8th Infantry Regiment (United States)

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=8th Infantry Regiment


caption=8th Infantry coat Of arms
country=USA
allegiance=
type=
branch=
dates=July 5, 1838 - Present
specialization=
command_structure=
size=
current_commander=
garrison=
ceremonial_chief=
nickname="Fighting Eagles"
motto="Patriae Fidelitas"
"Loyalty to Country"
colors=
march=
mascot=
battles=Mexican War
American Civil War
World War I
World War II
Vietnam War
Iraq Campaign
notable_commanders=George C. Marshall
James Van Fleet
anniversaries=
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label=Distinctive Unit Insignia
identification_symbol_2=
identification_symbol_2_label=US Regiments
previous=7th Infantry Regiment
next=9th Infantry Regiment

Lineage

Regiment

Constituted 5 July 1838 in the Regular Army as the 8th Infantry

Organized in July 1838 in New York, Vermont, and Michigan

Consolidated in May 1869 with the 33d Infantry (see ANNEX) and consolidated unit designated as the 8th Infantry

Assigned 17 December 1917 to the 8th Division

Relieved 24 March 1923 from assignment to the 8th Division and assigned to the 4th Division (later redesignated as the 4th Infantry Division)

Inactivated 25 February 1946 at Camp Butner, North Carolina

Activated 15 July 1947 at Fort Ord, California

Relieved 1 April 1957 from assignment to the 4th Infantry Division and reorganized as a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System

Withdrawn 1 August 1984 from the Combat Arms Regimental System and reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System

ANNEX

Constituted 3 May 1861 in the Regular Army as the 3d Battalion, 15th Infantry

Organized by March 1864 at Fort Adams, Rhode Island

Reorganized and redesignated 21 September 1866 as the 33d Infantry

Consolidated in May 1869 with the 8th Infantry and consolidated unit designated as the 8th Infantry

1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment

The 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 8th Infantry Regiment was originally organized on 1 July 1838 as a detachment of recruits at Detroit, Michigan. It was designated on 5 July 1838 as Company A, 8th Infantry, and concurrently constituted in the regular Army. It was consolidated in May 1869 with Company A, 33rd Infantry, with the consolidated unit being designated as Company A, 8th Infantry.

The 8th Infantry was assigned on 17 December 1917 to the 8th Division and relieved on 2nd March 1923 from its assignment to the 8th division before being reassigned to the 4th Division (later redesignated as the 4th Infantry Division). It inactivated on 25 February 1946 at Camp Butner, North Carolina.

Reactivation

The unit reactivated on 15 July 1947 at Fort Ord, California. It was reorganized and redesignated on 1 October 1963 as the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry. It inactivated on 10 April 1970 at Fort Lewis, Washington.

2nd Reactivation

It reactivated on 13 September 1972 at Fort Carson, Colorado.

Honors

The regiment has earned a total 48 Campaign Streamers.

Decorations of the "Fighting Eagles" Battalion include three presidential unit citations(4 citations for A Co. and C Co.). The first citation was awarded to the regiment during World War II on June 6th, 1944, for action on the beaches of Normandy. Two other presidential unit citations were awarded to the battalion for actions in Pleiku Province and Dak To district in the Republic of Vietnam. Aco and Cco were awarded another presidential unit citation for Kontum Province in the Republic of Vietnam.

In World War II, the Eight Infantry Regiment was cited twice in the order of the day by the Belgian Army - the first for action in the Belgian Campaign, and later for action in the Ardennes. The Belgian Government subsequently awarded the regiment the Belgian Fourragere.

The First Battalion Eighth Infantry won nine campaign streamers for action in Vietnam from 1966 to 1970, participating in operations Sam Houston, Francis Marion, Don Quin, and Paul Revere III. The Vietnamese Government awarded the battalion the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm and the Civil Action Medal First Class. Alpha and Charlie Companies were awarded a cluster to their presidential unit citations for extraordinary heroism in the Republic of Vietnam. Companies A and C sought out, engaged and decisively defeated an overwhelmingly larger force by deploying small, isolated patrols and conducting company and platoon size reconnaissance-in-force operations. Personal awards are highlighted by the regiments seven Medal of Honor winners. A few of the famous past commanders include former General of the Army George C. Marshall, and General James Van Fleet who led the regiment ashore on D-Day.

2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment

The 2nd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, was originally constituted on July 5, 1838 in the Regular Army as Company B, 8th Infantry, and organized at Detroit, Michigan. It consolidated in May 1869 with Company B, 33d Infantry, with the consolidated unit being designated as Company B, 8th Infantry.

World War I

The 8th Infantry was assigned on 17 December 1917 to the 8th Division and relieved on 24 March 1923 from this assignment to the 8th Division and reassigned to the 4th Division later re-designated as the 4th Infantry Division] . Company B inactivated 25 February 1946 at Camp Butner, North Carolina.

Reactivation

It reactivated on 15 July 1947 at Fort Ord, California, and inactivated on 1 April 1957 at Fort Lewis, Washington, and relieved from assignment to the 4th Infantry Division. Re-designated on 1 August 1957 as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Battle Group, 8th Infantry, it was assigned to the 8th Infantry Division, and activated in Germany (with its organic elements concurrently constituted and activated). It was relieved on 1 January 1959 from assignment to the 8th Infantry Division and reassigned to the U.S. 1st Infantry Division. Reorganized and re-designated on 1 October 1963 as the 2d Battalion, 8th Infantry, it was concurrently relieved from assignment to the 1st Infantry Division and assigned to the U.S. 4th Infantry Division. It inactivated on 13 September 1972 at Fort Carson, Colorado. The unit activated on 1 August 1984 at Fort Carson, Colorado. It inactivated there on 15 December 1989 was relieved from assignment to the 4th Infantry Division. Reassigned on 16 December 1995 to the 2d Armored Division and activated at Fort Hood, Texas, it was relieved on 16 January 1996 from assignment to the 2d Armored Division and reassigned to the 4th Infantry Division.

The 2nd Battalion of the 8th Infantry Regiment, nicknamed "Talons" has been recently relocated to Fort Carson, Co, in the Army's moving around of units to consolidate units by posts. It is also now designated as a Combined Arms Battalion, instead of am Infantry Regiment as it is now Mechanized, incorporating infantry with tanks. 2-8 is presently under the command of Lt. Col. Doug Cardinale, and CSM Richard Joyce.

Notable members

*James Longstreet
*George Pickett
*Adam Goss
*Gabriel Morando
*"Big" Chris Smith