment repelled the German attack near Mézy, France, across the Marne River in July 1918. This defense checked the Germans' assault and made an Allied offensive possible, thus earning 3rd Infantry Division's nickname "Rock of the Marne".
  • World War I : Aisne; Champagne-Marne; Aisne-Marne; St. Mihiel; Meuse-Argonne; Champagne 1918
  • World War II: Normandy; Northern France; Rhineland; Ardennes-Alsace; Central Europe
  • Korean War: UN Defensive; UN Offensive; CCF Intervention; First UN Counteroffensive; CCF Spring Offensive; UN Summer-Fall Offensive; Second Korean Winter; Korea, Summer-Fall 1952; Third Korean Winter; Korea, Summer 1953
  • Operation Iraqi Freedom : OIF V, Served in Baghdad and Baqouba
  • Operation Iraqi Freedom : OIF VII, Abu Ghraib
  • Operation Enduring Freedom: OEF '12-'13, Panjwai Valley
  • Operation Freedom Sentinel:OFS 2018-2019
  • Operation Inherent Resolve:OIR 2021-2022

Decorations

General Joseph Dickman pins the french Croix de Guerre to the 38th flag in 1919
  • French Croix de Guerre with Palm, World War I for MARNE RIVER
  • French Croix de Guerre with Silver-Gilt Star, World War II for BREST
  • Belgian Fourragere 1940
  • Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action in the Ardennes
  • Cited in the Order of the Day of the Belgian Army for action at Elsenborn Crest

Unit Decorations

Ribbon Award Year Notes
Presidential Unit Citation (United States) (Army) 08/22/1944–08/23/1944 for service for HILL 154, BREST
Presidential Unit Citation (United States) (Army) 12/10/1944–12/20/1944 for service for KRINKELT
Presidential Unit Citation (United States) (Army) 05/16/1951–06/02/1951 for service for HONGCHON
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation (Army) 1950 for service for NAKTON RIVER LINE
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation (Army) 1950–1952 for service in Korea
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation (Army) 1950–1953 for service in Korea
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) 4/2007–6/2008 for service in Operation Iraqi Freedom
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) 09/2009–09/2010 for service in Operation Iraqi Freedom
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) 11/24/2012–07/25/2013 for service in Operation Enduring Freedom
Meritorious Unit Commendation (Army) 04/2018–02/2019 For Service in Operation Freedom Sentinel

References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from 1st Battalion, 38th Infantry Lineage and Honors. United States Army Center of Military History.

  1. 1 2 "Special Unit Designations". United States Army Center of Military History. 21 April 2010. Archived from the original on 9 June 2010. Retrieved 24 June 2010.
  2. ↑ "Fort Douglas Chronology". Archived from the original on 27 August 2006. Retrieved 12 May 2008.

4. Co. A 2/38th Infantry Regiment , 2nd Inf. Division was located at Camp BLV AND CAMP WALLY during the years of at least 1968-1970.

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