| 127th Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
127th Infantry Regiment coat of arms |
|
| Active | 25 April 1884 to Present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | Army National Guard |
| Size | Regiment |
| Nickname | First Wisconsin (Special Designation) [1] |
| U.S. Infantry Regiments | |
|---|---|
| Previous | Next |
| 126th Infantry Regiment | 128th Infantry Regiment |
The 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment traces its origins to the 4th Infantry Battalion, Wisconsin National Guard.
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The 4th Infantry Battalion, Wisconsin National Guard, was organized on 25 April 1884 from Milwaukee companies, expanded and redesignated in 1890 as the 4th Infantry Regiment (four companies transferred to 1st Infantry Regiment 28 April 1898).
The four regiments of the Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry in Federal service for the War with Spain were as follows:
They were reorganized on 10 June 1899 as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Infantry Regiments in the Wisconsin National Guard.
The 1st, 2nd, 3rd Infantry Regiments were mustered into Federal service on 30 June 1916 for service on the Mexican Border Service and mustered out at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, on 19 January 1917 (1st Battalion), 28 February 1917 (2nd Battalion), and 14 December 1916 (3rd Battalion).
The regiments were again called into Federal service for World War I on 15 July 1917 and drafted into Federal service on 5 August 1917. They were reorganized and redesignated as the 128th and 127th Infantry on 24 September 1917 at Camp MacArthur, Texas, and assigned to the 32nd Division.
The units were Disbanded at Camp Grant, Illinois, on 18 May 1919 (127th) and 19 May 1919 (128th). The 32d Division demobilized on 23 May 1919 at Camp Custer, Michigan.
The 127th Infantry was reconstituted and was reorganized on 1 April 1921 in the eastern portion of Wisconsin and assigned to 32nd Division. It was inducted into Federal service on 15 October 1940 at Crandon. (The 32nd Division was redesignated on 1 August 1942 as 32nd Infantry Division).
On 26 November 1942, the 127th disembarked at Port Moresby after a period of training in Australia.[2] The 3rd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment now took over on the Urbana front at Buna during the battle of Buna–Gona. Not able to be supported by tanks due to the terrain and swampy land, the fighting was a desperate tree-by-tree, bunker-by-bunker struggle. On 24 December 1942, First Sergeant, Elmer J. Burr was posthumously awarded first Medal of Honor of the campaign by throwing himself onto a grenade and absorbing the explosion protecting his commanding officer.[3] Later the same day Sergeant, Kenneth E. Gruennert was awarded the Medal of Honor for knocking out two enemy bunkers single-handedly, and after being severely wounded in his attack against the first bunker, attacked the second bunker before being killed by a sniper.[4]
It inactivated on 28 February 1946 at Fukuoka, Japan.
It was reorganized and Federally recognized on 18 August 1949 with headquarters in Waukesha, Wisconsin. It was reorganized on 15 February 1959 as the 127th Infantry, a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System. The 127th Infantry consisted of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battle Groups, elements of the 32d Division.
The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battle Groups, 127th Infantry were ordered to active Federal service on 15 October 1961 at Appleton, Oshkosh, and Milwaukee, respectively. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battle Groups, 127th Infantry were released from active Federal service and reverted to State control on 10 August 1962.
The 127th Infantry reorganized on 1 April 1963 to consist of 1st, 2nd, and, 3rd Battalions.