| 32nd Infantry Regiment | |
|---|---|
32nd Infantry Regiment coat of arms |
|
| Active | 7 August 1916- |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | Infantry Branch (United States) |
| Type | Infantry |
| Garrison/HQ | 1st Battalion, Fort Drum, New York |
| Motto | "Against All Odds" |
| Engagements | World War II *Attu Island *Kwajalein *Leyte Island *Okinawa Korean War *Battle of Incheon *Battle of Chosin Reservoir Operation Iraqi Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
LTC Kenneth Mintz |
| Notable commanders |
Colin Powell Steven Silvasy Michael Oates Don C. Faith |
| Insignia | |
| Distinctive Unit Insignia | |
| U.S. Infantry Regiments | |
|---|---|
| Previous | Next |
| 31st Infantry Regiment | 33rd Infantry Regiment |
The 32nd Infantry Regiment is a formation of the United States Army.
Contents |
The 32nd Regiment was first organized on 7 August 1916, on Oahu, Hawaii, Hawaii from elements of the 1st and 2nd Infantry Regiments. At its activation, it was known as "The Queen's Own" Regiment, a title bestowed by the last queen of Hawaii, Liliuokalani.
During World War I, units of this regiment were used to escort German prisoners of war being transferred to the United States from Hawaii. On 20 July 1918, the 32nd was transferred to Camp Kearny, San Diego, California, where it became a part of the 32nd Infantry Brigade, 16th Infantry Division. A short time later, many of its men were transferred to the 82nd Infantry Regiment and remained with this organization until it was demobilized in 1919.
The 2nd Battalion was reactivated in October, 1939, by the transfer of men from units of the 7th Infantry Division, and on 1 July 1940, the remainder of the regiment was reactivated as a part of the 7th Infantry Division at Fort Ord, California. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the 32nd was moved into defensive positions along the West Coast.
As the job became apparent, the troops began intensive training as a motorized unit at Camp San Luis Obispo, California. Vast maneuvers were held in the Mojave Desert to prepare the 32nd for participation in the defeat of the German Afrika Korps, led by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. A change in Allied strategy, however, turned the 32nd overnight toward its role in amphibious assaults from the Aleutian Islands to tropical jungle.
Rushed to the Aleutians in the spring of 1943, after the Japanese had landed on Attu Island, the regiment played a major role in retaking American territory. It was here Private Joe P. Martinez, Company I, earned the Medal of Honor. Seeing his unit pinned down by enemy fire, he single handedly charged the enemy emplacement and destroyed it. While rallying the men he was mortally wounded.
For action on the Attu, "E", "I", and "K companies of the 32nd received Distinguished Unit Citations.
After their baptism of fire in the Aleutian campaign, the 32nd sailed to Hawaii for intensive training emphasizing amphibious landings and jungle fighting.
On 1 February 1944, the 32nd assaulted Kwajalein. During the five days, the 32nd, along with the 184th Infantry Regiment, eliminated all the enemy personnel on the island, with the exception of a few battle weary Japanese who surrendered.
The regiment returned to Hawaii on 14 February where it went through additional intensified jungle training for an expected invasion of Yap. Arriving at Eniwetok on 25 September 1944, the orders were changed and the 32nd joined General Douglas MacArthur's forces, spearheading the first landings on Leyte. Fighting in the swamps, tropical jungles, and over rugged mountains, the 7th Division battled over 37 miles (60 kilometers) in 60 days of the bitterest fighting in the Pacific.
The regiment's last campaign of World War II started 1 April 1945 with the landing at Okinawa. During this battle, the 32nd won the nickname Spearhead because of its continuous attacks against the enemy. After only three days of rest, the 32nd embarked for Korea to receive the surrender of the Japanese troops south of the 38th parallel. During its campaigns through the Pacific, the 32nd traveled 16,910 miles - more than any other regiment in any war, up to that time.
During the regiment's occupation stay in Korea, infantrymen obtained a preview of their tour in the Korean War. Units of the 32nd rotated on outpost positions along the 38th Parallel. The troops formed a tight perimeter against southbound guerrilla bands and were assigned the mission of eliminating the wholesale movement of black market goods across the boundary.
In December 1948, the 7th Infantry Division loaded on ships and sailed to Japan where its zone of occupation responsibility included almost half of the total land area of Japan. The 32nd replaced the 11th Airborne. During its stay in Japan, the strength of the regiment dropped by almost half of its paper strength.
On 25 June 1950, the North Korean Army crossed the 38th Parallel, taking Seoul and pushing all the way to the Pusan Perimeter. The 32nd began immediate preparation for deployment.
Intensive training for a proposed amphibious landing in Korea highlighted the training for the Regiment. A big problem faced the 32nd in the integration of several hundred ROK soldiers who were to fight alongside of American troops. Demonstrations, sign language, and a smattering of Japanese were used during the intensive military training. The ROKs were integrated at the squad level and introduced to the American "buddy" system in combat. American soldiers were responsible for the training and integration of the assigned ROK troops. After six days of loading supplies and equipment, the 32nd boarded troopships, departing for Inchon.
They went ashore 16 September 1950, met by small arms, mortar, and tank fire. The 32nd advanced north toward the Han River, the last natural barrier to Seoul. The Buccaneers, in the cold morning hours of the 25th, crossed the Han under intense enemy fire and captured their first objective at 1030, a dominating hill mass outside Seoul. Its capture provided the 32nd with sufficient momentum to gain all assigned objectives. With the capture of the surrounding heights overlooking and dominating the city, Marine elements were able to resume their advance. The Navy Distinguished Unit Citation went to the Buccaneers for relieving the pressure on the Marines.
The division was relieved of the responsibility for the Seoul area on 30 September and moved 350 miles overland, arriving in Pusan to begin training for another proposed landing, this time at Wonson, North Korea. Departing from Pusan harbor on 28 October, the mission of the 7th was changed to land at Iwon and advance to the Korean-Manchurian border.
Landing at Iwon in the 29th, the 32nd moved quickly northward with the 1st Battalion on the east coast of the Chosin Reservoir and the 2nd and 3rd in the Fusan Reservoir area.
At that point there were definite indications of PLA intervention. Information three enemy divisions had arrived at Yudam-ni on 20 November reached intelligence personnel via prisoners of war. On the ground, no contact was made in the Chosin Reservoir area.
On 29 November 1950, when the full force of the Chinese struck the UN forces, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions stood their ground until UN elements further north moved to join the battle. Together all these UN elements made an orderly withdrawal from the Fusan area.
The 1st Battalion on the east coast of the Chosin Reservoir was with elements of the 31st Infantry and the 1st Marines, who were cut off by the PLA. Only after long and bloody fighting did these forces work their way south to Koto-ri, and then to the Hungman perimeter. Lieutenant Colonel Don C. Faith, Jr., 1st Battalion Commander, distinguished himself in this action. During the five day period from 27 November to 1 December 1950, he personally directed his troops across the ice-covered reservoir and continually placed himself with the forward elements of the Battalion. He was mortally wounded while attempting to destroy an enemy road block with hand grenades. For his leadership, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
With the signing of the truce, The Buccaneers busied themselves in defensive preparations on the Korean peninsula, until it was reorganized and activated as the 1st Battalion 32nd Infantry Regiment for a short period.
In 1978, the 1/32 Infantry was stood down as part of President Carter's effort to withdraw from Korea. Just prior to that, Colin Powell and Steven Silvasy served as battalion commanders.
1/32 Infantry was later reactivated in the early 1980s at Fort Ord, California, where it joined 2/32 Infantry and 3/32 Infantry to form the 2nd Brigade, 7th Infantry Division. This effort was part of a plan on the part of officers in the Brigade, particularly the commander, COL Don Chunn, to support the re-establishment a strong regimental system in the US Army This was done in support of the wider Army's "Cohort" effort to rebuild cohesive units after the struggles with unit moral and effectiveness in the late stages of Vietnam and the early part of the "All Volunteer Army." When the Army restructured its regimental designations later in the 1980s, the three battalions of the 32nd Infantry were re-designated.
In the late 80's and early 90's the 3rd battalion, 32nd Infantry served as a basic training battalion at Fort Benning, Georgia, and had the distinction of one of the first training units to conduct M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle specific training. During the beginning of the July summer cycle 1990, many recruits awoke to the realization they would quite possibly serve in combat sooner than they thought, when on 2 August 1990 Saddam Hussein's armies invaded Kuwait. Many recruits found themselves graduating that October, only to find themselves in the deserts of Saudi Arabia for Operation(S) Desert Shield and Desert Storm as early as late November-early December of the same year.
On 15 February 1996, 1st Battalion, 32nd was activated as the only active battalion of the 32nd Regiment, as part of the 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, New York.
Since then, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry regiment has remained a combat ready unit. The battalion has participated in many training exercises as well as including Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti and six-month rotation as a highly visible Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) peacekeeping mission in the Middle East.
In May 2002 the battalion returned from a six-month rotation in Kosovo as part of Task Force Falcon. The deployment was part of Operation Joint Guardian.
In August 2003, the battalion deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom what soldiers thought would be a six month deployment only to find out it would be a thirteen month combat tour. Company A was based out of FOB Volturno near Fallujah while companies B and C built FOB Chosin at an Iskandiriyah power plant with 82nd Airborne Sappers while conducting combat operations. Later they would move to FOB Manhattan, located between Ramadi and Fallujah. By the time they were finished 1/32 was the most efficient and successful unit in regards to securing weapons caches, eliminating insurgents, gathering intel, and killing or capturing Al Qaeda members during combat operations in Iraq.
In March 2006 TF Chosin deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom for a fifteen month combat tour. Company A operated in the Korengal Valley, Company B operated around Nangalam and in Nuristan Province, specifically Bella and Aranas. Company C operated along the Peche River, while company D supported A and C companies as well as 3rd Platoon, B Company in Salerno. During the deployment, Command Sergeant Major James Carabello instructed the entire battalion to wear camouflage netting on their helmets to distinguish 1/32 soldiers from other units. This became known as Carabello hair.[1]
In April 2008 a CPL who had been killed at the Chosin Reservoir was identified.
In 2009, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment deployed to Konar Province, Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and is part of the International Security Assistance Force. The regiment supported the 1st Infantry Division and later Task Force Mountain Warrior of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division by conducting operations in Kunar Province and responding to enemy movement and activity in Nuristan Province. However, the Battalion was not whole. Bravo Company was assigned to deploy with 3-71 CAV and was attached and separate from the rest of 1-32. Bravo Company operated in Logar province. 1-32 Infantry Regiment re-deployed to the United States in the winter of 2010, returning to their higher command at 10th Mountain Division. During this deployment 1-32 received a Valorous Unit citation for its actions in Barge Matal.
The current Commander is LTC Kenneth Mintz and the Battalion Sergeant Major is CSM Horney
Constituted 1 July 1916 in the Regular Army as the 32d Infantry
Organized 7 August 1916 at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii
Assigned 31 July 1918 to the 16th Division
Relieved 8 March 1919 from assignment to the 16th Division
Inactivated 1 November 1921 at the Presidio of San Francisco, California
Assigned 1 July 1940 to the 7th Division (later redesignated as the 7th Infantry Division) and activated at Camp Ord, California
Relieved 1 July 1957 from assignment to the 7th Infantry Division and reorganized as a parent regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System
Withdrawn 28 August 1987 from the Combat Arms Regimental System, reorganized under the United States Army Regimental System, and transferred to the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command
Withdrawn 17 December 1994 from the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command
World War II: Aleutian Islands (with arrowhead); Eastern Mandates; Leyte (with arrowhead); Ryukyus (with arrowhead)
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
This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Army document "32d Infantry History".